Brian Paltridge Thesis and Dissertation Writing: Preparing ESL Students for Research

7/25/2019 Brian Paltridge Thesis and Dissertation Writing: Preparing ESL Students for Research

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ergamon

En glish for Specific Pu rpos es, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 61-70, 1997

Co p y r i g h t @ 1 9 97 T h e A m e r i c a n U n i v e r s it y

Pr in ted in G rea t Br i ta in. Al l r igh ts r e se rve d

0889-4906/97 $17.00+0.00

PIh S0889-490 6 96 )00028-2

T h e s i s a n d D i s s e r t a t i o n W r it i n g P r e p a r i n g

E SL S t u d e n t s f o r R e s e a r c h

B r ia n P a l t r i d g e

Abstract Large

n u m b e r s o f E S L s tu d e n t s a r e u n d e r t a k i n g d e g r e e s t h r o u g h -

o u t t h e w o r l d w h e r e t h e y a r e r e q u i r e d t o w r i t e a t h e s i s o r d i s s e rt a t i o n i n

E n g l i sh . T h e s e s t u d e n t s o f te n h a v e d if fi cu lt y i n m e e t i n g t h e d e m a n d s o f t h e

k i n d o f w r i t i n g r e q u i r e d o f t h e m a t t h i s p a rt i c u la r l ev e l. T h e y a r e o f t e n u n a w a r e

o f t h e l e v e l o f p r e p a r a t i o n w r i t in g a t h e s i s o r d i s s e r t a t i o n r e q u i r e s o f t h e m .

T h i s a r t ic l e d e s c r i b e s a p r o g r a m w h i c h a i m s t o h e l p E S L s t u d e n t s p r e p a r e f o r

t h e s i s a n d d i s s e r t a t io n w r i t i n g b y f o c u s i n g o n t h e t h e s i s p r o p o s a l a s a n

i m p o r t a n t p a r t o f t h a t p r o c e s s . 1 99 7 T h e A m e r i c a n U n i v e r s i ty

I n t r o d u c t i o n

R e c e n t y e a r s h a v e s e e n i n c r e a s e d a t te n t io n b e i n g g i v e n t o th e s i s a n d

d i s se r t a t i on w r i t ing in t h e E S P l i te r a tu r e . J a m e s (1984), Dud le y- E va n s (1986 ,

1988, 1989, 1994) , Hopkins and Dudley-Evans (1988) , Ramani (1988) , Rich-

a r ds (1988) , Swa le s (1990) , Sha w (1991) , J e nk ins , Jo r da n a nd O 'We i l a nd

(1 9 93 ) a n d B e l c h e r (1 9 94 ), f o r e x a m p l e , h a v e d i s c u s s e d t h e a n a l y s i s a n d

t e a c h i n g o f v a r i o u s a s p e c t s o f t h e s e s a n d d i s s e r ta t io n s a c r o s s a n u m b e r o f

d i f f e r e n t d i sc ip l ine s . Da v i s a nd Pa r ke r (1979) , Ma uc h a nd B i r c h (1989) ,

M a d s e n (1 9 92 ) a n d P r e e c e (1 9 94 ), i n b o o k s o n t h e s i s a n d d i s s e r t a t io n

w r i ti n g a i m e d a t n a t iv e s p e a k e r s o f E n g l is h , a l s o d i s c u s s t h e d e s i g n a n d

d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e s i s p r o p o s a l s . W h i l s t t h e i n f o r m a t io n c o n t a i n e d i n t h e s e

b o o k s i s c l e a r l y i m p o r t a n t f o r E S L s t u d e n t s , t h e y d o n o t a l w a y s e x a m i n e

t e x t s - - s u c h a s r e s e a r c h p r o p o s a l s - - i n a w a y w h i c h m i g h t b e m o s t u s e f u l

f o r t h e E S P c l a s s r o o m . O t h e r b o o k s d i s c u s s w r i t i n g r e s e a r c h p r o p o s a l s t o

g a i n f u n d i n g a n d t o w i n c o n t r a c t s ( s e e H e l g e s o n 1 9 8 5 ; H u c k i n & O l s e n

1 9 91 ; S t e w a r t & S t e w a r t 1 9 9 2). T h e s e b o o k s a r e a l s o o f t e n n o t a d e q u a t e f o r

E S P t h e s i s p r o p o s a l w r it in g c o u r s e s d u e t o t h e d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n w r it in g

a p r o p o s a l f o r f u n d i n g a n d c o n t r a c t p u r p o s e s , a n d t h e s p e c if ic t a s k o f w r i ti n g

a p r o p o s a l f o r a t h e s i s o r d i s s e r t a t io n .

Ad dre ss cor re spo nde nce to : Br ian Pal tr idge , De pa r tm ent o f L inguis t ic s and Appl ied L inguist ic s , T he Uni-

versi ty of Me lbou rne , Parkville , VIC 3052, Austra l ia .

