If you are writing a thesis - whether edging towards it, wrestling with it, or just plain stuck - this sensible, thoroughly practical book is bound to help. As in the previous editions, the emphasis is still firmly on structure. Having supervised countless postgraduate students and seen all the pitfalls, the authors are convinced that clear and logical structure is the key to a good thesis. Concrete examples of common structural problems are given, and offer numerous devices, tricks and tests by which to avoid them. You may be one of the many researchers who has yet to discover just how much computer software can do for you. This book spells it out clearly, and offers checklists to help you stay on track. The revolution it highlights is that the smart researcher can now treat writing not as the last chore but as part of the research process itself.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction; 2 What's a thesis?; 3 Making a strong start; 4 Making your word processor work for you; 5 The introductory chapter; 6 The background chapters; 7 The chapter on design of your own work; 8 The results chapters; 9 The discussion or evaluation; 10 The conclusions; 11 Before you finally submit; 12 Disseminating your work; Appendix: some notes on writing and presentation; Bibliography; Index.