- •Establishing the importance of the topic:
- •Establishing the importance of the topic (time frame given):
- •Highlighting a problem or controversy in the field of study:
- •Highlighting a knowledge gap in the field of study:
- •Focus and aim:
- •Outline of structure:
- •Explaining Keywords
- •1A. Writing Introductions: Dissertations
- •Establishing the importance of the topic:
- •Establishing the importance of the topic (time frame given):
- •Synopsis of Literature
- •Highlighting a problem or controversy in the field of study:
- •Highlighting a knowledge gap in the field of study:
- •Purpose
- •Research Questions or hypotheses
- •Synopsis of the method
- •Indication of limitations
- •Reasons for Personal Interest
- •Outline of structure:
- •Explaining Keywords
- •2. Referring to Literature
- •General reference to previous research/scholarly activity (usually more than one author)
- •Reference to current state of knowledge
- •Reference to single investigations in the past: researcher as sentence subject
- •Reference to single investigations or publications in the past: time frame prominent
- •Reference to single investigations in the past: investigation prominent
- •Reference to single investigations in the past: research topic as subject
- •Reference to what other writers do in their text (author as subject)
- •Reference to other writers' ideas (author as subject)
- •Some ways of introducing quotations
- •3. Being Critical
- •Introducing questions, problems and limitations (theory)
- •Introducing questions, problems and limitations (method/practice)
- •Identifying a study's weakness:
- •Offering constructive suggestions:
- •Introducing other people's criticisms:
- •4. Describing Methods
- •Describing different methods
- •Giving reasons why a particular method was adopted
- •Indicating a specific method
- •Indicating sample size and characteristics
- •Indicating reasons for sample characteristics
- •Describing the process: infinitive of purpose
- •Describing the process: other phrases expressing purpose
- •Describing the process: typical verbs (note use of passive form)
- •Describing the process: sequence words/phrases
- •Describing the process: adverbs of manner
- •Describing the process: giving detailed information
- •Indicating problems or limitations
- •5. Reporting Results
- •Reference to method
- •Location and summary statements:
- •Highlighting significant data in a table/chart
- •Statements of result (positive)
- •Statements of result (negative)
- •Highlighting significant, interesting or surprising results
- •Reporting results from questionnaires and interviews
- •Transition statements
- •6. Discussions
- •Background information
- •Statements of result (usually with reference to results section)
- •Unexpected outcome
- •Reference to previous research (support)
- •Reference to previous research (contradict)
- •Explanations for results:
- •Advising cautious interpretation
- •Suggesting general hypotheses and implications
- •Commenting on findings
- •Suggestions for future work
- •7. Writing Conclusions
- •Summarising the content
- •Restatement of aims (research)
- •Summarising the findings (research)
- •Suggesting implications
- •Significance of the findings (research)
- •Limitations of the current study (research)
- •Recommendations for further work (research)
- •Implications/recommendations for practice or policy
- •8. General Functions
- •8.1 Writing Definitions
- •Simple two-part definitions
- •General meanings / application of meanings:
- •Indicating difficulties in defining a term:
- •Specifying terms that are used in an essay/thesis:
- •Referring to people's definitions (author prominent):
- •Referring to people's definitions (author non-prominent):
- •8.2 Giving Examples
- •Examples as the main information in a sentence:
- •Examples as additional information in a sentence
- •8.3 Classifying and Listing
- •General Classifications
- •Specific Classifications:
- •Introducing Lists:
- •Refering to other people's lists
- •8.4 Describing Causes and Effects
- •Verbs expressing causality
- •Nouns expressing causality
- •Introductory Sentences: Differences
- •Introductory Sentences: Similarities
- •Comparison within one sentence
- •Comparison within one sentence (comparative forms)
- •Comparison across two sentences
- •8.6 Writing about the Past
- •Time phrases associated with the use of the simple past tense (specific times or periods of time in the past completed)
- •Reference to single investigations or publications in the past: simple past tense used
- •Time phrases associated with the use of the present perfect tense (for situations/actions which began in the past and continue up to the present, or for which the period of time is unspecified):
- •The present perfect tense may also be used to describe recent research or scholarly activity with focus on the area of enquiry - usually more than one study
- •Describing percentages
- •Describing averages
- •Describing ranges
Synopsis of Literature
Recently investigators have examined the effects of X on Y. Previous studies have reported ...... A considerable amount of literature has been published on X. These studies ...... Smith (1984: 217) shows how, in the past, research into X was mainly concerned with ....... Surveys such as that conducted by Smith (1988) showed that ...... Previous studies have based their criteria for selection on ...... Recent evidence suggests that ....... Several attemps have been made to ...... The generalisability of much published research on this issue is problematic. Xs were reported in the first models of Y (e.g., Smith, 1977; Smith, & Patel, 1977).
Highlighting a problem or controversy in the field of study:
However, these rapid changes are having a serious effect ...... However, a major problem with this kind of application is ...... Lack of X has existed as a health problem for many years. To date there has been little agreement on what ...... More recently, literature has emerged that offers contradictory findings about ..... One observer has already drawn attention to the paradox in ...... In many Xs a debate is taking place between Ys and Zs concerning ...... The controversy about scientific evidence for X has raged unabated for over a century. Despite its safety and efficacy, X suffers from several major drawbacks:
Highlighting a knowledge gap in the field of study:
So far, however, there has been little discussion about ...... However, far too little attention has been paid to ...... Most studies in X have only been carried out in a small number of areas. The research to date has tended to focus on X rather than Y. In addition, no research has been found that surveyed ....... So far this method has only been applied to ...... Several studies have produced estimates of X (Smith, 2002; Jones, 2003), but there is still insufficient data for ..... However, there have been no controlled studies which compare differences in ...... However, few writers have been able to draw on any structured research into the opinions and attitudes of ...... This indicates a need to understand the various perceptions of poverty that exist among ...... However, the evidence for this relationship is inconclusive ...... What is not yet clear is the impact of X on ...... The neurobiological basis of this X is poorly understood. No previous study has investigated X The experimental data are rather controversial, and there is no general agreement about ......
Purpose
Part of the aim of this project is to develop software that is compatible with X operating system. The main purpose of this study is to develop an understanding of ...... There are two primary aims of this study: 1. To investigate ...... 2. To ascertain ...... The aim of this research project has therefore been to try and establish what ...... The aim of this study is to investigate the differences between ...... The main aim of this investigation is to assess the doses and risks associated with ...... This thesis intends to determine the extent to which ...... and whether ..... This thesis will examine the way in which the ....... This research examines the emerging role of X in the context of ...... This dissertation seeks to explain the development of ....... This case study seeks to examine the changing nature of ..... Drawing upon two stands of research into X, this study attempts to ...... The aim of this study is to shine new light on these debates through an examination of ... The major objective of this study was to investigate ....