College of Engineering Writing & Communication Resource Center

Transcription

1 Cllege f Engineering Writing & Cmmunicatin Resurce Center 1250 BELLFLOWER BLVD. LONG BEACH, CA VIVIAN ENGINEERING CENTER 128B MS Thesis/Prject Wrkshp Handut The Scpe/Abstract The Abstract What? An abstract is a summary f yur thesis, s it must include the mst imprtant elements f yur thesis, such as why, hw, what. Why? Abstracts are imprtant because they infrm prspective readers the main pints f yur wrk. Because f this, it is imprtant t write yur abstract fr a wide audience Within yur abstract, it is imprtant t remember t include the fllwing: Backgrund Methds and Results Cnclusin The Abstract Must Include: Well-develped paragraphs An intrductin, bdy, cnclusin structure Chrnlgically fllws the reprt Is readable t a wide audience Abstract Backgrund/Intrductin This sectin is an intrductin f the study. It shuld include the gals f yur prject and backgrund infrmatin that yur reader shuld knw. In yur intr, yu need the fllwing: A hk: catchers the reader s attentin Backgrund inf: infrms the reader f yur tpic Abstract: Methds/Results r Bdy Fr the bdy yu will write abut what yu have discvered r claim t have discvered. In this sectin yu will explain the methds yu used in the rder that they appear in yur reprt. In the bdy, yu will need the fllwing: Methds: specific techniques taken Results: what yu discvered The Abstract: Cnclusin

2 The cnclusin is a quick summary abut what yur abstract has already claimed. It shuld be as clear and cncise as pssible. In yur cnclusin, yu shuld include the fllwing: Cnclusin: summarizes what yu fund r claim t have fund in yur general tpic. The Abstract: What t Avid referencing r citing ther wrks the passive vice adding new infrmatin lnger than 400 wrds using wrds that are uncmmn The Literature Review What is it? A Literature Review is the crucial first step t writing yur thesis/prpsal. It Fcuses n a particular area f research and questin/issue yu wish t address. Narrws in n cntent t cncentrate nly n truly relevant materials. Cntains a thesis r statement f purpse. Why is a Literature Review Necessary? It Places yur area f research in the academic cntext by shwing that there are gaps in knwledge in yur field that merit a clser investigatin. Demnstrates yur wrk hasn't been previusly dne, ensuring yur intellectual cntributin is indeed riginal - the white space Demnstrates a critical apprach t schlarship. Shw yu have analyzed and critiqued the theries r methdlgies in the field and that yu knw the main arguments related t yur tpic. Describes the existing r relevant literature n a tpic and reflects a critical analysis f this research. It is nt a cmprehensive list f bks and articles pertaining t a particular discipline r field f inquiry. Demnstrates that yu've read extensively in yur field, have a thrugh cmprehensin f yur field, and are capable f intelligently and knwledgeably critiquing thers' wrk. Why is a Literature Review Necessary? A Literature Review: Places yur area f research in the academic cntext by shwing that there are gaps in knwledge in yur field that merit a clser investigatin. Demnstrates yur wrk hasn't been previusly dne, ensuring yur intellectual cntributin is indeed riginal - the white space/