6 1


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6 2 B. Pa lt ridge

T h e r e d o n o t , e q u al ly , a p p e a r t o b e a n y t e a c h in g p r o g r a m s f o r E S L s tu -

d e n t s (in t h e p u b l i s h e d l i te r a tu r e , a t l ea s t ) w h i c h f o c u s o n w r i ti n g t h e s i s a n d

d i s s e r t a t i o n p r o p o s a l s . T h i s i s a s i g n i f i c a n t g a p , g i v e n t h e l a r g e n u m b e r o f

E S L s t u d e n t s e n r o l l e d i n d e g r e e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e w o r l d w h e r e t h e y a r e

r e q u i r e d t o w r i t e a t h e s i s o r d i s s e r t a t i o n i n E n g l i s h . F o r e x a m p l e , i n 1 9 9 0 ,

a l m o s t h a l f o f t h e n e a r l y 4 0 0 ,0 0 0 in t e r n a ti o n a l s t u d e n t s a t t e n d i n g A m e r i c a n

i n s ti tu t e s o f h i g h e r e d u c a t io n w e r e e n r o l le d i n d e g r e e s w h i c h r e q u i r e d t h e m

to w r i t e a t he s i s o r d i s se r t a t i on ( I ns t i t u t e o f I n t e r na t iona l E d uc a t ion 1990) .

S i m i la r ly , m a n y o f t h e 6 3,0 0 0 i n t e rn a t i o n a l s t u d e n t s a t t e n d i n g A u s t r a li a n

i n s t i t u t e s o f h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n i n 1 9 9 3 w e r e e n g a g e d i n a s i m i la r l e v e l o f

s t u d y (Illin g 1 99 4 ). T h e r e i s a l s o a v e r y l a r g e n u m b e r o f s u c h s t u d e n t s i n

B r i t is h a n d C a n a d i a n u n i v e r s i ti e s . T h e s e s t u d e n t s o f t e n h a v e d i f f ic u l ty i n

m e e t i n g t h e d e m a n d s o f t h e k i n d o f w r i ti n g r e q u i r e d o f t h e m a t t h is p a r t ic u l a r

l ev e l ( S a m u e l o w i c z 1 98 7; C a s a n e a v e & H u b b a r d 1 99 2). M a n y o f t h e m a r e

a l so u n a w a r e o f t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e t h e s i s p r o p o s a l in t h e o v e ra ll t h e s is

a n d d i s s e r t a t i o n w r i t i n g p r o c e s s . A s M a d s e n ( 1 9 9 2 ) i n Successful Dis

ser ta t ions a nd Theses w r i te s , t h e t h e s i s p r o p o s a l i s o ft e n a n i m p o r t a n t e l e m e n t

i n s u c c e s s f u l t h e s i s a n d d i s s e r t a t i o n w r i t i n g a n d , a s s u c h , a k e y f i r s t s t e p i n

t h e r e s e a r c h p r o c e s s . C l ea rl y , t h e r e s e a r c h i ts e lf m a y d e v e l o p a n d c h a n g e

f r o m t h i s b e g i n n i n g s t a g e o f t h e r e s e a r c h , b u t ti m e s p e n t i n t h e p r e p a r a ti o n

a t t h i s s t a g e u s u a l l y h e l p s s t u d e n t s g a i n a n i m p o r t a n t i n i t i a l f o c u s , a n d t o

d e t e r m i n e t h e p a r a m e t e r s o f t h e i r r e s e a r c h , f r o m w h i c h t h e y c a n th e n

p r o c e e d .

T h i s a r t ic le d e s c r i b e s a p r o g r a m w h i c h p r o v i d e s E S L g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s

w i t h g u i d e d i n s t r u c t i o n i n t h i s s t a g e o f t h e t h e s i s a n d d i s s e r t a t i o n w r i t in g

p r o c e s s , t h e p r e p a r a t io n o f a t h e s i s p r o p o s a l. T h e p r o g r a m w a s d e v e l o p e d

t o p r o c e e d o v e r a s e r ie s o f 3 se s s i o n s . T h e c o n t e n t a n d f o c u s o f t h e s e

s e s s i o n s i s s h o w n in T a b l e 1.

T h e o r e t i c a l r a m e w o r k f or t h e P r o g r a m

T h e t h e o r e t ic a l fr a m e w o r k f o r t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e p r o g r a m a i m s t o

i n t e g ra t e g o a l - o r ie n t e d a n d p r o c e s s - o r i e n t e d a p p r o a c h e s ( W i d d o w s o n 1 9 81 ;

W h i t e 1 98 8) to p r o g r a m d e v e l o p m e n t . T h i s i n t e g r a ti o n o f a p p r o a c h e s i s

s u p p o r t e d b y R a i m e s (1 99 1, 19 93 ) [ a n d o t h e r s ] w h o p r o p o s e s a b a l a n c e d

