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THIS WILL BE THE TITLE OF THE THESIS OR
DISSERTATION
Submitted in (partial) fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
….. (DEGREE)…. IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS
(FACULTY OF COMMERCE)
RHODES UNIVERSITY
by
Full Name/s & Surname
MONTH AND YEAR
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THIS WILL BE THE TITLE OF THE THESIS OR
DISSERTATION
by
Full Name/s & Surname
SUPERVISOR/S:
PROF/DR/MR/MS ……
DEPARTMENT:
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
FACULTY:
FACULTY OF COMMERCE, RHODES UNIVERSITY
DEGREE:
…..
ABSTRACT
An abstract is a brief overview of the research project, typically between 150 and 450 words.
An abstract should contain the following: topic area or discipline, problem or issue under
investigation, methodological approach, and the contribution to research and/or value to
the reader and community (i.e. briefly reflect on the results of the research) (see Hofstee,
2006, p. 168). Normally an abstract does not contain any references. At the end of the
abstract you should have 3 to 6 keywords pertaining to your dissertation or thesis, that could
be used by libraries and online databases to search for and within your research project.
Typically the abstract is something you do right at the end, after completing your chapters.
Dissertation and Thesis as concepts are typically used interchangeably. However, in the
correct sense of the word, Thesis implies an original contribution. We suggest, therefore, that
for Honours and Masters level research you refer to a Dissertation, while for PhD level
research you refer to a Thesis.
KEYWORDS:
Keyword1; Keyword2; Keyword3; …. (3 to 6 keywords)
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Declaration
I declare that the Dissertation/Thesis entitled, ……. , which I hereby submit for the degree,
…… at Rhodes University, is my own work. I also declare that this thesis/dissertation has not
previously been submitted by me for a degree at this or any other tertiary institution and that
all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of
complete references.
________________
Name Surname (signed)
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Acknowledgements
I wish to thank my supervisor, Prof …… for the way in which she empowered me to do and
complete my research ….
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Table of Contents
(The ToC should be auto-generated in MS Word)
List of Figures _____________________________________________________________ 3
List of Tables ______________________________________________________________ 3
CHAPTER 1 .............................................................................................................................. 4
Introduction and project overview ............................................................................................ 4
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
Introduction and background ............................................................................................................ 4
Problem statement and research questions ........................................................................................ 4
Overview of the methodological approach ....................................................................................... 5
Research contribution ....................................................................................................................... 6
Terms and definitions ....................................................................................................................... 6
Thesis structure ................................................................................................................................. 6
CHAPTER 2 .............................................................................................................................. 7
Review of Literature .................................................................................................................. 7
2.1
Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2
Preliminary literature review ............................................................................................................ 7
2.3
Literature review continued .............................................................................................................. 8
2.4
PhD research and research contributions .......................................................................................... 9
2.4.1 Guidelines for referencing and quoting ...................................................................................... 10
2.4.1.1
Other writing guidelines .................................................................................................... 10
2.5
Conceptual model and summary of literature ................................................................................. 11
2.6
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 11
CHAPTER 3 ............................................................................................................................ 12
Research Methodology ............................................................................................................ 12
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 12
Research design .............................................................................................................................. 12
Ethical clearance procedures........................................................................................................... 13
Conclusions..................................................................................................................................... 14
CHAPTER 4 ............................................................................................................................ 15
Data analysis and results ........................................................................................................ 15
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 15
Writing style ................................................................................................................................... 15
Structure.......................................................................................................................................... 15
Methodological rigour and self-assessment .................................................................................... 15
Conclusions..................................................................................................................................... 16
CHAPTER (n) ......................................................................................................................... 16
Conclusions and contributions ............................................................................................... 16
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 16
Summary of the thesis..................................................................................................................... 16
How the research questions were answered .................................................................................... 17
Key contributions ............................................................................................................................ 17
Recommendations and Limitations ................................................................................................. 17
References ............................................................................................................................... 18
Appendices ............................................................................................................................... 20
Appendix A – Field procedures (example from Lubbe, 1998, cited in Krauss, 2007) __ 20
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Appendix B – Example of an Interview guide __________________________________ 21
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List of Figures
(auto-generated in MS Word)
Figure 1-1: A framework with generic research questions (from Roode, 1993: 7) ................... 5
Figure 2-1: Inverted Pyramid style of writing ........................................................................... 8
List of Tables
(auto-generated in MS Word)
Table 1-1: Different contributions to knowledge (Ngwenyama, 2014)……………………13
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CHAPTER 1
Introduction and project overview
1.1 Introduction and background
The sections, headings, and chapters proposed throughout this template should be seen as
guidelines, rather than prescribed rules. Each research project is unique and therefore the
thesis/dissertation structure will differ from project to project.
The purpose of this section is to introduce the readers (examiners mainly) to the topic area
and discipline, and to prepare him/her for the problem statement that you will present in the
next section. Typically the first chapter is based loosely on the research proposal, but
expanded upon.
This is the Normal font style that you will use for all paragraphs of writing; Time New
Roman, Font Size 12, 1.5 Line Spacing.
1.2 Problem statement and research questions
The problem statement is probably the most important section of your first chapter and
should be comprehensive, well-argued, and supported from literature. A problem statement
may be divided into sub-problems and specific research questions and/or research objectives.