3 Demnstrates a critical apprach t schlarship. Shw yu have analyzed and critiqued the theries r methdlgies in the field and that yu knw the main arguments related t yur tpic. What des a Literature Review D? The review traditinally prvides a histrical verview f the thery and the research literature, with a special emphasis n the literature specific t the thesis tpic. It serves as well t supprt the argument/prpsitin behind yur thesis, using evidence drawn frm authrities r experts in yur research field. Yur review f the literature may be stand-alne, r embedded in the discussin, r segmented int a series f chapters n several tpics Fr this, discuss with yur advisr which methd wuld best suit yur tpic and yur argument. It is pssible that yu will use a cmbinatin f bth in rder t accurately and persuasively cmmunicate yur thesis. The review must be shaped by a fcus n key areas f interest, including research which prvides a backgrund t the tpic. It shuld als be selective. A cmmn mistake in writing the review is t cmment n everything yu have read regardless f its relevance. In yur writing it is useful t think f the review as a funnel - start wide with the verview and then quickly narrw int discussing the research that relates t yur specific tpic. Hw t Perfrm a Literature Review: 1. Create a Wrking Bibligraphy/Literature search Determine the available materials (what is ut there?) The mst effective way t d this is t utilize the search engines in the library s engineering databases and search the key terms related t yur tpic. Prepare a preliminary list f bks and articles t research Create a wrking bibligraphy where yu will recrd the infrmatin which is mst relevant t yur tpic. 2. Obtain the materials and read them carefully During the review prcess, these key questins will help shape yur argument: What is the current state f the field? What have thers dne/published? Is the material frm a primary r secndary surce? (issues n bjectivity, bias) What is missing frm the literature? What are the strengths and weaknesses f evidence btained frm the literature?

4 Did the authr clearly state the research questin? What are the key cmpnents f the research design? Did the authr(s) use the methds and techniques apprpriately? Culd ther research designs have been used t study the same questin? Wuld they have been better? Hw wuld the evidence be different? What did the results shw? Did it cntribute twards the imprvement f engineering practice? 3. Select apprpriate methd t answer research questin Based n the research yu have gathered and the areas yu have identified as lacking, that will enable yu t develp yur methdlgy/apprach t yur research. What is a Methdlgy/Evidence? Deals with a set r sets f rules and/r prcedure used t attain yur stated bjectives. A methdlgy is nt necessarily the same as yur wn methds. Yur methdlgy shuld link back t yur literature review and explain why yu chse yur methds and the basis f yur chice. Apprpriateness depends n yur research questin r prblem statement. The methdlgy shuld be a plan t set ut what yu want t d. Methds vs Methdlgy: Methds: Questinnaires Interviews Lab experimentatin Pht/vide dcumentatin Remte sensing Simulatins Methdlgy: Qualitative, quantitative, r mix f bth. Thrugh a literature survey Data cllectin and sampling Data analysis Qualitative: mre descriptive apprach that is investigative, ethngraphic (peple/culture), r anthrplgical. Can lead t new insights r understandings f a subject. It is perfrmed with decisin trees and cmparative analysis. Usually time cnsuming, and nt very cmmn in scientific fields (engineering). Quantitative: deals with numerical methds, statistics, numerical mdels, and cst/benefit analyses. It is usually mre challenging, especially, if a new methd is being used fr the analysis. The methdlgy is mre bjective with hard data.

5 Cnclusin General and specific The cnclusin synthesizes the intrductin and bdy paragraphs by sandwiching bth general pints examined and specific pints explred in the bdy paragraphs. The cnclusin re-states, in summary, all f the main pints. Reinfrce salient pints N new infrmatin shuld be intrduced in the cnclusin since this is the frum designed t re-capitulate the bdy paragraphs after all discussin is cmplete. Avid general afterthughts r fluff. Yu shuld reinfrce ideas expressed in the paper and leave the reader(s) with a clear idea f what the paper discussed. Include key ideas the audience shuld d r take away. Start with yur main pint. If yu stated it in the intrductin, restate the main pint mre fully. D nt restate wrd-fr-wrd. Add a new significance r applicatin. After stating yur pint, say why it s significant. Imagine the reader asking, S what? r Why shuld anybdy care? Synthesize, dn t summarize yur mst salient pints. Dn t repeat the same pints ver again, but rather shw hw the pints yu made fit with yur examples r data yu cllected t lead t yur insights. Prvide recmmendatins r areas fr further study. Give ut recmmendatins r suggestins fr the reader t d if they want t fllw-up n yur research. Is there further need fr research, and if s, hw? Frmatting Frmatting Specifics fr Each Discipline are fund at these links: Civil ASCE; Infrmatin/Quick-Guide-t-Cmmn-Types-f-Referenced-Material/ Cmputer Science IEEE Cmputer Sciety; Electrical IEEE; Mechanical & Aerspace ASME; /prceedings/cnference-publicatins/references?cm_re =Authr%20Guidelines-_- Left%20Navigatin-_-References THE BIG SIX: Imprtant Frmatting Requirements Fnt Style Times Rman Times New Rman Curier Curier New Fnt Size = 12 pint Exceptins:

