SUGGESTED CHAPTERS FOR DISSERTATION
Chapter 1. Introduction. Outlines what the thesis is about – it includes the background to the study, motivations, research questions/hypotheses, and how it will, can make a contribution to new knowledge or offer new solutions.
Chapter 2. Literature Review. This chapter consists of two parts, addressing the literature from the perspectives of the general and special field.
The General Field Literature Review is an account and presentation of key literature that is relevant to the research question/hypothesis. Its focus is the general framework within which scholars have addressed these questions that is broad domain of scholarship. It also reveals and discusses any gaps in the literature.
The Special Field Literature Review then addresses the gaps revealed by the general field literature review and any finely focused research and re-thinking that may be relevant to the study’s research goals/project. This chapter also includes an explanation about how the research goal/project addresses the important gap revealed in the scholarly literature or an important area of practical need that need investigation
The two parts of chapter 2 that are the qualifying exams demonstrating expertise in evidence-based investigations are then integrated as ONE coherent chapter and serve as data, evidence etc, to support findings in chapter 4.
Chapter 3. Theory and Methods.
The first part of this chapter offers definitions of the key concepts, and the explanatory framework/theory that connects these concepts for the area that the research project is exploring or testing.
The second part presents and justifies the method/s chosen to test the study’s research question/hypotheses, including an analysis of critiques and limitations of these methods. It describes the techniques and instruments/tools to be used to collect and analyze data, referring to the instruments themselves (in the appendices).
Chapter 4. Findings. Present the results of the study/research project – what was discovered and what value does this have for knowledge or application?
Chapter 5. Conclusions. Discusses key results and implications