The research problem should be articulated clearly and be supported from literature

The student should show a clear understanding of the problem situation

The purpose of each research question should be clear

One can infer from the research questions which approach will be followed,
context/scope of the research, possible research participants, the research paradigm,
topic area, etc.
Useful references on research questions are Roode (1993) and Alvesson and Sandberg
(2013).
Roode (1993) holds that research projects always start with a problem or issue, which is
usually expressed as a question. These questions typically enquire about the ontological,
phenomenological, epistemological, and normative nature of the problem or issue under
investigation. Roode (1993) furthermore presents a framework with four generic research
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questions for allowing the researcher to explore different aspects of the problem or situation
at hand (see Figure 1.1). “T[t]he uniqueness of each problem situation will dictate which
questions would be relevant, and the order in which they should be posed.” (Roode, 1993: 6).
What is?
How
does?
The research problem or
main research question
Why is?
How should?
Figure 1.1: A framework with generic research questions (from Roode, 1993: 7)
The following paragraph explains the meaning of each generic research question according to
Roode (1993: 7-8):

What is? questions: “These questions explore the fundamental nature or essence of
the research problem, exposing the structure of the problem or the meaning of
underlying concepts or ideas.”

Why is? questions: “The purpose of these questions are to explain the real-life
behaviour or characteristics of the phenomenon, determining the relationships
between elements thereof.”

How does? questions: “These questions are answered by direct observation of the
problem or phenomenon under study, and describe its reality.”

