YARDSTICK INTERNATIONAL

COLLEGE

SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

GUIDELINES FOR WRITING RESEARCH PROPOSAL AND A THESIS

 YARDSTICK INTERNATIONAL
COLLEGE

INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Getting Started....................................................................................................................................3
1.2 Purpose of the guidelines ...................................................................................................................4
2. STYLE AND FORMATTING..........................................................................................................................5
2.1. Font ....................................................................................................................................................5
2.2. Margins ..............................................................................................................................................5
2.4. Line spacing and paragraph format ...................................................................................................7
2.5. Page numbering and setup ................................................................................................................7
2.6. Figures and Tables..............................................................................................................................7
3. THESIS PROPOSAL WRITING PROCEDURES...............................................................................................8
3.1. Contents of the Thesis Proposal ........................................................................................................8
3.1.1 Title page......................................................................................................................................9
3.1.2 Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................11
3.1.3 Abbreviations and Acronyms.....................................................................................................11
3.1.4 Table of Contents.......................................................................................................................11
3.1.5 List of Tables (if any) ..................................................................................................................11
3.1.6 List of Figures (if any) .................................................................................................................11
3.2 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................11
3.2.1. Background ...............................................................................................................................12
3.2.2 Statement of the Problem .........................................................................................................12
3.2.3 Hypothesis/Research Questions................................................................................................12
3.2.5 Objectives of the Study..............................................................................................................12
3.2.6 Scope of the study .....................................................................................................................13
3.2.7 Limitation of the study...............................................................................................................13
3.2.8 Organization of the study ..........................................................................................................13
3.3 Review of literature ..........................................................................................................................13
3.4 Research design and method............................................................................................................14
3.4.1 Population and sample ..............................................................................................................15
3.4.2 Data collection ...........................................................................................................................15
3.4.3 Data analysis ..............................................................................................................................16
3.4.4 Ethical considerations ................................................................................................................17
3.4.5 Budget........................................................................................................................................17

Proposal & Thesis Writing Page 1

Guideline
 3.4.6 Appendices.................................................................................................................................17
3.4.7 Citations .....................................................................................................................................17
4. PROJECT/THESIS WRITING ......................................................................................................................18
CHAPTER FOUR: Research Findings ............................................................................................................19
4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................19
4.2 Analysis of Response rate and descriptive statistics.........................................................................19
4.3 Inferential analysis ............................................................................................................................19
Chapter Five: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation ......................................................................22
5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................22
5.2 Summary ...........................................................................................................................................22
5.3 Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................22
5.4 Recommendations ............................................................................................................................22
5.4.1 Suggestion for Further Research................................................................................................22
5.5 REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................22
5.6 APPENDICES/ANNEXES .....................................................................................................................23
SECTION ONE

INTRODUCTION
These guidelines provide students at Yardstick International College with essential information
about how to prepare and submit research proposal and thesis in a format acceptable to
the Graduate School. The topics range from writing style to the completion of required forms and
the components. Students should use these guidelines, not other style manuals, as the final
authority on issues of format and style. Areas not covered in this document or deviation from any
of the specifications should be discussed with a Graduate School format editor. Do not use
previously accepted theses and dissertations as definite models for style.

1.1 Getting Started

1. Most research begins with a question. Think about which topics and theories you are interested
in and what you would like to know more about. Think about the topics and theories you have
studied in your program. Is there some question you feel the body of knowledge in your field does
not answer adequately?

2. Once you have a question in mind, begin looking for information relevant to the topic and its
theoretical framework. Read everything you can--academic research, trade literature, and
information in the popular press and on the Internet.

3. As you become well-informed about your topic and prior research on the topic, your knowledge
should suggest a purpose for your thesis/dissertation. When you can articulate this purpose clearly,
you are ready to write your prospectus/proposal. This document specifies the purpose of the study,
significance of the study, a tentative review of the literature on the topic and its
theoretical framework (a working bibliography should be attached), your research
questions and/or hypotheses, and how you will collect and analyze your data (your proposed
instrumentation should be attached).

