THESIS WRITING

(Guidelines, Format and Sample)

BY: Abdul Wahab, M. Pd

NIDN. 0831128232
 WHAT IS A
The word “thesis”
THESIS?
has two meanings, both of which are applicable
to your writing.

 The word refers to either a Master’s Thesis or a PhD Thesis (dissertation).

 “Thesis” signals the fact that your thesis must be a work of persuasive argumentation.

You first make a statement defining the focus of your research (the

problem/question/issue that needed to be solved) and signal your results. Then,

through evidence and reasoning, you persuade your committee of the validity of your

research.
 In the process of telling that story, you must
answer, clearly and precisely, the following
key
 What problem/question/issue does your thesis focus on? questions:
 Why is it important?
 How does your work fit into the intellectual context of your field?
What experimental design / methods did you use? Why did you choose those methods? What
difficulties did you encounter along the way? How did you solve (or not) those difficulties?
What are your research results? How do they differ from what you had expected or from what had
previously been done by others? What evidence do you have to support those results?
Whatconclusions did you reach?
 What, specifically, is your unique contribution?
 What are some possible applications, either practical or theoretical,
of your findings? What future work does your thesis suggest?
PARTS
OF A
THESIS
 INITIAL PAGES
1. Title Page
2. Approval Sheet
3. Abstract
4. Acknowledgment
5. Dedication
6. Table of Contents
7. List of Tables
8. List of Figures
 TITLE PAGE

The following information needs to be on

the title page:

 The title (and possibly the subtitle) of your thesis

 First name and surname of the author(s)
 Whether it is a ‘Bachelor’s thesis’ or a ‘Master’s thesis’
 Faculty and department
 Place and date of completion
Title Sample
CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB
 Title Measurements
2”
1”
”
1” 1”
”
”
1””

1””
1”
”
Title Measurement

CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB

 APPROVAL SHEET

 This is to prove that the authors have passed the

requirements needed for the thesis.
 This is signed by the thesis/FS adviser, panel and
the Dean.
 This also states the grade obtained by
the author/s.
Approval Sheet Sample
CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB
Approval Sheet Sample
CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB
 ABSTRACT
 An abstract presents a brief summary of your
thesis.
 The aim of the abstract is to briefly provide the
reader with the most important information from
the entire text.
 An abstract never contains new information.
 This summary is no longer than 2 pages of A4.
 ABSTRACT

 350 words for Ph.D.

 150 words for a Masters
 250 words for an undergraduate

The abstract must summarize the contents of the

thesis, not merely say what it is about. Write it last
because you must have written the Introduction and
Conclusion before you can summarize their main
ideas in the Abstract.
Abstract Sample
Abstract Measurements
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

 This is a page focused on expressing gratitude to

organizations, agencies or individuals who, in one
way or another, have aided the researchers in
finishing the thesis.
Acknowledgment Sample
CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB
 DEDICATION

 This is the page for dedicating the thesis to certain

people or groups who have inspired the
researchers while doing the thesis.
Dedication Sample
 M Measurement of Dedication

1”
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

 The table of contents is essentially a

topic outline of the thesis.

It is compiled by listing the headings in
the thesis down to whichever level you choose.
Table Of Contents Sample
CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB
 Table Of Contents Measurement

2”
1
1”
”
 LIST OF TABLES / LIST OF
FIGURES
 Include a list of figures (illustrations) and a list of
tables if you have one or more items in these
categories.
 Use a separate page for each list.
 List the number, caption, and page number of
every figure and table in the body of the thesis.
 Figures, tables, illustrations... what's the difference?

If you are doing a design or fine arts subject, it is likely that you will include
photographs, drawings, paintings or illustrations in your dissertations. These
would normally be included in your List of illustrations.

In other subjects, it is commonto

include all tables, charts, graphs, photographs, drawings,
etc. together in a List of figures.
However, if you have a great deal of information presented in tables, it may be
best to have a both a List of tables and a List of figures (everything that's not a
table). When labelling, number these separately.
List Of Tables / List Of Figures Samples
CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB
 TITLE OF CHAPTERS

1. Problem and Its Background

2. Review of Related Literature and Studies
3. Methodology of the Study
4. Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation
of Data
5. Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
 Title Of Chapters
Measurement
2”
1”

1”

1” from bottom to footnote

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION AND
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
 INTRODUCTION

 The first chapter of your thesis is your

introduction.
 This is where you provide an introduction to
the topic of your thesis: you give the context in
terms of content of the research project.
 INTRODUCTION
This ch
This chapter provides an overview of
the thesis as a whole
 it does not simply give background.
The first sentence should identify the problem and signal your results.
Then move to a more detailed overview of problem, importance, method,
intellectual context, and your findings.
The last paragraph usually briefly lists what will be covered in subsequent
chapters. You can usually do it in one sentence per chapter; try to vary the sentence
style.
The Introduction is often short, perhaps some 10 pages.
Write it after you have written the body chapters and the Conclusion so that you
know just what you are introducing.
Introduction Format
 Introduction Sample
Introduction
Topic
To teach English as foreign language, teacher can use codeswitching as an effective
way (Skiba, 1997). In teaching English, codeswitching has some functions that are Significant
recognized as topic shift, affective function, and repetitive. The first function is dealing
Background
with the language change that is used by the teacher in explaining the lesson. The
second function relates to teacher utterances that are used to increase and build the
relationship with the students. The last function belongs to the teachers’ explanations
in clarifying words meaning and stressing the important thing in second language.
Therefore, the use of codeswitching by EFL teachers in classroom activity is a burning
issue to be investigated in this researches particularly the language elements, function
and motivation to employ it in teaching learning process.
Sample Format of Introduction
 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
STUDY