How should? questions: “These questions focus on normative aspects of the problem
and try to determine guidelines for recommendations based on the results of the
study.”
1.3 Overview of the methodological approach
This section describes the manner in which the research will be undertaken. It can begin by
describing the overarching methodological approach (descriptive, historical, quantitative,
experimental, interpretive, etc.) and research strategy (case study, action research,
experimental, survey, etc.), and then proceed to explain in brief detail the steps involved.
Issues addressed could be: how the research will proceed – from start to finish; the population
from which a sample will be drawn or the sources of data; what type of analyses or data
treatment will be performed; and so forth.
Basically this will be like an “abstract” of your methodology chapter.
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For theoretical projects the focus here will be on how you will do a rigorous and systematic
review of literature (see Section 2.2).
1.4 Research contribution
In this section the student should argue for the relevance and importance of their work, and
for the value and contribution that their research is making (see Section 2.5 on different types
of contributions). The section should argue the value of answering the research questions and
addressing the research objectives. The value of using the proposed method and research
paradigm should be explained and articulated.
1.5 Terms and definitions
To assist the reader in understanding the research, important terms and definitions used
throughout the thesis/dissertation should be provided. It may be useful to also indicate the
chapters or sections where the terms and definitions feature or define them in the chapter
where they occur. This depends on the type of thesis.
1.6 Thesis structure
This section provides an overview of the thesis/dissertation structure and how it is organised.
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CHAPTER 2
Review of Literature
2.1 Introduction
Each chapter that follows after Chapter 1 should have an introduction section. In the
introduction section the researcher should introduce the reader to the purpose of the chapter,
provide an overview of what can be expected, and explain how the chapter aligns with the
overall structure and purpose of the thesis/dissertation and research objectives. It is important
to argue for and show constructive alignment with the research objectives and research
questions. Think about highlighting a golden research thread for the reader.
It may be that a chapter addresses a specific objective or research question. This should be
highlighted in the introduction section.
2.2 Preliminary literature review (or preliminary overview)
Depending on the type of research you are doing (e.g. conceptual, theoretical, empirical, etc.),
the second chapter (and possibly one of two following chapters) typically involves a literature
review. A literature review is normally organised as follows:

Introduction to the literature review

A preliminary literature review
o Key themes and search terms
o Key databases used

Body of the literature (Hostee, 2006: 96) (see the inverted pyramid style in Figure 2.1)

Conceptual model and summary of literature (or theoretical constraints/boundaries)

Conclusions and research questions revisited
A preliminary literature review is a section where you demonstrate early on, rigour in the way
you systematically reviewed the literature. It is here where you, for example, show which
databases and keywords you used to search for relevant literature. This section should also
highlight seminal papers and leading authors, conferences, and journals in your topic area. A
useful approach would be to follow the guidance of papers and books on how to do a rigorous
literature review: e.g. Webster and Watson (2002), Joost et al. (2013), Mingers (2003), Chen
and Hirschheim (2004), Sidorova (2008), Shih et al. (2007), and Brown and Roode (2004).
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Webster and Watson (2002), especially, provides a useful start to a rigorous review of
literature.
For theoretical projects, this is especially important because it constitutes the entire
“methodology” that the project will employ for ensuring rigour and relevance. In extreme
cases (e.g. PhD level), a methodology chapter (or chapters) will be needed to describe the
“theoretical methodology” (see Joost et al., 2013; Brown and Roode, 2004).
Figure 2.1: Inverted Pyramid style of writing (Author’s own construct)
A literature review (or a coherent paragraph, section, abstract, or introduction) should flow and
ultimately lead to the identification and clarification of a knowledge gap. The inverted pyramid style
of writing in Figure 2.1 visualises a well-structured literature section/chapter.
Read Mthoko and Pade-Khene (2013) and Fourie and Krauss (2011) for examples of
conceptual papers can be structured.
2.3 Literature review continued
A good literature review shows, that you are aware of what is going on in the field, that there
is a theory base for the work you are proposing to do, how your work fits in with what has
already been done (it provides detailed context for your work), that your work has
significance, and that you work will lead to new knowledge (Hofstee, 2006).
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There are often several types of literature reviews in a research project; i.e. a literature review
to understand:

