How to write a Thesis

Introduction, Body and

Conclusion
PhD. Nguyen Thu Nga
Department of Communication Engineering
School of Electronics and Telecommunications
 A. Thesis introduction

Contents B. Thesis body

C. Thesis conclusion
Thesis Introduction
 • Topic and context: what does the reader
need to know to understand the
dissertation?
• Focus and scope: what specific aspect of the
topic will you address?
• Relevance and importance: how does the
Contents research fit into existing work on this topic?
• Questions and objectives: what does the
research aim to find out and how?
• Overview of the structure: what does each
chapter of the dissertation contribute to the
overall aim?
1. Starting your introduction

• The introduction is often the very last part to be completed

(along with the abstract).
• Write a rough draft of introduction near the beginning of the research
to guide you.
• Revise your introduction throughout the writing process
-> matches the content of your chapters.
2. Topic and context

• Begin with any necessary background information.

• Contextualize your research and generate interest —> why the topic
is timely or important (for example, by mentioning a relevant news
item, academic debate, or practical problem).
• Example topic
Young people’s attitudes to climate change.
• Example context
Recent news stories about the children’s climate strike, and the
increasing importance of youth engagement with climate politics.
3. Focus and scope

• Narrow your focus and define the scope of your research.

For example:
-What geographical area are you investigating?
-What time period does your research cover?
-What demographics or communities are you researching?
-What specific themes or aspects of the topic does your dissertation
address?
Example of Introduction
4. Relevance and importance
• Show motivation for doing this research, how it relates to existing work on
the topic, and what new insights it will contribute.
• Give a brief overview of the current state of research
- Citing the most relevant literature and indicating how your research will
address a problem
- Conduct a more in-depth survey of relevant sources in the section or
chapter.
• Focus on its practical application or on advancing scholarly understanding
of the topic.
• Explain how your dissertation:
- Helps solve a practical or theoretical problem
- Addresses a gap in the literature
- Builds on existing research
- Proposes a new understanding of the topic
 5. Questions and objectives

• The most important part of introduction —> sets up the expectations of

the rest of dissertation. How you formulate research questions and
objectives will depend on discipline, topic and focus -> clearly state the
central aim of your research.
• Briefly mention the research methods to answer questions. If including a
separate methodology chapter, don’t go into too much detail here.
• If research aims to test hypotheses -> formulate them here, along with a
conceptual framework that posits relationships between variables.
 1.State the hypotheses (if you are
using any)
2.Detail the most important
Most concepts and variables
3.Briefly describe your methodology
Important
4.Discuss the main findings
5.Discuss the layout of the thesis
6. Overview of the structure

• End with an overview of its structure summarizing each chapter to

clearly show how it contributes to your central aims.
- It is best to keep the overview concise.
- One or two sentences to describe the content of each chapter.
• If your research is more complicated or does not follow a
conventional structure, you might need up to a paragraph for each
chapter ->
make it clear how everything fits together
Objective

Main Heading
objective

Structure
overview
Checklist: •The topic and context is introduced.
•The focus and scope of the research is defined.
Introduction •The relevance and importance of the research is
demonstrated.
•The research question(s) are formulated.
•The specific objectives of the research are stated.
•If relevant, the conceptual framework is included
and hypotheses are formulated.
•The dissertation’s overall structure is outlined.
THESIS BODY
 • Titles and headings help readers understand how you have structured
the subject matter, and prepares them for what they are about to read. A
logical and consistent progression of headings helps with this.
• Each chapter begins with a chapter designation on the top line of the
page:
• Bold
• Centered
• ALL CAPS
• Followed by a Roman numeral: CHAPTER I, CHAPTER II,
CHAPTER III, etc.
Body of • The next line is the chapter title:
• Bold
thesis • Centered
• Headline Style Capitalization. (Use CHPT_HD)
• Heading style 2:
• Bold
• Left-justified
• Headline Style Capitalization. (Use Heading2)
• Heading style 3:
• Bold
• Indented for paragraph
• Sentence style capitalization ending with a period. Regular text
starts after period. (Use Heading3)
Heading
Heading
The presence of a Topic Sentence.

