Appendix 5/1

GUIDE TO WRITING A THESIS Appendix to the Thesis guide

Updated by the Language Centre 2012

Appendix 5/2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 STRUCTURE OF THESIS ......................................................................................... 3 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Cover page........................................................................................................... 3 Abstract ............................................................................................................... 3 Terminology and abbreviations ........................................................................... 3 Table of contents and page numbers ................................................................... 3 Body of text ......................................................................................................... 4 1.5.1 Visualisation ............................................................................................ 4 1.5.2 Tense........................................................................................................ 4 1.5.3 Voice and person ..................................................................................... 4 1.5.4 Special characters .................................................................................... 5 1.6 Lists ..................................................................................................................... 5 1.7 References ........................................................................................................... 5 1.8 Appendices .......................................................................................................... 6 2 Thesis check list .......................................................................................................... 7 3 PREPARING A THESIS MEDIA RELEASE ............................................................ 7 4 PUBLISHING, BINDING AND ARCHIVING OF THESIS ..................................... 8 4.1 Publishing a thesis on Theseus, the online library of the universities of applied sciences................................................................................................................ 8 4.2 Permission form for archiving, binding the archive copy and publishing .......... 9
APPENDICES Appendix 5.1 Appendix 5.2 Appendix 5.3 Appendix5.4 Template (Word2003 and Word2007) Template instructions (Word2003 and Word2007) Sample layout for the English abstract Sample layout for the table of contents

Guide to writing a thesis

Appendix 5/3

STRUCTURE OF THESIS
The layout of all theses written by students of HAMK University of Applied Sciences is coherent. A Word template is in use for the thesis. The template (Appendix 5.1) and instructions (Appendix 5.2) are attached. The model template contains the following pre-defined styles and page settings: The default font is 12-point Times New Roman and the spacing is 1. The width and height of the margins is 3 cm. The order of the pages is as follows: cover page, abstract, list of abbreviations used, list of figures and tables if necessary, table of contents, body of text, references and appendices.

1.1

Cover page The information on the cover page is added according to the instructions in the template. The official and complete name of the degree programme is written on the cover page, e.g. Degree Programme in International Business.

1.2

Abstract The thesis report includes an abstract. The abstract is written according to the instructions given in the template. The abstract is written using complete sentences and in the past tense. Models: Abstract (pdf) (Appendix 5.3)

1.3

Terminology and abbreviations If there are abbreviations or foreign concepts in the thesis, an explanatory list should be compiled. It should be placed after the abstract and before the table of contents.

1.4

Table of contents and page numbers Chapters are assigned a heading and number for different levels. The page numbering starts from the introductory page and continues to the references page. The heading References does not have a chapter number. Model: Table of contents (pdf) (Appendix 5.4)

Guide to writing a thesis

Appendix 5/4

1.5

Body of text The thesis report contains the elements discussed with your supervisor, for example the objectives of the study, introduction, research questions, theoretical framework, description of research process, results with conclusions, reflection and assessment. The thesis is written in a style that is well argumented, concise and illustrative. Metatext prepares the reader for what is going to be said or refers to what has already been said.

1.5.1 Visualisation The text can be enhanced graphically using figures, tables, mathematical formulas and example calculations, which are referred to in the text. Examples of figures are maps, charts, diagrams and photographs. Exact instructions are given in the template. 1.5.2 Tense The present tense is used, for example, in the following cases: in the introduction when stating the objectives of the work; in the text when referring to a report written on the basis of a study: Chapter 3 introduces; when introducing generally accepted and established facts in the field: When the temperature is; or when stating the conclusions and recommendations based on the thesis report.

The past tense is used, for example, in the following cases: when referring to a completed study, material or method: was not included in the research theme, Experimental cultivation was done; when referring to research results obtained: It was noticed on the observation day; when referring to previous studies that cannot be considered as being generally accepted facts: Also Smith (2001) observed in his studies...