the problem situation and context,

the body of knowledge or field you are contributing to,

the theoretical framework/s upon which your research is based, and

appropriate methodologies applicable to your research situation.
2.4 Theoretical projects for Honours students
Throughout this template, some comments specific to theoretical projects are made. An
alternate approach to structuring the literature review chapters of theoretical projects (this is
more a traditional and positivist approach to doing so and your supervisor’s guidance is
important here) is as follows:
Review of Related Literature – Chapter 2
[The WHAT has been done previously]
o Introduction
o Broad (context, theory base)
o Detailed (works organised by concept/idea)
o Conclusion
Current Frameworks – Chapter 3
[The most important WHAT has been done previously]
New Proposed Framework – Chapter 4
[The WHAT do you propose]
2.5 PhD research and research contributions
A PhD should make a new and unique contribution to knowledge. Three types of contribution
are possible (see Table 2.1). One of the types of contributions is contribution to theory.
Therefore, at PhD level a thorough and rigorous review of literature cannot be overemphasised, and several chapters might be necessary to explore theory.
Table 2.1: Different contributions to knowledge (Ngwenyama, 2014)
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Types of
contribution
Description of claims
Potential contents of knowledge claims
Theoretical
contribution
Advancement of
theoretical knowledge
Proposal of new (better) theories or
conceptual frameworks
Modifications (improvements) to existing
theories or conceptual frameworks
Methodological
contribution
Practice
contribution
Advancement of design,
engineering knowledge
(or research methods)
Proposal of new (better) methods and
techniques
Modifications (improvements) to existing
methods and techniques
Advancement of research Proposal of new (better) practices
or professional practice
Modifications (improvements) to existing
knowledge
practices
2.5.1 Guidelines for referencing and quoting
For referencing following the Harvard referencing style available from the following links:

http://ru.za.libguides.com/content.php?pid=301177&sid=3774854.

http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm
For any direct quote that is more than three consecutive words from a single source, you need
to use inverted commas and a page number. For example:
Avgerou (2009) names this the “disruptive transformation perspective” which considers the
idea of development, including ICT-enabled development, a “contested endeavour or as
involving action that affects differently different populations” (p. 9).
For direct quotes that are longer than one sentence from a source, format as follows:
“Research in the critical tradition is characterised by reflexivity, involving
forms of self-conscious criticism as part of a strategy to conduct critical
empirical
research.
Researchers
explore
their
own
ontological
and
epistemological assumptions and preferences that inform their research and
influence their engagement with a study. By intentionally expressing,
questioning, and reflecting upon their subjective experiences, beliefs, and
values, critical researchers expose their ideological and political agendas.”
(Čečez-Kecmanović, 2001: 147).
2.5.1.1 Other writing guidelines
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
For bullets, use this style.

When you emphasise use Italics or Bold, rather than underlining.

When you refer to a specific section, chapter or figure use a capital letter, e.g. “In
Figure 2.1…” or “from Section 2.4 we learn …”. Otherwise use the small letter, e.g.
“In a previous section the researcher …”.

Captions for Figures and Tables should have their own style, and should be numbered
according to the chapter
For
information
on
Rhodes’
plagiarism
policies
go
to:
http://www.ru.ac.za/static/policies/plagiarism_policy.pdf.
About the “Heading 1” style: In this template, Heading 1 is in hidden style, placed just
below or after each chapter title. The reason is to allow for auto-numbering of headings that
align with each chapter number.
2.6 Conceptual model and summary
Every literature review chapter should include a summary of the literature presented in some
form, e.g. a conceptual framework, summarising narrative, model, table, or diagram. This is
an important part of the research, since for empirical projects a conceptual framework will
demarcate the boundaries of the type of data themes the researcher will seek out from data
during the execution of methodology. For theoretical projects, a conceptual framework will
offer direction for a more detail and focussed review of literature (e.g. to explore specific and
relevant frameworks) in following chapters.
A useful and very persuasive approach is to revisit and confirm the research questions at the
end of a literature review chapter.
2.7 Conclusion
Each chapter will have a conclusion section which briefly revisits the chapter content and its
purpose. The author should also show the chapter’s relation to the overall research project
(and research questions), and then make the link, for the reader, to the chapter that will
follow.
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CHAPTER 3
Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction
For theoretical projects, a “second” literature review chapter (and not necessarily a
methodology chapter) is necessary. Here the researcher explores specific theoretical
frameworks (see Section 2.6) that could be used to answer the research questions. In Section
2.3 the different types of possible literature reviews are explained. For theoretical projects
the emphasis of a second literature chapter will be specific theoretical framework/s relevant
to the research and possible (proposed) methodologies applicable to your research problem.
Theoretical projects should indicate ‘how’ students did/plan to do their theoretical analysis.
E.g. how/why were particular frameworks chosen, what criteria was used to select them, what
criteria was used to analyse them (contributing to the critical analysis across frameworks),
how did literature inform these criteria, etc. This could be a brief chapter on its own or an
introductory section within a theoretical framework analysis chapter.
3.2 Research design
For empirical projects the following should be addressed in the methodology chapter (they
could also be specific headings or sections):