TABLE 1

C o u r s e C o n t e n t Writing a T h e s i s P r o p o s a l

W ri t ing a Thesis roposal

Developing a thesis proposal

Choosing and focusing a thes is topic

The structure of a thesis proposal

Areas to cover in a thesis proposal

Details to cover in a thes is proposal

Reviewing the literature

Thesis expectations

Further reading


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Preparing ESL Students for Research 6 3

p r o c e s s a p p r o ac h t o l a n g u a g e p r o g r a m d e v e l o p m e n t w h i c h p a y s a tt en t io n

t o fo r m , c o n t e n t a n d r e a d e r e x p e c t a t io n s a l o n g w i t h a fo c u s o n t h e i n di v id u a l

l e ar n e r. T h e p r o g r a m , t h u s , a i m s a t t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f t h e s i s p r o p o s a l s w h i c h

m e e t t h e e x p e c t a t io n s o f t h e p a r t ic u l a r d i s c o u r s e c o m m u n i t y a t w h i c h t h e y

are d i r e c t e d ( S w a l e s 1 9 9 0 ) , a s w e l l a s p r o v i d i n g s t u d e n t s w i t h t a s k s a n d

s t r a te g i e s w h i c h w ill e n a b l e t h e m t o le a rn , f o r th e m s e l v e s , h o w s u c h a te x t

m i g h t b e d e v e l o p e d .

T h e p r o c e d u r e f o r p r o g r e s s i o n t h r o u g h t h e p r o g r a m i s b r o a d l y b a s e d o n

a n in s t ru c t io n a l f r a m e w o r k p r e s e n t e d b y G r e w e r , M o s t o n a n d S e x t o n (1 98 1)

a n d f u r t h e r d e v e l o p e d b y S l a d e a n d N o r r i s (1 9 86 ) w h i c h m o v e s f ro m a ctiv i-

t ie s w h i c h c o n c e n t r a t e o n o r g a n i s i n g a n d a n a l y s in g i n fo r m a t io n t h r o u g h t o

d e v e l o p i n g a n d u s i n g t h e i n f o r m a t io n f o r t h e c r e a t i o n o f n e w t e x t s . A c t iv i ti es ,

t h u s , m o v e i n a t o p - d o w n f a s h i o n f r o m a n a l y s i s a n d i d e n t if i ca t io n o f m a c r o -

l e v e l f e a t u r e s o f t h e t e x t (in t h i s c a s e , t h e s t r u c t u r e , p u r p o s e a n d c o n t e n t o f

t h e t e x ts ) t h r o u g h t o t h e c r e a t io n o f n e w t e x t s b y a p r o c e s s o f g r a d u a l

a p p r o x i m a t i o n ( W i d d o w s o n 1 9 7 8 : 9 1 - 9 3 ) .

P r e p a r i n g t o W r i t e a P r o p o s a l

T h e f ir s t s e c t io n o f t h e p r o g r a m i s d e v o t e d t o p r e p a r in g f o r w r i ti n g t h e i r

t h e s i s a n d d i s s e r t a t i o n p r o p o s a l s . A r e a s f o c u s e d o n h e r e i n c l u d e d r a w i n g

up a sh or t l i s t o f t op i c s , s e l e c t ing a t op i c f o r i nve s t iga t ion , f o r m ula t ing a

g e n e r a l q u e s t i o n a n d f o c u s i n g a r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n . T h e i m p o r t a n c e o f s p e n d -

i n g a s m u c h t i m e a s n e c e s s a r y to g e t th e q u e s t i o n r i g h t is h i g h l i g h t ed h e r e

a s t h i s o f t e n c a u s e s n e w r e s e a r c h e r s c o n s i d e r a b l e d i f f i c u l t y ( N u n a n 1 9 9 2 ) .

I t i s a l so p o i n te d o u t t h a t th e r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n n e e d s t o b e b o t h w o r t h

a s k i n g a n d c a p a b l e o f b e i n g a n s w e r e d , t h a t is , t h e s t u d y n e e d s t o b e b o t h

s ig n i fi c an t a n d f e a s ib l e . S t u d e n t s a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o s t ri k e a b a l a n c e b e t w e e n

t h e v a l u e o f t h e i r q u e s t i o n a n d t h e i r a b i li ty t o d e v e l o p a t h e s i s p r o p o s a l

w h i c h , i n r e a l is t ic t e r m s , t h e y a r e c a p a b l e o f c a r r y i n g o u t . S t u d e n t s a r e

a ls o e n c o u r a g e d t o l o o k a t j o u r n a l a rt ic le s , a n d a t c o m p l e t e d t h e s e s a n d

d i s s e r t a t i o n s i n t h e i r o w n a r e a f o r r e s e a r c h t h a t m a y b e s u i t a b l e f o r r e p -

l ic a ti o n in a d i ff e r e n t c o n t e x t ( d e p e n d i n g o n t h e l e v e l o f d e g r e e t h e y a r e

u n d e r t a k i n g ) o r t a k i n g o n e , o r s e v e r a l , s t e p s f u r th e r .

