Identification of unresolved problem
Formulation of aims and objectives.
TYPE-II: Cumulative Doctoral thesis: A modem but quite useful practice.
A book containing the pearls of a PhD work has standardized divisions and formats, where the number of pages should be weighted in terms of content rather than container. The book includes summary, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusions, references and acknowledgements.
Two exercises are mandatory before starting a PhD programme:
Now comes the most crucial and functional part of the doctoral work, the materials/subjects and methods section. This part can be considered as the motor of the PhD work. The reliability, sensitivity and specificity of the motor must be checked before embarking on a long journey. Controlling the controls is the best guide for a precise and authentic work. Usually materials and methods contain components such as a description of the species involved, their number, age, weight and anthropometric parameters, types of surgical procedures and anesthesia if applied, and a detailed description of methodology. Continuous or point measurements should be thoroughly described. However, a dynamic method should always be preferred to static one.
The experimental protocol should be designed after a small pilot study, which is especially advisable in research on human subjects. A detailed and well-thought experimental protocol forms the basis of conditions under which the results would be obtained. Any deviation from the experimental protocol will affect the outcome, and the interpretation of results. It may be noted that great discoveries are usually accidental and without a protocol, based merely on careful observation! However, for the sake of a publication, a protocol has to be designed after the discovery. After having described the different phases of the experimental protocol with the help of a schematic diagram e.g., showing variables, time period and interventions, the selection of a statistical method should be discussed. Negative results should not be disregarded because they represent the boundary conditions of positive results. Sometimes the negative results are the real results.
It is usual practice that most PhD candidates start writing the methodological components first. This is followed by writing the results. The pre-requisites for writing results are that all figures, tables, schematic diagrams of methods and a working model should be ready. They should be designed in such a way that the information content of each figure should, when projected as a frame be visually clear to audience viewing it from a distance of about fifty feet. It is often observed that the presenters themselves have difficulty in deciphering a frame of the Power-Point being projected in a conference.
The results of a doctoral thesis should be treated like a bride. The flow of writing results becomes easier if all figures and tables are well prepared. This promotes the train of thoughts required to analyze the data in a quantitative fashion. The golden rule of writing results of a thesis is to describe what the figure shows. No explanation is required. One should avoid writing anything which is not there in a figure. Before writing one should observe each diagram for some time and make a list of observations in the form of key words. The more one has understood the information content of a figure; the better will be the fluency of writing. The interruption of the flow in writing most often indicates that an author has not understood the results. Discussion with colleagues or reference to the literature is the only remedy, and it functions sometimes like a caesarean procedure.
Statistical methods are good devices to test the degree of authenticity and precision of results if appropriately applied. The application of statistical technique in human studies poses difficulties because of large standard deviations. Outliers must be discussed, if they are excluded for the sake of statistical significance. Large standard deviations can be minimized by increasing the number of observations. If a regression analysis is not weighted, it gives faulty information. The correlation coefficient value can change from 0.7 to 0.4 if the regression analysis is weighted using Fisher’s test. The dissection of effect from artifact should be analysed in such a way that the signal to noise ratio of a parameter should be considered. A competent statistician should always be consulted in order to avoid the danger of distortion of results.
The legend of a figure should be well written. It contains a title, a brief description of variables and interventions, the main effect and a concluding remark conveying the original message. The writing of PhD work is further eased by a well maintained collection of data in the form of log book, original recordings, analyzed references with summaries and compiling the virgin data of the study on master plan sheet to understand the original signals before submitting to the procedures of statistics. The original data belong to the laboratory of an institution where it came into being and should be preserved for 5-7 years in the archive for the sake of brevity.
This is the liveliest part of a thesis. Its main goal is to defend the work by staging a constructive debate with the literature. The golden rule of this written debate should be that a rigid explanation looks backward and a design looks forward. The object is to derive a model out of a jig-saw puzzle of information. It should be designed in such a way that the results of the present study and those of authors from the literature can be better discussed and interpreted. Agreement and disagreement can be better resolved if one considers under what experimental conditions the results were obtained by the various authors. It means that the boundary conditions for each result should be carefully analyzed and compared.