Research paradigm or orientation to knowledge (e.g. Interpretivism, Design
Science Research, Positivism, etc.)

Methodological approach/strategy (e.g. Case Study research, Surveys, Action
research, etc.)

Data that will be collected (this should relate to the conceptual framework and
literature from previous chapters)

Sources of data and participants (who are the participants from whom you are
going to get data from and why are they the most appropriate for doing so?)

Data collection method (e.g. interviews, questionnaires, observation, measurement,
etc.)
o Field procedures (what happens up to and before you start collecting data? See
Appendix A)
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o Data collection instrument (Interview questions, questionnaire, etc. See
Appendix B for an example of an interview guide, where the authors show
how interview questions align with the research objectives)

Data treatment (or data analysis)

Research bias and limitations
Each research design has a particular approach and emphasis. It is important to offer a
detailed explanation of your methodological approach according to what is necessary for your
chosen method.
To do qualitative research, for example, Myers (2009) suggests that the research design
involves deciding on the researcher’s philosophical assumptions, the research method,
collection and treatment of data, and approach for writing up and presenting results. Denzin
and Lincoln (2005: 376) argue that qualitative research should answer five basic questions:
1. How will the design connect to the paradigm or perspective being used? I.e. how will
the chosen methodology align with the ontology and epistemology of the research
paradigm?
2. How will the methodology allow the researcher to address the problems of praxis
(putting theory into practice) and change?
3. Who or what will be studied?
4. What strategies of enquiry will be used?
5. What methods and research tools for collecting and analysing empirical data will be
utilised?
Find the criteria relevant to your chosen methodology and demonstrate to the examiner that
you have been rigorously and adequately doing that.
3.3 Ethical clearance procedures
All research instruments (e.g. Interview guides and Questionnaires) must be submitted to the
appropriate Ethical Standards committee. The research protocol for the Department of
Information Systems is:

Complete the ethical clearance forms at
http://www.ru.ac.za/facultyofcommerce/intranet/research/.

The following needs to be in order and attached to your application:
o Research instruments (e.g. questionnaires, interview questions, etc.)
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o Informed consent form to be used
o Written information to be given to participants prior to participation (e.g.
invitation to participate)
o Institutional permissions if applicable

Ethical clearance applications should be submitted to the Departmental Manager
(Caro Watkins).

Once it is approved, the Departmental Manager will email the student and supervisor
and give them the go ahead.

