thesis structure. "i keep six honest serving men..." i keep six honest serving-men (they...
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"I Keep Six Honest Serving Men ..." I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who.I send them over land and sea,I send them east and west;But after they have worked for me,I give them all a rest.
I let them rest from nine till five,For I am busy then,As well as breakfast, lunch, and tea,For they are hungry men.But different folk have different views; I know a person small-She keeps ten million serving-men,Who get no rest at all!
She sends'em abroad on her own affairs,From the second she opens her eyes-One million Hows, two million Wheres,And seven million Whys!
Structure
Title Page Table of Contents List of Tables List of Figures Abstract Declaration Acknowledgments
Introduction Literature Review Methodology Results Discussion Conclusions Future Work Appendices
Beginnings prepare readers for understanding the work
Summary tells readers whathappens in document
Introduction prepares readersfor the middle
Title orients readers todocument
A strong title orients readers toyour area of work
Effects of Humidityon the Growth of Avalanches
Effects of Humidityon the Growth
of Electron Avalanchesin Electrical Gas Discharges
A strong title also separates yourwork from everyone else's work
Studies on the Electrodeposition of Lead on Copper
Effects of Rhodamine-Bon the Electrodeposition
of Lead on Copper
Introductory Chapter
Possible sections in this chapter :
1. Background
2. Research Problem
3. Methodology (or method to be used)
4. Thesis roadmap/Overview/Outline
5. Definitions
6. Orthogonal Issues
7. Conclusions
A document's introduction prepares
readers for the discussion
Topic?
Importance?
Introduction
Arrangement?
Background?
The introduction defines the scopeand limitations of the work
Proposed Study on Effects of Alcohol
on Life Expectancy
Three classes of drinkers:non-drinkers moderate drinkersheavy drinkers
Ten-year study
Other effects,such as exercise,not considered
Medical historiesnot considered
Women may notexperience thesame effects
Men surveyed
scope
limitations
A strong introduction tells readerswhy the research is important
This paper presents a design for a platinum catalytic igniter in hydrogen-air mixtures. This igniter has application in nuclear reactors. One danger at a nuclear reactor is a loss-of-coolant accident. Such an accident can produce large quantities of hydrogen gas when hot water and steam react with zirconium fuel rods. In a serious accident, the evolution of hydrogen may be so rapid that it produces an explosive hydrogen-air mixture in the reactor containment building. This mixture could breach the containment walls and allow radiation to escape.
Our method to eliminate this danger is to intentionally ignite the hydrogen-air mixture at concentrations below those for which any serious damage might result.
importance
Literature Review (aka State of the Art)
This chapter outlines the state of the art in your field, organised by ideas, research trends NOT chronologically or by author
The objective of this chapter is to tell the reader that this is an important and interesting problem
Literature Survey vs. Literature Review Bibliography vs. Literature Review
Research Question (aka Problem Statement)
The title of this slide is an example of the arts/science divide, in arts subjects this is generally called “research question to be answered/addressesed" in science subjects (especially engineering) this is generally referred to as “problem to be solved".
Research Question (aka Problem Statement)
In this chapter you need to state the research question, clearly and concisely demonstrate that this particular research has not been
answered (why current approaches fail) Discuss why this is a worthwhile question (including
applications where it may be used) try to include enough information so that a future
researcher could continue your research once you are done. You have to demonstrate your familiarity with the
important researchers in your field here.
Solving the Research Question
You need to convince the reader that the research question has been resolved, only discuss your research that pertains to the resolution of the problem, if you worked on techniques that were dead-ends, don't bother including these in the discussion (unless it is somehow relevant to the resolution).
