Box S.6 Typical content of individual chapters
Chapter I: Introduction
General background information on the project
The research problem
Purpose of the study
Hypotheses or research questions
Scope of the study
Significance of the study
Definitions of key terms
Organization of the thesis
Chapter 2: Literature review
General review of relevant literature
Specific topics directly relating to the issue under investigation
How previous research suggests the study is important to do
The gap in the research that the study will fill
Chapter 3: Conceptual frameu-ork and!or methodology
Research design
Methods used to collect data
Research instruments
Methods used to analyse the data
Details about who, how, when and why
For ethnography, description of the setting and participants
Issues of ethics and consent
Chapter 4: Remits
The findings of the study, described under themes that emerged from the data, under the research questions or under the data collection techniques that were used
Chapter 5: Discussion and conclusions
A re-statement of the research problem
A re-statement of results
Discussion of what was found in relation to previous research on the topic
Limitations of the study Implications for future research Consent
Box S.I A'simple' traditional thesis
Degree: MEd Study area: Education
Title: Rater consistency andjudgment in the direct assessment of second-language writing ability
Chapter I: Introduction
The nature of the problem
Origins of the study
Focus and structure of the thesis
Chapter 2: Literature review
Introduction
Performance assessment
Performance assessment and reliability
Conclusion
Chapter 3: Methodology Introduction
Selection of research design, setting, informants and texts
Data collection and analysis
Conclusion
Chapter 4: Results Introduction
Degree of rater consistency
Interpretation and application of performance criteria Raters' reading strategies
Influences on rater judgments of writing ability Conclusion
Chapter 5: Discussion Introduction
Degree of rater consistency
Interpretation and application of performance criteria Raters' reading strategies
Influences on rater judgments of writing ability Conclusion
Chapter 6: Conclusions and recommendations Source: Paltridge 2002: 138-1 39
Box S3 A topic-based thesis
Degree: MA Study area: Cultural studies
Title: Unworldly places: Myth, memory arid tbe Pink and White Terraces
Chapter 1: Introduction Disappearing wonders
Chapter 2: Plotting Travels of colonial science Plotting destinations Chapter 3: Sightseeing Topophilic tourism Site specifics
Painting the place and myth Souvenering the site
Chapter 4: Astral travel
Mnemonic tours in the new wonderland"
Memory tours
The buried village: Embalmed history Living out the past
Museumising the past: Sanctioned memory Chapter 5: Postscript Source: Paltridge 2002: 140