4. At this point, master's students need to recruit committee members (if they haven't done so
already) and hold a preliminary meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to refine your plans if
needed and to make explicit expectations for completion of the thesis. At the completion of this
meeting, the student should submit a memo to committee members summarizing what was agreed
upon during the meeting.

5. Once your instrumentation is developed, you need to clear it and your informed consent
protocol with the supervisor before you begin collecting data. Leave adequate time to do so. The
process can take several days or weeks.

6. Obviously, the next steps are collecting and analyzing data, writing up the findings,
and composing the final chapter. You also should make sure Chapters 1 and 2 are now fully
developed. Your chair and committee members provide guidance as needed at this point but
expect you to work as independently as possible.

7. You should be prepared to hire assistance with coding and data entry and analysis if needed. 8.
Get a copy of the graduate school's guidelines for writing theses and dissertations and follow these
guidelines exactly.

1.2 Purpose of the guidelines

The guidelines have the following objectives to;
Point out the common style and formatting;
Indicate the minimum requirements of the master’s thesis proposal writing and master’s
thesis writing;
Show the acceptable elements of master’s thesis proposal and master’s thesis writing;
Provide some printing criteria that encourage the sustainable use of resources
SECTION TWO

2. STYLE AND FORMATTING

2.1. Font
Times New Roman Font should be used in writing the proposal and thesis. No other font is used
throughout the proposal or thesis. Use this standard font consistently throughout the manuscript.
Font size should be 12 point for all text, except titles and headings. It is permissible to change
point size in tables, figures, captions, footnotes, and appendix material. Retain the same
font, where possible. When charts, graphs, or spreadsheets are “imported,” it is permissible
to use alternate fonts.

Italics are appropriate for book and journal titles, foreign terms, and scientific terminology.
Boldface may be used within the text for emphasis and/or for headings and subheadings. Use both
in moderation.

Present the COVER AND TITLE PAGES in 16-point font size, Cap lock, and bold font.
Present for FIRST LEVEL HEADINGS in 14-point font size, cap lock and bold.
Present for sub heading in 12- point font size, cap lock each major words and bold
Present for below sub heading in 12- point font size, sentence case and bold.
Normal body text should be twelve point (12 point) size, using a common font available
i.e., Times New Roman.

2.2. Margins
Measure the top margin from the edge of the page to the top of the first line of text. Measure the
bottom page margin from the bottom of the last line of text to the bottom edge of the page. Page
margins should be a minimum of one-half inch from top, bottom, left and right. Right margins
may be justified or ragged, depending upon departmental requirements or student preference

Margins and other important Rules are summarized as follows:

Left margin: ≥ 3.0 cm

Right margin: ≥ 2.5 cm
Top margin: ≥ 2.5 cm
 Bottom margin: ≥ 2.5 cm
Spacing: 1.5
Side: One side of the paper (front single)
Paper format: A4 (normal)
Breaking a word on 2 lines is not allowed
Any corrections with fluid after print is not allowed
Typing machine: Computer
Printing quality: Clear and visible (Colour print for charts or graphs with different colours)
Copies: High quality photocopy

Apply the same margin dimensions to all pages. Pages that include figures or tables
require appropriate margins.

2.3. Headings and Subheadings

Write each title of preliminary sections and narrative chapters in bold uppercase letters. Centre the
text on the page. Number the chapter headings of the narrative with Arabic numerals starting from
1 for the Introduction and ending with 7 or 8 for the Appendix. Following the Arabic numerals is a
period, a space, and the chapter title without the word ‘chapter’ included. Do not number the titles
of preliminary sections.

Number the second level headings, or subheadings, consecutively with Arabic numerals in
an outline numbering system (e.g. 1.1., 1.2. for Chapter 1 subheadings; 2.1., 2.2. for
Chapter 2 subheadings).

Use the outline numbering system for lower level headings (e.g. 1.1.1., 1.1.2. for subheadings
under 1.1.; 2.1.1., 2.1.2. for subheadings under 2.1.; 1.1.1.1., 1.1.1.2. for subheadings under 1.1.1.;
and 2.1.1.1., 2.1.1.2. for subheadings under 2.1.1.).

