Towards best writing a thesis

Prof Ahmed ZeeneldinProfessor of Medical Oncology

NCI, Cairo University2014

Agenda

Prof Topic TimeAhmed Zeeneldin Introduction 5’Rabab Gaafar Review of literature

Discussion20’

Manar Monir MethodsResults

20’

Ahmed Zeeneldin Other sectionsReferencesStyle

15’

Audience Questions and comments 10’

Thesis structure• Title Page• First few pages; numbered in letters (i, ii, iii,...)• CONTENTS with Arabic numbers (1, 2,......)

1. Introduction and Aim of the work2. Review of Literature3. Methods4. Results5. Discussion6. Conclusions7. Recommendations8. English summary9. References10. Appendices (optional)11. Arabic Summary

• Arabic Title Page

Title PageEnglish

1. Exactly as in the protocol2. Full Title in CAPITAL letters with no

abbreviations

3. The degree 4. The candidate and qualifications5. The supervisors and their post6. Faculty/Institute7. University8. Year

Arabic

مثل البروتوكول1.

بحروف كبیرة عنوان البحث2.كامال غیر مختصر

الدرجة العلمیة المقدم لھا3.

الطالب و درجتھ العلمیة4.

المشرفین ووظائفھم5.

المعھد/الكلیة6.

الجامعة7.

السنة8.

First few pages• Numbered in Roman letters (i, ii, iii,...)• Approval sheet of discussion panel• Table of contents with corresponding pages

– Chapters/sections ............................20• Subsections............................................21

• List of tables with corresponding pages• List of figures with corresponding pages• List of abbreviations in alphabetical order (a-z)• Acknowledgment• Abstract

Approval sheetاعتماد لجنة الممتحنین

Acknowledgements

• You thank those who helped you

• List these aspects• Supervisors and others• Has implications in the

publications

Table of contents

• Sections– Subsections

• Corresponding pages• List of figures• List of tables• List of abbreviations

Automatic table of contents in Microsoft word

Learn it via”www.youtube.com”

Abstract

• We will discuss it with the summary at the end

Introduction and Aims• Introduction

– Short opening section (1-2 pages)– Explain clearly why you researched this topic– Summarise any necessary background information– Set the scene that existed at the start of the project – Clearly state your research question

• PICO?• P: population under study• I: Intervention• C: Comparator• O: outcome

– Example”In patients with locally advanced breast cancer, does the addition of celecoxib to standard chemotherapy improve efficacy?

Introduction and Aims• Aim(s)

– Exactly as the protocol– TO + VERB– SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant,

time-bound

– To assess safety and efficacy of (…..) in patients with (…..)

– To assess the prognostic/prdictive value of (…) in (…)– And to calculate the cost/effectiveness– To assess the impact on QoL

Review of LiteratureDiscussion

Prof Rabab GaafarProfessor of Medical Oncology

Methods and Results

Prof. Manar MonirHead of Cancer Epidemiology and

Biostatistics Dept.

Conclusions and recommendations

• Conclusions– Summary of the results

• Recommendations– For routine practice– For improvements– For future research

Conclusions • In conclusion, HCC affects males than females mostly in themiddle-age group. Most patients had chronic HCVinfections and cirrhosis......TACE in the current study produced 25% overallresponse rates that lasted for a median of 12months. The median overall survival was 29months. The median PFS was 12 months. It wasgenerally tolerable with PES being the mostcommon toxicity (90%) and live cell failure beingthe most dangerous.

Recommendations

It is recommended that:• TACE using beads to be the standard practice

at the NCI.• Standard doses of chemotherapeutics rather

than the higher doses be used• MDT be set to discuss all HCC cases• Predictive markers be developed to predict

which patients can benefit from TACE and with the least toxicity

Summary and Abstract

• Both – Reduce a long text to its essential key points – Should be composed after work completion.

