Academic Writing Thesis

How to write
your thesis
Academic Writing

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Academic Writing Thesis

Thesis
Thesis = Lucrare de licenta
Master Thesis = Lucrare de master
Dissertation = Lucrare de doctorat

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Academic Writing Thesis

What a thesis is about?

- Purpose: Why we write a thesis
- Skills developed
- Stages and Timing
- Choose a coordinator

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Academic Writing Thesis

What a thesis is about?...

Critical analysis
Answer to a scientific question or
hypothesis
Gather evidence - from various sources - to
allow you to make interpretations and
judgments
A well-reasoned line of argument, from:
o initial question,
o compilation of relevant evidence,
o setting data in a general/universal context, and finally
o making a judgment based on your analysis

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Academic Writing Thesis

Research Article vs Thesis vs Project

Research Article Thesis Project (Research)
Original contribution Original contribution Original contribution

~ 10 pag ~ 50 pag ~ 70 pag

~ 10 sources for biblio ~ 30 sources for biblio ~ 50 sources for biblio

1 month 10 months 6 months

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Academic Writing Thesis

Purpose: Why we write a thesis?..

THESIS = Synthesis of the entire

theoretical knowledge and practical
abilities developed by a student during
his/her university studies

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Academic Writing Thesis
Skills developed by thesis
Soft skills
critical thinking
decision making
risk management
science communication (written,
verbal)
using IT tools in creating
documents and search for
documents
using at least one foreign
language (for example, for
reading documents for the review
of literature)
execution of a complex task,
requiring a long time,
independently
self-development, self-evaluation
scientific and ethical
responsibility for the information
delivered
management of the available time
Specific skills
analysis, synthesis and use of the
entire knowledge and abilities
developed during the 3 years of
study
formulating a research problem /
research question / hypothesis
collection of relevant information
from literature and its subsequent
analysis and synthesis (literature
review)
design of the research approach
integrated use of the relevant
concepts, theories, methodologies
in order to explain, analyse and
solve complex problems
critical analysis and interpretation
of data
evaluation of results 7
technical/scientific risk
Academic Writing Thesis

Stages and timing 1/2

1. Choose a topic (preliminary selection of a field rather than
a topic)
2. Selection, analysis, organization of sources
3. Literature search and research
4. Establish the topic
5. Establish methodology (work plan)
- Research methods for data collection and interpretation
- Research tools for collecting and analysis of data
6. Data collection (case study; field research)
7. Results
- Analysis and interpretation of data
8. Conclusions and recommendations
9. Editing the first draft
10. Revision of the first draft
11. Edit the final thesis
12. Meetings with the coordinator
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Academic Writing Thesis

Stages and timing 2/2

Months 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Activity
1. Choose a topic

2. Selection, analysis, organization of sources

3. Literature search and research

4. Establish the topic

5. Establish methodology (work plan)

6. Data collection (case study; field research)

7. Results

8. Conclusions and recommendations

9. Editing the first draft

10. Revision of the first draft

11. Edit the final thesis

12. Meetings with the coordinator

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Academic Writing Thesis
Coordinator and student
Coordinators role
suggestions about choosing and
defining the topic
imposing mandatory stages and
moments to assess progress
(preferably at least once every
two weeks)
suggestions on design,
organization and implementation
of research or study
theoretical and methodological
suggestions on the research
discussions with the student
critical comments and
recommendations for correction
bibliographical suggestions
criteria for evaluating the thesis
Students role
initiating relationship with the
coordinator
establishing a working plan with
the scientific coordinator
consulting bibliographic
resources (online and/or in
university libraries)
frequent consultation with the
coordinator on the topic,
bibliographic sources, the design
and research methodology and
data interpretation
integration of constructive
suggestions, recommendations
and additions made by the
coordinator
using programs (software) for
checking and correcting spelling
errors and typing 10
Academic Writing Thesis

General structure of thesis

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Academic Writing Thesis

General structure of thesis

Title
List of Figures
List of Tables
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusions and Recommendations
(Acknowledgments) if necessary
References / Bibliography
(Annexes) if necessary

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Academic Writing Thesis

Research Article Thesis

Limited research work Extended research work

Title Title
Introduction Introduction
Review of literature Review of literature

Methodology Methodology
Results Results
Discussion
Discussion
Conclusions and Recommendations
Conclusions
(Acknowledgments) if necessary
References / Bibliography
References / Bibliography
(Annexes) if necessary
(Annexes) if necessary

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Academic Writing Thesis

How to write your thesis

Introduction
Methodology
Results
Discussion
Conclusions and Recommendations
Annexes

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Academic Writing Thesis

1. Introduction
Literature review: cite previous research in this area (~ 30 sources in
your field). Background information to allow the reader to understand
the context and significance of the question you are trying to address

Explain why more work was necessary

o (Research) problem statement (very important!)

