How to Write a Great Thesis - VU

8/18/2019 How to Write a Great Thesis - VU

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WRITE A GREAT THESIS

How to

1

MSc Finance: February 26, 13.30-14.15, 2A-00MSc BA - Financial Manae!ent : February 26, 14.30-15.15, 2A-00

"r. Ar#en Sie!ann


2/22

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3/22

Aen$a %or to$ay

1. &et orani'e$2. &et a reat re(earc) to*ic

3. Ma+i!i'in t)e *otential ra$e

4. ritin an$ re*ortin

5. Main !o$elin c)oice(

6. "ata an$ lterin/. Be aware o% t)e *lannin %allacy

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4/22

1. &et orani'e$

•

)e(i( *ro*o(al: Secon$ wee o% a*ril & or o-&$eci(ion

• "ea$line: Fri$ay, July 1, 12.00 (noon, mid-day) – Mi((in t)e $ea$line lea$( to a ca* on t)e ra$e o% 6.0

• Secon$ $ea$line: Fri$ay, Auu(t 12, 12.00 %or "H, a**roe$

intern()i*(

• )ere i( no %or!al $e%en(e

•

Aroun$ 7uly 1(t

, a (econ$ rea$er i( a((ine$ ran$o!ly• &ra$e an$ ealuation %or! wit)in two wee(.

• &ra$uation cere!ony: bein ctober, in t)e aula.

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5/22

8now w)ere to et your in%or!ation an$ $ata

•

Acce(( #ournal(9new(*a*er( t)rou) library web(ite: ub.u.nl• Al(o: aca$e!ic.le+i(ne+i(.nl

• ; "atacenter – Bb -< =our(e( -< ;nier(iteit(bibliot)ee ; -<

;B;>"AA=?@;M;B;>>1

• "ata(trea!9@"S9: c)ec out w)at i( aailable

• @M: rea$ t)e t)e(i( !anual

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6/22

;nier(ity library re(ource(

•

nline !aterial %or literature (earc): – "utc): )tt*:99www.ub.u.nl9nl9)ul*-a$ie(9webcur(u((en9in$e+.a(*+

– ?nli(): )tt*:99www.ub.u.nl9en9)el*-a$ice9online-cour(e(9in$e+.a(*+

•

• eriew o% $ataba(e(: – )e library !anae( an account on blacboar$ t)at ie( a oo$

oeriew. Dou )ae to (in u* %or t)e cour(e;B;>"AA=?@;M;B;>>1, w)ic) can be %oun$ a!oncour(e( oEere$ by t)e library.

– iterature (earc)e(: t)e library oEer( a 1) cla(( on Marc) 2n$ at 12.45.G% you are intere(te$ in atten$in t)i( cla((, *lea(e (en$ an e!ail to

#.(c)nit'leru.nl nly (in u* i% you actually inten$ to ()ow u*

6

http://www.ub.vu.nl/nl/hulp-advies/webcursussen/index.aspxhttp://www.ub.vu.nl/en/help-advice/online-courses/index.aspxhttps://bb.vu.nl/webapps/blackboard/execute/courseMain?course_id=_66319_1mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://bb.vu.nl/webapps/blackboard/execute/courseMain?course_id=_66319_1http://www.ub.vu.nl/en/help-advice/online-courses/index.aspxhttp://www.ub.vu.nl/nl/hulp-advies/webcursussen/index.aspx


7/22

2. &et a reat re(earc) to*ic

A Ire(earc) to*icJ i( t)e t)e area in w)ic) you are $eelo*in a

re(earc) *ro*o(al. )e re(earc) *ro*o(al $ea$line early a*ril i(your actual *lan o% wor. G$ea( to et oo$ to*ic(:

1. Start %ro! w)at you now: @ea$ u* %ro! your cour(ewor:*a*er(9(li$e(9a((in!ent an$ write $own (o!e lea$(, i.e., t)in(t)at coul$ be a (tartin *oint to $eelo* a re(earc) *ro*o(al.

2. =o!bine two i$ea(: Many reat t)e(e( )ae co!e %ro! co!binintwo t)eorie( or i$ea( t)at alrea$y e+i(te$, into a new te(table)y*ot)e(i(.

3. =)allene ran$ t)eorie(: Dou learn (o!e t)eorie(, way( o%looin at *roble!( $urin your (tu$ie( =AM, "=F, alue at ri(,lo(( aer(ion, oercon$ence, etc. )in about )ow you coul$

c)allene or te(t t)e! in a new conte+t. ae a Kuantu! lea*.4. Solution( in nee$ o% a *roble! Kuant.: ae a tec)niKue t)at you

lie an$ loo %or *roble!( w)ere you coul$ a**ly t)e tec)niKue.?.., alue at ri(, A@, *ort%olio o*ti!i'ation, $eriatie *ricin.