If there are other issues, it may need to go further to the faculty or Rhodes ethics
committee; students may have to wait for this approval.
A note on applying for ethical clearance: Any involvement of students who are not
registered in the IS Department, requires the approval of the Dean of Students. If the
research is carried out in the public areas of the university, the permission of the Registrar is
required, and if staff outside the IS Department are involved, then the approval of the
Registrar or the Director: Human Resources is required.
3.4 Conclusions
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CHAPTER 4
Data analysis and results
4.1 Introduction
The purpose of the data analysis and results chapter/s is to explain how the research
methodology was carried out. So typically you will start the section as follows: “This chapter
describes how the methodological approach described in the previous chapter was carried out
and how data was analysed. …” For PhD and Masters students a descriptions of findings and
results may constitute several chapters. The introduction to each chapter should highlight the
link with the research questions/goals/purpose.
For theoretical projects, this section could consist of an analysis of each framework, and
then a cross analysis or critical review. Also, read Chapter 2 and 3 of this template.
4.2 Writing style
Generally, up to this point, the description of your research methodology is in the future
tense, e.g. “the researcher will…”; “data will be analysed using …”; “participants will be
selected from …”; etc. From this point onwards, you write from the position of “my research
methodology has been carried out and I have completed my data analysis”. Therefore, you
typically write in the past tense: e.g. “The researcher had to rely on existing contacts in the
web design community to introduce possible web designers as interviewees”; “The case study
interviews were a time consuming (in some cases almost 2 hours) and extensive process”; “In
Figures 5.1 a list of themes raised by the case study informants and frequencies are shown”,
and so on.
4.3 Structure
It is very difficult to suggest a specific chapter structure for findings and results. Every
research project and approach is unique. Therefore, the way in which you structure your
results chapter should be based on consensus between you and your supervisor.
4.4 Methodological rigour and self-assessment
A review of literature always includes a study of a proposed methodology appropriate for
addressing the problem situation. You have to therefore find criteria for self-assessing your
research. For example, ask yourself; “How do I know that I have carried out my methodology
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rigorously and correctly?”; “What best practices have I identified from readings on my
chosen method?”; “How do I know that I have collected the right data and enough data to
answer my research questions”; “How do I know that I asked the right questions in my online
questionnaire?”; “How do I know that I have a new and adequate contribution to knowledge
(for PhDs especially)?”; “How can I persuade my examiners that I have contributed to
knowledge, that I have carried out my research rigorously and correctly, and that I have
relevant findings?”; and so forth.
4.5 Conclusions
In this section you could also briefly show the link with questions/goals/problems and how
the results answer these.
CHAPTER (n)
Conclusions and contributions
5.1 Introduction
The final chapter brings everything together. It is where you articulate your research
contribution, and provide recommendations and directions for future work.
As before, you should note that the headings here are suggested headings, and not required
headings.
About thesis length: For a PhD and full-dissertation Masters; between 150 and 250 pages. (It
is also a skill to be able to say what you have to say in a minimum number of words!) For
Honours projects: 40 to 60 pages.
5.2 Summary of the thesis
Start off by giving a summary of the thesis/dissertation. Relate the reader back to specific
chapters, sections, and places where you contribute. Revisit and highlight your golden
research thread.
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5.3 How the research questions were answered
This section should show explicitly how your research questions were answered. In some
cases it might feel like repetition, but it is necessary to bring everything together for the
reader. (Examiners often read the first and last chapters of a thesis first, before digging into
the details!)
5.4 Key contributions
Provide a section that highlights specific key contributions (see Section 2.5). A very
persuasive way to emphasis the relevance of your contribution is to summarise your selfassessment criteria and provide evidence of your achieving it with your research (Section
4.4). Read Webber (2009) on Rigour, Relevance, and Rhetoric.
5.5 Recommendations and Limitations
Based on your contributions and answers to your research questions, you should put forward
recommendations and suggestions for practitioners and academia. Revisit your research
limitations and link it back to the recommendations. Normally a limitation is an opportunity
for future work!
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References