In second level headings, capitalize the first letter of each major word. Write the remaining lower
level heading in sentence case format. Capitalize only the first letter of the heading unless
otherwise required by grammatical or nomenclature rules.
Align the second level and lower level heading text to the left. Separate the headings from the
narrative with an extra line. Do not underline or italicize headings, subheadings, or captions of
tables or figures.

2.4. Line spacing and paragraph format

The line spacing for all narrative text is 1.5 lines. Apply single line spacing to captions of tables
and figures. Add space below between paragraphs and all headings, subheadings and captions.
Justify the narrative text in block form.

Double spacing should follow chapter numbers, chapter titles and major section titles (Dedication,
Acknowledgements, Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures, List of
Abbreviations, Appendices, and References). Double spacing should also occur before each
first-level and second-level heading, and before and after tables and figures embedded in the text.
There should only be one blank space after headings.

2.5. Page numbering and setup

Begin each component of the preliminary section, narrative chapters, the References chapter and
the Appendix on a new page. As a rule, each component of a preliminary section should not
exceed one page. Exceptions include the Table of Contents, Abbreviations and Acronyms, the
List of Figures and the List of Tables.

Assign a number to every page of the thesis except for the cover page. Use small Roman numerals
such as i, ii, iii, for the preliminary sections (title page to the page preceding the Table of
Contents). Do not type a number on the title page.

Use Arabic numerals such as 1, 2, and 3 from the first page of the Introduction to the last page of
the Appendix. Put the page numbers at the right bottom of each of the pages.

2.6. Figures and Tables

Figures commonly refer to photographs, images, maps, charts, graphs, and drawings.
Tables generally list tabulated numerical data. These items should appear as close as possible to
their first mention in the text. Tables and figures may be placed in appendices, if this is a
departmental requirement or standard in the field. Tables and figures should be numbered with
Arabic numerals, either consecutively or by chapter. Be consistent in the style used in the
placement of tables and figure captions. Tables and figures may be embedded within the text or
placed on a page alone.
When placed on its own page, a figure or table may be centered on the page. When included with
text, a table or figure should be set apart from the text. Tables and figures, including captions, may
be oriented in landscape. Table data and figure data must be kept together, if the information fits
on one page.

SECTION THREE:

3. THESIS PROPOSAL WRITING PROCEDURES

A research proposal is your PLAN. It describes in detail your study, decisions about your study are
based on the quality of the proposal and approvals to proceed by the Institutional Review Board.

3.1. Contents of the Thesis Proposal

Submit your thesis proposal with the following sections included. Begin each of these sections on
a new page. Write all section titles in uppercase letters.
Thesis Proposal Structure:
1. Cover Page
2. Acknowledgements (optional)
3. Abbreviations and Acronyms
4. Table of Contents
5. List of Tables (if any)
6. List of Figures (if any)
7. Summary (optional)
8. Introduction
9. Literature Review
10. Methods (includes ethics discussion)
11. Plan of Activities
12. Budget
13. References
14. Appendix
15. Approval Sheet
3.1.1 Title page
It includes the research title, author’s name and affiliation.
A research title is:
- A concise statement of the main topic and should identify the variables.
- Should be a reflection of the contents of the document.
- Fully explanatory when standing alone.
- Should not contain redundancies such as ‘a study of …… Or ‘an investigation of……
- Abbreviations should not appear in title.
- Scientific names should be in italics.
- Should contain maximum of 15 to 21 words.

ii. Author’s name and affiliation.

- Preferred order of names-start with surname, middle followed by first name.

- Full names should be used, initials should be avoided

- Titles like Sir. Mr. Mrs. Prof. Dr. etc. Should not appear in the names.
 Example of Title Page

LEADERSHIP STYLE AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS ON EMPLOYEES’ ATTITUDE AND

BEHAVIOUR: A STUDY OF XYZ LIMITED, ADDIS ABABA

BY

OBI, CHIDUBE CHRIS

11/66MH142

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE SCOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES IN

PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE IN MASTER OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION

JUNE, 2015

Proposal & Thesis Writing Page 10

Guideline
3.1.2 Acknowledgements
Acknowledgement of grant and contract support is included on the Acknowledgement page

It can recognize the persons and institutions that you are grateful for guidance and to those whom
you want to thank for support in the preparation of the thesis proposal.

