Kwame Nkrumah University of

Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

THESIS/PROJECT WRITING
TFD 371

Prof. Kofi Howard

 What is a Thesis?

• “A written work resulting from original

research, especially one submitted for higher
degree in a university”.

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 What is in the thesis?

• Addresses a problem or series of problems.

• Describes what was known about the problem(s).
• What you did to solve the problems.
• What you think the results mean – its implications
• How further can the research go –
recommendations.

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 Selecting a thesis topic

• One of the hardest parts is choosing your thesis

topic.
• Some spend months or even years on research
project because they did not know how to choose a
great topic.
• Choosing the right and meaningful thesis topic is a
difficult decision to make.

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 Selecting a thesis topic

Here are some guidelines to consider when choosing a

thesis topic:
• Broaden your thinking:
• Identify different research project and build ideas
(Reading).
• Write down ideas you can have time to re-scan
and modify them.
• Choose a topic that you have interest in.

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 Selecting a thesis topic

• The topic should speak to an area of current or

future demand.
• As much as possible, choose a topic that you love.
• Do not be influenced by others into writing about a
certain topic.
• Be realistic in choosing a topic.
• Know that you are fulfilling an academic
requirement and it should be a learning experience
to you.
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 Selecting a thesis topic
• Pick a topic that is related to your field.
• Select a topic that your supervisor finds interesting
and is knowledgeable about.
• It is possible to change your supervisor than
changing your topic.
• Find a topic that you already have some expertise.
This is not the time to explore a brand new area.

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 Selecting a thesis topic

• Select a unique topic. Make sure that your topic has

not been done before.
• Pick an idea that stands out which is original and
innovative.
• Choose a manageable topic. Your supervisor will
help you limit your topic.
• Be specific and accurate, avoid phrases such as
A study of..., An investigation of..., the role of… Avoid
jargon and acronym
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 Selecting a thesis topic
Examples of textile topic:
• The value of textile education and industry partnerships
• Making material knowledge: process-led textile research as an
active source for design innovation
• Utilizing archives and collections: textile education, industry
and practice
• Development of an efficient and environmental-friendly
drying model for domestic dryer

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 Selecting a thesis topic
Examples of Fashion topic:
• Adaptation of oriental design into contemporary fashion
• Evolution of fashion accessories before and after
independence.
• Design and production of suitable garments for the various
personality types.
• Creation of three dimensional textured fabrics in garment
construction.
• Illustration and production of garment for plus size on all
figure types.

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 Purpose of writing a thesis
synopsis/proposal
• To demonstrate that the thesis/project topic
addresses a problem.
• It provides an organized plan for data collection and
analysis to help solve the problem;
• Is to ensure (as much as possible) that the
thesis/project can be concluded on time.
• A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that illustrates
a project schedule.

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Purpose of writing a thesis proposal

• This chart lists the tasks to be performed on the

vertical axis, and time intervals on the horizontal
axis.

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 Proposal/Synopsis Layout
• Abstract
• Background to the Study
• Statement of the Problem
• Objective of the Study
• Justification of the Objectives
• Research Questions/Hypothesis
• Justification of Research Questions/Hypothesis
• Delimitation/Scope of the Study
• Definition of Terms
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 Proposal/Synopsis Layout
• Importance of the Study
• Review of Selected Related Literature
• Methodology
• Research Method(s)
• Materials/Methods
• Facilities Available
• Budget
• Timeline

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 Thesis layout
• Title Page
• Declaration
• Acknowledgements
• Abstract
• Table of Contents
• List of Plates
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• List of Appendices

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 Thesis layout
Chapter One: Introduction
• Background to the Study
• Statement of the Problem/Motivation
• Objectives of the Study
• Research Questions/Hypothesis
• Delimitation/Scope of the Study
• Limitation
• Definition of Terms
• Abbreviations
• Importance of the Study
• Organisation of the Rest of Chapters/Text
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 Thesis layout
Chapter Two: Review of Related Literature
• Overview
• Reviewed literature (heading by heading)
Chapter Three: Methodology
• Overview
• Research Design
• Research Method(s)
• Population for the Study
• Sampling
• Research Tools/Instrumentation/Data Collection Instruments
• Validation of Instruments
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 Thesis layout
• Data Collection Procedure
• Data Analysis Plan
Chapter Four: Results and Discussion/Presentation and
Discussion of Findings
• Overview
• Discussion of variables
Chapter Five: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
• Summary
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• References
• Appendices
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Project/Studio-Based Research Layout
Chapter Three: General Procedure/Materials and
Methods/Methodology
• Overview
• Research Design
• Tools and Materials
• Production Procedure/Methods of Production
Chapter Four: Results and Discussion
• Overview
• Discussion of variables
Chapter Five: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
• Summary
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 Project Report Layout
• Conclusion
• Recommendations
• References
• Appendices

