I’ll start with a thesis structure that combines the thesis writing skills I learned in class with my research. I’ll be able to complete my research more quickly once I know what I need to do in each thesis section.
Thesis structure：
Abstract.
Introduction.
Literature Review.
Research Methodology.
Results / Findings.
Discussion.
Conclusion.
References / Bibliography.
Appendices.
More specific thesis structure：
Introduction
Title page
Abstract
Acknowledgements
Contents page(s)
Introduction
Literature review (sometimes within the introduction)
Materials/sources and methods (can be part of every chapter if these are different per chapter)
Themed topic chapters
Results
Discussion or Findings
Conclusions
Your publications
References
Appendices
Abstract(300 words)
The abstract should be approximately 300 words long.
This is true for any paper length, whether it is 8,000 words or a 100,000 word Ph.D. thesis.
This should be a concise summary of your thesis.
In general, the abstract should cover, as briefly as possible
The question you wish to answer.
Your main arguments.
Your conclusions.
If we look at the abstract in more detail, we can see that there could be a more solid and formulaic approach here.
The structure from the previous slide could be further refined, for example.
What is your area of research?
Whether there are gaps in knowledge in your field.
The overall aims and objectives of your thesis and how it will address these gaps.
A brief description of the methods you will use to achieve these objectives.
Your most important results and findings.
How the results of your dissertation will be used to further your understanding of your research area.
Simple structure：
Introduction
Aims and Objective
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Be unique – write these sentences.
Your sentences should be short and concise. No exceptions. These sentences should give the reader new and useful information about your research. For example, you could introduce your subject area in one or two sentences. Gaps in knowledge can be filled in one or two other ways. You do not need to include references in your abstract, as this will be covered in the main body of your paper.
Your research should be explained.
You can write down your general objectives or present your research question, which is the most concise.
This is ultimately up to you, as long as the reader or marker clearly understands what you intend to achieve.
Once your findings in the main body of the paper answer the research question you outlined in the abstract, the reader will better understand. Objectivity is essential and the content of the abstract should be based entirely on facts. Don’t give too many opinions here.
There is no better opinion than this. Opinions can lead to ambiguous points and may ultimately lead to a lack of concise structure. It would help if you told the reader what new knowledge has contributed to your field. Just don’t exaggerate the conclusions, implications and significance of your work.
Example:
Introduction(400-800 words)
In this section, you should provide background for your paper.
In this paper, clearly list your goals and the scope you want to achieve.
You should also include a clear overview of each chapter of the paper to guide our readers to understand the main body of the paper.
This may be an opportunity to include a directory. Your introduction should account for 5% – 10% of the total words.
Like the summary, you may want to divide the introduction into the following sections:
Identify your readers (who are your readers?)
Attract readers (attract attention)
Background (make relevant)
General knowledge of the subject
What’s next (preview your points)
Identify your readers (who are your readers?)
Who are your readers?
Another person to include should be someone who is not familiar with your major. Remember this person. Your goal is to be as clear as possible. Therefore, your paper will become easier to understand and more enjoyable.
Attract readers (attract attention)
It is common to start with a question or a quote, but this technique may become obsolete.
You may want to start your introduction with a broad statement. This will attract a wide audience and expand its appeal. You can write down the most interesting topics in your field.
If the current event is related to your topic, you can associate the two. The key is to start from a broad perspective and then focus on specific topics and thesis statements.
Background (make relevant)
Your introduction should include enough background information to ensure that the reader sufficiently understands the statement and its arguments.
Of course, you should note that different fields have different amounts of background information. There should be enough background information in your introduction so that when you talk about the main body of the paper, it will maintain this interest without spending too much time writing it again.
General knowledge of the subject
It would help if you let readers know what the purpose of this study is.
If you don’t describe the motivation that drives you in the first sentence, you should mention it here.
Describe your research topic and scope
Why is your research relevant to practice? That is, why is it relevant to the subject of your paper?
If there are topics from a scientific or artistic perspective, you may want to include examples of other articles, briefly explaining them and how they are relevant to your research.
What’s next (preview your points)
Let the reader know what will happen next.
This should give readers enough interest in the key points.
You must leave the best to the main body of the paper.
It would help if you made it the first part of your topic, whether a statement or the first topic.
Example:
Literature Review (2400 words)
The purpose of the literature review is to:
Discuss and review work, ideas, research and theories related to your research problem.
Prove that your work will fill the gaps or deficiencies in previous research.
This must prove that the research that your paper will continue to discuss is correct.
This can be integrated into your paper in three ways:
introduction
Just like its own chapter
Organically incorporated into each chapter.
Like your summary and introduction, you should write an original version and then rewrite it. Ensure that this is taken into account in the workflow of the paper.
Literature review must do the following:
Have a clear understanding of your thesis and works/videos/movies related to your research field.
Demonstrate that you can integrate these contents into your paper clearly and coherently.
Demonstrate evaluation ability.
Your marker must know all the above (remember your audience).
What should my literary works include? Your literature should:
Deal with a theory that supports your work.
Make a statement related to your research field.
Either within the scope of your topic or obviously, overlap.
Recognize the work of others.
It helps to form a coherent argument.
Define the current research status of your research field.
You shouldn’t just describe other people’s work in your literature review.
When you think analytically, you should ask yourself important questions:
Who said that? Why do they say that? What is the basis? Is the foundation clear? Is this reasonable?
When you think analytically, you should ask yourself important questions:
What are the prospects?
Have others reviewed the work? What did they say?
What does this have to do with your research?
Your comment structure should be considered here.
Like every aspect of this paper, it needs to be clear, concise and modified after the initial writing.
Is it meaningful for others to read?
Your structure can be:
Chronological order (you can simply and clearly complete this work in the first draft of the paper and adapt it into a more mobile structure. Chronological order is as the name suggests, or in the order, you study the literature, or according to the date of its publication.)
Topics (divide the literature into topics related to your research. Make sure these topics are clear and cross-reference them as you move between them in your writing.)
Wheel (most suitable for the research of different disciplines in your research field. The name behind this method is related to the aggregation of these research points in your review. For example, you can write down how they are connected and then show how they work together to support your research. This is different from the theme because you didn’t write according to their original theme.)
Pyramid (start with a broader topic, and then you will begin to determine the focus and narrow the scope to more specific literature more directly related to your research field. You may think this is a writing method similar to the introduction.)
Chapter by chapter (this is the most organic way of writing and naturally the most difficult. If your chapter adopts a more narrative approach, you may want to introduce a literature review related to the chapter topic in the chapter introduction (you will see examples in this regard)
Be sure to focus on creating a “narrative voice” for your comments.
This is to ensure that your work is smooth and create something for the audience to follow. I can give you a guide if you like. Reading book reviews in journals can help you determine a formal style of academic review.
A reminder of places to find such texts:
https://www.disneyanimation.com/publications/
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/animation/
https://animateprojectsarchive.org/writing
Example:
Other research into the thesis structure will be updated in my next blog.