The discussion can be divided into the following parts:
Another way of writing a doctoral work is a cumulative type of thesis. 11 It consists of a few original publications in refereed journals of repute. It is supplemented by a concise summary about the research work. This type of thesis is usually practiced in Sweden, Germany and other countries. It has the advantage of being doubly refereed by the journals and the faculty of health sciences. Additionally, papers are published during a doctoral work. A declaration has to be given to the faculty of science about the sharing of research work in publications, provided there are co-authors. The weightage should be in favour of the PhD candidate, so that the thesis can ethically be better defended before the team of august research faculty.
A critical review of this manuscript by Dr. Roger Sutton, Dr. Khalid Khan, Dr. Bukhtiar Shah and Dr. Satwat Hashmi is gratefully acknowledged.
Dedicated to the memory of Mr. Azim Kidwai for his exemplary academic commitment and devotion to the science journalism in Pakistan.
Table of Contents
In your academic career, few projects are more important than your PhD thesis. Unfortunately, many university professors and advisors assume that their students know how to structure a PhD. Books have literally been written on the subject, but there’s no need to read a book in order to know about PhD thesis paper format and structure. With that said, however, it’s important to understand that your PhD thesis format requirement may not be the same as another student’s. The bottom line is that how to structure a PhD thesis often depends on your university and department guidelines.
But, let’s take a look at a general PhD thesis format. We’ll look at the main sections, and how to connect them to each other. We’ll also examine different hints and tips for each of the sections. As you read through this toolkit, compare it to published PhD theses in your area of study to see how a real-life example looks.
In almost every PhD thesis or dissertation, there are standard sections. Of course, some of these may differ, depending on your university or department requirements, as well as your topic of study, but this will give you a good idea of the basic components of a PhD thesis format.
As you put together your PhD thesis, it’s easy to get a little overwhelmed. Here are some tips that might keep you on track.
Want some support during your PhD writing process? Our PhD Thesis Editing Plus service includes extensive and detailed editing of your thesis to improve the flow and quality of your writing. Unlimited editing support for guaranteed results. Learn more here , and get started today!
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Everyone needs some extra motivation from time to time. PhD students are no exception. Here is a list of the 20 best motivational quotes for PhD students. 1. You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody. 2. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
PhD student, doctoral candidate, or even. a seasoned academic. These funny PhD quotes might just be the motivational spark you need during those seemingly endless stretches of grinding work. Imagine sitting down, coffee in hand, ready to tackle that chapter you've revised countless times. You tell yourself, "It's easy and normal to feel ...
7. "Your PhD thesis is not just a document; it is a reflection of your ability to think critically and innovate." 8. "The path to a PhD may be long and winding, but the destination will be worth every step." 9. "Stay curious, for curiosity fuels the fires of discovery and fuels the drive to explore uncharted territories." 10.
The PhD journey is a long one where it's easy and normal to feel unmotivated for certain stretches of time. We all need a little inspiration to perk us up during those days. Jenny Mak offers you four handy motivational quotes for when the going gets tough during your PhD…. "Success requires Action". We all procrastinate.
This is a series of quotes that I collected the very first day I started my PhD and finished collecting when I defended my dissertation. Originally, it was intended to be a list of quotes that can be used for my thesis, however, it ended up being a log of my state of mind in those years of hard work, frustration and excitement.
Graduate studies mark a unique chapter in a student's life, often defined by self-discovery, overcoming challenges, and the active pursuit of one's future. Here is a curated list of the most inspiring motivational quotes tailored to graduate students navigating this distinct journey of graduate studies. 1. We all have dreams. But in order to make
PhD Motivational Quotes for Embracing Learning: "The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.". - B.B. King. "Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.". - Malcolm X. "Learning never exhausts the mind.". - Leonardo da Vinci.