1.Focus the paragraph and outlines exactly what that

paragraph is going to be about.
2.The very first sentence of the paragraph, but may
be the second sentence or somewhere in the
middle of the paragraph.
3.Go ahead and state what you are going to talk
about in that paragraph and then devote the rest
of the paragraph to supporting and developing that
point.
The Structure of Your Body
Paragraphs

• Begin with general statement, or topic sentence, about a point that

you wanted to make, then devote that entire paragraph to developing
more specifically that statement
• Remember that each statement in body paragraph should relate back
to your thesis statement (support, defense, or explanation)
• End by making a reference back to the topic sentence you started the
paragraph with and then back to your thesis statement to tie it all
together.
REMEMBER • Use the same language in body paragraphs as
in introduction.

When • Devote each body paragraph to only one

point. DO NOT try to include too much
Writing Your information into each paragraph.
Body • Make sure phrase everything clearly so that
Paragraphs your specific audience can understand what
you are trying to say.
• Use paragraphs as a way to introduce a new
idea, and break paper down into a series of
related points that you wish to make in
support of your thesis statement.
Organization
UNITY, DEVELOPMENT, and COHERENCE

•Paragraph Unity: paragraph develops one main point, that is set forth
by topic sentence, and that all of the sentences in the paragraph relate
to and support that main point.
•Paragraph Development: included all of the necessary information,
explanation and support for main point or topic sentence
-> your reader fully understands the point you are trying to make.
•Paragraph Coherence: develop your point in an organized and logical
way
-> shows the connections between your sentences and ideas.
 TRANSITIONS
• One of the most important aspects of the body of paper/ Thesis.
- A paper to be readable
- Reader to fully understand the connections
- The overall coherence of paper/Thesis : creates one unified content
• Where Do We Need Transitions?
• Between Sections - divides the major ideas or topics of paper
• Between Paragraphs - divides the minor ideas of your writing -> show a
logical connection between paragraphs.
• Between Sentences - shows the relationship between sentences. These
transitions are a word or two, and can be done by conjunctions combined two
sentences and show the relationship between them.
• Between Parts of a Sentence - shows how phrases connect within sentences.
Useful Transitions and Transitional Phrases

•Use a variety of transitional expressions

•Consistent with transitional expressions that separate the sequential
ordering of your points.
•A mark of punctuation such as a dash, colon or semicolon, is a
transition because it connects or shows a relationship between two
things
•Remember that if something connects or shows a relationship then it
is a transition
 Useful Transitions and Transitional Phrases
Conjunctions and, but, or, for, nor, neither, so, yet
Introduction to a Topic as for, concerning, with regard to, with respect to, in terms of
in all, in a word, in brief, briefly, in other words, in short, in
summary, that is, finally, generally, in conclusion, on the
To Summarize
whole, therefore, to sum up, to conclude, and so, this shows,
thus we see
by comparison, here again, in the same way, in a similar
To Compare manner, likewise, similarly, so too, as, also, equally,
accordingly, moreover, as well, and
conversely, however, instead (of), in spite of that, anyhow, on
the contrary, on the other hand, otherwise, rather than, still,
To Contrast
yet, nevertheless, in contrast, notwithstanding, in spite of
this, although, but, despite, even though
accordingly, as a consequence, as a result, consequently, for
To Show Cause and Effect this reason, hence, it follows that, so/so that, then, therefore,
thus, thereupon
actually, admittedly, because, certainly, for example, in fact,
indeed, really of course, since, that is, for instance, namely,
To Explain
specifically, such as, to illustrate, in particular, in this manner,
thus
 Useful Transitions and Transitional Phrases
in this event, in these circumstances, this (that) being so,
provided that, in spite of, none/nevertheless, at the same
To Show Various Conditions
time, even if, if, unless, otherwise, although, even though,
though, despite
add to this, again, also, besides, equally, further,
furthermore, in addition, moreover, once more, then too,
To Add Information
too, yet again, yet another, and, as well, beyond that, even,
next, similarly
after that, afterwards, later, shortly, subsequently,
concurrently, in the meantime, in the meanwhile, now,
simultaneously, when/while/was, first, second, etc.,
To Show Chronological Order formerly, earlier, previously, before that, then, already, at
last, at length, by that time, finally, during, immediately,
next, soon, still, in the interim, presently, at the same time,
in the end, temporarily, there after
admittedly, after all, all the same, at any rate, granted,
To Show Concession however, in any case, in spite of, it is true that, nevertheless,
obviously, of course, still, to be sure
above, below, beyond, farther, further, here, hereby,
Location
opposite, there, to the left/right, under
THESIS CONCLUSION
 • Use your introductory paragraph as a
guide.
• If it’s a longer paper, start by looking
at what each paragraph was about.
• Leave readers with something to think
CONCLUSION about.
• Suggest that they learn more with a
sentence
• Give them something to do after
reading your paper.
 • What you will leave with your reader
• “Wrap up” your thesis
What is a • Demonstrate to the reader that you
conclusion accomplished what you set out to do
paragraph? • Show how you have proved your thesis
• Provide the reader with a sense of
closure on the topic
Structure

