Study book: Course information

Key components

• The thesis consists of three main components:
  1. introductory part which presents your points of departure
  2. analysis and results
  3. discussion and conclusion.

• • Add to this the title page, table of contents, references and any annexes
  • There should be a reasonable balance between the parts, particularly between the introductory part and the empirical study; the study is to have more pages than the introductory part.

Introductory part

• The introductory part is to include the sections listed below. The order can vary depending on the subject. For example, it can sometimes be appropriate to discuss the theory together with the research overview; in other cases, the method can be discussed together with the theory.

1. Introduction. The section should comprise four or five paragraphs. In the first paragraph, present your topic and get the reader interested, arguing why your research topic is pertinent and that you will address such and such research gap. In the second paragraph provide background or summarize existing research. In the third paragraph outline your purpose (e.g., "in order to further help understanding of..."), aims (e.g., "this work aims to identify...") and methodology, leaving specific research questions for later. In the final paragraph give an overview of the remainder of the thesis structure (e.g., "in the second section, Background provides an overview of... with focus on... " etc.). 
2. Background. This section puts your study into a larger research context by further describing any important aspects of the problem you are addressing, including definitions of central concepts so that it is clear how you use them in the thesis -- this subsection if on the lengthy side could be designated as "2.1 Terminology".
3. Previous research. This section allows you to show the way your study contributes new knowledge to the field and how it relates to what others have written. The previous research section should not be organized in an author-by-author manner but written thematically.
4. Theoretical basis. Discuss and explain your choice of theoretical perspective and what theory models and tools you use to process and analyse the materials that provide the thesis' empirical basis. In other words, theory comprises resources for interpretation: which theoretical resources informed the thesis' interpretative work?; which theoretical models or tools were used to structure, analyse, and interpret the empirical data? There are different kinds of theories: 

• Macro: ’grand’ theoretical perspectives (e.g., structuralism, post-structuralism, phenomenology, constructivism).

• Meso: middle range theories (e.g., organizational culture, actor-network theory (ANT), Bourdieu's forms of capital).

• Micro: toolbox theories (e.g., models for information retrieval, standards and professional guidelines or codexes).

Remember to also define important concepts from the used theory. If you chose to draw on well-established works that many people have written about (e.g., texts by Foucault or Bourdieu), read and refer to the original writings rather than only those that have already applied these theories.

5. Methodology. It is most often best to structure this section into two subsections. The first subsection, 5.1 Purpose and aims, will  describe your purpose, aims and research questions. It is often appropriate to have a problematising main question (e.g., "Why...?" or "How do you explain...?") that is then broken down into a few empirical subquestions (addressing aspects such as how, who, how many etc.). The answers to these subquestions together provide answers to the main question. The second subsection, 5.2 Method, will describe your 1) sample (empirical material) and argue for why you chose it; 2) data collection method and 3) data analysis method. Also discuss and problematize to what extent the empirical material can provide answers to the thesis' research questions. In this context, it can also be appropriate to discuss the study’s delimitations and ethics. Explain your choice of methods and why you chose not to use other available methods. The presentation of methods is to be detailed and precise. For example, do not just describe how interviews or questionnaires were conducted, but also how you then processed the collected material.

Analysis and results

• Structure this section as 6. Analysis and use subsections to further organize the results.
• The design of the reporting of the empirical study and analysis depends entirely on the subject's character and your theory and methodology choices. Fundamentally, though, the analysis of the empirical material is done with support from the thesis' theoretical framework. You should alternate empirical evidence and analysis and link to current research and the chosen theory.
• There are many different ways of structuring the empirical presentation. A chronological structure can be good if you are studying a development over time. In other contexts, perhaps most, a thematic structure works best.

Discussion and conclusion

• In section 7. Discussion it is good to begin the final discussion by reminding readers of what the purpose and research questions of the thesis are. Then present how your empirical study has answered the research questions and discuss how the purpose of the thesis has been achieved. Structure the next part of this section according to the research questions. Finally, try to emphasise your findings by discussing how they can be generalised and relate back to the theory discussion and to the current research in the field; make it clear what is the contribution of your work to the research. Throughout, highlight your findings clearly and do not overestimate your readers' ability to come to their own conclusions. In this part you should not introduce theories or empirical findings that you have not previously discussed.
• Section 8. Conclusion should comprise four to five paragraphs. In the first paragraph restate the research problem addressed, including the method used; in the second summarise your overall arguments or findings; in the third, suggest the key takeaways from your thesis; in the fourth, conclude with suggestions for future research. Bear in mind that the conclusion is where you wrap up your ideas and leave the reader with a strong final impression.