• An abstract:– More specialized summary.– Structured summary– Less exhaustive than summary and word-limited

e.g. 500 words and never exceeds a page– Contains key words

Summary and Abstract

Abstract• Structured :IAMRC• Word limit: 250-500 words• Page limit: one page max• One paragraph• Key words

Summary• Non-Structured :• No Word limit• No Page limit 2-3 pages as

needed• More than one paragraph• No Key words• الملخص العربي ھو ترجمة لمعني

الملخص االنجلیزي و لیس ترجمة حرفیة و یراعي استخدام قاموس المصطلحات الطبیة

Abstract and Key words• One page ONLY• Word limit:

200-500• Structured:

– Background– Aims– Methods– Results– Conclusions

• Key words:– 5-6 key words

Examples of summary

English summary• This study was conducted

on # of patients with ........• to ......• They were divided into two

groups. Group 1 received.........

• Key results• ± conclusions• ± recommendations

الملخص العربيمریض # أجریت ھذه الدراسة علي •

.......مصاب ب........وكان الھدف من الدراسة•و قد تم تقسیم المرضي إلي •

..........األولي تلقت . مجموعتین........و قد أظھرت النتائج أن •........و قد استنتجنا أن •........و ننصح •

ترجمة بعض المصطلحات الطبیة

rate نسبة/معدل Median وسیطOverall Response اإلستجابة الكلیة Mean متوسطComplete response اإلستجابة التامة Overall survival البقاء حیاPartial response اإلستجابة الجزئیة Disease free survival البقاء خالیا من المرضStable disease ثبات المرض Progression free survival البقاء خالیا من

ازدیاد المرض /تطورProgressive disease ازدیاد المرض/تطور Relapse free survival البقاء خالیا من إرتجاع

المرض Toxicity سمیة Relapse/recurrence ارتداد/ارتجاعAdverse events العكسیة األحداث Remission ظاھري كمونSide effects الجانبیة اآلثار Predictive factors عوامل تنبؤIncidence rates معدل الحدوث Prognostic factors عوامل تكھنPrevalence rates معدل اإلنتشار

Writing Style and references

طریقة الكتابةWriting Style

• Volume: – MSC: 100 pages– MD: 150 pages– ROL: not more than 1/3

• Margins:– Upper, lower, outer: 3 cm– Inner: 4 cm

• Header of chapter name: optional• Page number: upper right corner• Spacing:

– English: 1.5– Arabic: 2

• Paragraph indents: 7 spaces• Spacing between paragraphs: 2

References

• Why should you reference?– Credit to original authors– Authorize to your work, strengthens your

argument and demonstrates the breadth of your research.

– Verify your sources of information.– Avoid being accused for Plagiarism

Referencing style

• Alphabetical (author and date):– References are arranged in the reference list

alphabetically in an ascending order. No numbers– In-text citations mention author last name and

year. Not numbers– Used in academic writing e.g. Theses

Harvard style

Citation and reference

Breast cancer is the commonestmalignancy in Egyptian females (Zeeneldin etal., 2013). COX-2 expression is encountered in46% of patients (Abdelwahaab et al., 2012).

Reference listAbdelwahaab A (2012) COX2 in Egyptian …….Zeeneldin A (2013) Breast cancer laterality……

Author names

• Citation: surname ONLY – (Zeeneldin, 2014)

• Reference: surname + first name initials ± middle name initials– Zeeneldin A (2014) breast cancer.....– Zeeneldin AA (2014) breast cancer.....

Citing within the text

Artificial intelligence can be defined as the scienceof making machines do things that would requireintelligence if done by men (Minsky, 1968).(Minsky & Sriver, 1968) (Minsky et al., 1968).

According to Striver (2001 p21) “all aspects ofrational thought should be considered to involvesome degree of experimentation” (Striver, 2001)

Citing within the text(alphabetical)

• Rules– include the author’s surname and the year of

publication and also any page numbers if you are quoting from a specific page

– If more than 2[3] authors, give only the first authors surname and initials followed by et al.