(see Section 2.5 for the Harvard referencing style)
Alvesson, M. and Sandberg, J. 2013. Constructing Research Questions: Doing Interesting
Research. Sage Publication.
Brown, I. and Roode, J.D. 2004. Using grounded theory in the analysis of literature: The case
of Strategic Information Systems planning. In ACIS 2004 Proceedings.
Chen, WenShin and Hirschheim, Rudy. 2004. A paradigmatic and methodological
examination of information systems research from 1991 to 2001. Information Systems
Journal 14, 197–235.
De Kock, L. and Levey, D. n.d. The Master’s Dissertation and the Doctoral Thesis: A Guide
to Research and the Organization. Available online at
http://www.unisa.ac.za/contents/courses/postgrad/docs/emasters.pdf.
Denzin, N.K. and Lincoln, Y.S., 2005. The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research.
Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Fourie, I. & Krauss, K. 2011. Information literacy training for teachers in rural South Africa.
Journal of Systems and Information Technology (JoSIT), 13(3):303-321. ISSN: 1328-7265.
Hofstee, E. 2006. Constructing a Good Dissertation: A Practical Guide to Finishing a
Masters, MBA or PhD on Schedule. South Africa: EPE.
Joost F Wolfswinkel, Elfi Furtmueller and Celeste P M Wilderom. 2013. Using grounded
theory as a method for rigorously reviewing literature. European Journal of Information
Systems 22, 45-55 (January 2013) | doi:10.1057/ejis.2011.51.
Krauss, K. 2007. Visual Aesthetics and its Impact on Online Communication Intent. Master
of Commerce. University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Lubbe, Sam. 1998. IT Investment in Developing Countries: An Assessment and Practical
Guideline. London: Idea Group Publishing.
Mingers, J. 2003. The paucity of multimethod research: A review of the information systems
literature. Information Systems Journal, 13, 233–249.
Mthoko, H.L.W.T. and Pade-Khene, C. 2013. Towards a theoretical framework on ethical
practice in ICT4D programmes. Information Development, 29(1), pp. 36-53.
Myers, M.D., 2009. Qualitative research in Business and Management. London: SAGE.
Roode, J.D., 1993. Implications for teaching of a process-based research framework for
information systems. In: SMITH, L., ed. Proceedings of the 8th Annual Conference of the
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International Academy for Information Management, Orlando, Florida. 3-5 December 1993,
Georgia Southern University, pp. 61-78.
Shih, M., Feng. J. and Tsai, C-C. 2007. Research and trends in the field of e-learning from
2001 to 2005: A content analysis of cognitive studies in selected journals. Computers and
Education (2007), doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2007.10.004.
Sidorova, A., Evangelopoulos, N., Valacich, J.S. and Ramakrishnan, T. 2008. Uncovering the
intellectual core of the information systems discipline. MIS Quarterly Vol. 32 No. 3, pp. 467482.
Van Der Schyff, K. and Krauss, K.E.M. Higher Education cloud computing in South Africa:
Towards understanding trust and adoption issues. Accepted for the South African Computer
Journal (SACJ).
Weber, R., 2009. Research on ICT for development: some reflections on rhetoric, rigor,
reality and relevance. In: Proceedings of the 3rd International IDIA Development Informatics
Conference. 28-30 October 2009, pp. 28-30.
Webster, J. and Watson, R.T. 2002. Analyzing for the past to prepare for the future: Writing a
literature review. MIS Quarterly 26(2): pp. xiii – xxiii
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Compiled by KEM Krauss
© Rhodes University 2014
Appendices
Appendix A – Field procedures (example from Lubbe, 1998, cited
in Krauss, 2007)
1. Using the gatekeeper as reference, contact all possible web and graphic designers
working in the company environment. Find at least three willing and able participants
for each case study.
2. Make initial contact with the company at the highest level possible in order to get
consent for conducting the interviews and using responses for research purposes.
3. Schedule a convenient interview time in a relaxed and quiet setting. Ensure that
enough time is available should the discussions lead to that.
4. Each interview will commence with a brief introduction of the intentions of the
research, explaining the type of questions that will be presented and why the
interviewee is selected.
5. The interviewee will be informed that the interview is recorded and will be given the
reassurance that the intention of the investigator is not to enquire about company
specific, financial or private information. Make sure that the interviewee understands
that they are at liberty to withdraw from the project at any time, should they so desire.
Their responses will be treated as private and confidential.
6. Ensure that the interviewee do not have a problem with being recorded.
7. Ensure that interviewees do not discuss interview content with other possible
participants so as to avoid bias as far as possible.
8. During the interview ensure as far as possible that the interviewee is at ease at all
times.
9. During the interview take care that the investigator’s body language and other
possible cues do not influence the interviewee’s thinking or responses.
10. In an effort to minimise subjective bias the same general open-ended questions should