Here are three tailored quotes to inspire PhD students during tough times: "It's important to celebrate even the smallest victories along the way.". "Every revision brings you closer to your goal, even if it doesn't feel like it.". "Break down your tasks into smaller, manageable parts to overcome procrastination.".
Motivational Quotes. The only way to do great work is to love what you do! Your limitation - It's only your imagination. Before anything else, preparation is the key to success! Be mature enough to accept failures and rejections! Be believing, Be happy, Don't get discouraged. Things will work out.
Author. The PhD/Doctoral journey is a long one where it's easy and normal to feel unmotivated for certain stretches of time. We all need a little inspiration to perk us up during those days. I ...
Any research of note is not going to happen overnight and your interest will keep you dedicated.". "Self-education can be in a PhD level.". "PhD made me poorer, without money, but richer ...
2. I guess if you write a quote that is representative or applies to the whole dissertation, you can have it somewhere in the beginning e.g. after the title page and before the abstract. If now you want to add a quote that applies to a specific chapter, you can add it right below the chapter title (maybe also aligned to the right side) and ...
Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal. Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter. Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review. Undertake your own research. Present and interpret your findings. Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications.
Opinions of "inspirational / humorous" quotes in PhD theses. I am currently in the process writing a PhD thesis in Applied Mathematics. The thesis consists of several published papers, the preface of one of the papers contains an "inspirational" quote from some old poem that happened to nicely capture some results.
Give me your best quotes. My thesis is, uhh, let's say material physics, but the quotes can be about anything. "If I were again beginning my studies, I would follow the advice of Plato and start with mathematics." - Galileo Galilei. "I've had it with these mother fuc---g snakes on this mother fuc---g plane" - Winston churchill.
Score 97% Score 97%. Chapter 8: Direct Quotations: Presentation, Integration and Accuracy. Not all doctoral candidates will make use of direct quotation in their theses, but many theses will include one or a few quoted passages, while others will feature a wide variety of quoted text and/or speech. The idea behind using the exact words of ...
PhD thesis acknowledgement example 2. It takes a village to raise a child" is a well-known proverb, and I strongly believe that completing a PhD also requires the support of a village. Therefore, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the people who played significant roles in my PhD journey. First and foremost, I would like to thank ...
3 sample title page for a phd dissertation copyright notice abstract sample abstract formatting errors front and back matter supplemental material tables and figures visual material acknowledging the work of others page 19 references footnotes bibliography citation & style guides use of copyrighted material page 20 services and information page 22 proquest publishing orders and payments
Quotes fewer than 40 words should be incorporated into the text of the paragraph. Quotes comprised of 40 or more words, need to be formatted in block quotes. (see APA, section 6.03, pp.170 - 173; and APA Style Blog, "How to Cite Direct Quotations" or APA Style Blog, "You Can Quote Me on This"). Short, direct quotes (less than 40 words):
Example 2. I would like to thank my supervisors Dr. XXX and Dr. XXX for all their help and advice with this PhD. I would also like to thank my sisters, whom without this would have not been possible. I also appreciate all the support I received from the rest of my family. Lastly, I would like to thank the XXX for the studentship that allowed me ...
21 1 2. 1. (1) Can you clarify what you mean by "appropriate"? (2) Also, this sort of thing is going to vary greatly by discipline and school. (3) Litmus test: do you expect people (including yourself) to read your PhD in the future and how do you imagine they would react? - virmaior. May 14, 2016 at 9:02.
Education in how to write a doctoral thesis or dissertation should be a part of the postgraduate curriculum, parallel to the laboratory work and Journal Club activities during the PhD studies and/or residency levels.9,10 The overall structure of a doctoral thesis is internationally standardized. However, it varies in style and quality ...
Work with your thesis supervisor to plan the structure and format of your PhD thesis. Be prepared to rewrite each section, as you work out rough drafts. Don't get discouraged by this process. It's typical. Make your writing interesting. Academic writing has a reputation of being very dry.