3.1.3 Abbreviations and Acronyms

List the Abbreviations and Acronyms section with the content in alphabetical order. Use Standard
International (S.I.) units of measurement. In the narrative text, define each abbreviation
and acronym other than S.I. units in full when it is first used, followed by its abbreviation or
acronym in parentheses. Do not list S.I. units and internationally known abbreviations. Do
not italicize abbreviations and symbols.

3.1.4 Table of Contents

All headings and entries in the Table of Contents must correspond exactly in wording, font and
case with headings and entries as they appear in the text of the proposal. Do not use dotted lines to
connect headings and respective pages. Subdivisions of headings should not exceed four

levels. You may use the built-in style of Microsoft Word or another word processor to create the
Table of Contents.

3.1.5 List of Tables (if any)

Note that a List of Tables rarely occurs in a thesis proposal.

3.1.6 List of Figures (if any)

Note that a List of Figures rarely occurs in a thesis proposal.

3.2 Introduction
It is also sometimes termed as ‘need for study’ or ‘abstract’. Introduction is an initial pitch of an
idea; it sets the scene and puts the research in context. The introduction should be designed to
create interest in the reader about the topic and proposal. It should convey to the reader, what you
want to do, what necessitates the study and your passion for the topic. Some questions that can be
used to assess the significance of the study are:

(i) Who has an interest in the domain of inquiry?

(ii) What do we already know about the topic?
(iii) What has not been answered adequately in previous research and practice?
 (iv) How will this research add to knowledge, practice and policy in this area?

Some of the evaluation committees, expect the last two questions, elaborated under a separate
heading of ‘background and significance’. Introduction should also contain the
hypothesis behind the research design. If hypothesis cannot be constructed, the line of inquiry
to be used in the research must be indicated.

The Introduction includes:

a) A clear statement of the nature and extent of the problem;

b) Objectives that specify the research goals, information to be gathered, and questions or
hypotheses to be tested.

Subheadings may include:

3.2.1. Background
3.2.2 Statement of the Problem
3.2.3 Hypothesis/Research Questions
It should be in line with the specific objectives and equal in number. Should be stated in the form
of questions and not statements. The hypothesis should be stated if the study involves
experimental designs or statistical tests. However, most often research questions are preferred. The
research questions need to be broad enough to allow further breakdown into questionnaire or
interview guide items for the data collection. On the average 3-5 research questions are sufficient.

3.2.4 Significance of the Study

Should illustrate why the researcher is conducting the research and whom it shall benefit. In this
section the researcher describes the values or the benefits that will accrue from doing the study.
The significance of the study is concerned with the relevance of the problem both to the practice
and theory. That is, does the study explore an important question, meet a recognized need or make
a useful contribution to practice and theory. Much value is placed on doing research, which has
primary value for the solution of practical oriented business problems.

3.2.5 Objectives of the Study

These include both the clear General Objective and the Specific Objectives.)
In this section the major research objective is addressed. The purpose statement should emphasize
practical outcomes or products of the study. For example, “The purpose of this study was
to determine (measure, examine, or evaluate) factor that influence entrepreneurial behavior in
family businesses”. Note that study should have one general objective which should be in line with
the title.

• The Specific objectives – have to be in line with the variables the candidate hypothesizes to
influence the phenomenon being investigated. Should be a breakdown of the general objective.

3.2.6 Scope of the study

This is the kind of a disclaimer. It should cite the focus of the study geographical area or target
group/population/depth of focus in concepts or variables. In this section, the researcher describes
the focus or scope of the study to enable an enthusiastic reader to make generalization of
the findings.

3.2.7 Limitation of the study

This brings out the perceived factors which might affect the research in the course of the study. It
should also show the suggested methods which are supposed to deal with the problem.
The limitations should not be stated in terms of time or financial resources constraints.
Researchers are expected to plan and implement research projects within the available time and
financial resources.