 The significance of the study will mainly focus

on the question “Who will benefit from the
study?”.
 This section will state the contribution of your
study and the usefulness of your study in the
society.
 Thesis statement
The thesis sentence should argue a position, not summarize information.

WHEN COMPOSING YOUR THESIS SENTENCE,

 make sure your thesis reflects the full scope of
your
argument
avoid using a thesis that is too broad to be defended in the your paper or too
narrow to be a full response to the assignment.
argue as conceptually rich a position as you can support. Ask yourself
How? and Why? questions to deepen your thesis.
make sure your reader can easily identify your thesis sentence.
 do not just reword the professor’s question; claim your own
Thesis statement
Sample
 STATEMENT OF THE
PROBLEM
 The problem must be reflected to your title or the
readers must know your problem by just simply
reading your topic.
 The problem must not be answerable by yes or
no and must be arranged in the flow of your
documentation or study.
Statement Of The Problem
Sample
CHELDY S. ELUMBA-PABLEO, MPA;LLB
HYPOTHESIS
 Differences between thesis: statement & hypothesis
D

A thesis statement and thesis hypothesis are different. Thus, the latter
is applied to support the ideas stated in thesis statement.
So, a good research paper must have both thesis statement and thesis
hypothesis.
There are two major peculiarities concerning thesis hypothesis. Firstly,
a thesis hypothesis is an assumption that you are going to prove in the
paper. As any assumption it is based on some statistic calculations.
Secondly, it can be an assumption of the writer’s ideas. It is based on the
results that were received during the research.
Thesis hypothesis is mainly applied, when the writer is required to find
out something new about the problem under consideration. It is also used, if
it is necessary to answer some specific question. In all other cases it is
possible to submit a
 CONCEPTUAL


FRAMEWORK
A conceptual framework elaborates the research problem in relation to relevant
literature. This section may summarize the major (dependent and independent)
variables in your research. The framework may be summarized in a schematic
diagram that presents the major variables and their hypothesized relationships. It
should also cover the following:
 •Existing research and its relevance for your topic
 •Key ideas or constructs in your approach
 •Identify and discuss the variables related to the problem.
 •Conceptualized relationships between variables
 Independent variables (presumed cause)
 Dependent variables (presumed effect)
 Intervening variables (other variables that influence the effect of
the independent variable)
Conceptual Framework
Sample
Instructional
Materials
and Equipment
commonly used in
Effects of the use
teaching Science
of instructional
1Traditiona Materials and
l Materials
equipment
2Technologic
al Equipment
Profile of the respondents
1Age
2Gender
3Civil Status
4Educational Attainment
5Years of Service
 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

 The scope is mainly the coverage of your study

and the Delimitation is the limitation of your study
or topic.
Scope And Delimitation
Sample
 DEFINITION OF TERMS

 The definition of terms must be arranged in

alphabetically. It must be also stated if you used
your definition of terms in technically or
operationally.
CHAPTER
II
Review of
Related
Literature
and Studies
 RELATED LITERATURE

 In this part you must get your data and information from any books,
magazines, and news papers. You must label your published material with
local or foreign.
 1. Must be also organized to cover specific problems.
 2. Must take all the evidences about the problem with the
author’s experiences.
 3. As much as possible, get the latest published materials. Avoid old
published materials.
 4. It must be related to your topic. If not, do not get it.
 5. On the last part of this part you must have a statement how this old
published material helps the researcher in their current study and relate it to
your study.
 RELATED STUDIES
 In this part you must get your data and information from unpublished
material such as previous or old study, research or thesis. In some
format, you must label your unpublished material with local or foreign.

1. This should be organized to cover the specific problems.

2. You must take note all of the evidences that the
previous researcher came up.
3. The unpublished material should not be older than 5 years
if possible.
4. It must be related to your topic. If not, do not get it.
5. studyOnand
therelate
last part
it toof thisstudy.
your part you must have a statement how this
old unpublished material helps the researcher in their
current
Related Literature Sample
 CHAPTER III
Methodology of the Study
 METHODOLOGY
The purpose of the methodology chapter is to give an experienced
investigator enough information to replicate the study. Some advisors do
not understand this and require students to write what is, in effect, a
textbook. A research design is used to structure the research and to show
how all of the major parts of the research project, including the sample,
measures, and methods of assignment, work together to address the
central research questions in the study.
The chapter should begin with a paragraph reiterating the purpose of
the study. The following subjects may or may not be in the order required
by a particular institution of higher education, but all of the subjects
constitute a defensible methodology chapter.
 Appropriateness of the Research Design

