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Thesis Template(Baturo & Cottier, YDC, QUT 2010)
Explanatory Notes
(print these notes or uture reeren!e an" then "elete the# in!lu"in$ the pa$e
%rea at the en" o the#)
1. This template has been set up for double-sided printing, which is required for
your nal thesis and is optional for all stages before that. This means it has
mirror margins, with odd and even pages. After the title page, at the end of
the preliminary pages, and at the end of each chapter, there is an odd page
section break . This ensures that the following page will begin as an odd
page, on the right hand side, and you do not need to insert blank pages.
. This template is designed to be used in con!unction with the document
Thesis Presentation and Management in Word 2007 "hereafter abbreviated to
Thesis PAM#.
$. The structure of the thesis detailed in this template is intended to be a guide
only, not a strict blueprint. The chapters and sections used in this template
are those typically included in a research thesis% however the nature of the
research undertaken may require a variation from this structure and the
order of items within chapters may also vary. &or e'ample, you may need to
use more than one results chapter. The structure of this template re(ects the
form of the traditional thesis. The traditional thesis structure is designed to
show)
• a line of argument across * chapters, namely, introduction, literature, design,
results, discussion, and conclusions% and
• logical relationships between pairs of these chapters, namely, introduction and
conclusions, literature and discussion, and design and results.
+. This template has been set up to use automatic numbering of headings. Thisallows you to use cross-referencing and automatic numbering of gure and
table captions with the chapter number included. The headings and other
styles used in this template can be modied if desired. &or more information,
refer to Thesis PAM. f you wish to use AA-style headings "which are not
numbered#, we have also prepared a Thesis Template APA Headings.
. This template can be used for your conrmation document as well as your
nal thesis. &or your conrmation, use the rst $ chapters only "and see ne't
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note on use of verb tenses#. /ou do not need to include the 0tatement of
riginal Authorship in your conrmation document.
*. AA guidelines regarding the use of verb tenses "American sychological
Association, 212, 0i'th 3dition# state that it is important to be consistent in
the use of tenses in your document and not to shift the tense within the
same paragraph or in ad!acent paragraphs. &or the literature review chapter,
past tense "e.g., 40mith showed5# or present perfect tense "e.g.,
4researchers have shown5# is appropriate. n the research design chapter,
use future tense in your conrmation document "e.g., 4This study will use an
action research methodology5# but past tense in your nal thesis "e.g., 4This
study used an action research methodology5#. n the results chapter, use
past tense to describe the results "e.g., 4an'iety decreased signicantly5#
but use the present tense to discuss the results and to present the
conclusions "e.g., 4the results of 3'periment indicate5# "AA, 212, pp. *-
**#. n this template, future tense for the conrmation document, where
relevant, has been placed in square brackets.
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FULL TITLE OF YOUR THESIS. THE
STYLE IS CALLED “TITLE,PHD TITLE”
[Put !u" #ull $ame he"e%
[Put your existing degrees here]
Submitted in [partial] fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
[e.g. Doctor of Philosophy or aster of !ducation "#esearch$]
School of !ducation
%aculty of !ducation& 'umanities and (a)%linders *ni+ersity
[month and year in )hich the thesis is submitted]
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&e'!"(s
Put a paragraph of ,ey)ords here in alphabetical order "for cataloguing purposes$.
%ull -itle of our -hesis. -he Style is /alled 0-itle&PhD -itle 1
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A)st"a*t
Put your abstract here "do this last$.