1.5.3

Voice and person It is relevant that the voice and person in the thesis is always clear to the reader. Be consistent when referring to your own reasoning. The thesis is written using either the passive voice, e.g. The results are supported by " or the first person plural in the following way: In diagram 7 we can see, On the basis of the results of this thesis, the author has come to the conclusion. It is not recommended that the first person singular is used in scientific texts. 4

Guide to writing a thesis

Appendix 5/5

1.5.4 Special characters Abbreviations, brackets and slashes should be avoided in the research text as they make the text difficult to understand and read. The slash mark can almost always be replaced with the words "or", "and", "in other words". In particular, the use of brackets slows down the reading pace. A separate addition to a sentence can be inserted using commas or dashes. Only standardised quantity symbols, abbreviations of units of measurements, mathematical symbols and chemical symbols and formulas can be used in the thesis report. Numbers and units of measurement are separated by a space. 1.6 Lists Lists should be used with care and throughout the whole work should be compiled in the same way. The items in the list must be comparable in content and in form. For example, if one item of the list is a complete sentence, the other items may not be single words or incomplete sentences. A list cannot be a paragraph alone nor can it start right after the title. Examples of lists: You can categorise a text as informative, if it has short expressions exact choice of words unambiguous ideas. An effective text is usually characterised by the following features: The text is illustrative. The authors purpose is to make an impact with his/her text. The text is reader-centred. 1.7 References Students writing their theses must always state the sources used in their texts. The reader must always know what the author has produced and what has been cited. Direct quotations are not recommended. Try to use them sparingly and if you do, always use quotation marks and page numbering in the citation. For example, exact definitions can be quoted directly, otherwise direct quotations are not recommended. Long quotations are indented. Indented texts are not in quotation marks but they can be italicised.

Guide to writing a thesis

Appendix 5/6

Citations are placed in parentheses in the text directly after the quoted text as follows: a. The citation covers only one sentence: The objective of the recruitment process as well as selection is to find the best for the lowest cost, and meets the needs of the company at the same time (Armstrong 2006). b. When writing about the same work several times in a paragraph, it is often enough to cite it the first time and again at the end of the paragraph, rather than several times throughout one paragraph. Notice in this example how the authors of the article have in the first sentence included Regan naturally into the text, and then at the very end of the paragraph Regan and year of publication are separated from the text and put totally in parentheses (brackets). The example According to Regan (2000), in formal learning, mobile devices have especially been used in situations where the learning content can easily be divided into small meaningful pieces and when one part is learned, the learner can easily connect it to a part of the whole content. This content can be, for example, learning different languages or the grammar of a certain language. Mobile technology can help the learner to revise facts that have been taught. With the help of a mobile device, a learner can complete quizzes, or a group of learners can take part in group work in the field to practice the learned skills and record findings. The group can then analyze their findings in the classroom. A mobile device can thus earn its place in an authentic learning situation (Regan 2000). When texts, diagrams or graphic presentations are cited in the thesis report, the original source is given in the references, see instructions in the PowerPoint presentation at Thesis report References 1.8 Appendices Only important documents supporting the content of the text should be appended to the thesis. Each appendix must be referred to in the body of the text, see template. The appendices are listed in the table of contents.

Guide to writing a thesis

Appendix 5/7

THESIS CHECK LIST

The author of the thesis can use the following check list: Have you signed the cover page? Is the title of the thesis sufficiently comprehensive? Does the structure of the abstract correspond to the content of the thesis report? Is the abstract understandable without the rest of the text? Have the pages been numbered from the introductory page onwards and do they appear centred at the bottom of the page? Is each chapter's starting page given in the table of contents? Are the numbers and wording of the titles in the table of contents in exactly the same form as those in the text? Does the table of contents show that the work progresses logically and harmoniously? Does the introduction state clearly enough the objective of the study, the main idea and the research problem? Have the citations been inserted correctly and coherently? Does each citation have a clear reference relationship to one single item in the bibliography? Is it possible to find the correct source text on the basis of the information in the bibliography? Have the appendices been referred to properly? Does each appendix have a title and number? Are the tables, figures and formulas numbered consecutively, each type separately? Is the number and title of the table placed above them; the number and title of the figure below the figure? Does each table, figure, formula and appendix have a reference in the text? Does the length of the paragraphs make the text easy to read? Are the structures of the sentences and clauses easy and the words used understandable? Is the choice of words suitable, precise and logical? Are the punctuation and other entries according to standard orthography? Have the names and foreign words been written correctly?