3.2.8 Organization of the study

It is always important to provide structure on the organization of the proposal/project/
thesis section for example:

This thesis is structured as follows: the foregoing chapter one provides the research

3.3 Review of literature

It refers to all sources of scientific evidence pertaining to the topic in interest. In the present era of
digitalization and easy accessibility, there is an enormous amount of relevant data
available, making it a challenge for the researcher to include all of it in his/her review. It is crucial
to structure this section intelligently so that the reader can grasp the argument related to your study
in relation to that of other researchers, while still demonstrating to your readers that your work is
original and innovative. It is preferable to summarize each article in a paragraph,
highlighting the details pertinent to the topic of interest. The progression of review can move
from the more general to the more focused studies, or a historical progression can be used to
develop the story, without making
it exhaustive. Literature should include supporting data, disagreements and controversies. Five
‘C's may be kept in mind while writing a literature review

The narrative of a good literature review

Reader Knows

Introduce the
field:
Broad
focus

Focus on certain
Asects in field
pof rest
int
e
End with gap

3.4 Research design and method

The objective here is to convince the reader that the overall research design and methods
of analysis will correctly address the research problem and to impress upon the reader that
the methodology/sources chosen are appropriate for the specific topic. It should be unmistakably
tied to the specific aims of your study.

In this section, the methods and sources used to conduct the research must be discussed, including
specific references to sites, databases, key texts or authors that will be indispensable to the project.
There should be specific mention about the methodological approaches to be undertaken to gather
information, about the techniques to be used to analyze it and about the tests of external validity to
which researcher is committed.

The components of this section include the following:

1. Definitions of terms (optional)

2. Definitions of variables (optional)

3. Specification of the study area such as places, time period, etc

4. Study period to collect data

5. Study design and type data qualitative or quantitative

6. Description of the population: the source population, the study population, the sample
population, and inclusive and exclusive criteria

7. Sampling methods: sample size formula, calculations and sampling methods

8. Data collection methods are many and depend upon the academic discipline. As the nature of
the research it could include questionnaires completed by research subjects, formal observations,
equipment checklists, focus group discussions, in-depth personal interviews, specimen collection,
laboratory analyses and other methods.

9. Data analysis: descriptions of the analytical methods, techniques, and statistical tests used for
analysis. Also, identify all software names with version numbers planned for use (ex. SPSS, SAS,
STATA, ENDNOTE, Epi Info, other) in the thesis proposal.

3.4.1 Population and sample

Population refers to all the elements (individuals, objects or substances) that meet certain criteria
for inclusion in a given universe, and sample refers to subset of population which meets
the inclusion criteria for enrolment into the study. The inclusion and exclusion criteria
should be clearly defined. The details pertaining to sample size are discussed in the article
“Sample size calculation:

3.4.2 Data collection

The researcher is expected to give a detailed account of the methodology adopted for collection of
data, which include the time frame required for the research. The methodology should be tested
for its validity and ensure that, in pursuit of achieving the results, the participant's life is
not jeopardized. The author should anticipate and acknowledge any potential barrier and pitfall
in carrying out the research design and explain plans to address them, thereby avoiding lacunae
due to incomplete data collection. If the researcher is planning to acquire data through interviews
or questionnaires, copy of the questions used for the same should be attached as an annexure with
the proposal.

Rigor (soundness of the research)

This addresses the strength of the research with respect to its neutrality, consistency and
applicability. Rigor must be reflected throughout the proposal.

Neutrality

It refers to the robustness of a research method against bias. The author should convey
the measures taken to avoid bias, viz. blinding and randomization, in an elaborate way, thus
ensuring that the result obtained from the adopted method is purely as chance and not influenced
by other confounding variables.

Consistency

Consistency considers whether the findings will be consistent if the inquiry was replicated with the
same participants and in a similar context. This can be achieved by adopting standard and
universally accepted methods and scales.

Applicability

Applicability refers to the degree to which the findings can be applied to different contexts and
groups.