Solving the Research Question
Record any limitations, assumptions, etc. in methods used
Report exactly under what conditions the results were obtained
If wrote computer programs to solve the problem => use my checksheet on software, comments, etc. => record hardware, software versions, language
versions, operation system versions, any relevant environmental configurations
In the middle of a report, you present your work
Choose a logicalstrategy
Make sectionsand subsections
HeadingSubheadingSubheading
HeadingSubheadingSubheadingSubheading
Heading
[Sandia, 1985]
Common strategies exist for the middles of scientific reports
Chronological
[Maizels, 2001]
Spatial
[Pratt & Whitney, 2000]
Common strategies exist for the middles of scientific reports
Parallel Parts
Corel Corporation
Flow
[Sandia, 1985]
Section headings should be descriptive and parallel
Non-ParallelNon-Descriptive
IntroductionBackgroundMarx GeneratorsLine PulseBeam GenerationTransporting BeamPelletsResultsConclusions
IntroductionBackgroundMarx GeneratorsLine PulseBeam GenerationTransporting BeamPelletsResultsConclusions
ParallelDescriptive
Introduction
Past Designs for Particle Beam Fusion
New Design for Particle Beam FusionCharging Marx GeneratorsForming Line PulseGenerating Particle BeamTransporting Particle BeamIrradiating Deuterium-Tritium Pellets
Results of New Design
Conclusions and Recommendations
Introduction
Past Designs for Particle Beam Fusion
New Design for Particle Beam FusionCharging Marx GeneratorsForming Line PulseGenerating Particle BeamTransporting Particle BeamIrradiating Deuterium-Tritium Pellets
Results of New Design
Conclusions and Recommendations
When you divide a section into subsections, all the pieces should be of the same pie
New Design for Particle Beam Fusion
Charging Marx Generators
Generating Particle Beam
Pellets
New Design for Particle Beam Fusion
Charging Marx Generators
Generating Particle Beam
Irradiating Deuterium-Tritium Pellets
Organization is hidden without Secondary headings
Performance ofthe Solar One Receiver
Introduction
Steady State Efficiency
Average Efficiency
Start-Up Time
Operation Time
Operation During Cloud Transients
Panel Mechanical Supports
Tube Leaks
Conclusion
Performance ofthe Solar One Receiver
Introduction
Receiver’s Efficiency
Steady State Efficiency
Average Efficiency
Receiver’s Operation Cycle
Start-Up Time
Operation Time
Operation During Cloud Transients
Receiver’s Mechanical Wear
Panel Mechanical Supports
Tube Leaks
Conclusion
In a strong ending, you analyze resultsand give a future perspective
Analyze results from overall perspective
Conclusions
Analysis of Results
Several options:Make recommendationsDiscuss future workRepeat limitations
Future Perspective
Use appendices to supply backgroundfor secondary audiences
Appendix AConcern About the Greenhouse Effect
For almost a hundred years, experts have been concerned with the increasing concentrations of gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxides in the earth's lower atmosphere. These gases are natural by-products of combustion. Figure A-1 illustrates the correlation between global temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations...
Use appendices to supply secondary or tangential information to primary readersAppendix B
Project Stormfury
In 1961, the United States Weather Bureau and the Department of Defense (Navy) began a project to reduce the strength of hurricanes. The project, called Project Stormfury, uses cloud seeding, a process used to produce rainfall and reduce hail in thunderstorms. In Project Stormfury, silver iodide crystals, similar in structure to ice, are dispersed by airplanes in the upper reaches of cloud formations just outside the hurricane's eye where the winds are highest. Initial results showed that wind speeds decreased between 15–30% after seedings...
Glossary
burst point: the exact point in space where an atomic bomb is detonated.
clear visibility: a viewing range of twenty miles.
fallout: the descent to the Earth's surface of radioactive particles from a cloud contaminated with the fission products of a nuclear explosion.
hypocenter: the point on the earth's surface directly below the burst point; also called ground zero.
For secondary readers, use a glossaryto define unfamiliar terms
Link chapters together
Chapter NIntroduction N.1As has been discussed in the previous
chapter ... Conclusion N.XIn this chapter, the following topics were
discussed...equipped with this information, in the next chapter it will be investigated how to apply this in ...
Mirroring of chapters :
Chapter 1 = Chapter 6 Chapter 2 = Chapter 5 Chapter 3 = Chapter 4 Chap 1
Chap 2
Chap 3
Chap 6
Chap 5
Chap 4
Mirroring of chapters :
All points raised in the Introduction chapter should be addressed in the Conclusions.
All sections in the Research Method (or Design) chapter should appear in the Data Analysis (or Implementation) chapter.
All Literature Review section should be re-discussed in the Data Findings (or Testing and Evaluation) chapter