1. Excellent Thesis Prof. Dr. Mohamed Amin Embi Pusat Pembangunan Akademik Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

2. Students on Left Sidewww.polleverywhere.com/profdra min 3. Students on Right Sidem.socrative.com (Room No: 24996) 4. What is a (postgraduate) Thesis? 5. Common Mistake #1 Failure to understand what a (postgraduate) thesis actually meant/requires. 6. What is a thesis? A thesis makes an original contribution to knowledge through research, puts forward a clear & consistent argument, & convinces the reader of its validity through logic, analysis & evidence 7. What is a Thesis? A proposition laid down or stated as a theme tobe discussed & proved, or to be maintained against attack. A complete & coherent story in which eachchapter is an integral part. A model for a set of relationships. This modelwill be described using words, figures & tables. 8. A platform for communicating your passion for asubject. A platform for communicating your contributionto scholarship. Your evidence that you should be awarded yourdegree. The basis for building your track record for futureemployment. 9. List at least THREE characteristics / attributes of Scientific Research 10. Characteristics of Scientific Research Objectivity unbiased, open-minded, not subjective. Precision validity & reliability inmeasurement, research design, statistical significance. Verification the results can be confirmed or revisedin subsequent research. 11. Characteristics of Scientific Research Empiricism guided by evidence obtained fromsystematic research methods rather than by opinions. Logical Reasoning using prescribed rules of logic(through deduction or induction). 12. Stages in Thesis Development THINKING ABOUT IT PREPARING THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH WRITING THE THESIS SHARING THE RESEARCH OUTCOMES WITHOTHERS THESIS DEFENCE 13. THINKING ABOUT IT Be inclusive with your thinking dont try toeliminate ideas too quickly; try to be creative. Write down your ideas so that you canrevisit, modify & change an idea later on. Try not to be overly influenced at this time bywhat you feel others (sponsors/supervisor) expect from you one chance to decide topic of you own choosing. 14. THINKING ABOUT IT Be realistic in setting your goal you are fulfilling anacademic requirement, conducting the research is as importing as the outcomes of it & it is a learning experience for you. Be realistic about the time that youre willing tocommit to your research work the best time to get the most from a leave of absence from work is the WRITING stage. Try a very small preliminary research study totest out some of your ideas to gain confidence of what youd like to do. 15. What is the main processes involved in scientific research? 16. Research Process Select a General Problem Review the Literature on the Problem Decide the Specific Research Problem, Question, orHypothesis 17. Research Process Determine the Design & Methodology Collect Data Analyze Data & Present the Results Interpret the Findings & State Conclusions/Summary regarding the Problem 18. WRITING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL What is the FIRST thing you should establish whilewriting/preparing a research proposal? 19. COMMON MISTAKE #2 Failure to understand the importance to FIRST theresearch gap? 20. WRITING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL What is the research gap/problem? 21. Research Problem Does it have sufficient practical or theoretical valueto warrant study? Does it have a rationale? Has the problem been studied before? Is the study likely to provide additional knowledge. 22. COMMON MISTAKE #3 Failure to understand theresearch gap/problem? 23. Statement of the Problem Statement of the problem introduces the importanceof the problem, significance of the study & the research questions or hypotheses to follow. 24. WRITING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL How do best can you identify the research gap? 25. COMMON MISTAKE #4 Failure to understand supportresearch gap using relevant/appropriate literature review? 26. Guiding Principles of Scientific Inquiry Pose significant questions. Link research to theory. Use appropriate methods. Provide coherent reasoning. 27. What do you understand by Posing Significant Questions? 28. Common Mistake # 5 Failure to establish Significant Research Questions 29. Pose Significant Questions that can be Investigated Empirically Have an impact on the current state ofknowledge. Fill a gap in prior knowledge. Seek new knowledge. 30. Pose Significant Questions that can be Investigated Empirically Formally test a new hypothesis. Reframe a prior research problem in light ofnewly available methodological or theoretical tools. 31. How do we formulate RQs? 32. Common Mistake # 6 RQs not derived form research gap identified (eg. Demograhic variables come out of the blue). RQs not inter-related. RQs too many. RQs very difficult to measure. RQs not in line with the title of thesis. 