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 Getting started
• Prepare a thesis outline.
• Break the thesis into chapters. List the major sections
in each.
• Discuss with your supervisor.
• Prepare a chapter outline
• Assemble all the data, tables, figures
• Organise them into a sensible sequence
• Writing:
• Do a section at a time
• Start with something easy
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 Abstract
• A good abstract explains in one line why the study is
important.
• It then goes on to give a summary of your major results.
• It discusses the research method(s) used.
• The final sentences explain the major implications of
your work.
• A good abstract is concise, readable, and quantitative.
• Length should be one (1) paragraph, approx. 400 words.
• Abstracts generally do not have citations.
• The topic should not be repeated.
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 Abstract
• Be explicit (stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for
confusion or doubt).
• Use numbers where appropriate.
• Answers to these questions should be found in the abstract:
– What did you do?
– Why did you do it? What question were you trying to
answer?
– How did you do it? State methods.
– What did you learn? State major results/findings.
– Why does it matter? Point out at least one significant
implication.
– Recommendation should stem from the major findings.

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Writing the Background to the Study
• It is one of the key aspects you need to get right
when you are writing a thesis/project report.
• It introduces your readers to the topic of your
research, and it is different from the introduction of a
research paper.
• It gives general information about your topic -
rationale/justification of your topic.
• It includes some literature review in which you
explain what previous studies state about the topic.

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Writing the Background to the Study
• Discuss recent developments on the topic,
• Identify the gap in literature that has led to your
study.
• Explain the problem that the study addresses,
• Give a brief account of the history of the problem,
stating whether it has been addressed in any form
before.

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Statement of the Problem
• It is a definition of what you investigated in your study.
• Accordingly, it clarifies, outlines, limits, and brings into
existence an expression of the problem you investigated.
• It answers the question of what is being done in the
study.
• It performs two (2) major functions:
• to give direction to the study, and
• to unify all of the efforts undertaken during the
conduct of the study.

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 Statement of the Problem
A good research problem should have the following
characteristics:
• It should address a gap in knowledge.
• It should be significant enough to contribute to the
existing body of research.
• It should lead to further research.
• It should give the leverage to collect data.
• The approach towards solving the problem should be
ethical.
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Statement of the Problem
Examples of words to use to introduce the problem
Verbs Adjectives Noun phrase
disregard controversial Little
information/attention/work/data/research
neglect to consider questionable Few
studies/investigations/researchers/attempts
fail to consider incomplete No studies/data/calculations
overestimate unconvincing None of these studies/findings/calculations
ignore overlook inconclusive
is limited to unsatisfactory Other forms
suffer from misguided However
misinterpret It remains unclear
underestimate It would be of interest to

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 Objectives of the Study

• The purpose of any study is to help solve the stated

problem.
• It gives the readers a brief overview of how you plan
to solve the problem defined previously.
• It helps you become much clearer about the purpose
of your study as well.

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 Research Question
• To provide an explicit statement of what the study will
investigate.
• Basically, if there is no research question, you cannot find
an answer.
• Research questions are central to your project and
provide the focus of your research.
• It guides you through the process of research.
• It helps to summarise the collected data and organise
them.