S t u d e n t s n e x t d e c i d e o n t h e a i m s a n d o b j e c t iv e s o f t h e s t u d y , f o r m u l a t e

t h e i r r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n (s ) o r h y p o t h e s i s , a n d t h i n k a b o u t t h e d a t a th a t n e e d

t o b e c o l l e c t e d in o r d e r t o a n s w e r t h e i r q u e s t i o n (s ). T h e y t h e n d r a w u p a n

i n i t i a l r e s e a r c h p l a n , a f t e r w h i c h t h e y c o n t i n u e r e a d i n g t o e n s u r e t h e y a r e

o n t h e f i g h t t ra c k , a s w e ll a s to d e t e r m i n e h o w t h e i r p r o p o s e d r e s e a r c h f it s

i n w i t h r e s e a r c h a l r e a d y c a r r i e d o u t i n t h e i r a r e a .

s t a b l i s h i n g t h e S t r u c t u r e o f a T h e s i s P r o p o s a l

T h e n e x t s e c t i o n o f t h e p r o g r a m i s d e v o t e d to d r a w i n g s t u d e n t s ' a t t e n ti o n

t o t h e o v e r a ll s t r u c t u r e o f t h e s i s p r o p o s a l s . T h e f i rs t a c t iv i ty s t u d e n t s c a r r y

o u t e m p l o y s a t h e s i s p r o p o s a l w r it te n b y a p r e v i o u s s t u d e n t i n t h e d e p a rt -


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64 B. Paltridge

ment. The text is copied and cut up into sections, parallel to each of the

main sections of the texts. The headings for each section are separated from

the body of the text and the students' first task is to match these headings

to the relevant sections of the text. Students then sequence the sections of

the text according to its logical development. From this activity, a sequence

of stages is established on which to base a description of the structure of

the text.

From here, attention moves to two further thesis proposals in the same

general area. Students, first of all, examine these proposals to identify the

structure of each of the texts. Once this is established, students draw up a

statement which accounts for the structure of all three thesis proposals. This

statement accounts for the sequence of the stages of the texts, obligatory and

optional stages, stages that may recur, and stages which occur separately,

or conflate into one single stage, or both.

Deta i l s to Inc lu de in a T h e s i s P r o p o s a l

The program now moves to details that need to be included in a thesis

proposal. Students are directed to one of the sample proposals and a list of

points that are often covered in thesis proposals. Students then examine the

proposal to see how well each of these points has been covered. This list of

points is presented in Table 2.

T h e P u r p o s e o f a T h e s i s P r o p o s a l

Now that s tudents have examined the thesis proposals in detail, they then

proceed to identify the purpose of the text as a whole, as well as the purpose

of each of the stages of the texts. A sample answer to this task is presented

in Table 3. The aim of this task is to highlight the overall rationale for the

proposal--to provide students with a well thought through, and defensible,

work plan for the preparation and carrying out of their research--as well as

to clarify the purpose of each of its stages.

This task also aims to provide students with a framework they can refer

to for the development of their own topic-specific proposals. The framework

they develop includes stages which were identified in the analysis to be

optional , as well as those that were seen to be obligatory. Students are

encouraged to see these optional stages as ones which they could include

to make for a stronger and more substantive proposal, ra ther than ones they

can simply choose to leave out .

R e v i e w i n g R e l e v a n t a c k g r o u n d L i te r at u re

The next section of the program focuses on the main points to consider

in writing the literature review section of a thesis proposal. It is pointed out


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P r e p a r i n g E S L S t u d e n t s f o r R e s e a r c h

T A B L E 2

D e t a i l s t o n c l u d e i n a T h e s i s P r o p o s a l

65

(1 ) A c l e a r s t a t e m e n t o f t h e o v e r a l l p u r p o s e o f t h e p r o p o s e d r e s e a r c h .

(2 ) A c l e a r ly f o c u s e d r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n / h y p o t h e s i s t h a t is w o r t h a s k i n g a n d c a p a b l e o f

b e i n g a n s w e r e d .

(3 ) P r e c i s e d e f i n i t io n s o f t h e k e y t e r m s in t h e r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n ( s ) o r h y p o t h e s i s t h a t w ill

a l lo w t h e m t o b e c l e a rl y o b s e r v e d , m e a s u r e d a n d i d e n t i f ie d t h r o u g h o u t t h e s t u d y .

(4 ) A n a w a r e n e s s o f k e y r e s e a r c h w h i c h h a s a l r e a d y b e e n c a r r i e d o u t i n t h e p a r t ic u l a r a r e a

i n c l u d i n g :

(i) w h a t c o n c l u s i o n s w e r e r e a c h e d i n t h i s p re v i o u s r e s e a r c h , b y w h o m a n d w h e n ;

(ii) w h e t h e r t h e s e c o n c l u s i o n s a r e i n a g r e e m e n t o r c o n f l ic t w i t h e a c h o t h e r ;

(iii) t h e m a i n i s s u e s o r c o n t r o v e r s i e s w h i c h s u r r o u n d t h e p r o b l e m ;

(i v) s i g n i f i c a n t g a p s i n p r e v i o u s r e s e a r c h i n t h i s p a r t i c u l a r a re a .

(5 ) A n a p p r o p r i a t e c h o i c e o f r e s e a r c h a p p r o a c h f o r t h e p a r t i c u l a r q u e s t i o n o r p r o b l e m

i n c l u d i n g a w e l l d e fi n e d l i s t o f p r o c e d u r e s t o b e f o l lo w e d i n c a r r y i n g o u t t h e r e s e a r c h .