33. Questions Formulation Descriptive RQ asks What is? and imply a surveydesign. Relationship RQ asks What is the relationship between 2 or more variables? & imply a correlational design. Difference RQ asks Is there is difference between 2 groups or 2 or more treatments 34. Hypotheses Formulation RH is a tentative statement of the expected relationship between 2 or more variables. RH should state the direction of the relationship. RH should be testable. RH should offer a tentative explanation based on theory or previous research. RH should be concise & lucid. 35. What is a Conceptual Framework? 36. Link Research to a Relevant Theory or Conceptual Framework CF or theory guides the entire research process. CF or theory suggests possible questions oranswers to questions posed. CF influences the research process in the selection of what & how to observe. 37. Common Mistake # 7 CF not clear & ambigious. CF too complicated & confusing. Some important construct missing from the CF. CF wrongly represented (eg. incorrect use ofarrows) 38. How is CF different from TF & MF? 39. Common Mistake #8 Theoretical underpinning not given dueconsideration. TH not included in CF. MF mistakenly use to represent CF and/or TF 40. Why do we conduct literature review? 41. Common Mistake # 9 Literature Review fails to highlight the researchgap/problem. LR did not cover all important constructsexamined/identified in the study. LR not extensive enough. LR not current enough. 42. Purpose of Literature Review Define & limit the problem. Place the study in proper perspective/context. Avoid unintentional & unnecessary replication. Select promising methods & measures. Relate the findings to previous knowledge & suggestfurther research. Develop research hypotheses. 43. Steps in Writing Literature Review Analyze the problem statement to identify concepts& variables that suggest topic areas & key terms to search. Read secondary literature to define the problem in more precise terms and to locate primary literature. Decide the search strategy for primary literature. 44. Steps in Writing Literature Review Transform the problem statement into searchlanguage & conduct a search. Evaluate the pertinent primary literature for inclusion in the review. Organize & logically group selected literature. Write the review. 45. Review of Literature (Qs U Shouldk) How adequately has the literature been surveyed? Does the review critically evaluate previous findings& studies, or is it only a summary of what is known? Does the review support the need for studying the problem? Does the review establish a theoretical framework for the problem? Does the review relate previous studies to the research problem? 46. Common Mistake # 10 LR is a mere reporting of past studies no criticalappraisal and/or synthesis. Theoretical underpinnings missing from LR. 47. What is Research Methodology? 48. Methodology/ Methods & Materials Are the procedures, design & instruments employedto gather the data described with sufficient clarity to permit another researcher to replicate the study? Is the population described fully? Did the researcher use the total population, or was there a sample used? If a sample is used, is it representative of the population from which it was selected? 49. Methodology/ Methods & Materials Is evidence presented about the validity & reliabilityof the scores? Was a pretest used? Was there a pilot study? Are there any obvious weakness in the overall design of the study? 50. Use Methods That Allow Direct Investigation of the Research Method used must fit the question posed. The link between question & method used must beclearly explained & justified. Scientific claims are strengthened when they are tested by multiple methods. Different methods should be used in different parts of a series of related studies. 51. Common Mistake #11 Wrong methodology. Too many instruments used Each research instruments not mentioned indetail. Failure to discuss reliability & validity (esp. inqualitative approach) 52. Common Mistake #12 Instrument not piloted. Construct in instrument not validated. Problem with scale used in the instrument (eg.Not equal in measurement) Construct not measuring what it is supposed tomeasure. 53. Provide a Coherent & Explicit Chain of Reasoning A logical chain of reasoning is important. Validity of inferences is strengthened by identifyinglimitations & biases. Detailed descriptions of procedures and analyses are crucial. 54. WRITING THE THESIS Practice progressive writing always update yourliterature review. CM#13 LR not update. Change the tense from future tense to past tense& change sections from the proposal to sections for the thesis. CM#14 still using future tense. Print each draft of your thesis on a different colourpaper so that you can keep track of the latest version. CM#15 submitted the wrong version. 55. WRITING THE THESIS Thesis writing should be clear and unambiguous- avoid complex & dangling sentences. CM#16 sentence too complex & dangling. Review 2 or 3 well organized & presented thesis use them as a model . Make sure you INTRODUCE the table or graph inyour text. CM#17 table/graph not introduced. 56. An Excellent Thesis 57. TITLE A very condensed summary of your work. Must contain key constructs/variables/words. CM#18 title missing main constructs. Avoid using a general title. CM#19 Title too generalor too inclusive. Consider the need to be location/sample specific. Avoid the unnecessary (eg. An Investigation /AStudy) CM#20 use of redundant/unnecessary words. 