3.4.3 Data analysis

This section deals with the reduction and reconstruction of data and its analysis including sample
size calculation. The researcher is expected to explain the steps adopted for coding and sorting the
data obtained. Various tests to be used to analyze the data for its robustness, significance should be
clearly stated. Author should also mention the names of statistician and suitable software which
will be used in due course of data analysis and their contribution to data analysis and
sample calculation.
3.4.4 Ethical considerations
Medical research introduces special moral and ethical problems that are not usually encountered
by other researchers during data collection, and hence, the researcher should take special care in
ensuring that ethical standards are met. Ethical considerations refer to the protection of the
participants' rights (right to self-determination, right to privacy, right to autonomy
and confidentiality, right to fair treatment and right to protection from discomfort and harm),
obtaining informed consent and the institutional review process (ethical approval). The researcher
needs to provide adequate information on each of these aspects.

Informed consent needs to be obtained from the participants (details discussed in further chapters),
as well as the research site and the relevant authorities.

3.4.5 Budget
When the researcher prepares a research budget, he/she should predict and cost all aspects of the
research and then add an additional allowance for unpredictable disasters, delays and rising costs.
All items in the budget should be justified.

3.4.6 Appendices
Appendices are documents that support the proposal and application. The appendices will
be specific for each proposal but documents that are usually required include informed consent
form, supporting documents, questionnaires, measurement tools and patient information of the
study in layman's language.

3.4.7 Citations
As with any scholarly research paper, you must cite the sources you used in composing
your proposal. Although the words ‘references and bibliography’ are different, they are
used interchangeably. It refers to all references cited in the research proposal.
SECTION FOUR:

4. PROJECT/THESIS WRITING
Introduction

Research project/thesis reports consist of three main sections, the preliminary section or
front matter, the text or body and appendices or annexes.

The Front Matter

The front matter or preliminary pages in a research project should be retained form the proposal
stage. However, a few issues need to be adjusted. Such issues include:

• The word proposal should be replaced with project/thesis

• The abstract should be expanded to include findings and recommendations

• The tense should be modified from future tense to past tense

The Text or Body of the project/Thesis

The majority of research projects in business, economic and social sciences follow a five- model
chapter. The major sections in the five-model chapter include:

• Chapter 1: Introduction

• Chapter 2: Literature Review Already discussed at the proposal stage

• Chapter 3: Methodology

• Chapter 4: Research Findings

• Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations.

• REFERENCES

APPENDICES: Instruments (e.g. questionnaire), Research permit

CHAPTER FOUR: Research Findings
4.1 Introduction
This is generally the longest section of the research project. The objective is to present and explain
the data rather than draw interpretations or conclusions. The findings should be presented and
analyzed on the basis of the research questions, specific objectives or hypotheses.

Tables and figures should be used to present quantitative data when appropriate. A brief
description in words of what is shown in the table or figure should be provided. A general rule is
to prepare the table or figure and the text, in such a way that they can stand alone in describing the
outcomes of the study.

4.2 Analysis of Response rate and descriptive

statistics.
This provides the response rate of all questionnaires issues and justification of why that response
rate is adequate for data analysis. It is important to note that a response rate of at least 50% and
above is recommended. Further this section provides the descriptive analysis of the background
information using the descriptive statistics.

4.3 Inferential analysis

i) This should be guided by the methodology and the objectives/hypothesis.

ii) Table titles should be at the top of the tables and figure titles should be below the figure

iii) All tables and figures should have source written below them. The source should be Survey
data and the year when the data was collected shown.

The interpretation of results of data analysis should be below the table or figure followed
by detailed discussion in light of the empirical literature reviewed. The discussion should focus on
the major findings of the study and should be organized or structured according to the research
questions, specific objectives or hypothesis. The discussion should provide interpretation of the
results by comparing them to the findings of previous studies or theoretical background presented
in the literature review.