• A conclusion is the opposite of the introduction

• Remember that the introduction begins general and
ends specific
• The conclusion begins specific and moves to the
general
 What to include
• Conclusion wraps up in a tidy package and brings it home for reader
• Topic sentence should summarize what you said in thesis statement
• This suggests to your reader that you have accomplished what you set out to accomplish
• Do not simply restate thesis statement, as that would be redundant
• Rephrase the thesis statement with fresh and deeper understanding
• Conclusion is no place to bring up new ideas
• Supporting sentences should summarize what you have already said in the body
• If a brilliant idea tries to sneak into the final paragraph, you must pluck it out and let it have its own
paragraph in the body, or leave it out completely
• Topic for each body paragraph should be summarized in the conclusion
• Wrap up the main points
• Closing sentence should help the reader feel a sense of closure
• Closing sentence is last word on the subject; it is “clincher”
• Demonstrate the importance of your ideas
• Propel reader to a new view of the subject
• End on a positive note
• Closing sentence should make readers glad they read your paper
 Strategies for an effective conclusion
Play the “So What” Game.
• When you read a statement from the conclusion, ask
yourself, “So what?” or “Why should anybody care?”
• Ponder that question and answer it

Return to the themes in the introduction

• This brings the reader full circle
• If you begin by describing a scenario, you can end with the
same scenario as proof which is helpful in creating a new
understanding
• Refer to the introductory paragraph by using key words, or
parallel concepts and images as in the introduction
 Summarize
• Include a brief summary of the paper’s
main points, DON’T simply repeat things

Pull it all FIT together (the points you

Strategies made, the support, examples)
for an
effective Include a provocative insight or
quotation from the research
conclusion
Propose a course of action, a solution
to an issue, or questions for further
study

Point to broader implications

 • Begin with an unnecessary, overused phrase
Concluding • These may work in speeches, but come across as
wooden and trite in writing
strategies that
• “in conclusion”; “in summary”; “in closing”; “as
DO NOT work shown in the essay”
• State the thesis for the very first time
• Introduce a new idea or subtopic in your conclusion
• Make sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of
character with the rest of the paper
• Include evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that
should be in the body of the paper
 • Fresh rephrasing of thesis
Topic sentence
statement
Conclusion
Outline
• Summarize or wrap up the
Supporting main points in the body of the
sentences essay
• Explain how ideas fit together

• Finalize words
• Connect back to the
Closing sentence
introduction
• Provide a sense of closure