thesis book

How to Write a Better Thesis

• © 2014
• Latest edition
• David Evans 0 ,
• Paul Gruba 1 ,
• Justin Zobel 2

(deceased) University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia

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School of Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia

Computing & Information Systems, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia

• Offers a step-by-step guide on the mechanics of thesis writing
• Illustrates the complete process of how to structure a thesis by providing specific examples
• Equips readers to understand how to conceptualize and approach the problems of producing a thesis
• Written by authors with over 20 years experience of supervising and advising students
• Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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About this book

From proposal to examination, producing a dissertation or thesis is a challenge. Grounded in decades of experience with research training and supervision, this fully updated and revised edition takes an integrated, down-to-earth approach drawing on case studies and examples to guide you step-by-step towards productive success.

Early chapters frame the tasks ahead and show you how to get started. From there, practical advice and illustrations take you through the elements of formulating research questions, working with software, and purposeful writing of each of the different kinds of chapters, and finishes with a focus on revision, dissemination and deadlines. How to Write a Better Thesis presents a cohesive approach to research that will help you succeed.

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Commentaries on retrospect and prospects for IS research

Thesis, Dissertation and Project

Writing case studies in information systems research

• Dissertation writing
• Mechanics of writing
• Research writing
• Thesis structure
• Thesis writing
• learning and instruction

Table of contents (12 chapters)

Front matter, what is a thesis.

• David Evans†, Paul Gruba, Justin Zobel

Thesis Structure

Mechanics of writing, making a strong start, the introductory chapter, background chapters, establishing your contribution, outcomes and results, the discussion or interpretation, the conclusion, before you submit, beyond the thesis, back matter.

From the book reviews:

"I have been using this book whilst writing my thesis and I want to express my sincere thanks to the authors as it has provided me with an excellent source of guidance and has made my life a lot easier over the past five months. I've recommended this book to a number of other PhD students and hope you continue to publish further editions as I found it to be an extremely valuable resource." (Chris De Gruyter, PhD Candidate at Monash University, Australia, March 2015)

Authors and Affiliations

David Evans

Computing & Information Systems, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Australia

Justin Zobel

About the authors

David Evans was Reader and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning, University of Melbourne.

Paul Gruba is Senior Lecturer in the School of Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne.

Justin Zobel is Professor in the Department of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne.

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : How to Write a Better Thesis

Authors : David Evans, Paul Gruba, Justin Zobel

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-04286-2

Publisher : Springer Cham

eBook Packages : Computer Science , Computer Science (R0)

Copyright Information : Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014

Softcover ISBN : 978-3-319-04285-5 Published: 08 April 2014

eBook ISBN : 978-3-319-04286-2 Published: 26 March 2014

Edition Number : 3

Number of Pages : XIV, 167

Number of Illustrations : 2 b/w illustrations

Topics : Computer Science, general , Learning & Instruction , Natural Language Processing (NLP) , Popular Science, general , Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, multidisciplinary

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How to Write a Thesis (Mit Press) Paperback – March 6, 2015

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Print length 256 pages
• Language English
• Publisher The MIT Press
• Publication date March 6, 2015
• Dimensions 5.5 x 0.55 x 8 inches
• ISBN-10 0262527138
• ISBN-13 978-0262527132
• See all details

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Editorial Reviews

How to Write a Thesis is full of friendly, no-bullshit, entry-level advice on what to do and how to do it, illustrated with lucid examples and—significantly—explanations of why, by one of the great researchers and writers in the post-war humanities … Best of all, the absolutely superb chapter on how to write is worth triple the price of admission on its own.

How to Write a Thesis remains valuable after all this time largely thanks to the spirit of Eco's advice. It is witty but sober, genial but demanding—and remarkably uncynical about the rewards of the thesis, both for the person writing it and for the enterprise of scholarship itself.... Some of Eco's advice is, if anything, even more valuable now, given the ubiquity and seeming omniscience of our digital tools.... Eco's humor never detracts from his serious intent. And anyway, even the sardonic pointers on cheating are instructive in their way.