6 Margins Within a table, fnt style must match text but fnt size may be 10 t 12 pint Within a figure, fnt style is unrestricted and fnt size must be legible Within the appendices, fnt style and fnt size are unrestricted 1 ½ inch left margin is used thrughut the manuscript 1 inch bttm and right margins are used thrughut the manuscript 1 inch tp margin is used fr mst pages f the manuscript 2 inch tp margin is used fr the first page f the sectins listed n the right The easiest way t create a 2 inch tp margin is t space dwn frm the existing 1 inch tp margin. Hit ENTER key 3 times (using duble line spacing) r 5 times (using single line spacing) fr the extra inch f blank space Spacing Within the Text Within the text f the abstract, acknwledgements and all chapters, use tw (2) spaces after punctuatin at the end f sentences; cmmnly this is a perid, but it culd be a questin mark r exclamatin mark Als, tw (2) spaces are required after clns in text, titles r subheads This rule des nt apply t citatins in ftntes r references list This rule requirement may change fr Spring 2016 submissins. Paragraph Frmat Requirements All text shuld be frmatted as paragraphs with cnsistent indentatin fr the first line and left justificatin nly Bullet pints are nt allwed Numbered items use paragraph frmat with NO unifrm left indentatin Frmat Numbered Items Like Paragraphs 1. Micrsft Wrd autmatically frmats numbered items with unifrm left indentatin. 2. The University Guidelines Manual requires paragraph frmat. 3. University Guidelines Manual wins! Indent the first line f each item, including the number, like a paragraph, and start all ther lines at the left margin. Unifrm Duble Line Requirements Unifrm spacing between lines f text with n extra blank space between paragraphs r befre and after titles and subheads. T create unifrm duble line spacing, select text abve and belw the gap in the text. Then click n the Page Layut tab and click n the little arrw underneath the spacing settings t bring up the Paragraph dialg bx. (Figure 1)

7 In the Paragraph dialg bx, set Line spacing t Duble and set the Spacing bxes (marked Befre and After) t 0 pt. (Figure 2) Frmatting Page Number Requirements Page numbers are centered at the bttm f the page and psitined just abve the ne inch bttm margin. T change the psitin f page numbers, g t the Insert tab and click n Fter. Then click n Edit Fter near the bttm f the dialg bx. A new menu bar, Header & Fter Tls, will appear at the tp f the screen. Lk fr the Fter frm Bttm setting and change setting t 0.9 inch. Cmmn Frmatting Errrs Each department has a difference citatin style. Fr example Civil Engineers use ASCE and Electrical Engineers use IEEE. (Links fund n handut). A page with text must be full f text. A blank space cannt be left at the bttm f a page f text because a figure r table is t big t fit in that space. Instead, text that fllws the table r figure shuld be mved up t fill that empty space. When using numbers in brackets t cite surces, the citatins are numbered in the rder that that surce if first cited. That is, [1] shuld be the first bracketed number in the text. The bracketed numbers cannt be used as if they are wrds in the sentence. Fr example: An imprtant discvery was made by [1]. INCORRECT An imprtant discvery was made by Watts [1]. CORRECT NEED MORE HELP? Cntact the Writing & Cmmunicatin Resurce Center Directr: Maryam Qudrat, Ph.D. - maryam.qudrat@csulb.edu Graduate Assistants: Shn Ck - shn.ck@gmail.cm Danielle Dirksen - danielle.dirksen@iclud.cm Beatriz Villa - bea.villa@live.cm Vivian Reed, Thesis/Dissertatin Office - Vivian.Reed@csulb.edu Hema Ramachandran, Engineering Librarian - Hema.Ramachandran@csulb.edu Fr submissin questins: lib-thesis@csulb.edu