%ull -itle of our -hesis. -he Style is /alled 0-itle&PhD -itle 3
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Ta)le !# C!$te$ts
6The Table of 7ontents can be updated with the &8 key 9 refer to Thesis PAM.:
ey)ords..................................................................................................................................................i
bstract....................................................................................................................................................ii
-able of /ontents....................................................................................................................................iii
(ist of %igures.........................................................................................................................................i+
(ist of -ables............................................................................................................................................+
(ist of bbre+iations...............................................................................................................................+i
Statement of 4riginal uthorship............................................................................................... ......... ..+ii
c,no)ledgements...............................................................................................................................+iii
CHAPTER + I-TRODUCTIO-........................................................................................................+
1.1 5ac,ground...................................................................................................................................1
1.2 /ontext..........................................................................................................................................1
1.3 Purposes........................................................................................................................................1
1.6 Significance& Scope and Definitions.............................................................................................1
1.7 -hesis 4utline...............................................................................................................................2
CHAPTER LITERATURE RE/IE0.............................................................................................1
2.1 'istorical 5ac,ground [optional].................................................................................................6
2.2 -opic 1...........................................................................................................................................6
2.3 -opic 2...........................................................................................................................................6
2.6 -opic 3...........................................................................................................................................6
2.7 Summary and 8mplications...........................................................................................................6
CHAPTER 1 RESEARCH DESI2-..................................................................................................3
3.1 ethodology and #esearch Design..............................................................................................7
3.1.1 ethodology......................................................................................................................
3.1.2 #esearch Design....................................................................................................... .........
3.2 Participants....................................................................................................................................9
3.3 8nstruments....................................................................................................................................9
%ull -itle of our -hesis. -he Style is /alled 0-itle&PhD -itle 7
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3.6 Procedure and -imeline................................................................................................................9
3.7 nalysis.........................................................................................................................................9
3.9 !thics and (imitations..................................................................................................................:
CHAPTER 4 RESULTS.......................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER 3 A-ALYSIS...................................................................................................................++
CHAPTER 6 CO-CLUSIO-S.........................................................................................................+1
7I7LIO2RAPHY................................................................................................................................+3
APPE-DICES..........................................................................................................................................
+8
ppendix -itle...................................................................................................................... ...
%ull -itle of our -hesis. -he Style is /alled 0-itle&PhD -itle :
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List !# Fi9u"es
6The ;ist of &igures can be created automatically and updated with the &8 key 9
refer to Thesis PAM.:
%ull -itle of our -hesis. -he Style is /alled 0-itle&PhD -itle ;
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List !# Ta)les
6The ;ist of Tables can be created automatically and updated with the &8 key 9
refer to Thesis PAM.:
%ull -itle of our -hesis. -he Style is /alled 0-itle&PhD -itle 11
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List !# A))"e:iati!$s
8f appropriate& list any abbre+iations used in the thesis.
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Stateme$t !# O"i9i$al Auth!"ship
-he )or, contained in this thesis has not been pre+iously submitted to meet
requirements for an a)ard at this or any other higher education institution. -o the
best of my ,no)ledge and belief& the thesis contains no material pre+iously
published or )ritten by another person except )here due reference is made.
Signature< =========================
Date< =========================
%ull -itle of our -hesis. -he Style is /alled 0-itle&PhD -itle 17
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A*;$!'le(9eme$ts
%ull -itle of our -hesis. -he Style is /alled 0-itle&PhD -itle 1:
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+ I$t"!(u*ti!$
-he introduction chapter needs to state the ob>ecti+es of the program of
research& include definitions of the ,ey concepts and +ariables and gi+e a brief
outline of the bac,ground and research approach. -he aim of the introduction is to
contextualise the proposed research.
8n the opening paragraph& gi+e an o+erall +ie) of )hat is included in the
chapter. %or example<
-his chapter outlines the bac,ground "section 1$ and context "section 2$ of the
research& and its purposes "section 3$. Section 6 describes the significance and scope
of this research and pro+ides definitions of terms used. %inally& section 7 includes an
outline of the remaining chapters of the thesis.
+ 7AC&2ROU-D
?i+e the bac,ground of the problem to be explored in your study and )hat led
you to doing the thesis. %or example& you might discuss educational trends related tothe problem& unresol+ed issues& social concerns. ou might also include some
personal bac,ground.
CO-TEecti+es of the study. !mphasise
the practical outcomes or products of the study. Delineate the research problem and
outline the questions to be ans)ered or the o+erarching ob>ecti+es to be achie+ed.
