This document describes how to structure a thesis and the main elements of a written thesis for Norwegian bachelor and master degrees. Although the organizing principles described here are more clearly relevant to empirical theses, much of the advice is also relevant to theoretical work. Keep in mind that formal requirements vary across disciplines and be sure to check out the guidelines that apply in your field.
Summary and Foreword
Most readers will turn to the abstract (or summary) first. Use it as an opportunity to stimulate reader interest. The abstract should highlight the main points of your work, especially the thesis statement, the methods (if applicable), the results and the conclusion. However, the summary does not need to cover all aspects of your work. The main objective is to give the reader a good idea of what the thesis is about.
The summary should be completed towards the end; when you can see your project in general. However, it is a good idea to work on a draft continuously. Writing a good summary can be difficult, as it should only include the most important points of your work. But this is also the reason why working on your abstract can be so useful: it forces you to identify the key elements of your writing project.
Generally, there are no formal instructions requirements, but it is common practice to thank your supervisors, informants, and others who have helped and supported you. If you have received grants or research residencies, you should also recognize them.
Note: Shorter assignments do not require summaries or forewords.
1. Introduction
His introduction has two main purposes: 1) to give an overview of the main points of his thesis, and 2) to arouse the reader's interest. It is recommended to rewrite the introduction one last time when writing, to make sure it connects well with your conclusion.
Tip: For a nice, stylistic twist, you can reuse a theme from the introduction in your conclusion. For example, you can present a particular scenario in one way in your introduction, and then come back to it in your conclusion from a different, richer, or contrasting perspective.
The introduction should include:
- The background for your choice of topic A discussion of your research question or thesis statement A schematic outline of the rest of your thesis.
The sections below discuss each of these elements in turn.
1.1 Background
The fund sets the general tone for your thesis. It should make a good impression and convince the reader why the topic is important and its focus relevant. Still, it shouldn't be more than necessary.
What is considered a relevant fund depends on your field and traditions. Background information may be historical in nature, or may refer to previous research or practical considerations. You can also focus on a specific text, thinker, or problem.
Academic writing often means having a discussion with yourself (or with some imagined opponent). To open your discussion, there are several options available. You can, for example:
- referring to a contemporary event outlining a specific problem; a case study or example review relevant research / literature to demonstrate the need for this particular type of research
If it is common in your discipline to reflect on your experiences as a practitioner, this is the place to present them. In the rest of your thesis, this type of information should be avoided, especially if it has not been systematically collected.
Tip: Don't spend too much time on your background and opening remarks before starting with the main text.
1.2 Defining the scope of your thesis
One of the first tasks of a researcher is to define the scope of a study, that is, its area (topic, field) and the amount of information that must be included. Narrowing the scope of your thesis can be time consuming. Paradoxically, the more you limit the range, the more interesting it becomes. This is because a narrower scope allows you to clarify the problem and study it in greater depth, while very broad research questions only allow for superficial treatment.
The research question can be formulated as a main question with (some) more specific sub-questions or in the form of a hypothesis to be tested.
Your research question will be your guide as your writing progresses. If you work independently, you can also modify it as you go along.
How do you know you have written a research question? Most importantly, a research question is something that can be answered. If not, you probably came up with a topic or field, not a question.
Some advice:
- Use interrogative words: how, why, what (factors / situations), in what ways, etc. Some questions are closed and only invoke concrete / limited answers. Others will open for discussions and different interpretations.
Ask what …?" It is a more closed question than asking "How?" Or "In what way?"
Asking "Why" means that you are investigating the causes of a phenomenon? Studying causality is methodologically demanding. Feel free to ask partially open questions that allow you to discuss the general topic, for example, "In what way…?"; "How can we understand?" Try to condense your research question into a general question, and perhaps some more specific sub-questions (two or three will usually suffice).
1.3 Scheme
The scheme offers an overview of the main points of his thesis. Clarifies the structure of your thesis and helps you find the correct approach for your work. The scheme can also be used in supervision sessions, especially at the beginning. You may find that you need to restructure your thesis. Working on your outline can be a good way to make sense of the necessary changes. A good summary shows how the different parts relate to each other, and is a useful guide for the reader.
It often makes sense to put the outline at the end of the introduction, but this rule is not set in stone. Use discretion: What is most useful to the reader? The information must arrive at the right point, neither too early nor too late.
2. Theory section
The theory used in an empirical study is intended to shed light on the data academically or scientifically. You should give ideas not achievable through ordinary, everyday reflections. The main purpose of using the theory is to analyze and interpret your data. Therefore, you should not present theoretical perspectives that are not being used. Doing so will create false expectations and suggest that your work is incomplete.
Not all theses have a separate theory section. In the IMRaD format, the theory section is included in the introduction, and the second chapter covers the methods used.
