Thesis Prep – Lawrence Session 4

This week was the final session of the tutorials and it was about discussion, conclusion, references/ bibliograph and appendices.

Discussion

As the title says, this is the part where we discuss the importance, meaning and relevance of the results, as well as explain and evaluate them, linking these results/ findings to the research questions and literature review will help make an argument supporting the conclusion.

Structure:

1. Restate the research question which should then be followed by how the findings answer the question
2. Relate findings to issues raised in introduction
   • compare contrasts, mention any common or different trends
   • how does it compare with previous findings
   • does it support them
   • does it refine them
   • does it corroborate them
3. If the findings end up being something totally different from what we expect we might want to consider writing some previous parts of the thesis.
4. Detail the major conclusions, essentially this is evaluating the findings
5. Discuss how these implications may impact future research and study for future researchers.
   • this can mention feedback and critiques and how to improve
   • usually the shortest part of this session

Conclusion

This should be a review of the key points raised and a reminder of it’s relevance in the study, this will make the reader with something to question themselves about. No references are needed in the conclusion.

Structure suggestions:

1. restate the thesis
   • simply reword thesis statement
   • structure can be different and say the same thing
   • Don’t be apologetic when showing results
   • start with a strong statement reflecting the thesis
2. review the key points of the thesis
   • read the thesis from front to back
   • make notes of the topic of each chapter/paragraph
   • our choices may compliment or contrast
   • best practice is to choose two
   • what do you want the reader to take away from the thesis
3. why is the work relevant
   • encourage audience to question themselves
   • do not leave loose ends to threads
   • be sure to resolve points
   • ask why it is relevant
4. Leaving the reader with something to think about: the message
   • why should we care
   • end with something interesting to say
   • maybe a realisation, a call for action or a warning
   • this might give the audience something to remember and make them care.

References/ Bibliography

References are where we credit and mention anything quoted or based on another persons work related to our study. All references are placed in the end of the study in its own chapter and will also be referenced throughout the rest of the study, although the full reference will be at the end.

The system that we will be using is The Harvard Referencing System.

Appendices

These are any extra documents or images gathered over the course of your investigation, it can be put at the end of the thesis or referenced in a link to our blogs where we show the research more in depth.

In the end of each point Lawrence mentioned he showed us examples of thesis from other students and the ways they did their own study, these sessions were extremely helpful as a way to guide us though the process of writing something as complex as a thesis. It did help to put my mind at ease as I was so lost about how to do it, and at the same time it is still scary.

I booked a meeting with Lawrence next week and will definitely have more insight on the matter and where to look for information.