– If you state the authors name within your work then just include the date of publication to indicate the work being cited

4 Essential components of a reference

Who (When) What WhereAuthors Year of publication Title (article,

book, book chapter, thesis)

Journal, book, website, thesis. Exact numbers

Zeeneldin A (2012) Breast cancer in Elderly Egyptians

JENCI 13(7):23-29

سھل سھل

Essential componentsWho (authors)

– Surname, initials (Zeeneldin, A [AA])– List all authors without AND– List some followed by et al.

• 6: 5 et al.• 4: 3 et al.

– Be consistent

Essential componentsWhere (source)

Article Journal name Volume Issue pagesBook Edition if not 1st Publisher City pagesBook chapter In -à bookWebsite [online]. Available at: Web address (access date)Thesis Degree thesis Faculty/university

Essential componentsWhere (source)

Article Journal name Volume Issue pagese.g. JENCI. 12(3):27-29Book Edition if not 1st Publisher City pagese.g. 5th ed. Madbooli: Cairo. pp 202-213Book chapter In -à book

In khaled H et al. (eds.) Lymphoma. 2nd ed. Cairo Univ: Cairo. pp 100-160Website [online]. Available at: Web address (access date

[online]. Available at: www.clinicaltrials.gov (access date 20 March, 2014)Thesis Degree Faculty/university

MD Thesis . NCI, Cairo University.

Bibliography(reference list)

• Alphabetical (author and date):– References are arranged in the reference list

alphabetically in an ascending order of author sur. No numbers

Zeeneldin A (2011) …..Zeeneldin A (2012) …..Zeeneldin A (2013a)…….Zeeneldin A (2013b)…….Zeeneldin A, Taha F, ….. (2009)….

Examples

• Book:– Halliday, D., Resnick, R., Walker, J. (2005)

Fundamentals of physics. 7th ed. New York: Wiley. pp 20-50.

• Book chapter:– Murray, A.P. (1999) Fundamental equations of

surface theory. In: Ledermann, W. & Vajda, S. (eds.) Combinatorics and geometry. 2nd ed. Chichester: John Wiley, pp. 23-66.

Examples

• Article: – Kim, H.S. (2007) ‘A new model for communicative

effectiveness of science’. Science Communication, 28(3), pp. 287-313.

• Webpage:– Allen, S. (2007). Referencing: a guide for

University of Liverpool online students [Online]. Available from http://www.liv.ac.uk/library/ohecampus/ref.htm(Accessed 15 August 2007).

Examples

• Thesis– McDonald, L.R. (2005) Assessment of body

composition using magnetic resonance imaging. Ph.D. thesis. University of Liverpool.

Referencing software

• Endnote• Ref manager• Ref works• Zotero• PubMed (my bibliography)• -• -

Appendices (optional)

• Any thing you feel it is worth adding e.g.– Master sheet– questionnaires– Raw results– IRB approval– ICF– A modification of a standard method.

Timing of each section

First:1. Title Page, Arabic Title Page2. Introduction and Aim of the work3. Methods

Second 1. Results

Third:Review of LiteratureDiscussionReferences

Fourth:Conclusions, RecommendationsAppendices (optional)English summary, Arabic Summary, Abstract

Fifth: First few pages; numbered in letters (i, ii, iii,...)i. Acknowledgementsii. Table of Contents with corresponding pagesiii. List of Tables, List of Figures, List of Abbreviations

Sixth:i. Approval sheet

First• Title Page:

English and Arabic

• Introduction & Aims

• Methods

Second• Results

Third• Review of

Literature• Discussion• Reference

s

Fourth• Conclusions,

Recommendations

• Appendices (optional)

• Summary: English and Arabic ,

• Abstract

Fifth• Acknowle

dgements• Table of

Contents• List of

Tables, Figures, Abbreviations

Sixth• Approval

sheet

Timing of each section

Thank YOU