PREPARING A THESIS MEDIA RELEASE

The thesis media release should be written like a news item, in an interesting way and in the professional style. The release addresses the following questions: what, where, when, how, why and who. The release should be short: the recommended length of the text is one page. The most important idea is presented at the beginning of the text and the complementary in7

Guide to writing a thesis

Appendix 5/8

formation at the end. The most significant facts are found in the title and caption. In the title, the crux of the matter is stated succinctly and in an interesting way. The title is followed by a caption, which is the first paragraph to support the title and contains the main message. The actual paragraphs of the release support, justify and illustrate the relevant subject. The release ends with Additional information which states who will give additional information on the subject. More detailed information on preparing a thesis media release can be found in Appendix 7. The thesis media release is written into the template of the Thesis media release (Appendix 8).

PUBLISHING, BINDING AND ARCHIVING OF THESIS

Theses are public documents. The goal is that all theses shall be published in the online library of all universities of applied sciences, Theseus. The publishing of a thesis is a way to present and market the students expertise. Fields of education can use published theses in their own marketing as well as in presenting their own instruction and research. In this case, the name of the author becomes recognised within the professional field concerned. Students going into a particular branch of study familiarise themselves with published theses and get acquainted with the professional field. Digital publishing also promotes the accessibility of a thesis and enables the availability of the work to a larger readership than previously. When the thesis is saved in the Theseus database, bibliographic information and keywords or subject names can also be viewed.

4.1

Publishing a thesis on Theseus, the online library of the universities of applied sciences When a student grants permission to publish the thesis on Theseus, s/he uploads his/her approved work on Theseus and also accepts its terms of use. In this case, the thesis can be utilised in the marketing of the university of applied sciences concerned and in making announcements about such theses. A thesis can be uploaded on Theseus only after the thesis has been approved. The work uploaded must be the same as the approved thesis. The thesis is uploaded on Theseus as one PDF file and thus all attachments are in the same file as the actual thesis. Name the file with your own name in the form lastname_firstname.

Guide to writing a thesis

Appendix 5/9

Uploading to Theseus proceeds in stages: 1. The student personally uploads his/her thesis at www.theseus.fi . 2. In connection with uploading, the rights that readers will have to the thesis are assigned. The alternatives are: a. All rights reserved. b. The option to personally distribute the copyrights to users of the thesis with a Creative Commons licence. 3. The HAMK student email address is entered in the email field. 4. The system provides a URN link, which will be the permanent address of the thesis on the Internet. 5. Read and approve the agreement on terms of use. 6. The thesis will become visible in the service when the information on the thesis concerned is checked by action of the university of applied sciences. More exact uploading instructions are found on the Theseus web pages. 4.2 Permission form for archiving, binding the archive copy and publishing The student submits a bound and signed version of the thesis to his/her supervisor for archival use. The archive copies of theses are bound in the same way throughout the whole university of applied sciences. The degree programme pays the printing and binding costs of the archive copies remaining at the university of applied science. It is agreed on a degree programme-by-programme basis which appendix materials shall be cost-remitted by the university of applied sciences. The degree programme can also limit, on a case-by-case basis, the colouring of the archive copy. The student fills in the form Right to use the digital version and permission to use the products contained within the thesis in accordance with the Copyright Act (Appendix 3). The original form is appended to the archival copy of the thesis.