58. What are the main components of an abstract? 59. Common Mistake #21 Abstract did not include description ofmethodology. Population, sample & sampling technique notexplain in the abstract. Data analysis procedure(s) missing from abstract. Main findings presented in a very generalmanner. 60. ABSTRACT Why you did the work (purposes/objectives) How you did the work (research methods including population, sample, sampling techniques, instrumentations & data analyses). What your main findings/results were. What your principal conclusions were. Why does it matter (point out at least 1 significantimplication). 61. CHAPTERS Deal with the steps required to deal with theoverall problem. Consider the relevance of each Chapter to thedevelopment of your thesis argument. 62. INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW Background information to allow reader tounderstand the context & significance of the questions you are trying to address. Explain the scope of your work what will and willnot be included. A general road map guiding the reader to whatlies ahead. 63. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Show that the research area isimportant, central, interesting, problematic or relevant in some way. Indicate gaps in previous research. Raise questions about previous research. Show how previous knowledge needs to beextended. 64. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Outline where your study will extend currentknowledge or how it differs from current research. Pose an overall question/frame a broadhypothesis that requires a number of steps to address. Outline the steps you will take to address thebroad question. Indicate the structure of the thesis (optional). 65. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Must have breadth sufficiently comprehensive. Must cover landmark studies. Must highlight gaps in the knowledge includingdiscussion of the limitations of conclusions that have been made. 66. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Must highlight areas of controversy & formulatequestions that need further research. May highlight deficiencies in current methods. Should be concise, formal and unambiguous. It IS a critical analysis. 67. METHODS/RESEARCH DESIGN Information to allow the reader to assess thebelievablity of your results (discussion of validity, reliability etc). Information needed by another researcher toreplicate your study. Description of your research design(population, sample, sampling technique, instrumentations) Description of your analytical methods. 68. RESULTS/FINDINGS ACTUAL statements of observations, includingstatistics, tables & graphs. Mention negative as well positive do notinterpret results; save that for the DISCUSSION. Break up your results into LOGICAL segments byusing subheadings. Key results should be stated in clear sentences atthe beginning of paragraphs. 69. DISCUSSION What are the major patterns in the observations? What are the relationships, trends andgeneralizations among the results? What are the likely causes underlying thesepatterns observed? Is there agreement or disagreement withprevious work? 70. DISCUSSION Interpret results in terms of background laid out inthe introduction what is the relationship of the present results to the original questions? What are the things we now know or understandthat we didnt know or understand before the present work? Include the evidence or line of reasoningsupporting each interpretations. 71. CONCLUSION Ties the findings together in relation to the overallquestion the Introduction & Conclusion should hang together. Does not introduce new material. Include the broader implications of your results. Should suggest further studies/questions &alternative ways of looking at the research area. 72. REFERENCES Cite all ideas, concepts, text, data that are notyour own. All references cited in the text must be listed. Do not use footnotes. List all references cited in the text inALPHABETICAL order using a standardized format accepted by your institution. 73. APPENDICES Include all important instrumentations (eg.Questionnaire, Check List, Interview Guide) in the appendix. For qualitative data, provide samples of importantdata (e.g. interview verbatims; field notes etc.) Tables or calculations (where more than 2 pages) 74. FIGURES & TABLES Actual figures & tables should beembedded/inserted in the text normally on the page following the page where they are first cited in the text. All figures & tables should be systematicallynumbered & CITED consecutively in the text. Include a CAPTION for each figure & table. SHOW them, dont just TELL them every resultclaimed should be documented with data (in figures or tables). 75. EDITING YOUR THESIS Proof read your thesis a few times. Check your spelling dont totally rely onspellchecks! Make sure that your use complete sentences. Check your grammar: punctuation, sentencestructure; subject-verb agreement, tense consistency etc. Give it to others to read and comment.