/hapter 1< 8ntroduction 1
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4 SI2-IFICA-CE, SCOPE A-D DEFI-ITIO-S
Discuss the importance of your research in terms of the topic "problem
situation$& the methodology& and the gap in the literature. 4utline the scope and
delimitations of the study "narro)ing of focus$.
Define and discuss terms to be used "largely conceptual hereA operational
definitions may follo) in #esearch Design chapter$.
3 THESIS OUTLI-E
4utline the chapters for the remainder of your thesis.
Lite"atu"e Re:ie'
-he literature re+ie) chapter should demonstrate a thorough ,no)ledge of the
area and pro+ide arguments to support the study focus. -he aim of the literature
re+ie) chapter is to delineate +arious theoretical positions and from these to de+elop
a conceptual frame)or, for generation of hypotheses and setting up the research
question. -he literature re+ie) chapter needs to<
• /ritically e+aluate the literature rather than merely describe pre+ious
literature "i.e.& )hat is goodBbad about the body of literatureC$.
• Sho) a synthesis and be integrated rather than being more li,e an
annotated bibliography.
• 8dentify ,ey authors and the ,ey )or,s in the area& thus acquainting the
reader )ith existing studies relati+e to )hat has been found& )ho has done
)or,& )hen and )here latest research studies )ere completed and )hat
approaches to research methodology )ere follo)ed "literature re+ie) of
methodology sometimes sa+ed for chapter on methodology$.
• /onstitute an argument.
/hapter 1< 8ntroduction 3
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• /learly identify the gap in the literature that is being addressed by the
research question.
Suitable sources for the literature re+ie) include<
• ?eneral integrati+e re+ie)s cited that relate to the problem situation or
research problem such as those found in psychological and sociological
re+ie)s of research.
• Specific boo,s& monographs& bulletins& reports& and research articles @
preference sho)n in most instances for literature of the last 1 years.
• *npublished materials "e.g.& dissertations& theses& papers presented at
recent professional meetings not yet in published form& etc.$.
-he literature re+ie) chapter can be arranged in terms of the questions to be
considered or ob>ecti+esBpurposes set out in the 8ntroduction chapter.
Start )ith an o+er+ie) of this chapter by outlining the topics to be discussed.
%or example [your thesis may ha+e more than 3 topics and therefore more sections]<
-his chapter begins )ith a historical bac,ground [optional] "section 1$ and
re+ie)s literature on the follo)ing topics< [topic 1] "section 2$ [briefly describe the
topic]A [topic 2] "section 3$ [briefly describe the topic]A and [topic 3] "section 6$
[briefly describe the topic]. Section 7 highlights the implications from the literature
and de+elops the conceptual frame)or, for the study.
+ HISTORICAL 7AC&2ROU-D [OPTIO-AL%
TOPIC +
Present and discuss your first topic.
1 TOPIC
Present and discuss your second topic.
4 TOPIC 1
Present and discuss your third topic.
/hapter 1< 8ntroduction 7
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3 SU==ARY A-D I=PLICATIO-S
Summarise the literature re+ie) and discuss the implications from the literature
for your study @ the theoretical frame)or, for your study. 'ere you can ma,e an
explicit statement of the hypotheses& propositions or research questions and ho) they
are deri+ed from existing theory and literature. !stablish from the literature "or gap
in the literature$ the need for this study and the li,elihood of obtaining meaningful&
rele+ant& and significant results. 4utline any conceptual or substanti+e assumptions&
the rationale and the theoretical frame)or, for the study. !xplain the relationships
among +ariables or comparisons& and issues to be considered. -his section should
demonstrate the contribution of the research to the field& and be stated in a )ay that
leads to the methodology.
1 Resea"*h Desi9$
-his chapter of the thesis should outline the design and methodology of your
research. -he basis for the choice of research method should be )hether it )ill help
you ans)er your research question"s$.