T h i s s h o u l d i n c l u d e t h e m e t h o d o f d a t a c o l le c t io n a n d a n a l y si s . T h e p r o p o s a l s h o u l d

a l s o i n c l u d e , i f a p p r o p r i a t e :

( i ) a b r o a d d e s c r i p t i o n o f a n y p a r t i c u l a r t h e o r e t i c a l f r a m e w o r k t o b e u s e d i n t h i s

a n a l y s i s a n d t h e r e a s o n ( s ) f o r i ts u s e i n t h e s t u d y ;

(ii) a b r i e f s t a t e m e n t d e s c r i b i n g h o w t h e s a m p l e p o p u l a t i o n w ill b e s e l e c t e d f o r t h e

s t u d y a n d t h e r e a s o n f o r t h e a p p r o a c h t o s e le c t i o n ;

(iii) a p i l ot s t u d y i n w h i c h t h e r e s e a r c h i n s t r u m e n t s a r e t r i a l e d a n d e v a l u a t e d , a n d a n

a n a l y s i s i s c a r r i e d o u t o f t h e t r i a l d a t a .

(6 ) A se c t i o n w h i c h h i g h l i g h t s a n y a n t i c ip a t e d p r o b l e m s a n d l i m i t a ti o n s i n t h e p r o p o s e d

s t u d y i n c l u d i n g t h r e a t s t o r e l ia b i li ty a n d v a l i di ty , a n d h o w t h e s e w i ll b e c o u n t e r e d .

(7 ) A s t a t e m e n t w h i c h i l l u s tr a t e s w h y t h e s t u d y i s s i g n if i c an t ; t h a t is , w h y t h e r e s e a r c h

q u e s t i o n / h y p o t h e s i s is w o r t h i n v e s t ig a t i n g .

(8 ) C o n s i d e r a t i o n o f e t h i c a l i s s u e s i n v o lv e d i n c a r r y i n g o u t t h e r e s e a r c h s u c h a s w h e t h e r

i n f o r m e d c o n s e n t n e e d s t o b e o b t a i n e d , a n d i f s o , h o w t h i s w il l b e d o n e .

(9 ) A p r o p o s e d t a b l e o f c o n t e n t s f o r t h e t h e s i s o r d i s s e r t a ti o n a s a g u i d e t o t h e p o s s i b l e

s c a l e a n d s h a p e o f t h e f i n a l p i e c e o f w r i t t e n w o r k .

(1 0) A l i st o f r e f e r e n c e s w h i c h r e l a t e to t h e p r o p o s a l. T h e s e s h o u l d r e f l e c t t h e d e t a i l a n d

o r g a n i s a t i o n o f t h e r e f e r e n c i n g s y s t e m r e q u i r e d b y t h e p a r t i c u l a r i n s t it u t i o n w h e r e t h e

p r o p o s a l i s b e i n g p r e s e n t e d .

( 11 ) A p p e n d i c e s (i f a p p r o p r i a t e ) w h i c h c o n t a i n a n y m a t e r i a l t h a t w i ll b e u s e d o r a d a p t e d f o r

t h e s t u dy , i n c l u d i n g a n y p e r m i s s i o n t h a t m i g h t n e e d t o b e o b t a i n e d t o u s e it.

t hat t h i s sec t ion o f t he proposa l need not be as ext ens ive as what mig ht be

wri t ten for a f inal thes is or dissertat ion. I t does , however , s t i l l need to

h igh l ight t he main i s sues ra i sed in prev ious re l evant re search as we l l as

lead to the rea son for the particular s tudy be in g p ropo sed. Tha t is , it shou ld

lead the reader t o the gap in t he re search t hat nee ds t o be exp lored ( Swale s

1990) . T he l it erature review, thus , sh ould provide the rea der with an over-

vie w of the s tate of kn ow led ge in the particular area o f invest igat ion and o f

major quest ions in the part icular area. Reports on studies direct ly related

t o t he proposed re search need t o be d i scussed in more de t a i l , inc lud ing

inf ormat ion about t he met hodolog ica l approach used , dat a co l l e c t ed and

analys is of the data. Students are also rem inded of the n eed to cr it ical ly

evaluate the se s tudies , rather than just prese nt ing factual informat ion abou t

them . T he review of re levant back groun d l it erature, thus , nee ds to desc r ibe

t he prev ious re search , and t he re su l t s o f t hat re search , in such a wa y as t o

indicate w he re the present propo sal i s s ituated .


6/10

6 6

B . P a l t r i d g e

T A B L E 3

T h e s i s P r o p o s a l s S t r u ct u r e a n d P u r p o s e

Stage urpose

T i t le o f t h e s t u d y

S u m m a r y o f t h e r e s e a r c h

O v e r a l l p u r p o s e o f th e

r e s e a r c h

R e l e v a nt b a c k g r o u n d

l i t e r a t u r e

H y p o t h e s i s to b e t e s t e d o r

r e s e a r c h q u e s t i o n s

O p e r a t i o n a l d e f i n i ti o n s

R e s e a r c h m e t h o d o l o g y

A n t i c ip a t ed p r o b l e m s a n d

l i m i t a ti o n s o f t h e s t u d y

S i g n i fi c a n c e o f t h e r e s e a r c h

R e s o u r c e s r e q u i r e d

P r o p o s e d t a b l e o f c o n t e n t s

E t h i c a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n s

B i b l i o g r a p h y

A p p e n d i x

T o s y n t h e s i s e i n a f e w w o r d s w h a t t h e r e s e a r c h w i ll fo c u s o n .