What type of theory should you choose? Since the theory is the basis of your data analysis, it may be helpful to select a theory that allows you to distinguish and classify different phenomena. Other theories allow you to develop the various nuances of a phenomenon. In other words, you have the option of reducing the complexity of your data or expanding something that initially seems simple.
How much time and space should you dedicate to the theory chapter? This is a tough question. Some theses dwell too much on theory and never reach the main point: analysis and discussion. But it is also important to have read enough theory to know what to look for when collecting data. The nature of your research should decide: some studies do not require much theory, but put more emphasis on method, while other studies need a rich theory section to allow for interesting discussion.
3. Method section
In an academic research article, the section on the method is very important. The same applies to an empirical thesis. For students, this can be a difficult section to write, especially since its purpose is not always clear.
The method chapter should not repeat the content of the methodology manuals. For example, if you have conducted interviews, you do not need to list all the different types of investigative interviews. You also do not need to describe the differences between quantitative and qualitative methods, or list all the different types of validity and reliability.
What you should do is show how your research design and method choice is appropriate to answer your research questions. Show that you have given due consideration to the validity and reliability of your chosen method. By "showing" instead of "telling", you demonstrate that you have understood the practical meaning of these concepts. In this way, the method section can not only link the different parts of your thesis, but it is also interesting to read.
- Show the reader what you have done in your study and explain why. How did you collect the data? What options were available through your chosen approach? What were your working conditions? What considerations did you have to balance? Tell the reader what you did to increase validityof your research. For example, what can you say about the reliability of data collection? How do you know that you have actually investigated what you intended to investigate? What conclusions can be drawn on this basis? Which conclusions are true and which are more tentative? Can your results be applied in other areas? Can you generalize? If so, why? If not, why not? You should try to describe weaknesses and strengths. An excellent thesis is distinguished defending, and at the same time criticizing, the choices made.
4. Analysis
His analysis, together with his discussion, will form the light of his thesis. In the IMRaD format, this section is titled "Results". This is where you report your findings and present them in a systematic way. The reader's expectations have been built through the other chapters, be sure to meet these expectations.
To analyze means to distinguish between different types of phenomena, similar from different. Importantly, by distinguishing between different phenomena, his theory goes to work. Precisely how his analysis should appear, however, is a methodological question. Finding the best way to organize and present your findings can take some time. A good place to look for examples and inspiration are the Master's Thesis Repositories.
If you are analyzing human actions, you may want to engage the reader's emotions. In this case, it will be important to choose analytical categories that correlate with the chosen theory. Engaging emotions is not the main point, but a way of elucidating the phenomenon so that the reader understands it in a new and better way.
Note: Not all theses include a separate chapter for analysis.
5. Discussion
In many theses, discussion is the most important section. Be sure to allot enough time and space for a good discussion. This is your opportunity to demonstrate that you have understood the importance of your findings and that you are able to apply the theory independently.
The discussion will consist of argumentation. In other words, you investigate a phenomenon from several different perspectives. Arguing means questioning your findings and considering different interpretations. Here are some examples of formulations that point to the argument:
- On the one hand… and on the other… However… it could also be argued that…… another possible explanation may be…
Conclusion - or summing up?
The final section of your thesis can take one of several different forms. Some theses need a conclusion, while for others a summary will be appropriate. The deciding factor will be the nature of your thesis statement and / or research question.
Open-ended research questions cannot always be answered, but if a definitive answer is possible, you should provide a conclusion. The conclusion should answer your research question (s). Remember that a negative conclusion is also valid.
A summary should repeat the most important issues raised in your thesis (particularly in the discussion), although it is preferably indicated in a (slightly) different way. For example, you could frame problems in a broader context.
Putting your thesis in perspective
In the final section, you must place your work in a broader academic perspective and determine the unresolved questions. During work, you may have come across new research questions and interesting literature that you might have followed. At this point, you can point out these possible developments, while making it clear to the reader that they were beyond the scope of your current project.
- Briefly discuss your results from a different perspective. This will allow you to see aspects that were not evident at the project preparation stage. Highlight alternative research questions you have found in the source materials used in the project. Show how others have placed the subject area in a broader context. If others have drawn conclusions. different from yours, this will give you ideas for new ways of looking at the research question. Describe any unanswered aspects of your project. Specify possible follow-ups and new projects.
A thesis must "bite its tail"
There must be a strong connection between your conclusion and your presentation. All the issues and issues that you raised in your introduction should be mentioned again one way or another. If at this stage you discover that your thesis has not addressed a problem that you raised in the introduction, you should return to the introduction and remove the reference to that topic. An elegant way to structure text is to use the same figure or text case at the beginning and end. When the figure returns in the final section, you will have gained new and richer meaning through the ideas you have come across, created in the writing process.
