Dr.Hamdi E. Ahmed
Dr. Hamdi E. Ahmed
Dept. Mech. Eng.
University of Anbar
hamdie.engi@gmail.com
2015
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General order of thesis
Order of contents
•
Preface
•
Text
•
Supplementary
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
Title Page
Original Literary Work Declaration
Abstract
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Symbols and Abbreviations
List of Appendices
− Reserch instruments, e.g., questionnaires, maps or
computer programmes
− Appendices: additional illustration of data sources,
raw data etc.  support written text
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− References
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Introduction
Literature Review
Methodology
Results
Discussion
Conclusions
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Thesis structure
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Thesis structure
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Preface
Example of
Title Page of a
Research Report
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Thesis Title
Main objective, Where, By?
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Dr.Hamdi E. Ahmed
Thesis Title
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Abstract (≈ 1 page)
• One page stating what the thesis is about.
• Highlight the contributions of the thesis.
• 500 words for a thesis.
 Placed immediately after title page.
 Must be written after achieving your thesis.
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Table of Contents
-Lists chapters, topics and sub-topics together with page
numbers
- sub-topics and topics labeled according to chapter
e.g., Chapter 1
First topic in Chapter I  1.1
First sub-topic 
1.1.1
1.1.1(a)
• List of Figures
- Caption of figures (listed in text / appendix), with
page numbers.
- Numbering system  same as that used for topics,
e.g., Fig. 1.1 www.hamdiahmed.weebly.com
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Contd…
• List of Tables
- Titles of tables (listed in text / appendix), with page
numbers.
- Numbering  same as that used for topics/figures, Table
1.1
• List of Symbols and Abbreviations
- List of all symbols and abbreviations used in the thesis.
• List of Appendices
- titles of appendices (if any) placed in supplementary section.
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Dr.Hamdi E. Ahmed
Text of thesis
Chapter 1: Introduction (~5-10 pages)
Thesis Statement:
• What is your thesis about and what have you done?
• If you have a hypothesis, what is it?
• How will you test (prove/disprove) your hypothesis?
Motivation:
• Why is this problem you've worked on important.
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Chapter 1: Introduction (~5-10 pages)
-Goals / Objectives:
• What are you trying to do and why?
• How will you or the reader know if or when you've met
your objectives?
-Contributions:
•What is new, different, better, significant?
•Why is the world a better place because of what you've
done?
•What have you contributed to the field of research?
•What is now known/possible/better because of your
thesis?
-Outline of the thesis (optional)
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Dr.Hamdi E. Ahmed
Chapter 2: Background (LR): (~8-40 pages)
1. Organize related, comprehensive and recent works.
2. Be clear as to how previous work being described
relates to your own.
3. The reader should not be left wondering why you've
described something!!
4. Critique the existing work - where is it strong where is
it weak? What are the unreasonable/undesirable
assumptions?
5. Specify opportunities for more research (i.e., your
thesis), are there unaddressed, or more important
related topics?
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Chapter 2: Background (LR): (~8-40 pages)
6. After reading this chapter, one should understand the
motivation and importance of your thesis.
7. You should clearly and precisely define all of the key
concepts dealt with in the rest of the thesis, and teach the
reader what s/he needs to know to understand the rest of
the thesis.
8. Summarize the literature showing what it must be
investigated.
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Chapter 3: Theory / Methodology / Solution
/ Program / Problem: (~5-30 pages)
• Continuing from Chapter 2 explain the issues.
• Outline your solution / extension / refutation.
• Describes and explains research methodology used.
• Sub-topics  key research questions, research
design, research procedures .
• Sampling
methods,
research
instruments,
and
statistical methods.
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Chapter 3:
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Dr.Hamdi E. Ahmed
Chapter 4: Implementation / Formalism
(~15-30 pages)
• Not every thesis has or needs an implementation.
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Chapter 5: Results and discussion:
(~15-30 pages)
• Adequacy, efficiency, productiveness, effectiveness
(choose your criteria, state them clearly and justify them).
• Be careful that you are using a fair measure.
• If comparing with previous techniques, those techniques
must be described in Chapter 2.
• Be honest in evaluation.
• Admit weaknesses.
• Analyzed in form of figures, tables contours, etc.
• Interpret and analyze the data.
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Dr.Hamdi E. Ahmed
Chapter 6:
Conclusions and Future Work: (~3-5 pages)
• State what you've done and what you've found briefly.
• Summarize contributions (achievements and impact).
• Distinguish between conclusion and summary!
• Recommendations are optional.
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Bibliography / References
• Include references to:
• Credit previous works.
• Distinguish your work from others.
• Support your claims.
• Complete citation: authors, title, journal or conference,
volume and number of journals, date of publication and
page numbers. Consistent punctuation.
• Format bibliographic references (e.g., EndNote, latex,
MS word).
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Dr.Hamdi E. Ahmed
Bibliography / References
• Samples:
Chen (2015)
Lord and Ismail (2012)
Last name et al., (2010).
Wang (2010a, 2010b, 2010c).
• URL's are not valid bibliographic references (changes and
not refereed).
• List of references should not be numbered.
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Appendix
Includes technical material that would disrupt the flow of
the thesis.
• Side calculations, equations, etc.
• Equipment, Instrument, measuring devices, etc.
• Derivations of equations.
• Subroutine program.
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Numbering
• Prefaces → Greek.
• Text →Arabic.
• Appendices →
A-1, A-2, etc.
B-1, B-2, etc.
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Plagiarism
• Do not make minor modifications to someone else's
work!
• Read it over, put it aside, and then re-write in your own
words what that work is about.
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Dr.Hamdi E. Ahmed
Units of measurement
- (SI) units.
- If other units are used?
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Writing Hints:
1. Start thinking about what your contributions are
early on.
• How is what you are doing interesting and
important?
• How will it make the world a better place?
• What you are doing or discovering if it hasn't
already been done or isn't already known?
2. Do proofreading and make corrections yourself
many times before printing out.
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Dr.Hamdi E. Ahmed
Writing Hints
3. Be critical of your own work when you do this.
4. Not only syntax and grammar corrections, but the
structure of sentence, paragraph, and section, and can
someone else understand or believe what you are saying.
5. It is not your supervisor's job!
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Writing Hints:
6. Start writing Chapter 1, 2 and 3. The results and
conclusions are unknown and varied.
7. Include enough details in your thesis to be easy to
validate your results by next researchers.
8. State precisely what you mean.
9. Try to get an outline and style guidelines from your
college for formatting your thesis.
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Dr.Hamdi E. Ahmed
Using and misusing abbreviations:
• "it's" = "it is" it is NOT a possessive form of "it".
• The abbreviation "for example" = (e.g., this is how to use
for example). Avoid use it too often.
• The abbreviation "that is" = (i.e., this sentence is the
example). Avoid use it too often.
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Using and misusing abbreviations:
• The use of the abbreviation "etc.“ is usually an
admission of ignorance.
• Do not write 3.3GHz or 16GB, but 3.3 GHz or 16 GB.
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