T o p r e s e n t a s t a t e m e n t o f t h e r e s e a r c h w h i c h s u m m a r i s e s

w h a t w ill b e e x a m i n e d , h o w i t w ill b e e x a m i n e d a n d w h y i t is

w o r t h e x a m i n i n g .

T o p r e s e n t a d e ta i l e d s t a t e m e n t o f t h e a i m s a n d o b j e c ti v e s

o f t h e r e s e a r c h .

T o d e m o n s t r a t e t h e r e l a ti o n s h ip b e t w e e n t h e p r o p o s e d

r e s e a r c h a n d w h a t h a s a l r e a d y b e e n d o n e i n t h e a r e a.

T o p r o v i d e a s t a t e m e n t o f e x a c t l y w h a t t h e r e s e a r c h w ill

exp lo re .

T o s t a t e e x a c tl y w h a t i s m e a n t b y t h e k e y t e r m s a n d

c o n s t r u c t s e m p l o y e d i n t h e p r o p o s a l.

T o g i v e a d e t a i l e d d e s c r ip t i o n o f h o w t h e r e s e a r c h

q u e s t i o n ( s ) w ill b e a n s w e r e d a n d t h e s t e p s t h e r e s e a r c h

w ill m o v e t h r o u g h i n o r d e r t o d o t h i s.

T o s h o w a n a w a r e n e s s o f t h e l i m i t a t i o n s o f t h e s t u d y a n d

w h a t p r o b l e m s m a y b e i n v o l v e d i n c a r r y i n g i t o u t .

T o p r o v i d e a n a r g u m e n t f o r w h y t h e r e s e a r c h i s w o r t h

c a r r y i n g o u t .

T o a n t i c i p a te w h a t r e s o u r c e s w i l l b e r e q u i r e d f o r t h e

r e s e a r c h a n d h o w t h e s e m i g h t b e o b t a i n e d a n d f u n d e d .

T o g i v e a n o v e r v i e w o f t h e s c a l e a n d p o s s i b l e o r g a n i s a t i o n

o f t h e f i n a l r e s e a r c h r e p o r t .

T o s t a t e h o w i s s u e s s u c h a s c o n f i d e n ti a l it y a n d i n f o r m e d

c o n s e n t w i ll b e d e a l t w i t h i n t h e s t u dy .

T o p r o v i d e d e t a il e d r e f e r e n c e s a n d b i b l i o g r a p h i c s u p p o r t f o r

t h e p r o p o s a l .

T o p r o v id e e x a m p l e s o f m a t e r i a ls t h a t m i g h t b e u s e d o r

a d a p t e d f o r t h e s t u d y.

Thes i s xpec ta t ions

A q u e s t io n w h i c h i s c o m m o n l y a s k e d b y s t u d e n t s is w h a t i s e x p e c t e d o f

a p i e c e o f r e s e a r c h a t t h e p a r t ic u l a r l e v e l a t w h i c h t h e y a r e c a r r y i n g i t o u t ;

t h a t i s, in w h a t w a y a M a s t e r ' s t h e s i s i s d i f fe r e n t, f o r e x a m p l e , f r o m a d o c t o r a l

t h e s is ? T h i s i s n o t a l w a y s an e a s y q u e s t i o n t o a n s w e r a s t h is m a y v a r y fr o m

u n i v e r s it y t o u n iv e r si ty , f r o m d e p a r t m e n t t o d e p a r t m e n t a n d f r o m p r o g r a m

t o p r o g r a m . A s a n i n i t i a l s t e p i n h e l p i n g s t u d e n t s f i n d a n a n s w e r t o t h i s

q u e s t i o n , t h e y a r e , f ir s t o f a ll, d i r e c t e d t o t h e s e c t i o n s in M a d s e n (1 99 2:

3 - 5 ) a n d P r e e c e ( 1 9 9 4 : 1 8 9 - 1 9 3 ) w h e r e t h i s q u e s t i o n i s d i s c u s s e d i n d e t a i l .

T h e y a r e t h e n d i r e c t e d t o u n i v e r s i t y a n d d e p a r t m e n t a l g u i d e l i n e s a n d

d e s c r i p t io n s f o r t h e r e s e a r c h c o m p o n e n t o f t h e p a r t ic u l a r d e g r e e t h e y a r e

u n d e r t a k i n g . S t u d e n t s b r i n g t h e s e d e s c r i p t i o n s t o c l a s s , a n d d i s c u s s a n d

c o m p a r e t h e m i n d e ta i l. S t u d e n t s l o o k , in p a r ti c u la r , f o r s t a t e m e n t s o f m i ni-

m u m ( an d m a x i m u m ) w o r d le n g t h , le v e l o f o r ig i n al it y a n d c o n t r ib u t i o n to

k n o w l e d g e r e q u i r e d o f t h e m f o r t h e p a r ti c u la r p i e c e o f r e s e a r c h t h e y a r e

u n d e r t a k in g . E a c h o f t h e s e p o i n t s is i m p o r t a n t f o r s t u d e n t s t o c o n s i d e r a s

t h e y h a v e a d i re c t b e a r i n g u p o n t h e s c o p e a n d f o c u s o f t h e r e s e a r c h t h e y


7/10


a r e p r e p a r i n g t o u n d e r t a k e a n d , i n t u r n , t h e p r o p o s a l t h e y a r e w r i t i n g i n

p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h a t r e s e a r c h .