/


8/22

Hy*ot)e(e( %or!ulation: )e ;

•

Hain a oo$ null )y*ot)e(i( i( o% crucial i!*ortance• Gt i(

– Dour re%erence *oint LG e+*ect t)at...

– A way o% t)inin t)at i( %oun$e$ on *reiou( aca$e!ic n$in( LG%!aret( are eNcient, t)en ...

• Be )eroic: – )e ulti!ate con(eKuence: LG% t)e $i(*o(ition eEect i( real, t)en G

()oul$ n$ ...

– LG% !aret( are eNcient, t)en ...

O


9/22

@e(earc) on Iclou$ (ee$inJ,%ro! t)e F, #une 15 2012 L)e rain!aer(

"an Bree$, an =A@ (cienti(t attac)e$ to t)e (c)e!e (ay( wit) t)eworl$-wearine(( o% )i( tribe, LG $onJt care i% t)e (now%all increa(e(or $ecrea(e(. My real oal i( to !ae (ure t)at we )ae enou)$ata to (ay (o!et)in $enitie about t)e e+*eri!ent. e $onJtwant to (*en$ all t)i( !oney an$ (ay, I&ee, itJ( inconclu(ie.J ewant to be able to $raw conclu(ion(, (cientically ba(e$conclu(ion(, %ro! it.


10/22

3. Ma+i!i'in t)e *otential ra$e

• )e ra$e $e*en$( on !any criteria (ee t)e(i( !anual.

• )at else to $o to !a+i!i'e t)e *otential ra$eP – S)ow u* at !eetin( reco!!en$e$: once eery two9t)ree wee(

– re*are %or a**oint!ent( by (en$in Kue(tion( in a$ance 24 )r(. )e Kue(tion( are (*ecic, an$ you inclu$e in t)e Kue(tion onlyreleant in%or!ation, an$ w)at you $i$ to (ole t)e *roble! your(el%.

– @e(*on$ to %ee$bac in a (!art way

– A( %or %ee$bac LHow a! G $oinP )atJ( t)e bie(t i!*roe!ent G

coul$ !aeP

• )i( $oe(nJt wor: – c)oo(in an ea(y to*ic

co!*are wit) oly!*ic $iin

– (ayin LG want at lea(t a ...(u*eri(or i( not a co-aut)or

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11/22

4. ritin an$ re*ortin

a. u!ber o% *ae(b. ritin

c. iterature reiew

$. ay-out

e. Aoi$ *laiari(!

11


12/22

a. u!ber o% *ae(

• A( ()ort a( *o((ible but not ()orter

• Hain too !uc) can be cau(e$ by – "eriin t)e S)ar*e ratio

– A**en$i+ able( 1 to 2/ wit) rere((ion(

– Sinle an$ !ulti*le rere((ion(

–i(t o% O2/ co!*anie( u(e$ %or t)i( (tu$y

– )e co!*lete 100+100 bino!ial tree

• S)oul$ you ()ow all *o((ible !o$el(9rere((ion(P . ublication bia( e+i(t(, an$we now it, (o $onJt bot)er. @e*ort only w)at i( re!arable.• 9rQR!TUbUl9: ort)y o% attention. ort) !ain a re!ar about

• 8ill your $arlin(.

• y*ically: 30 V 50 *ae(.

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13/22

b. ritin

• LA writer i( (o!eone %or w)o! writin i( !ore $iNcult t)an it i(

%or ot)er *eo*le )o!a( Mann

• =oc)rane: writin ti*( %or )" (tu$ent( – =olleaue: LG can (ee it w)en t)ey )ae rea$ it

• arara*)in: Stic to one i$ea *er *arara*) – Be(t *ractice: eac) *arara*) (tart( wit) a to*ical (entence

– Aoi$ *arara*) (*rawl: "ire((ion( an$ $eiation( in t)e %or! o%irreleant $etail( or ()i%t( in %ocu(

• u*on reKue(t "o not co*y ab(tract(

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14/22

c. @ecurrin *roble!( wit) a literature reiew: no clear!e((ae.

14

• )at woul$ you lie to rea$ your(el%P

• )at are t)e bi i$ea( or i!*ortant re(ult(P &rou* t)e! an$ u(e one

*arara*) %or one i$ea.


