How to write Thesis - Structure of writing a research paper

2176_Writing Thesis.jpg

An effective thesis statement states the purpose of the thesis and therefore functions to control assert and structure your entire argument. Without a perfect thesis your argument can sound weak and uninteresting to the reader.

Writing a thesis is the most daunting part of graduate education. A thesis marks the conclusion of thousands of hours of research, training and writing and it represents you for years after graduation.

1. Title of the Page:

Title including the subtitle such as author, department, institution, date of delivery and research mentor their institutions.

2. Abstract:

A good abstract explains in one line why the thesis is important. To give a summary of your major results rather couched in numbers with error limits. The final sentence describes the major implications of your work. A good abstract is concise and quantitative.

1. Length should be of 1-2 paragraphs approximately 400 words.
2. It normally does not have citations.
3. No repetition of Title.
4. Use numbers where it is required.

3. Contents of Table:

One should list all headings and subheadings along with page numbers also indent subheadings. It will look incredible like given below:

3.1 List of Figures:

List page numbers of all figures.
The list should comprise a short title for each figure but not the whole caption.

3.2 List of Tables:

List page numbers of all tables.
The list should comprise a short title for each table but not the whole caption.

3.3 Introduction:

You cannot write a best introduction until you don't know about the body of the thesis says. Consider writing the introductory sections after you have completed the rest of the thesis, rather than before. Be sure to comprise a hook at beginning of the introduction. This is a statement of something satisfactorily interesting to motivate your reader to read the rest of the thesis, it is an important as well as interesting scientific problem that your thesis either solves or addresses. You should engage the reader in and also make them want to read the rest of the thesis.


What else in your introductory section of thesis?

a. Thesis objective
b. Background information.
c. Appropriate acknowledgement
d. Explain the scope of your thesis

Memorize that it's not a review thesis. Divide the introduction section into logical segments by using subheads.

3.4 Methods:

What fit in the Methods section of a thesis?

a) Information to evaluate your results.
b) Information required by another researcher to replicate your experiment.
c) Description of your procedure, materials, theory.
d) Technique, Calculations, procedure, equipment and calibration plots.
e) Assumptions, limitations and range of validity.

3.5. Results:

a) Results are actual statements of observations
b) Designate information on range of variation.
c) Mention both negative as well as positive results
d) Make use of S.I. units like s, m, kg etc. in your thesis.
e) Divide your results into logical segments by using subheadings
f) Key results should be stated in clear sentences at the beginning of paragraphs

3.6 Discussion:

Start with a few sentences that summarize the results which are most important. The discussion section should be a brief Thesis in itself answering the subsequent questions and caveat:

a) What are the major patterns in the observations?
b) What are the relationships, trends and generalizations among the results?
c) What are the exceptions to these patterns or generalizations?
d) What are the likely causes (mechanisms) underlying these patterns resulting predictions?
e) Is there agreement or disagreement with previous work?

This section should be rich in references to comparable work also background required to interpret results.

3.7 Conclusions:

a) From your observations what is the strongest and most important statement that you can make?

b) If you met the reader at a meeting six months from now what do you want them to remember about your thesis?

c) Refer back to problem posed and describes the conclusions that you reached from carrying out this investigation, summarize new observations, new interpretations and new insights that have resulted from the present work.

d) Include the broader implications of your results.

3.8 Acknowledgments:

Advisors or anyone who helped you in your Thesis:

a) Technically
b) Intellectually like assistance, advice etc.
c) Financially for example: departmental support, travel grants etc.

3.9 References:

a) Cite all ideas, text, concepts, data that are not your own
b) If you make a statement, back it up with your own data or a reference
c) All references cited in the text must be listed

3.10 Appendices:

a) Include all your data in the appendix.
b) Reference data/materials not easily available
c) Tables
d) Calculations.
e) You may include a key article as appendix.

If you consulted a large number of references but did not cite all of them you might want to comprise a list of additional resource material etc. Also list of equipment used for your experiment or details of complicated procedures.


Tables as well as figures comprising captions should be embedded in the text not in an appendix unless they are not more than 1-2 pages also they are not critical to your argument.