?i+e an o+er+ie) of )hat is to be included in this chapter. %or example<
-his chapter describes the design adopted by this research to achie+e the aims
and ob>ecti+es stated in section 13 of /hapter 1 [if you )ish& you can restate those
ob>ecti+es]. Section 1 discusses the methodology [to be] used in the study& the stages
by )hich the methodology )as [)ill be] implemented& and the research designA
section 2 details the participants in the studyA section 3 lists all the instruments [to be]
used in the study and >ustifies their useA section 6 outlines the procedure [to be] used
and the timeline for completion of each stage of the studyA section 7 discusses ho)
the data )as [)ill be] analysedA finally& section 9 discusses the ethical considerations
of the research and its [potential] problems and limitations.
+ =ETHODOLO2Y A-D RESEARCH DESI2-
+ =eth!(!l!9
Discuss the methodology [to be] used in your study "e.g.& experimental& quasiEexperimental& correlational& casualEcomparati+e& sur+ey& discourse& case study&
/hapter 1< 8ntroduction :
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analysis& action research$. 8f using stages& outline them here. -he methods used must
lin, explicitly to the research question and must be suited to the nature of the
question. Discuss any methodological assumptions.
Resea"*h Desi9$
4utline the research design "e.g.& quantitati+e& qualitati+e$. 8f quantitati+e& spell
out the independent& dependent and classificatory +ariables "and sometimes
formulate an operational statement of the research hypothesis in null form so as to set
the stage for an appropriate research design permitting statistical inferences$. 8f
qualitati+e& explain and support the approach ta,en and briefly discuss the data
gathering procedures that )ere [)ill be] used "obser+ations& inter+ie)s& etc.$
PARTICIPA-TS
?i+e details of )ho )ere [)ill be] the participants in your study "including& if
applicable& sample type and siFe& reasons for the number selected and the basis for
selection$.
1 I-STRU=E-TS
(ist and briefly describe all the instruments "e.g.& tests& measures& sur+eys&
obser+ations& inter+ie)s& questionnaires& artefacts$ [to be] used in your study for data
collection and discuss their theoretical underpinnings& that is& >ustify )hy you used
[)ill be using] these instruments. So that the line of argument is not bro,en& it is
useful to place copies of instruments in ppendices to )hich this section can refer.
4 PROCEDURE A-D TI=ELI-E
4utline the procedure across and )ithin the techniques [to be] used in your
study for collecting and recording data. -his could include ho)& )hen "in )hat order$
and )here the instruments )ere [)ill be] administered "for example& field& classroom
or laboratory procedures& instructions to participants or distribution of materials$ and
ho) the data )as [)ill be] recorded. 8nclude the rationale for the procedures used. 8f
the study )as [is to be] done in stages& gi+e a timeline for the completion of each
stage.
/hapter 1< 8ntroduction ;
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3 A-ALYSIS
Discuss ho) the data )as [)ill be] processed and analysed "e.g.& statistical
analysis& discourse analysis$. -his section needs to lin, the analysis of the research to
the methods and demonstrate )hy this is the best approach to analysis. %or
qualitati+e research& >ustification needs to be pro+ided for methods such as coding
and dealing )ith di+ergent data. %or quantitati+e research& >ustification of the choice
of statistics and the expected results that they )ill pro+ide [confirmation document]
should be described. -here should be enough detail for the reader to replicate the
analysis. %or example& 0GHi+o or SPSS )ill be used is not adequate. #ather& the
approach to coding& including ho) categories )ere [)ill be] deri+ed and +alidated&
ho) the data )as [)ill be] structured& and specific analytical techniques applied&should be included.
6 ETHICS A-D LI=ITATIO-S
4utline the ethical considerations of the research and any [potential] problems
and limitations ")ea,nesses$& as )ell as any [anticipated or actual] threats to the
+alidity of the results.
4 Results
/hapter 6 details all the results of your study. ou can put some analysis of the
results here& but generally >ust the results are presented& )ithout interpretation&
inference& or e+aluation ")hich )ill be in /hapter 7$. -he results should be lin,ed
inextricably to the design @ describe )hat happened factually and unemoti+ely.