Results and Discussion

Students should check with their advisors so that chapter titles are written exactly as required. This
part of the narrative interprets the results and analyses.
Proposal & Thesis Writing Page 20
Guideline
Results

Present your findings without interpretation. Give key results in clear sentences at the beginning of
paragraphs. It is far better to say ‘X had a significant positive relationship with Y than to start with
a less informative statement such as, ‘There was a significant relationship between X and Y.’
Describe the nature of the findings and do not merely tell the reader whether they were significant
or not. Avoid data repetition in tables and figures; however, when presenting data as a figure, you
may show the raw data in the appendix.

Focus the narrative for each table and figure on relevant observations and findings. The results
narrative should be an objective report. Present sufficient details so that others can draw their own
inferences and construct their own explanations.

Divide the chapter into subheadings similar to the major subheadings of the Methods chapter. Do
not copy subheadings from the Methods chapter verbatim; the subheadings of the Results chapter
will reflect the findings of the study. You may further divide subheadings into various levels of
subheadings. In sum, clearly present your results and answer the research questions described in
the Introduction chapter.

Discussion

The Discussion chapter is the heart of the thesis. Use the Discussion chapter to describe
the limitations and implications of the study. If you choose to write the results and discussion as
one chapter, follow the descriptions of major findings with appropriate interpretations and
discussion. However, when writing the discussion as a separate chapter, synthesize the discussion
to flow with the Results chapter.

Organization of the Discussion chapter is important. The steps listed below will help you to sort
your thoughts:

1. Construct the discussion from the specific to the general, i.e. the findings, to literature, to
theory, to practice.

Proposal & Thesis Writing Page 21

Guideline
 2. Use the same key terms, verb tense (present tense) and perspective that you used when
posing the questions in the introduction.
3. Begin by restating the hypothesis and answer the questions posed in the introduction.
4. Support your answers with results. Explain how your results relate to expectations and to
relevant published literature. State why they are acceptable and how they are consistent
with previously published knowledge on the topic.
5. Address the results relating to the questions, regardless of whether or not the findings are
significant.
6. Describe the patterns, principles and relationships of each major finding and result, and put
them in perspective. The sequencing of information is important. First, state the answer,
then state the relevant results, and then cite the work of others. If necessary, direct the
reader to a figure or table to enhance the ‘story’ and understanding.
7. Defend your answers. If necessary, explain why your answer is satisfactory and why others
may not be. Your argument is convincing only when both sides are available for scrutiny.
8. Discuss and evaluate conflicting results.
9. Discuss any unexpected findings. Were there any surprises in your findings? Mention these
surprises.
10. Identify potential limitations and weaknesses and comment on the relative importance of
these to your interpretation of the results and how they may affect the validity of
the findings. Avoid using an apologetic tone.
11. Provide recommendations (two or more) for further research based on the research
findings.
12. Explain how the results and conclusions influence our knowledge or understanding of the
problem examined.

Results and discussions are conceptually different. In the discussion, interpret the research results.
A common mistake in the discussion is to present a superficial interpretation that merely restates
the results. If the results differ from earlier published reports, explain why that may have
happened. If the results agree with your expectations, then describe the reports and interpretations
to support them. It is not adequate to simply state whether the data agreed with earlier reports. In
addition, do not attempt to discuss every finding. Focus on the major findings that call for
interpretation.
Chapter Five: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1 Introduction
The section should start with a brief summary of the structure or organization of the chapter.

5.2 Summary
The final chapter of the research project should provide a summary of important elements
including the purpose of the study and research questions or specific objectives, methodology used
and major findings or results.

5.3 Conclusion
In this section, major conclusions drawn from the research findings should be presented.

Conclusions should be drawn on the basis of research questions or hypothesis.

5.4 Recommendations
Should be derived from the conclusions; Research projects/thesis should provide
recommendations for practice or improvement and for further studies. In applied research
recommendations are often provided for practice or improvement. In this case the researcher offers
suggestions for improvement with justification.

5.4.1 Suggestion for Further Research

Research projects/thesis often pave way for further work; consequently, the researcher
should provide suggestions for future research work based on the findings and conclusions
generated from the study.