Objectives of the work to be carried out (to solve the problem identified)
(very important!)

A short description (presentation) of the work that will be carried out by

you and what will be presented in the thesis

Clarify your own, original contribution

Use subheads, e.g.

o Literature review (Background and state-of-the-art)
o Problem statement
o Objectives of the work
o Original contribution

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Academic Writing Thesis

2. Methodology
Description of materials, procedures, theories

Calculations, technique, procedure, equipment

Limitations, assumptions, and range of validity

Description of your analytical methods,

including reference to any specialized
statistical software

Do not include descriptions of results

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Academic Writing Thesis

3. Results
The results are actual statements of observations,
including statistics, tables and graphs

Present sufficient details so that others can draw

their own inferences and construct their own
explanations

Do not interpret results - save that for the discussion

Break up your results into logical segments by using

subheadings

Key results should be stated in clear sentences at the

beginning of paragraphs

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Academic Writing Thesis

4. Discussion
Results Discussion of results
Observations Interpretation
(significance of observations)

What are the major patterns in the observations? (Refer to spatial

and temporal variations)

What are the relationships, trends and generalizations among the

results?

What are the exceptions to these patterns or generalizations?

What are the likely causes (mechanisms) underlying these patterns

(resulting predictions)

What is the relationship of the present results to the original

research question / hypothesis

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Academic Writing Thesis

5. Conclusions and Recommendations

Conclusions Recommendations
What is the strongest and Include when
most important statement
appropriate (most of
that you can make from your
observations the time)

Refer back to problem posed, Remedial action to

and describe the conclusions solve the problem
that you reached from
carrying out this
investigation, summarize Further research to fill
new observations, new in gaps in our
interpretations, and new
insights that have resulted
understanding
from the present work
Directions for future
Include the broader investigations on this or
implications of your results
related topics

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Academic Writing Thesis

Annexes
Include all your data in the appendix

Tables (where more than 1-2 pages)

Calculations (where more than 1-2 pages)

You may include a key article as appendix

Details of complicated procedures

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Academic Writing Thesis

Order of writing
1. Organize your thesis as a logical argument
before you begin writing Title
Title

2. Make your figures to illustrate your hypothesis
/ research question Introduction
Introduction

Methods
Methods
3. The main sections are:
- background to the hypothesis (Intro) Results
Results
- describing the information to be used in the Discussion
Discussion
paper, and making points about them
(observations Results) Conclusions
Conclusions andand
- connecting the points regarding the info
(analysis Discussion)
Recommendations
Recommendations
- summing up Conclusions (Acknowledgments)
(Acknowledgments) if if
necessary
necessary
4. Outline the main elements: sections, and
subsections References
References // Bibliography
Bibliography
(Annexes)
(Annexes) if
if necessary
necessary
5. Begin writing, choosing options in the
following hierarchy: paragraphs, sentences, and
words

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Academic Writing Thesis

Editing / Revision
Content revision:
o logic
o repetition, relevance
o style

Language revision:
o Proof read your thesis a few times
o Check your spelling
o Make sure that you use complete sentences
o Check your grammar: punctuation, sentence structure,
subject-verb agreement (plural or singular), tense
consistency, etc.
o Give it to others to read and comment

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Academic Writing Thesis

What a thesis is about?

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Academic Writing Thesis

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Academic Writing Thesis

General structure of thesis

Title
List of Figures
List of Tables
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusions and Recommendations
(Acknowledgments) if necessary
References / Bibliography
(Annexes) if necessary

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Academic Writing Thesis

How to write
your thesis
Academic Writing

Dr. Victoria Folea

victoria.folea@rau.ro

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