《如何撰写卓越论文》第三版：全程指导成功研究

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3Types of Thesis

These questions really are about the thesis rather than the candidate. They roughly

parallel the structure of a solid thesis, and each builds on the previous one.

The first two questions are about familiarity with the previous work in your

field and the demonstration of a critical approach to it. Note that, from the start,

having and demonstrating a critical attitude towards your subject sets the tone of

your interactions with the examiners.

The third question is about choosing appropriate research methods and justifying

your choices as appropriate to the topic. Be aware that it is you, at this point, who

must set the scope of that topic that will determine the appropriateness of a method-

ology. Further, the third question alerts examiners to show concern for the manner

in which the methods are applied.

The fourth question focuses on displaying the results, explaining them and

showing that you know what they mean. Here, then, it is not simply a question of

showing those in the discipline area what you have found but also that you know

how to present the results.

The fifth and sixth questions remind examiners to check the alignment, and con-

nections, between an initial aim and the final conclusions. The logic flow in the

thesis must be right. Notice, too, the emphasis on linking your interpretations back

to what you said you would do earlier in the thesis.

The seventh question invites the reader to step away from the empirical side of

the study to consider how well you can write. In a sense, the question signals to both

you and the examiners just how important it is to be able to be able to communicate

well within the international research community.

Finally, the eighth question asks examiners to consider the quality of the work

as a whole. For doctoral students, producing work that is a ‘substantive original

contribution to knowledge’ is a primary goal that can be reached through writing

satisfactory responses to the series of previous questions.

There are other questions an examiner might also address. In particular, an exam-

iner would look for evidence of insightful or critical thinking, and of objective ap-

praisal of outcomes of the study. That is, they want to be persuaded that the student

can think clearly and can construct a reasoned argument.

Types of Thesis

This book focuses on PhD study, but there are several other forms of research work

that are understood to be theses. In the Australian context, the word ‘thesis’ is used

to refer to the document that a student creates to earn a degree at the Honours, Mas-

ters, or doctoral level. (In other countries, such as the United States or Canada, the

word ‘thesis’ is commonly used to signify work at the Honours or Masters degree

level and ‘dissertation’ is generally used to refer to doctoral work.) What is the dif-

ference between the different understandings of a thesis?

At Honours level, a thesis—strictly, a ‘minor thesis’—is a work of original

research of approximately 10,000 words in length. For many students undertaking a

4 1 What Is a Thesis?

minor thesis, it is the first time that they have conducted original research. From my

experience, one of the main struggles occurs in making the transition from ‘research

consumption’ to ‘research production’. Minor theses are closely supervised and, very

often, stem from research that is of direct interest to the supervisor. An Honours thesis

is typically produced within a year alongside the demands of coursework. For the

most part, they are assessed within the students’ department; note, therefore, that the

readership is well-known and thus the writing can be tailored to fit the audience.

At the Masters degree level, there are two types of theses. One is a minor thesis,

with length limits ranging from 10,000 to 25,000 words. It is completed within one

or two years alongside coursework, and usually requires one or two semesters of

full-time effort. Much like those at the Honours level, minor theses are assessed

within the department by a set of internal criteria.

The second type is a ‘Masters by research’ thesis of 30,000 to 40,000 words. It

is much more substantial than those that are written by coursework students as it

is the result of full-time research over one to two years. This thesis is examined by

experts in the field outside the department. In some departments, students first join

the field by writing a Masters thesis; if it is considered to be of high quality and can

be extended, it can be converted into a doctoral thesis.

A ‘Doctor of Philosophy’ is earned by the successful completion of a PhD thesis.

For PhD students, the word limit of a thesis is 1,00,000 words; most students write

approximately 80,000 words. In Australia, a PhD thesis is typically produced in

3 years of full-time study. It is examined by two experts who have themselves su-

pervised doctoral work; and they are likely to be located at an international research

institution.

There are other types of doctorate, too, including those in education, by exhibi-

tion (in fine arts), or by publication, but these are beyond the scope of this book. All

of these should be described in the policies on your university’s website.

Look at Other Theses

It’s now time to look at some other theses. Most supervisors have a few on their

shelves that they may be willing to lend you. Reading these works will be a good

start, but don’t stop there. Probably they follow a pattern set by your supervisor’s

own ideas of a good thesis, and almost certainly they will be typical of what your

own department thinks is acceptable. So go out and look at theses from across a

range of disciplines, and even theses from other countries. As presentation and

style change relatively rapidly, look at theses that are no more than 3 years old.

If applicable, examine a mix of kinds of studies, both qualitative and quantita-

tive (see Chap. 8). Try and find work that is outside your field, but makes use

of a similar methodology. After you have skimmed several, select some that are

coherent, and some that are not so clear, and go through a few of them with your

supervisor.

