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20 Common Mistakes in Thesis Writing: How to Avoid
Synopsis:
Writing a thesis requires patience and passion. It is not just how to avoid common mistakes, but also
how to attract the readers who read the thesis particularly the assigned examiners. Having a good
research without a good writing skill will affect the quality of the thesis.
1. Explain the details of proposed work in Chapter 3: Research Methodology. [Wrong]
The details should be in the chapter of proposed work normally Chapter 4. Should not
include for instance proposed architecture in this chapter as it should be in Chapter 4.
Research design in Chapter 3 should briefly explain the factors and variables concerned and
their relationships in the research and the hypothesis (if any).
Research design should also describe in detail purpose of the study (exploratory, descriptive,
hypothesis testing or case study), type of investigation (causal or correlation), study setting
(field study, field experiment, lab experiment) and its time horizon (cross‐sectional or
longitudinal study). This section must also explain the measurement to be used in the
evaluation, unit of analysis or population to be studied, and sampling design. Data collection
method and data analysis are two main points to be discussed in this section.
Research design differs from theoretical framework that states the factors and variables
involved in general mostly based on existing literature. If an exact theoretical framework
does not exist in current literature, include a schematic diagram to illustrate the factors or
variables generally concerned in the area while highlighting the scope of the research.
Should give a detail research procedure not a general one, example: The next step is to
conduct a usability study among software engineers in industries.
Include a flow chart to illustrate the overall research procedure. Should start with a
literature review and state what to be reviewed briefly, example: Conduct a comparative
study among software visualisation tools.
2. Repeat the name of authors in a sentence. [Wrong]
Example: Sulaiman states that DMG improves program comprehension (Sulaiman, 2008).
3. Repeat the same figure or table in different chapters. [Wrong]
Should refer to the figure or table regardless where it is first mentioned. Assume writing a
text in Chapter 2: Literature Review and refer a figure in Chapter 1.
Example: For more details of the scope of the research refer Figure 1.1.
4. Include figures or tables without referring to them in texts. [Wrong]
Assume Figure 2.1 is included. The text or paragraph before the figure should refer to it.
Example: Figure 2.1 illustrates software artefacts visualised by the tool. It shows the
relationships among the artefacts.
The texts that first mentioned the figure being referred must be close to each other.
5. Split figures or tables on different pages. [Wrong]
Include as an appendix if necessary in a landscape layout.
Otherwise try to simplify the figures and tables by splitting into different tables of figures.
6. Use wrong format and not citing those from other people’s work. [Wrong]
Label a table on top, centre.
Write the caption of a figure at the bottom, centre (or left justified if more than one line).
Example of a caption: Figure 2.1: Software artefacts visualised by DocLike Viewer
Label a table or write a caption of a figure for more than two lines. Remember the
explanation should be in the text or paragraph before it.
7. Include figures without any captions or tables without any labels. [Wrong]
Label the first figure in Chapter 1 as Figure 1.1. Example: Figure 1.1: A Screen shot of
artefacts
By: Shahida Sulaiman, PhD (2009)
2 | P a g e
Label the first table in Chapter 1 as Table 1.1. Example: Table 1.1: Cognitive framework
(Storey et al., 2004).
8. Give long headings for chapters, section and sub‐sections. [Wrong]
Example: Chapter 4: A Method for Visualising Software Artefacts for Java Source Codes
[Wrong]
Should be shorten: Chapter 4: A Visualisation Method for Java Programs
Example: Section 2.1: Existing Work on Software Visualisation Methods for Java [Wrong]
Should be shorten: Section 2.1: Software Visualisation Methods
9. Citing own papers. [Wrong]
Should list in an appendix or list before the abstract as List of Publication.
10. State an acronym or an abbreviation without including the full name for the first time
mentioning it in a chapter or use the full name instead of given acronym or abbreviation.
[Wrong]
Example: The proposed method is called DocLike Modularised Graph (DMG). DocLike
Modularise Graph consists of five modules. [Wrong]
Should be: The proposed method is called DocLike Modularised Graph (DMG). DMG consists
of five modules.
11. Use we or I. [Wrong]
Should use: This thesis..., this research..., this work..., the proposed method...
12. Tell a story. [Wrong]
Example: We read the existing related papers to find the solution for... [Wrong]
Should be: Existing work shows that the method is still lack of...
Example: From the literature review we only found three papers... [Wrong]
Should be: Current works [1]‐[3] show that ...
Other way: Current work by Sulaiman (2005), Tan (2008) and Storey (2004) show that...
13. State the detail of a paper in text example: The paper by Sulaiman (2005) entitled ... presented
in ... pages … states that… [Wrong].
Include the details in reference not in text, should be: Sulaiman (2005) states that ...
14. Include so many quotations. [Wrong]
15. Explain why writing the chapter. [Wrong]
Example: Methodology is important to show our work flow in the research. [Wrong]
Should state what the chapter will explain: This chapter describes the research procedure to
be carried out and its design.
16. Make cross‐reference. [Wrong]
Example: According to Tan (2007) in Storey (2008), the method... [Wrong].
Should get the paper by Tan (2007) and understand what it says not by just concluding what
Tan says based on Storey’s reading or opinion. Unless the paper is not available anymore
such those from 80s; if it is really important, then only cross‐reference is possible.
17. Cite by name without the year, example: Sulaiman states that the method improves program
comprehension. [Wrong]
18. Write long paragraphs. [Wrong]
One paragraph should state one idea.
19. Write short paragraphs consist of less than 2 or 3 sentences. [Wrong]
20. Use present continuous tense unnecessarily. [Wrong]
Should use present tense unless when reporting the analysis derived from the research. The
facts from existing work are mostly described in present tense not past tense (depending on
the context).
A Good Research Always Tells the Truth
By: Shahida Sulaiman, PhD (2009)