15/22

$. ay-out 9 i(ual Kuality o% t)e t)e(i(

Botto!-line: ()ow t)at you can tae t)e *er(*ectie o% t)e rea$er

A**ly con(i(tent (tyle(, %or!attin an$ (*ell-c)ec to eery *iecet)at you )an$ in

• able(: tae care o% no. o% $eci!al(, col9row na!e(, ca*tion an$

title above• Fiure: BW, a+e( label(, leen$, title, ca*tion an$ title belo

• ay-out i( *art o% t)e a((e((!ent

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16/22

e. Aoi$ laiari(!

• laiari(!: LA erbati! co*y o% te+t wit)out Kuotin t)e (ource – Gnclu$e( *ara*)ra(in by ()i%tin (o!e wor$( bac an$ %ort)

• G% t)e Sa%ea((in!ent (core i( too )i) an$ *laiari(! i( $etecte$,

you will be re%erre$ to t)e e+a!ination boar$ –

o((ible *uni()!ent: (tart oer, co!e bac ne+t year, etc.

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17/22

5. Main !o$elin c)oice( %or *ara!eter(9ariable(

• ara!eter c)oice( –

)at $i(count rate to u(e %or !y "=FP – )at X to *ic %or tran(action co(t(P

– )at ri( aer(ion *ara!eterP

– )ic) ri(-%ree rateP

– )ic) ariable( to inclu$e in !y rere((ionP

– )at leel o% tran(action co(t( in !y ine(t!ent !o$elP

• y*ical a**roac)e( to !ae !o$elin c)oice(

1. ry (eeral a**roac)e( an$ !ea(ure t)e eEect

2. Sole t)e reer(e *roble!: %or w)at !o$elin c)oice $o you etcertain outco!e(P

1/


18/22

6. "ata an$ lterin

• Sa!*le (election i!e *erio$, nu!ber o% co!*anie(, etc. – =on(i$er it a( a re(triction rat)er t)an a c)oice

–Mae a (e*arate, (i!*le lo le w)ere you note (election(, e..,

• "elete$ ob(eration( wit) a((et (i'e Y 1 !ln

• "elete ob(. wit) neatie eKuity

– ater on, write it $own in your "ata (ection lie• L)e %ollowin lter( are a**lie$: b(eration( wit) neatie eKuity or a((et

(i'e below Z1 !ln are $elete$ L

•

&ien t)e oriinal nu!ber o% ob(, an$ t)e nal nu!ber a%ter lterin

• A L)acer( !entality i( (o!eti!e( nee$e$: G cannot et w)at G

want, but !aybe G can wor wit) w)at G can et. – =reatiity t)at can aEect your ra$e in a *o(itie way

• A oo$ table o% $e(cri*tie (tati(tic( early on can (ae you a lot

o% )ea$ac)e(

1O


19/22

/. Be aware o% t)e *lannin %allacy

1


20/22

• So!e i$ea(: – rite $own i!*ortant $ate( in your aen$a

– Stic to $ea$line( re(earc) *ro*o(al, initial re(ult(, $ra%t

–Set *rioritie( no )oli$ay( in a*ril9!ay9#une

– G$enti%y no-reret ty*e( o% wor an$ $o t)e! early on• Settin u* a re%erencin (y(te! )o!(on ?n$note, [otero, etc.

• &o to t)e "atacenter early on February or Marc) an$ n$ out w)at i( aailablee+actly.

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21/22

ritin a reat t)e(i( V )e Moie

A %ew ()ort !oie(, wit) re(earc) an$ writin ti*(.=)ec out t)e t)e(i( *ae on Blacboar$ in t)e

co!in wee(.

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22/22

\ue(tion(

1. How are (u*eri(or( a((ine$P

2. =an G (tart now, an$ ni() in t)e (econ$ roun$P (e*te!ber

3. How $o G co!bine t)e t)e(i( wit) an intern()i*P

4. "oe( a oo$ t)e(i( ra$e )el* wit) n$in a #obP "oe( it )urt i% G!e(( u*P

5. )at i% !y re(earc) re(ult( are ba$P

6. )at i% !y oriinal i$ea $oe(nJt worP

/. )at i% !y co!*uter co$e i( wron an$ G canJt n$ t)e errorP

O. )at i% G et (tucP

. )at i% !y (u*eri(or $oe( not an(wer )i(9)er e!ailP

10.S)oul$ G !ini!i'e t)e nu!ber o% a**oint!ent( wit) !y(u*eri(orP

11.

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How to Write a Great Thesis - VU