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 Research Question

• It is essentially a hypothesis asked in the form of a

question.
• It, therefore, will usually begin with:
• What?
• Who?
• Where?
• When?
• How? and
• Why?
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 Research Question
Research question
Do boys or girls have more talent
related to technology and does
education play a role?
What is textiles?
What are the specific problems and
characteristics of different types of
stray cats?
Does education play a role in defining
a high school’s reputation?
What effect does conducting
preventive alcohol checks have on the
number of people who drive after
drinking?
Is it good?
No. It’s actually two questions instead
of one. Moreover, it’s too general and
lacks well-defined concepts.
No. This descriptive question is likely
too straightforward for a main question.
Yes. It’s a clearly
worded defining question.
No. It’s a limited inferential question
with a simple yes/no answer.
Yes. It’s a straightforward evaluative
question.
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 Hypothesis
• A hypothesis is a conjectural statement of the
relation between two or more variables (Kerlinger,
1956).
• Hypothesis is a formal statement that presents the
expected relationship between an independent and
dependent variable (Creswell, 1994).
• To provide an explicit statement of what the study
will investigate.
• It is a prediction of consequences.

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 Hypothesis
• An independent variable is the variable that is changed or
controlled in a scientific experiment to test the effects on the
dependent variable.
• A dependent variable is the variable being tested and
measured in a scientific experiment.
• The independent and dependent variables are the two key
variables in a science experiment.
• The dependent variable is the variable that changes in
response to the independent variable.
• The two variables may be related by cause and effect. If the
independent variable changes, then the dependent variable is
affected.
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 Hypothesis
For example,
• A scientist wants to see if the brightness of light has
any effect on a moth being attracted to the light.
• The brightness of the light is controlled by the
scientist. This would be the independent variable.
• How the moth reacts to the different light levels
(distance to light source) would be the dependent
variable.

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 Hypothesis
• It is considered valuable even if proven false.
• Hypothesis should be clear and precise. If the hypothesis is
not clear and precise, the inferences drawn on its basis cannot
be taken as reliable.
• Hypothesis should be capable of being tested to confirm or
disprove an observation.
• Hypothesis should be limited in scope and must be specific.
• It can be tested – verifiable or falsifiable
• Hypotheses are not moral or ethical questions
• It is a prediction of consequences

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 Hypothesis
Null hypothesis and alternative hypothesis:
• In the context of statistical analysis, we often talk about null
hypothesis and alternative hypothesis.
• If we are to compare method A with method B about its
superiority and if we proceed on the assumption that both
methods are equally good, then this assumption is termed as
the null hypothesis.
• However, we may think that the method A is superior or the
method B is inferior, we are then stating what is termed as
alternative hypothesis.

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 Definition of Terms
• This glossary is intended to assist you in
understanding commonly used terms and concepts
when reading, interpreting, and evaluating
scholarly research.
• Also included are general words and
phrases defined within the context of how they
apply to the research.

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 Delimitation/Scope of the Study

• Delimitations are choices made by the researcher

which should be mentioned.
• It covers geographical location and content .
Examples:
• A researcher chooses to look only at female
volleyball players.
• The researcher chooses batik technique to other
colouration techniques of textiles.

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 Limitation

• Limitations are shortcomings, conditions or

influences that cannot be controlled by the
researcher.
• Any limitations that might influence the results
should be mentioned.
Examples:
• Constraints on time, scope, and budget
• An inability to speak or read about results in other
languages.
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 Importance/Significance of the Study

• It creates a clear rationale for the study.

• The researcher can elaborate on the significance of
the study for other researchers, practitioners, and
policymakers.
• The researcher might include:
– Reasons why the study adds to the scholarly
research and literature in the field.
– Reasons about how the study helps improve
practice.
– Reasons why the study will improve policy.
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 Organisation of the Rest of
Chapters/Text
• Give an overview or describe what goes into each
chapter starting with Chapter Two.
• All these should be organised into a paragraph.

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 Writing a Literature Review
Definition
• A literature review is both a summary and explanation of the
complete and current state of knowledge on a limited topic
as found in academic books and journal articles.
• There are two kinds of literature reviews you might write at
the university:
• written as a stand-alone assignment in a course, and
• The other as an introduction to, or preparation for a
longer work, usually a thesis or research report.

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 Theoretical and Empirical Reviews
• Empirical review is based on observed and measured
phenomena and derives knowledge from actual experience
rather than from theory or belief.
• Theoretical review help establish what theories already exist,
the relationships between them, to what degree the existing
theories have been investigated, and to develop new
hypotheses to be tested.

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 Purpose of the Literature Review
• It ensures that researchers do not duplicate work that has
already been done.
• It can provide clues as to where future research is heading or
recommend areas on which to focus.
• It highlights key findings.
• It identifies inconsistencies, gaps and contradictions in the
literature.
• It provides a constructive analysis of the methodologies and
approaches of other researchers.

