What the Proposal Must Contain:
(a) TITLE PAGE (can be a preliminary title)
Annotated Outline
This is like a table of contents with explanations between the headings. Inside this Annotated Outline, you will place (using your own sub-headings) the following sections:
(b) INTRODUCTION:
The Main Research Question
Sub-Questions
(c) BODY OF THE THESIS:
The Context (explain why you choose the subject and what you expect to learn)
The literature review for the Proposal (see below for explanation)
The Problem Statement (see below for explanation)
(d) CONCLUSION:
What kind of findings do you expect from your research?
How will you know that you found/learned what you have expected?
Organization of the Thesis
The Thesis will be organised according as shown below.
Parts 1 to 8 must be included in the final version of the Thesis while Part 9 (Annexes, Addendums) is optional.
Part 1: Title page and Table of Contents
Part 2: Abstract/Executive Summary, Table of Abbreviations; other pages before the Introduction, such as Acknowledgements, are also placed here.
Part 3: Introduction (chapter) to the Thesis (minimum one page). This must contain your main research question (or hypothesis) and say what the thesis intents to do as well as what the value provided by final outcome or research findings.
Part 4:The Literature Review (a minimum of 12 pages) and the theoretical explanation of Research Design/Approach (a minimum of 5 pages). This part can be in one or two chapters or sections.
Part 5: This is the main body of core and in-depth research (information, data and reports learned from the work of other researchers and practitioners). This Part can contain any number of chapters or internal divisions. This Part should be developed on the basis of the Steps 6a, 6b and Step 7 as listed above. (This Part 5 can be presented in any number of chapters or sections and there is no limit on the number of pages).
Part 6: The Discussion by the student. This is where the student describes his/her views, opinions, arguments, perspectives, analyses, examinations and discussions that result from the student’s own findings and reflections. This Part can contain any number of chapters or internal divisions. (Part 6 can be presented in any number of chapters or sections and there is no limit on the number of pages).
Part 7: Conclusion (chapter) of the Thesis (minimum one page).
Part 8: Bibliography (or several subject/media bibliographies)
Part 9: Annexes, Addendums.
(The total number of words/pages required for the Thesis, as mentioned below, concerns only Parts 3 to 7. All other Parts will be in addition to the required number of words.)
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Assignment Description
Annotated Outline & Literature Review.
The Annotated Outline includes the description of what needs to be investigated under each potential future chapter or section. These descriptions can be very brief but must contain a logical order for both the future Research and future Discussion showing what research work needs to be carried out.
Also, the Literature Review gives a broad view of what knowledge/investigations already exist in the field. Students demonstrate an understanding of how the thesis topic focus fits in this context of existing knowledge & research.
Core Research & Analytical Discussion
The student shows a clear in-depth understanding on the existing research knowledge and shows personal initiative / creativity for the analysis and discussion.
It is important that the student knows how to proceed with all research phases, that she/he has a clear theoretical design to support them which is well underway and that gathering data (quantitative and /or qualitative) as well as its analysis in a personal discussion has started.
Complete Final Thesis
Clear, logical and thorough presentation and development of the research questions, the reasons for asking then, and the evidence provided to support them.
This Grade is provided, independently, by both the Supervisor and the Second Reader on the basis of an evaluation made according to the Evaluation Table (considering Structure, Depth & Breadth, Content, Innovation, Literature Review, Language, Presentation, and the Degree of Difficulty of the topic/Research).
Formatting/content Guidelines for the Final Thesis
Page size: A4, portrait
Font: Calibri 11,
Alignment: All lines aligned to left margin (not justified)
Line spacing: 1.5
Margins: 2.5cm on left side of page, 2cm right side, and 1.5cm top and bottom.
Page numbering: At the bottom of page, in the middle.
References: Harvard format (either all footnotes style, or in-text parenthetical style).
