writing skills for doctoral students 2: crafting sections...

Writing Skills for Doctoral Students 2:Crafting Sections, Chapters and the Thesis

Dr Russell Delderfield

Postgraduate Research Skills Adviser

18 March 2017 Resources for doctoral students: blogs.brad.ac.uk/scholarship-skills1

There are a number of options open when writing up the full thesis and good writers know how to handle large texts effectively in order to make reading easier.

This session will:• offer advice on the basics of organising theses• explore chapters and how to break these down clearly• provide tips on how to organise material within individual sections.

Maps to Vitae RDF Domains: A1, A2, A3, B3, & D2.

https://rdfplanner.vitae.ac.uk/user/signin

Today:

1. The shape of a thesis

2. Principles of sub-division

3. The building blocks of argument: critical paragraphs


The absolute basic requirements that the university requires are here: http://www.brad.ac.uk/research/supporting-our-researchers/research-students/completion/



http://www.brad.ac.uk/research/supporting-our-researchers/research-students/completion/



Focus down (Dunleavy 2003: 55)

Image credit: Frazer (no date)



Opening out (Dunleavy 2003: 59)




Compromise (Dunleavy 2003: 61)




(Dunleavy 2003: 50)



CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8



Introductory chapter

Literature review

Methodology Text 1 Text 2 Text 3 Text 4Discussion & Conclusions


• Working as a group (pair, minimum). Answer the following questions:

1. What should a chapter ‘look’ like?

2. Approximately how long should it be?

3. How many sections are permissible?

4. Is there any limits of sub-sections? What are they?

5. How long should the introduction be?

6. How long should the conclusion be?

A ‘standard’ chapter




• 10 000 words

– Min 8000

– Max 12000

• Sections = 4-5 (2000-2500 words)

– Sub-sections = topical paragraph clusters

– Sub-sections = vary but giving every paragraph ‘sub-section status’ is not a good idea.

• Need ‘lead-in’ material and ‘lead-out’ material

A ‘standard’ chapter



• Use headings and subheadings to make your reader’s job easier

• Font size and format should be consistently applied across chapter (and the whole thesis)– Decide (and stick to) styles for 1st-, 2nd- & 3rd order

headings/subheadings.

• Divide the text as evenly as possible

• Try not to use more than four or five main headings in a standard chapter

• Craft headings that reflect your points

Sections



Use headings and subheadings to make your reader’s job easier

e.g. this is the difference between:

“You just haven’t earned it yet, baby”

“The role of self-worth in disorder development”

OR

“Findings”

“Preliminary findings from study 1”

Section headings

• Introductions and conclusions = 200-1000 words

• Key = do intros & conclusions have ‘section’ status

• Lead-in material doesn’t necessarily need labelling as such

• Lead in material includes:

1. Impactful opening element, designed to particularly engage readers

2. Framing text moving the start element to statements re main substantive themes/coverage

3. Signposts (outlining or ‘house-keeping’ re sequence and focus of the main sections.



Impactful openings• Begin by addressing some stimulating aspect or problem

that the chapter engages with.

• Later writing can ‘feed off’ this opening material

• Try focusing on a problem: a puzzle with no obvious explanation

• Try to resist going with a ‘safe’, low-impact option

• Link forward, not back.


(Adapted from Frazer, no date)


Closing a chapter• “Have a clear [obvious] heading: i.e. ‘Conclusion’

• Be a minimum of 2 paragraphs long

• Sound reflective, not repetitive

• Break away from the ending of the previous section and relate to the wider chapter aims and themes

• End positively

• Use paragraph 1 to ‘gather up’ your key points

• Use paragraph 2 to ‘open out’ and briefly consider one or two broader issues

• Perhaps end by linking to one such ‘open issue’ explored by the next chapter.”


(Frazer, no date)



Use the A3 sheet. You have 15 mins.

1. Work with either:a) Your current ideas of how your thesis might be

shaped (early stage)b) You current thesis structure (late stage)

2. Diagram your thesis – this will be harder for some people than

others but is a great way to ‘visualise’ the final thing.

1. Does it ‘fit’ with one of Dunleavy’s models? In what way? If not why not?

2. Talk to the person(s) near you – identify similarities and differences in thesis shape.

Returning to the shape of a thesis



2 broad paragraph types in scientific writing

3. The building blocks of argument:critical paragraphs


1. Topic

2. Body

3. Wrap

3-point paragraphs


1. Point

2. Evidence

3. Evaluation


1. Introductory topic sentence

2. Explanation, elaboration, description

3. Critical or analytical point

4. Evidence that backs-up the point & potential evidence against

5. Conclude – link to larger aspect of section.

5-point paragraphs



1. Claim: assertion one wishes to prove.

2. Evidence (Data): support or rationale for the claim.

3. Warrant: the underlying connection between the claim and evidence, or why the evidence supports the claim.

4. Backing: tells audience why the warrant(s) is/are a rational one.

5. Rebuttal (Counterargument): presents potential objections to the claim.

6. Qualifier: additions to the claim that add nuance and specificity to its assumption, helping to counter rebuttals.

(Hart 1998, Wright 2012)

Toulmin’s Argument Analysis for Paragraph Building


Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution (CLAIM). Driving aprivate car is a typical citizen's most air polluting activity (CITATIONPROVIDES EVIDENCE 1). Because cars are the largest source of private, asopposed to industry produced, air pollution switching to hybrid carsshould have an impact on fighting pollution (WARRANT 1). Each vehicleproduced is going to stay on the road for roughly 12 to 15 years(PRIMARY DATA FROM RESEARCH PROVIDES EVIDENCE 2). Cars generallyhave a long lifespan, meaning that a decision to switch to a hybrid carwill make a long-term impact on pollution levels (WARRANT 2). Hybridcars combine a gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor(CITATION PROVIDES EVIDENCE 3). This combination of technologiesmeans that less pollution is produced (WARRANT 3). Instead of focusingon cars, which still encourages a culture of driving even if it cuts down onpollution, the nation should focus on building and encouraging use ofmass transit systems (REBUTTAL). While mass transit is anenvironmentally sound idea that should be encouraged, it is not feasiblein many rural and suburban areas, or for people who must commute towork (BACKING); thus hybrid cars are a better solution for much of thenation's population (QUALIFIER).

(Adapted from: Purdue University 2017)



Contact me

Dr Russell Delderfield

• 01274 236849

• [email protected]

• http://www.bradford.ac.uk/academic-skills/scholarship/

• @MaleEDResearch


http://www.brad.ac.uk/eating-disorders-in-men/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.bradford.ac.uk/academic-skills/scholarship/

https://twitter.com/MaleEDResearch

References

Dunleavy, P. (2003) Authoring a PhD: How to plan, draft, write and finish a doctoral thesis or dissertation. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Hart, C. (1998) Doing a literature review: Releasing the social science research imagination. London: Sage.

Frazer, P. (no date) Structuring Your Thesis [online]. Belfast: Queen’s University. Available from: www.qub.ac.uk/sites/graduateschool/[accessed 8th March 2017].

Purdue University (2017) Organizing Your Argument [online]. Purdue Owl Writing Lab, Indiana: Purdue University. Available from: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/03/ [accessed 7th

March 2017).

Wright, D. (2012) The Toulmin Model of Argumentation [online]. Virginia: University of Richmond. Available from: http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/toulmin.html [accessed 7th March 2017].


http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/graduateschool/

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/03/

http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/toulmin.html

writing skills for doctoral students 2: crafting sections...

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