Thesis Format For Comp Science - 090835
Thesis Format For Comp Science - 090835
B) Structure of Thesis
Title Page
Title (including subtitle), author, institution, department, date of delivery, research mentor(s) and advisor,
their instututions and email adresses
Certification
This section contains certification by supervisor and Head of department that the work in the thesis was
effectively carried out by student and can therefore be presented/defended.
Attestation
The student declare originality of work and states portions/elements coming from other persons
Dedication
This section contains person or group of persons in whose honour the thesis is written. (This is optional and
can be left out)
Acknowledgments
Abstract
A good abstract explains in one line why the paper is important. It then goes on to give a summary
of your major results, preferably couched in numbers with error limits. The final sentences explain
the major implications of your work. A good abstract is concise, readable, and quantitative.
Length should be ~ 1-2 paragraphs, approx. 400 words.
3
Absrtracts generally do not have citations.
Information in title should not be repeated.
Be explicit.
Use numbers where appropriate.
Answers to these questions should be found in the abstract:
1. What did you do?
2. Why did you do it? What question were you trying to answer?
3. How did you do it? State methods.
4. What did you learn? State major results.
5. Why does it matter? Point out at least one significant implication.
Table of Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Introduction
Background and Context: Give the background to your project and context of what you have done.
Scope and Objectives: Define the scope and objectives of your project.
Overview of Dissertation: Briefly overview the contents of what follows in the dissertation.
NB:
A good introduction can't be writen until what the body of the thesis says is known. Consider writing the
introductory section(s) after you have completed the rest of the thesis, rather than before.
Be sure to include a hook at the beginning of the introduction. This is a statement of something sufficiently
interesting to motivate your reader to read the rest of the paper, it is an important/interesting scientific
problem that your paper either solves or addresses. You should draw the reader in and make them want to
read the rest of the thesis.
4
-The next paragraphs in the introduction should cite previous research in this area. It should cite those who
had the idea or ideas first, and should also cite those who have done the most recent and relevant work. You
should then go on to explain why more work was necessary (your work, of course.)
1. A statement of the goal of the paper: why the study was undertaken, or why the paper was written.
Do not repeat the abstract.
2. Sufficient background information to allow the reader to understand the context and significance of
the question you are trying to address.
3. Proper acknowledgement of the previous work on which you are building. Sufficient references
such that a reader could, by going to the library, achieve a sophisticated understanding of the
context and significance of the question.
4. The introduction should be focused on the thesis question(s). All cited work should be directly
relevent to the goals of the thesis. This is not a place to summarize everything you have ever read
on a subject.
5. Explain the scope of your work, what will and will not be included.
6. A verbal "road map" or verbal "table of contents" guiding the reader to what lies ahead.
7. Is it obvious where introductory material ("old stuff") ends and your contribution ("new stuff")
begins?
Remember that this is not a review paper. We are looking for original work and interpretation/analysis by
you. Break up the introduction section into logical segments by using subheads.
Literature review
Here, all the books, articles, dissertations, and every other written and published material related to the
research topic are presented bringing out the results,
-*ontributions and limitations of each. These results are used to situate and bring out the relevance of the
present work in the thesis.
Research Methods
The methods section should answering the following questions and caveats:
1. Could one accurately replicate the study (for example, all of the optional and adjustable parameters
5
on any sensors or instruments that were used to acquire the data)?
2. Could another researcher accurately find and reoccupy the sampling stations or track lines?
3. Is there enough information provided about any instruments used so that a functionally equivalent
instrument could be used to repeat the experiment?
4. If the data are in the public domain, could another researcher lay his or her hands on the identical
data set?
5. Could one replicate any laboratory analyses that were used?
6. Could one replicate any statistical analyses?
7. Could another researcher approximately replicate the key algorithms of any computer software?
Citations in this section should be limited to data sources and references of where to find more complete
descriptions of procedures.
Do not include descriptions of results.
Results
The results are actual statements of observations, including statistics, tables and graphs.
Indicate information on range of variation.
Mention negative results as well as positive. Do not interpret results - save that for the discussion.
Lay out the case as for a jury. Present sufficient details so that others can draw their own inferences
and construct their own explanations.
Use S.I. units (m, s, kg, W, etc.) throughout the thesis.
Break up your results into logical segments by using subheadings
Key results should be stated in clear sentences at the beginning of paragraphs. It is far better to say
"X had significant positive relationship with Y (linear regression p<0.01, r^2=0.79)" then to start
with a less informative like "There is a significant relationship between X and Y". Describe the
nature of the findings; do not just tell the reader whether or not they are significant.
Quarantine your observations from your interpretations. The writer must make it crystal clear to the reader
which statements are observation and which are interpretation. In most circumstances, this is best
accomplished by physically separating statements about new observations from statements about the
meaning or significance of those observations. Alternatively, this goal can be accomplished by careful use of
phrases such as "I infer ...". For example, vast bodies of geological literature became obsolete with the
advent of plate tectonics; the papers that survived are those in which observations were presented in stand-
alone fashion, unmuddied by whatever ideas the author might have had about the processes that caused the
observed phenomena.
Why?
1. Easier for your reader to absorb, frequent shifts of mental mode not required.
6
2. Ensures that your work will endure in spite of shifting paradigms.
Discussion
Start with a few sentences that summarize the most important results. The discussion section should be a
brief essay in itself, answering the following questions and caveats:
1. What are the major patterns in the observations? (Refer to spatial and temporal variations.)
2. What are the relationships, trends and generalizations among the results?
3. What are the exceptions to these patterns or generalizations?
4. What are the likely causes (mechanisms) underlying these patterns resulting predictions?
5. Is there agreement or disagreement with previous work?
6. Interpret results in terms of background laid out in the introduction - what is the relationship of the
present results to the original question?