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 Content of the Review
• It explains the focus and establishes the importance of the
study.
• It discusses what kind of work has been done on the topic
and identifies any controversies within the field or any
recent research which has raised questions about earlier
assumptions.
• Often divided by headings/subheadings, the body
summarizes and evaluates the current state of knowledge in
the field.
• It notes major themes or topics, the most important trends,
and any findings on which researchers agree or disagree.
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Content of the Review
• Make arguments that will justify your proposed research.
• Discuss directly research which leads to your own project.
• It summarizes all the evidence presented and shows its
significance.
• it highlights gaps and indicates how previous research leads
to your own research project.

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 Writing a Literature Review
Read Selected Articles thoroughly and evaluate them.
• What assumptions do most/some researchers seem to be
making?
• What methodologies do they use? what testing procedures,
subjects and materials are being used?
• Evaluate and synthesize the research findings and conclusions
drawn
• Watch for popularity of theories and how this has/has not
changed over time.

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 Writing a Literature Review
Develop a Working Thesis
• Write a one or two sentence statement summarizing the
conclusion you have reached about the major trends and
developments.
Organize Your Own study Based on the Findings
• Develop headings/subheadings.

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 Methodology
• It should provide information to allow the reader to assess the
believability of your results.
• Provide information needed by another researcher to replicate
your experiment or artwork.
• Description of your materials, procedure, theory.
• Calculations, technique, procedure and equipment.
• It should answer the following questions and caveats:
• Could one accurately replicate the study.
• Is there enough information for equivalent instrument to be
used to repeat the experiment?
• Could one replicate any laboratory analyses that were used?
• Could one replicate any statistical analyses?
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Methodology

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 Research Design
• Leedy (1997:195) defines research design as a plan for a
study, providing the overall framework for collecting data.
• A research design is a systematic plan to study a scientific
problem.
• The design of a study defines the study type (descriptive,
correlational, semi-experimental, experimental, review, meta-
analytic).
• Research design is the framework that has been created to
seek answers to research questions.

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 Research Methods
Examples of research methods:
• Descriptive (e.g., case-study, observation, survey)
• Correlational (e.g., case-control study, observational study)
• Semi-experimental (e.g., field experiment, quasi-experiment)
• Experimental (Experiment with random assignment)
• Review (Literature review, Systematic review)
• Meta-analysis (i.e., using statistical methods for contrasting
and combining results from different studies to identify
patterns among study results, sources of disagreement among
among).

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 Ethical Considerations
According to Bryman and Bell (2007) the following ten points
represent the most important principles related to ethical
considerations in thesis/dissertations:
• Research participants should not be subjected to harm in any
ways whatsoever.
• Respect for the dignity of research participants should be
prioritised.
• Full consent should be obtained from the participants prior
to the study.
• The protection of the privacy of research participants has to
be ensured.
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 Ethical Considerations
• Adequate level of confidentiality of the research data should be
ensured.
• Anonymity of individuals and organisations participating in the
research has to be ensured.
• Any deception or exaggeration about the aims and objectives of
the research must be avoided.
• Affiliations in any forms, sources of funding, as well as any
possible conflicts of interests have to be declared.
• Any type of communication in relation to the research should be
done with honesty and transparency.
• Any type of misleading information, as well as representation of
primary data findings in a biased way must be avoided.
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 Population for the Study
• A population is a complete set of persons or objects that
possess some common characteristics that is of interest to the
researcher.
• The population for a study usually is described as being
composed of two groups:
• Target population
• Accessible population

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 Population for the Study
• The target population which is also called the universe is
composed of the entire group of people or objects to which
the researcher wishes to generalize the findings of the study.
• The target population consists of people or things in a
descriptive form.
• Accessible population is the aggregate of cases that confirm
to designated criteria and are also accessible as subjects for
study.

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 Sampling
• Sample may be defined as representative unit of a target
population, which is to be worked upon by the researchers
during their study.
Sampling Methods can be classified into one of two categories:
• Probability Sampling: Sample has a known probability of
being selected.
• Non-probability Sampling: Sample does not have known
probability of being selected as in convenience or voluntary
response surveys.

