Skip to Main Content

TYPICAL FORMAT OF A QUANTITATIVE DISSERTATION OR THESIS

by

SC Benedict

 

PAGE

ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION [usually limited to one page]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS [be sure to include your committee chairperson and members of the committee]

LIST OF TABLES

Chapter

  1. THE PROBLEM [begin with describing why the phenomenon you are studying is a problem; i.e., the spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa]
    Purpose of the Study [what are you going to find out in this study]
    Research Questions or Hypotheses
    Assumptions
    Limitations [limitations may include number of sites, subjects with certain characteristics]
    Theoretical Definitions [dictionary-type definitions which would be true to any study]
    Operational Definitions [definitions that are specific to this study, likely obtained from previous literature or the data collection instrument]
    Theoretical Framework
  2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
    Literature Relevant to X
    Literature Relevant to Y
    Literature Relevant to Z
    Summary of the Literature Review
  3. METHODOLOGY [begin the chapter with a restatement of the purpose of the study]
    The Design of the Study [name the design; e.g., quasi-experimental]
    Selection of Subjects [how the subjects were selected]
    The Sample [who and how many were in the final sample]
    Data Collection Procedure [how you will collect the data including description of instruments]
    Data Analysis [what statistical tests you will use]
  4. FINDINGS [begin the chapter with a restatement of the purpose of the study]
    Description of the Sample [how many and their characteristics, can include tables]
    Research Questions or Hypotheses [restate each question of hypothesis, the tests that were used, and the results]
    Summary of the Findings [short summary of findings]
  5. CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS [begin the chapter with a restatement of the purpose of the study]
    Conclusions [what did you learn from this study? How are your findings different/similar to studies cited in the Review of the Literature]
    Implications [Implications for your discipline and/or practice]
    Recommendations [Include recommendations for replicating the study, larger sample, different population, anything to improve the study]

REFERENCES

APPENDICES [May include the institution’s permission to do the study, samples of cover letters to subjects, samples of instruments used]