Read the theses as if you were an examiner. With the guidelines for examiners

in front of you, begin the assessment of each of them by first looking at the overall

5Examiners’ Reports

layout. See if the table of contents gives you a clear idea of the structure of the work

as a whole. Then browse the introduction and conclusions, and look through the ref-

erence section. Next, read the introduction carefully and compare it to the conclu-

sions to see if the work is linked in a coherent manner (see the fifth question in the

guidelines for examiners on page 3). It might surprise you to find that some theses

fail to make this link. Look especially for specific formatting and conventions: How

are particular words spelled? What is the best way to display data? What is the typi-

cal length of a chapter? You may be impressed with the virtues of some theses, such

as professional layouts, innovative displays of complex material in graphs or tables,

or a strong integration of online materials. Stay alert for the points that impress you,

and make a note to adopt them for your own work.

Examiners’ Reports

Students are sometimes advised to track down examiners’ reports on submitted the-

ses. For the most part, the examination process is confidential, but make an effort

to ask a completed student for a report or see if a supervisor is willing to share an

examination that is anonymous. As you read examiners’ reports, or the associated

studies on them, get in the frame of mind of these expert assessors. What do they

look for, and what do they ignore? Do they directly answer the suggested ques-

tions put forward by the university? These reports will be highly variable in detail

and approach; What can you learn from these differences? Additionally, seek out

academic studies that concern thesis examination (search for the keywords: thesis

quality, doctoral assessment, research training, PhD examination) with a view to

developing a better understanding of the assessment process. Feedback from ex-

aminers is summarized in the Appendix, which is a digest of observations from

examiners’ reports.

I have examined numerous theses of each type: minor, Masters, and doctoral. In

each case, my purpose is to assess the work with reference to the criteria at hand.

My considerations vary. At times I focus my comments on the big picture; at other

times I hone in on details. My motivations for examination are not necessarily to

hand out criticism, or even praise, but to sharpen a study. Academics examine theses

partially out of service to the profession and partly as a favour to those who ask,

but mostly to learn something new before the work is presented at conferences or

published in journals. In short, as an examiner, I am looking to learn and, in this

way, I’m just like the candidate.

Consider the five potential outcomes of PhD examination at my university

(edited slightly for clarity) that an examiner can choose from:

• Be awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy without further examination or

amendment.

• Be awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy without further examination,

subject to inserting in the thesis the minor corrections or additions as specified

6 1 What Is a Thesis?

to the satisfaction of the Chair of Examiners, without further reference to the

examiner.

• Be awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy subject to revising part or parts

of the thesis to the examiners’ satisfaction.

• Not yet be awarded the degree, but be permitted to resubmit the thesis in a re-

vised form for re-examination. Areas requiring major amendment are identified

in an examiners’ report.

• Not be awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and not be permitted to sub-

mit for re-examination.

Think for a moment of the implications of each of these outcomes. Remember, first

of all, that there are two expert examiners who are assessing the work. If a student

is awarded a PhD because both examiners have marked that it fits the first criteria,

no more amendments are required. Nothing, not even occasional typos, requires

change: the only thing left to do is to make a bound, final copy to be archived at the

university, and perhaps submit an electronic copy to be placed online.

Many students (including myself) earn the second mark. That is, they have been

awarded the PhD, and no further examination is required, but there is a need to make

some corrections, write out a report to the Chair detailing the required changes, and

reprint the thesis for submission. By awarding a PhD based on the third outcome,

an examiner indicates that the student must revise entire sections. Substantial work

is required, and the revised and reprinted thesis must be sent back to the examiner

for checking. The use of the fourth mark by an examiner indicates that the thesis

requires such major revisions that a PhD cannot yet be awarded, but the work can

be re-submitted. Finally, on occasion, examiners use the fifth outcome to deny both

an award of a PhD and a chance to submit a revised thesis.

Examination processes for minor theses are highly variable, with students be-

ing awarded pass/fail in some cases or a mark in others. Some processes allow for

resubmission; some do not; examination may be within the department. In many

institutions Masters theses are handled in the same way as PhDs, but in some places

different processes are used. Make sure that you are familiar with the mechanisms

that apply to your degree.

Summary of Chapter 1: What Is a Thesis?

On theses:

• There is no ‘standard’ definition of a thesis but it is generally understood to be

the result of structured, original research that is produced for assessment.

• The expectations for a thesis vary from university to university, field to field, and

supervisor to supervisor.

• There are several types of theses in the range of research higher degrees. Some

theses are produced alongside the demands of coursework, and others fulfil the

total requirements of the degree. The types of thesis vary in length, complexity,

comprehensiveness, and even purpose.

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