be presented to interviewees in similar order.
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Compiled by KEM Krauss
© Rhodes University 2014
Appendix B – Example of an Interview guide
In the example from Van Der Schyff and Krauss (2014), each interview question and the
purpose each question is given. The second column shows how the interview questions relate
to the study objectives and the research questions.
Interview question
How do you view the benefits
that cloud computing offers your
university, taking into
consideration the additional
threats and potential security
incidents it could expose your
university to?
Some individuals have described
cloud computing as a security
nightmare, so much so that it
can't be handled in traditional
ways. In your opinion, how does
the openness of most university
networks affect threat mitigation
techniques and/or technologies
within a university cloud
infrastructure?
In your university what role do
you think cloud computing
threats play with regard to cloud
information security, specifically
the confidentiality, integrity and
availability of information?
How does your university
currently respond to security
incidents?
How do you think the
transparency of cloud provider
operations would influence the
cloud adoption process within
your university?
In your opinion, what are the
major cloud adoption stumbling
blocks in your institution?
Purpose of the question
This question aims to understand how university stakeholders view this issue
and whether or not they agree that it can enhance the services they offer their
students. It enquires into whether or not they deem a move towards the cloud
as beneficial to their day to day running (administratively) of the university.
In a survey conducted by Appirio [refError! Reference source not found.],
28% of cloud adopters cite security as the biggest misconception with regard
to cloud adoption, which may or may not be echoed by key stakeholders
within higher education. Additionally authors such as Erenben [ref] state that
the use of the cloud could enhance security, thus forming part of the benefits
of cloud computing.
The purpose of this question is to find out if key stakeholders think threat
mitigation can be applied in traditional ways, or whether the cloud indeed
require special treatment with regard to threat mitigation and information
security. In essence this question investigates the participant’s views on the
traditional way of dealing with threats that compromise information security
and whether or not this is applicable to the cloud. For example, the Ponemon
Institute found that IT practitioners don’t believe that their organization is
capable of securing data and applications within the cloud [ref]. Responses to
this question might confirm that universities also fall into this category.
The purpose of this question is to understand how the participant thinks about
cloud computing threats and the relationship between these threats and
information security. Do their views align with literature and to which extent?
Also, do participants attach as much importance to threats and the
management thereof, as the participants of the study conducted by the Data
Security Council of India [ref]. Responses to this question might also uncover
additional concerns over and above the others mentioned, fostering further
conversation around this theme.
The Cloud Security Alliance [ref], the SANS Institute (derived from
SysAdmin, Audit, Networking, and Security) [ref] as well as Grobauer and
Schreck [ref] mention that both the cloud provider and customer should be in
agreement as to how security incidents in the cloud should be handled and
who will be responsible for which aspect of the security incident response
process. The purpose here is to ascertain whether or not key stakeholders do
indeed share this point of view and to what extent. It also endeavours to
uncover whether or not South African universities do have security incident
response plans in place. If they do, a comparison could be made with what is
suggested by the authors in the literature mentioned above. From a higher
education perspective there may be additional factors to consider.
The purpose of this question is to understand whether or not participants from
institutions of higher education view and perceive cloud provider
transparency as a good method for accelerating cloud adoption or not. This
question is also aimed at probing their views on the adoption process, but it is
equally applicable to security incident response as well as threats and threat
mitigation. In essence this question sets out to investigate whether or not
transparency in terms of threat mitigation, threats (realised or unrealised),
breaches, and security incident responses are of concern to universities and
how it ultimately affects the adoption process itself.
Authors cite security as one of the top adoption stumbling blocks [refs]. This
question aims to find out if the participant agrees with these findings and
whether there other more prominent adoption stumbling blocks from a higher
education perspective. Responses to this question might also afford the
researchers the opportunity to obtain a deep understanding of all the concerns
that affect adoption within South African universities.
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