Eco is a first-rate storyteller and unpretentious instructor who thrives on describing the twists and turns of research projects as well as how to avoid accusations of plagiarism.

The book's enduring appeal—the reason it might interest someone whose life no longer demands the writing of anything longer than an e-mail—has little to do with the rigors of undergraduate honors requirements. Instead, it's about what, in Eco's rhapsodic and often funny book, the thesis represents: a magical process of self-realization, a kind of careful, curious engagement with the world that need not end in one's early twenties. 'Your thesis,' Eco foretells, 'is like your first love: it will be difficult to forget.' By mastering the demands and protocols of the fusty old thesis, Eco passionately demonstrates, we become equipped for a world outside ourselves—a world of ideas, philosophies, and debates.

Well beyond the completion of the thesis, Eco's manual makes for pleasant reading and is deserving of a place on the desks of scholars and professional writers. Even sections such as that recommending the combinatory system of handwritten index cards, while outdated in the digital age, can propose a helpful exercise in critical thinking, and add a certain vintage appeal to the book.

How to Write a Thesis has become a classic.

About the Author

Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ The MIT Press; Translation edition (March 6, 2015)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0262527138
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0262527132
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.55 x 8 inches
• #161 in Education Research (Books)
• #276 in Words, Language & Grammar Reference
• #4,512 in Motivational Self-Help (Books)

About the author

Umberto eco.

Umberto Eco (born 5 January 1932) is an Italian novelist, medievalist, semiotician, philosopher, and literary critic.

He is the author of several bestselling novels, The Name of The Rose, Foucault's Pendulum, The Island of The Day Before, and Baudolino. His collections of essays include Five Moral Pieces, Kant and the Platypus, Serendipities, Travels In Hyperreality, and How To Travel With a Salmon and Other Essays.

He has also written academic texts and children's books.

Photography (c) Università Reggio Calabria

Customer reviews

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Customers say

Customers find the book great, well-written, and fun. They say it's informative, relevant, and helps them form good habits. Readers also appreciate the valuable, evergreen tips and clarity of the text.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book to be a great, well-written, and fun read. They say it's good for use in a tutoring center and a quick read for anyone struggling with a thesis or dissertation. Readers also mention the book provides guidance and is worth every penny.

"...audible versus reading it because it just flows naturally and is fun to listen to ." Read more

"...but its a great read for basics and understanding structure. good to go to when stuck" Read more

"...A great quick read for nayone struggling with that thesis or dissertation process. And the snarkiness of the author will keep you laughing out loud !..." Read more

"This is an excellent book for reminding us where we have been and where we should be going with student and professional writing...." Read more

Customers find the book very informative and relevant. They say it helps them form good habits and walk them through topic selection, note-taking, and just staying with it. Readers also appreciate the author's great dedication to making students understand what is involved. Overall, they describe the book as a scholarly but sensible treatise that encourages people to write scientifically.

"...This is the kind of book that helps you think about your research while you're doing it, and the kind of book that any student undertaking a true..." Read more

"...This is a scholarly but sensible treatise on what is otherwise a mysterious and confusing process made easy with detailed but easy to follow..." Read more

"...a researcher in finance and accounting and still found the book to be remarkably relevant ." Read more

"...I enjoyed his many examples and his great dedication to making students understand what is involved." Read more

Customers find the book clear, concise, and witty. They say it contains valuable, evergreen tips that are essential. Readers also mention it's an easy read and a timeless reference text on crafting theses.

"...are outdated due to the advancements in technology, the text contains valuable , evergreen tips that are essential today as much as they were when..." Read more

" Easy read and incredibly helpful. Would recommend it to anyone writing a thesis for the first time." Read more

" Clear , concise, witty, timeless!" Read more

"...Poorly organized, erratic in formal approach, unclear, not concise , no clear framework or methodology put forth, and approaches no cognitive angle..." Read more

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