W r it in g I n d iv i d u a l T h e s i s P r o p o s a l s

T h e f in a l s e c t i o n o f t h e p r o g r a m f o c u s e s o n t h e p l a n n i n g a n d w r i t in g o f

i n d i v id u a l t h e s i s p r o p o s a l s . T h e t e a c h e r , f i r s t o f a ll, p r o v i d e s s t u d e n t s w i t h

t h e a b s t ra c t , a n d k e y t a b l e s an d f i g u r e s f r o m t h e m e t h o d o l o g y s e c t i o n o f a

p i e c e o f r e s e a r c h r e le v a n t t o t h e i n t e r e s t s o f t h e p a r ti c u la r g r o u p o f s t u d e n t s .

S t u d e n t s t h e n , i n p a i r s o r g r o u p s , p l a n t h e w r i ti n g o f a p r o p o s a l fo r t h e

p a r t i c u la r p i e c e o f r e s e a r c h , r e f e r r in g a s t h e y g o t o th e s t r u c t u r e f o r t h e s i s

p r o p o s a l s t h e y i d e n ti fi e d e a rl ie r in th e p r o g r a m , a n d t h e s u m m a r y o f p u r p o s e

a n d s t a g e s o f t h e t e x t ( s e e T a b l e 3 ) . O n c e s t u d e n t s h a v e w r it te n a g r a d u a l

a p p r o x im a t i o n o f t h e t h e s i s p r o p o s a l, a tt e n ti o n t h e n t u r n s t o t h e i r o w n w o r k

i n p r o g r e s s . F i rs t, s t u d e n t s b r a i n s t o r m t h e i r p r o p o s a l, f o c u s i n g o n t h e a r e a s

t h a t n e e d t o b e a d d r e s s e d i n e a c h s e c t i o n o f t h e t e x t. T h e y t h e n w r i t e a

r o u g h d r a ft o f t h e p r o p o s a l b a s e d o n t h e s e w o r k i n g n o t e s . S t u d e n t s p r e s e n t

t h e s e d r a ft p r o p o s a l s t o t h e r e s t o f t h e c la s s, a n d i nv i te c o m m e n t s a n d

s u g g e s t i o n s o n h o w t h e y m i g h t d e v e l o p t h e i r p r o p o s a l s f u r t h e r . F i n a l l y ,

s t u d e n t s u s e t h i s o u t l i n e a n d t h e n o t e s t h e y h a v e t a k e n t h r o u g h o u t t h e

p r o g r a m , t o d e v e l o p p r o p o s a l s f o r t h e i r o w n i n d i v i d u a l t h e s e s . S t u d e n t s , a t

t h i s p o i n t , a r e a l s o d i r e c t e d t o f u r t h e r r e a d i n g o n t h e p a r t i c u l a r a p p r o a c h ,

o r a p p r o a c h e s , t o r e s e a r c h t h e y w i ll e m p l o y i n th e i r s t u d y .

v a l u a t io n o f t h e P r o g r a m

A n i m p o r t a n t f i na l s t a g e o f t h e s e s e s s i o n s i s t h e e v a lu a t io n o f t h e p r o g r a m .

I n t h e i r r e s p o n s e t o a r e c e n t d e l i v e ry o f t h e p r o g r a m , a ll s t u d e n t s a g r e e d

t h a t t h e y f o u n d t h e p r o g r a m i n t e r e s t i n g a n d u s e f u l . T h e y a l s o s t a t e d t h a t

t h e y w e r e n o w b e t t e r a w a r e o f w h a t i s i n v o lv e d in c a r r y in g o u t a r e s e a r c h

p r o j e c t a n d f e lt b e t t e r p r e p a r e d f o r w r i ti n g t h e i r t h e s i s p r o p o s a l. T h e s e

e v a l u a ti o n s a ls o h i g h l ig h t e d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f p l a ci n g t h e p r o g r a m w i t h in

t h e c o n t e x t o f p a r t ic u l a r fa c u l t ie s ' o r d e p a r t m e n t s ' r e s e a r c h a n d s u p e r v i s i o n

i n t e re s t s . T h a t i s, t h e p r o g r a m n e e d s t o n o t o n l y p r o v i d e s t u d e n t s w i t h

d i re c t io n i n h o w t o p r e p a r e f o r r e s e a r c h , b u t a l so n e e d s t o i n fo r m t h e m o f

t h e p a r t ic u l ar a r e a s i n w h i c h r e s e a r c h s u p p o r t is av a il ab l e t o t h e m s o t h e y

c a n m a t c h t h e i r r e s e a r c h i n t e r e s t s w i t h t h e i n t e r e s t s a n d s u p e r v i s i o n c a p ac i t-

i e s o f t h e p a r ti c u la r d e p a r t m e n t in w h i c h t h e y a r e s t u d y in g . A n o t h e r p o i n t