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 Research Tools/Instrumentation/Data
Collection Instruments
The major tools of research can be classified broadly into the
following categories:
• Questionnaire
• Observation
• Interview

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 Research Tools
Questionnaire
• A questionnaire is a form prepared and distributed to secure
responses to certain questions.
• It is a device for securing answers to questions by using a form
which the respondent fills by himself.
• It is a systematic compilation of questions that are submitted
to a sample population from which information is desired.

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 Research Tools
Interview
• Interviews are an attractive proposition for the project
researcher.
• Interviews are something more than conversation, involve a
set of assumptions and understandings about the situation
which are not normally associated with a casual conversion.
• Interviews are also referred as an oral questionnaire by some
people, but it is indeed much more than that.

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 Research Tools
Interview
• Questionnaire involves indirect data collection, whereas
Interview data is collected directly from others in face to face
contact.
• As you know, people are hesitant to write than to talk.
• With friendly relationship and rapport, the interviewer can
obtain certain types of confidential information which might
be reluctant to put in writing.

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 Research Tools
Observation
• Observation offers the researcher a distinct way of collecting
data.
• It does not rely on what people say they do, or what they say
they think.
• Instead, it draws on the direct evidence of the eye to witness
events first hand.
• It is a more natural way of gathering data. Whenever direct
observation is possible it is the preferable method to use.

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 Research Tools
Observation
• Observation method is a technique in which the behaviour of
research subjects is watched and recorded without any direct
contact.
• It involves a systematic recording of observable phenomena
or behaviour in a natural setting.

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 Validation of Instruments
• Validity means the degree to which an instrument measures
what it intends to measure.
• Validity is the ability of an instrument to measure what it is
designed to measure.
• The use of triangulation ensured validation and credibility of
data.
• It helps in scrutiny, criticism and suggestions to avert
ambiguity of words and syntax.
• The final instrument(s) should be vetted by the researcher‘s
supervisor in agreement with the researcher.

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 Data Collection Procedure
• It states how data were collected, indicating where and which
research tools were used.
• Attrition rate of responses especially for questionnaire.

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 Data Analysis Plan
• After data collection, the raw data must be examined
thoroughly in order to find linkages between the results and
the formulated research questions.
• It involves the use of statistical software to code variables and
analyse results in descriptive statistics.
• You should remain open and objective with the results
collected and if possible refrain from premature conclusions.

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 Results and Discussion
• The results section should set out your key
experimental/studio results, including any statistical analysis.
• You should cover any literature supporting your interpretation
of significance.
• Present a detailed results (tables, figures, graphs, or
text/studio work (images).

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 Results and Discussion
• Make sure that each table, plate and figure has a number and
a title.

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 Results and Discussion
The purpose of this section is to:
• Interpret and explain your results
• Answer your research question
• Justify your approach and critically evaluate your study.
• The discussion section reviews your findings in the context of
the literature about the subject.
• Demonstrate that you understand the limitations of your
research and the implications of your findings for policy and
practice.

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 Results and Discussion
• Therefore, the simple past tense is the natural choice when
describing the results obtained.
Example: Overall, there was a significant reduction in the blood pressure of
more than 60% of the patients.
• However, you should use the present tense to refer to tables,
figures, and graphs that you are using to present your results.
Example: Table 4 shows the blood pressure levels of patients before and
after administration of the recommended dose of the drug.
• Past tense is generally used to summarize the findings.
• But when you are interpreting the results or describing the
significance of the findings, the present tense should be used.

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 Results and Discussion
• Often, a combination of both the past and the present tense
is used in sentences within the discussion section.
Example: 63% of the children demonstrated an elevated level of at least
one risk factor, indicating that children with obesity are at an increased
risk of cardiovascular diseases.
• Present the main findings of your discussion before moving
to the next chapter.

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 Summary, Conclusion and
Recommendations
Summary
• A brief summary of the chapters of the study.

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 Summary, Conclusion and
Recommendations
Conclusion
• In this final chapter, the implications of the study
findings are discussed.
• Summarize your findings using the objectives.

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 Summary, Conclusion and
Recommendations
Recommendations
• Discuss the limitations of your research
• Based on your results and conclusion, what do you
recommend?
• What else could be done?
• What do you recommend for future research based on your
findings?

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 References

• Use APA Referencing style

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