7. What is the implication of the present results for other unanswered questions in earth sciences,
ecology, environmental policy, etc....?
8. Multiple hypotheses: There are usually several possible explanations for results. Be careful to
consider all of these rather than simply pushing your favorite one. If you can eliminate all but one,
that is great, but often that is not possible with the data in hand. In that case you should give even
treatment to the remaining possibilities, and try to indicate ways in which future work may lead to
their discrimination.
9. Avoid bandwagons: A special case of the above. Avoid jumping a currently fashionable point of
view unless your results really do strongly support them.
10. What are the things we now know or understand that we didn't know or understand before the
present work?
11. Include the evidence or line of reasoning supporting each interpretation.
12. What is the significance of the present results: why should we care?
This section should be rich in references to similar work and background needed to interpret results.
However, interpretation/discussion section(s) are often too long and verbose. Is there material that does not
contribute to one of the elements listed above? If so, this may be material that you will want to consider
deleting or moving. Break up the section into logical segments by using subheads.
Conclusions
What is the strongest and most important statement that you can make from your observations?
If you met the reader at a meeting six months from now, what do you want them to remember about
your paper?
Refer back to problem posed, and describe the conclusions that you reached from carrying out this
investigation, summarize new observations, new interpretations, and new insights that have resulted
from the present work.
Include the broader implications of your results.
Do not repeat word for word the abstract, introduction or discussion.
1- Summary
7
Summarise what you have achieved.
2- Evaluation
Stand back and evaluate what you have achieved and how well you have met the objectives. Evaluate your
achievements against your objectives in section of scope and objectives. Demonstrate that you have tackled
the project in a professional manner.
3- Future Work
Explain any limitations in your results and how things might be improved. Discuss how your work might
be developed further. Reflect on your results in isolation and in relation to what others have achieved in
the same field. This self-analysis is particularly important. You should give a critical evaluation of what
went well, and what might be improved.
Recommendations
References
cite all ideas, concepts, text, data that are not your own
if you make a statement, back it up with your own data or a reference
all references cited in the text must be listed
cite single-author references by the surname of the author (followed by date of the publication in
parenthesis)
o ... according to Hays (1994)
o ... population growth is one of the greatest environmental concerns facing future generations
(Hays, 1994).
cite double-author references by the surnames of both authors (followed by date of the publication
in parenthesis)
o e.g. Simpson and Hays (1994)
cite more than double-author references by the surname of the first author followed by et al. and
then the date of the publication
o e.g. Pfirman, Simpson and Hays would be:
o Pfirman et al. (1994)
do not use footnotes
list all references cited in the text in alphabetical order using the following format for different
types of material:
8
o Hunt, S. (1966) Carbohydrate and amino acid composition of the egg capsules of the whelk.
Nature, 210, 436-437.
o National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (1997) Commonly asked questions
about ozone. http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs/grounders/ozo1.html, 9/27/97.
o Pfirman, S.L., M. Stute, H.J. Simpson, and J. Hays (1996) Undergraduate research at
Barnard and Columbia, Journal of Research, 11, 213-214.
o Pechenik, J.A. (1987) A short guide to writing about biology. Harper Collins Publishers,
New York, 194pp.
o Pitelka, D.R., and F.M. Child (1964) Review of ciliary structure and function. In:
Biochemistry and Physiology of Protozoa, Vol. 3 (S.H. Hutner, editor), Academic Press,
New York, 131-198.
o Sambrotto, R. (1997) lecture notes, Environmental Data Analysis, Barnard College, Oct 2,
1997.
o Stute, M., J.F. Clark, P. Schlosser, W.S. Broecker, and G. Bonani (1995) A high altitude
continental paleotemperature record derived from noble gases dissolved in groundwater
from the San Juan Basin, New Mexico. Quat. Res., 43, 209-220.
o New York Times (1/15/00) PCBs in the Hudson still an issue, A2.
it is acceptable to put the initials of the individual authors behind their last names, e.g. Pfirman,
S.L., Stute, M., Simpson, H.J., and Hays, J (1996) Undergraduate research at ...
9
REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON RÉPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN
Peace – Work – Fatherland Paix-Travail-Patrie
By
ATANGO ATANGO Jean-Pierre
Registration number: ………..
Bachelor in ................................
University of ......................
Supervised by
Dr. ……………..
Lecturer, H.T.T.T.C. Bamenda
July 2O15
(Certification page)
Certification
I hereby certify that this thesis entitled “...............................” has been carried out by ..............................
with registration number ................. in the Department of .................... and of the option............... of the
Higher Technical Teacher Training College (H.T.T.T.C.) Bambili, University of Bamenda.
.......................................... ........................................................
11
(attestation page)
Attestation
I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. I authorize the Higher Technical Teacher
College (H.T.T.T.C.) Bambili to lend this thesis to other institutions or individuals for the purpose
of scholarly research.
I understand the nature of plagiarism, and I am aware of the University’s policy on this.
I certify that this dissertation reports original work by me during my University project except for the
following (adjust according to the circumstances):
The technology review in Section 2.5 was largely taken from [17].
The code discussed in Section 3.1 was created by Acme Corporation (www.acme-
corp.com/JavaExpert) and was used in accordance with the licence supplied.
The code discussed in Section 3.5 was written by my supervisor.
The code discussed in Section 4.2 was developed by me during a vacation placement with the
collaborating company. In addition, this used ideas I had already developed in my own time.
Signature Date
12