w h i c h h a s a r i se n f r o m t h e s e e v a l u a ti o n s is t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t im i n g t h e

d e l iv e r y o f t h e p r o g r a m i n c o n s i d e r a t io n o f s t u d e n t s ' o t h e r w r i ti n g c o m -

m i t m e n t s . T h a t i s , a s m u c h a s s t u d e n t s m a y w i s h t o a tt e n d t h e c o u r s e , th e y

m a y fi nd t h e m s e l v e s h a v i n g to c h o o s e b e t w e e n t h is a n d m e e t i n g o t h e r m o r e

i m m e d i a t e a n d p r e s s i n g a c a d e m i c d e a d l i n e s . It i s, t h e r e f o r e , i m p o r t a n t t h a t

t h e p r o g r a m b e o f fe r ed to s t u d e n t s a t a ti m e w h e n t h e y a r e m o s t a b l e to

a t tend, and prof i t , f rom i t .


8/10

6 8 B. Pal tr idge

o n c l u s i o n

T h i s a r ti c le h a s d e s c r i b e d t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f a p r o g r a m w h i c h a i m s t o

h e l p E S L s t u d e n t s p r e p a r e f o r t h e s i s a n d d i s s e r t a t i o n w r i t i n g b y f o c u s i n g

o n t h e t h e s is p r o p o sa l a s a n i m p o r t a n t p a rt o f t h a t p r o c e s s e s. T h e p r o g r a m

f o c u s e s , in p a r ti c u la r , o n t h e s t r u c t u r e , p u r p o s e a n d c o n t e n t o f t h e s i s

p r o p o s a ls . A s G o d s e n ( 1 9 9 1) a r g u e s , i n a d i s c u s s i o n o f q u e s t i o n s o f c o s t

a n d b e n e f i t o f p r e p a r i n g E S L s t u d e n t s f o r r e s e a r c h , w r i t in g a ct iv i ti e s s u c h

a s t h e s i s a n d d i s s e r t a t i o n w r i t i n g c a n b e a s p r i n g b o a r d f o r E S L s t u d e n t s

f r o m b e i n g s t u d e n t s - i n - t r a i n i n g t o b e i n g s t u d e n t - r e s e a r c h e r s a n d b e y o n d .

T h e a c q u i s i t io n o f a s k il l s u c h a s w r i t in g a t h e s i s p r o p o s a l , t h u s , c a n a l s o b e

p a r t o f t h e a c q u i s i t i o n o f a m o r e s i g n i f ic a n t li f e lo n g s k ill; t h a t i s, p r e p a r i n g

t o c a r r y o u t r e s e a r c h i n t h e b r o a d e r a c a d e m i c a n d / o r s c ie n ti fi c c o m m u n i t i e s

o f w h i c h m a n y o f t h e m m i g h t u l t im a t e l y w i s h t o b e c o m e p a r t.

Revised version received M arch 1996)

R E F E R E N E S

B e l c h e r , D . ( 1 9 9 4 ) . T h e a p p r e n t i c e s h i p a p p r o a c h t o a d v a n c e d a c a d e m i c

l i t e r a c y : G r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s a n d t h e i r m e n t o r s . En glish for Specif ic

Purposes, 13, 23-34.

C a s a n e a v e , C . P ., & H u b b a r d , P . ( 1 99 3 ). T h e w r i t in g a s s i g n m e n t s a n d w r i t i n g

p r o b l e m s o f d o c t o r a l s t u d e n t s : F a c u l t y p e r c e p t i o n s , p e d a g o g i c a l i ss u e s ,

a n d n e e d e d r e s e a rc h . English fo r Specific Purposes, 11, 33-49.

Davis , G. B. , & Parker , C. A. (1979) . Writing the doctoral dissertation: A

systematic approach. W o o d b u r y , N Y : B a r r o n ' s E d u c a t i o n a l S e ri e s.

D u d l e y - E v a n s , T . (1 9 86 ). G e n r e a n a l y s is : A n i n v e s t i g a t io n o f t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n

a n d d i s c u s s i o n s e c t i o n s o f M S c d i s s e r t a t i o n s . I n M . C o u l t h a r d ( E d .) ,

Talking about text (p p . 12 8- 14 5 ), D i s c o u r s e A n a l y s i s M o n o g r a p h s N o 1 3.

E n g l is h L a n g u a g e R e s e a rc h . B i r m i n g h a m : U n i v e r si ty o f B i r m i n g h a m .

D u d l e y - E v a n s , T . (1 9 88 ). O n e - t o - o n e s u p e r v i s i o n o f s t u d e n t s w r i t in g M S c o r

P h D t h e s e s . I n A . B r o o k e s & P . G r u n d y ( E d s .) , Individualisation and

autonomy in lan gu age learning (p p . 1 3 6- 14 1 ). E L T D o c u m e n t s 1 3 1 .

O x f o rd : M o d e m E n g l i s h P u b l ic a t io n s .

D u d l e y - E v a n s , T . (1 9 89 ). A n o u t l i n e o f t h e v a l u e o f g e n r e a n a l y s i s in L S P

w o r k . I n C . L a u r e n & M . N o r d m a n ( E d s. ), Special language: From hum ans

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