'o)e+er& in certain historical& caseEstudy and anthropological in+estigations& factual
and interpreti+e material may be inter)o+en rather than being presented as
0findings.
8nclude a paragraph at the beginning of the #esults chapter outlining the
structure of the chapter. -he results should be reported )ith respect to furnishing
/hapter 1< 8ntroduction 11
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e+idence for your research question"s$ as outlined in /hapter 1. -hus& you might
choose to use headings that correspond to each main question of your
hypothesisBob>ecti+es from /hapter 1 andBor your theoretical frame)or, from
/hapter 2. 4r you might organise your results in terms of the stages of the study "if
applicable$.
Present the findingsBresults in tables or charts )hen appropriate& ma,ing sure to
use correct P formatting for any tables used "refer to Thesis PAM for further
guidance on formatting$.
/hapter 1< 8ntroduction 13
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[!xtra page inserted to ensure correct e+enEpage footer for this section. Delete
this )hen chapter is at least 2 pages long.]
3 A$alsis
/hapter 7 contains a full discussion& interpretation and e+aluation of the results
)ith reference to the literature. -his chapter can also include theory building.
s )ith the pre+ious chapters& include a paragraph at the beginning
summarising the structure of the chapter. 4rganise the chapter in terms of the
ob>ecti+es of the study andBor the theoretical frame)or,. %or each ob>ecti+e& discuss
the results )ith reference to the literature& for example& the similaritiesBdifferences to
the findings in the literature re+ie). De+elop theory or models from this comparison
and e+aluation.
8t can be useful to chec, your literature and try to find a place for as much of
the literature as you can. 8f you find that a section of your literature can not be used
in this chapter& it may be useful to consider the pertinence of this literature and
reduce the space in the literature chapter gi+en to it.
-hus your research outcomes are tied together in relation to the theory& re+ie)
of the literature& and rationale.
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this )hen chapter is at least 2 pages long.]
6 C!$*lusi!$s
-his chapter contains conclusions& limitations& and recommendations @ so )hat
is the theoryC Ihere to from hereC Ihat are the practical implicationsC Discussion
of )here the study may be extended.
gain& the chapter should begin )ith a summary paragraph of the chapter
structure. -he opening section"s$ of the chapter should be a brief summary of
e+erything co+ered so far. %ollo) this )ith your conclusions. -his is the 0so )hat of
the findings @ often the hypothesisBresearch question"s$ restated as inferences )ith
some degree of definiti+e commitment and generalisability& and the raising of ne)
and pertinent questions for future research. ou could include a final model of the
theory.
8t can be useful to use the purposes from /hapter 1 as an organising structure
for this chapter. -he chapter should also include a discussion of any limitations of the
research& and should end )ith your final recommendations @ practical suggestions for
implementation of the findingsBoutcomes or for additional research.
/hapter 1< 8ntroduction 1:
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[!xtra page inserted to ensure correct e+enEpage footer for this section. Delete
this )hen chapter is at least 2 pages long.]
7i)li!9"aph
merican Psychological ssociation "P$. "21$. Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association "9th !d.$. Iashington& D/< uthor.
%or %aculty of !ducation theses& the bibliography and all inEtext citations must
conform to P style. #efer to J*-Ks /iteBIrite guidelines "a+ailable from
))).cite)rite.qut.edu.au$.
%or further information on citations and referencing& see Thesis PAM .
/hapter 1< 8ntroduction 1;
http://var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/http:%2F%2Fwww.citewrite.qut.edu.au)http://var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/http:%2F%2Fwww.citewrite.qut.edu.au)
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[!xtra page inserted to ensure correct e+enEpage footer for this section. Delete
this )hen bibliography is at least 2 pages long.]
Appe$(i*es
Appe$(i> A
Title
Start each appendix on a ne) page. Place appendices in the same order as they are
referred to in the body of the thesis. -hat is& the first appendix referred to should be
ppendix & the second appendix referred to should be ppendix 5& and so on.
ppendix formatting can be different to the main document. #efer to Thesis PAM for
information about appendix figures and tables.