5.5 REFERENCES
A project/thesis should indicate the references of materials used in the development of the study.

Reference List

The reference list at the end of the project report provides the information necessary to identify
and retrieve each source. Researchers should choose references judiciously and must include only
the sources that were used in the preparation of the research project.
5.6 APPENDICES/ANNEXES
This should include:

i) Research Instruments.

ii) Letters of introduction

iii) Research Permits/authorization letter

SECTION FIVE:

5. PROJECT/THESIS EXAMINATION

The examination process for project/ thesis in the School of postgraduate studies in YIC and has
5 stages:

1. Submission of the copy of the thesis proposal by candidate

2. Defending thesis proposal to you advisor(s)

3. Submission of the copy of first draft and second draft thesis to your advisors and
signature and Submission for final defense

4. Defense to Internal examiners and External examiners by the candidate

5. Correcting and Submission of the final hard bound copy thesis
THESIS APPROVAL SHEET

YARDSTICK INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE

SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

DECLARATION

I, (put your name here), the under signed, declare that this thesis entitled: “put your title here” is
my original work. I have undertaken the research work independently with the guidance
and support of the research supervisor/advisor. This study has not been submitted for any degree
or diploma program in this or any other institutions and that all sources of materials used for the
thesis has been duly acknowledged.

Name of Student Signature Date

This is to certify that the thesis entitled: [insert title of the thesis] submitted in partial fulfilment of
the requirements for the degree of Masters of [insert your study program] of the Postgraduate
Studies, Yardstick International College and is a record of original research carried out by [insert
name of candidate] [insert ID. No], under my supervision, and no part of the thesis has been
submitted for any other degree or diploma. The assistance and help received during the course of
this investigation have been duly acknowledged. Therefore, I recommend it to be accepted
as fulfilling the thesis requirements.

Name of Supervisor/Advisor Signature Date

Certificate of Approval

This is to certify that the thesis prepared by (put your name here), entitled “put your title here”
and submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters of Arts in Project
Management/MBA/Leadership/LMA/ MSc in Accounting and Finance complies with
the regulations of the College and meets the accepted standards with respect to originality and
quality.

Signature of Board of Examiner`s:

External examiner Signature Date

Internal examiner Signature Date

Dean, SGS Signature Date

Declaration

I, the undersigned, declare that the thesis comprises my own work. In compliance with
internationally accepted practices. I have acknowledged and referenced all materials used in this
work. I understand that non-adherence to the principles of academic honesty and integrity,
misrepresentation/ fabrication of any idea/data/fact/source will constitute sufficient ground
for disciplinary action by the College and can also evoke penal action from the sources which have
not been properly cited or acknowledged.

Signature:

Name of the student:

Date:

F. Acknowledgements

The author will mention (acknowledge) organizations that have provided funds, projects related to
the topic of the thesis in which he/she has taken part, and people, units or services that have helped
to correct language use, prepare the material, critically read and comment the text, etc.

Abstract

Write and Centre the word ‘ABSTRACT’ in uppercase letters on the page. Centre your name
below the title. The thesis title appears centered below your name. Divide the abstract into four
sections:

Background (statement of the problem, objective, research issues)

Methods (experimental research, case studies, questionnaires, etc.)
Results
Conclusions and recommendations

An abstract highlights major points, describes content and scope and reviews material. It
is normally the first section read and which sets the tone for the thesis. Abstract length varies by
discipline and university requirements. The typical length is from 100 to 500 words. It is rarely
longer than a single page with the appropriate 1.5 line spacing, margins and font size. It is not
required to use citation in writing thesis abstracts. It should be in one paragraph form.

The best way to write an abstract is to start with a draft of the completed thesis and follow these
ten steps:

1. Identify the major objectives and conclusions;

2. Identify phrases and keywords in the Methods chapter;

3. Identify major results from the Discussion and Results chapters;

4. Assemble the above information into a single paragraph;

5. State your hypothesis or method in the first sentence;

6. Omit background information, literature review and detailed descriptions of methods;

7. Remove superfluous words and phrases;

8. Revise the paragraph so that the abstract conveys only essential information;

9. Study previous well-written abstracts as samples;

10. Ask a neutral third party to carefully review your abstract word-for-word.