This section is optional in some institutions, but

required by others. Specify that the research for the dissertation
correlation, qualitative, is experimental, quasi-experimental, causal-
comparative, quantitative, mixed methods, or another design.
Be specific. The designated approach should be defended by contrasting
and comparing it with alternate methods and rejecting those that do not
meet the needs of the study.
This section should not be a textbook description of various research
designs, but a focused effort to match a rational research design with the
purpose of the study.
 RESEARCH DESIGN

 The appropriate research design should

be specified and described.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research Design Sample
 POPULATION AND
SAMPLES

 Describe the population of interest and

the sampling of subjects used in the study.
 RESEARCH

INSTRUMENT
 Describe the instrument and what it
will measure.
 State qualifications of informants if used in the
study.
 VALIDATION PROCEDURE

 Discuss how the validity and the reliability will be

established. Specify the level of reliability
(probability).
 PROCEDURE

 Fully describe how the data were when and how the data
are collected.
In a QUALITATIVE study, this is the section where most of the appendices are itemized,
starting with letters of permission to conduct the study and letters of invitation to participate
with attached consent forms.
A paragraph must be inserted that states the study is deemed to be one of minimal risk to
participants and that the probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in the
research will not be greater than any ordinarily encountered in daily life, or
during the

performance of routine physical or psychological

 DATA
GATHERING
PROCEDURE
 Describe how instrument will be administered.
 DATA PROCESSING PROCEDURE AND
STATISTICAL TREATMENT
OF DATA

 Describe the processing and treatment of data

 Ethical Considerations
In a QUALITATIVE STUDY, the procedures for the protection of human
participants should be stated.
This section is nearly identical in all qualitative studies, which makes it subject
to identification as plagiarism when submitted to a mechanical plagiarism tool.
Ethical concerns are important, particularly in reference to planning,
conducting, and evaluating research.
The study should present minimal risk to participants pertaining to
experimental treatment or exposure to physical or psychological harm.
Care should be taken to ensure that the participants fully understood the nature
of the study and the fact that participation is voluntary.
A statement should be made that confidentiality of recovered data will be
maintained at all times, and identification of participants will not be available
during or after the study.
 DATA PROCESSING
&
ANALYSIS
In both QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE STUDIES, the
precise method of how the data were processed and then analyzed
is described. Increasingly, in qualitative studies, data collection
and analysis is accomplished by using any one of several data
collection and analysis tools available on the Internet such as
SurveyMonkey.

Internet services are fast and accurate, and produce data that can
be quickly incorporated in Chapter 4.
CHAPTER
IV Presentation,
Analysis and
Interpretation of
Data
 PRESENTATION OF
DATA
 Present the findings of the study in the order of the
specific problem as stated in the statement of the
Problem.
 Present the data in these forms:
 Tabular
 Textual
 Graphical (optional)
 ANALYSIS OF
DATA
 Data may be analyzed quantitatively or qualitatively
depending on the level of measurement and the number
of dimensions and variables of the study.

 Analyze in depth to give meaning to the data presented in

the data presented in the table. Avoid table reading.

 State statistical descriptions in declarative

sentences, e.g. in the studies involving:
 INTERPRETATION OF DATA
 Establish interconnection between and among data
 Check for indicators whether hypothesis/es is/are
supported or not by findings.
 Link the present findings with the previous
literature.
 Use parallel observations with contemporary
events to give credence Presented in the
introduction.
 CHAPTER

V
Summary of Findings,
Conclusions and
Recommendations
 SUMMARY OF


FINDINGS
This describes the problem, research design, and
the findings (answer to the questions raised). The
recommended format is the paragraph form instead
of the enumeration form.
 For each of the problems, present:
 The salient findings,
 The results of the hypothesis tested
 CONCLUSIONS

 These are brief, generalized statements in answer to the

general and each of the specific sub-problems.
 These contain generalized in relation to the population. These
are general inferences applicable to a wider and similar
population.
 Flexibility is considered in making of conclusions. It is not a
must to state conclusions on a one-to-one correspondence
with the problems and the findings as all variables can be
subsume in one paragraph.
 Conclusions may be used as generalizations from a micro to a
macro-level or vice versa (ZOOM LENS approach).
 RECOMMENDATION
S
 They should be based on the findings and
conclusion of the study.
 Recommendations may be specific or general or
both. They may include suggestions for further
studies.
 They should be in non-technical language.
 They should be feasible, workable, flexible,
doable, adaptable.
 REFERENCES:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/thesis

http://www.jpsimbulan.net/thesis-writing-
guide/how-to-write-a-thesis/
https://www.google.com.ph/
 IMPORTANCE OF

are notes placed at the bottom

FOOTNOTES
of a page. They cite
references or comment on a designated part of the text
above it.

DIFFERENCE: (FOOTNOTE & ENDNOTE)-appear at the

bottom of the relevant page, while endnotes all appear at the end
of your document. If you want your reader to read your notes
right away, footnotes are more likely to get your reader's
attention
THANK YOU!