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Your Thesis

The Nature of the Thesis

The thesis represents the main outcome of your research. It is assessed by examiners to determine whether you are awarded the degree for which you have studied.

The HDR Information Guide will provide you withmost of the information you will need to guide you through your HDR candidature, including links to sections of the CSU Academic Manual that contain the rules and regulations on thesis length, thesis presentation and thesis submission:Part H - Progress, Supervision & Assessment: Theses and Other Examinable Research Works and Part K - Higher Degree Programs.

The Research Office also coordinates regular Thesis Workshops, please refer to the program calendar for next availability.

A Typical Thesis

• Introduction; Why am I doing it andWhat is it's significance
• A review of research/literature; What is known and unknown and identifying gaps
• My Research Question; My aim - what do I hope to discover and My methodology - how am I going to discover it?
• My Results; What have I found?
• My Discussion; What does it mean? And relating those results to literature
• My Conclusions; What are the possible applications or recommendations and what contribution does it make to knowledge?
• My References

Intellectual Property Rights; If there is material in the thesis which could or does have implications for the intellectual property rights of yourself, the University, a sponsor of the research or some other person or body, those implications shall be stated under the heading 'Intellectual Property Rights' either on the same page as the acknowledgments or on the next page in sequence.

Ethics, Biosafety and/or Radiation Safety Approval; If the thesis reports on research involving humans or human biological materials or involving animals, a page containing the name(s) of the relevant University and/or other ethics or safety committees and the approval number(s) shall be inserted in sequence in the soft-bound copies of the thesis.

Your Thesis Plan

This thesis is typically divided into six chapters.

• Chapter 1: The first chapter is an introduction to the problem studied. The context for the study is established and its purpose discussed. Two major aims are stated and these aims are expressed in terms of three research questions.
• Chapter 2: Introduces the theoretical framework adopted for this study and reviews the literature pertaining to secondary school persistence and attrition.
• Chapter 3: Details the development and justification of a theoretical model which both describes and predicts senior secondary school persistence and attrition.
• Chapter 4: Explains the methods employed to select the sample, outlines the design adopted for the study, discusses the tools used to collect quantitative and qualitative data, and traces the steps taken to screen, combine, and reduce the quantitative data in preparation for a testing and validation of the theoretical model.
• Chapter 5: Begins with some descriptive statistics relating to secondary school stayers and leavers. The remainder of the chapter is divided into two parts so as to present and explain the results of both the quantitative and qualitative analyses.
• Chapter 6: Offers summary responses to the research questions posed in Chapter 1, discusses the appropriateness of the theoretical framework adopted and specific aspects of the research findings, discloses the limitations of the study's findings, and suggests avenues for future research.

Print or Non-print

A thesis may be either print or non-print . The format for a print thesis can be either a typescript or a series of papers that have been published, have been submitted for publication and/or are manuscripts that could be submitted for publication.

Print

Thesis Doctor of Philosophy
A doctoral candidate is required to undertake original and significant research on an approved topic, the results of which are presented in a thesis. Candidates for the award of a Doctoral degree must demonstrate advanced theoretical and methodological knowledge and the research should make an original and significant contribution to knowledge or understanding.

Master by Research
A research candidate for the degree of Master is required to undertake research on an approved topic, the results of which are presented in a thesis. The research should result in a distinct contribution to knowledge of the subject. Candidates for the award of Master degree by research must demonstrate appropriate theoretical and methodological knowledge. The scope of the research in a Master by Research degree is normally less than that undertaken in a Doctor of Philosophy.

Research Professional Doctorate
A candidate in a research professional doctoral program is required to successfully conduct research into a current problem/issue relevant to the profession and report results in a thesis. Candidates for the award of a Doctoral degree must demonstrate advanced theoretical, professional and methodological knowledge and the work must demonstrate an original contribution to professional practice, policy or knowledge.

Non Print Thesis

Doctor of Philosophy
A doctoral candidate is required to undertake original and significant research on an approved topic, resulting in a new body of work(s) which are presented by exhibition, performance, installation, electronic form, or other appropriate form. The work(s) presented will normally be supported by documentation that demonstrates the underlying evolution of the work(s) and a piece of critical writing/exegesis which places the work(s) into an historical and contemporary context. Candidates for the award of a Doctoral degree must demonstrate advanced theoretical and methodological knowledge and the research should make an original and significant contribution to knowledge or understanding.

Master by Research
A research candidate for the degree of Master is required to undertake research on an approved topic, resulting in a new body of work(s) which are presented by exhibition, performance, installation, electronic form, or other appropriate form. The work(s) presented be supported by documentation that demonstrates the underlying evolution of the work(s) and a piece of critical writing/exegesis which places the work(s) into an historical and contemporary context. The research should result in a distinct contribution to knowledge of the subject. Candidates for the award of Master degree by research must demonstrate appropriate theoretical and methodological knowledge. The scope of the research in a Master by Research degree is normally less than that undertaken in a Doctor of Philosophy.

Research Professional Doctorate
A candidate in a research professional doctoral program is required to successfully conduct research into a current problem/issue relevant to the profession. The work(s) presented will be supported by documentation that demonstrates the underlying evolution of the work(s) and a piece of critical writing/exegesis which places the work(s) into an historical and contemporary context. Candidates for the award of a Doctoral degree must demonstrate advanced theoretical, professional and methodological knowledge and the work must demonstrate an original contribution to professional practice, policy or knowledge.

Portfolio
A candidate in a research professional doctoral program is required to successfully conduct research into a current problem/issue relevant to the profession. Candidates in specified research professional doctoral programs shall report the findings of their research as portfolios. A portfolio consists of a compilation of scholarly documents which can include academic or professional journal articles and conference papers, plans, and reports and policy documents. The portfolio is submitted with an analysis/exegesis which integrates the research or investigation within the profession while demonstrating academic and professional development over the course of study.

Requirements for the Thesis or Portfolio

The thesis or portfolio submitted by a candidate shall comply with the following requirements:

• it must be an accurate account of the research;
• it must be an account of a candidate's own work but if any jointly authored papers are included, the work done by the candidate must be clearly indicated and the co-author(s) must certify that they agree to the inclusion of the paper in the thesis;
• it must relate to the approved research topic;
• it must not include as its main content work which has been submitted for any other academic award or work conducted prior to the commencement of candidature. Where the main content of the thesis or portfolio consists of any significant extension or elaboration of the candidate's earlier work, that portion referring to previous work must be clearly indicated;
• examinable print works and the written components of examinable non-print works, must be written in English except where, on the recommendation of the Faculty, the Research Advisory Committee approves that it may be written in another language;
• examinable print works and the written components of examinable non-print works, must achieve a satisfactory standard of expression and presentation;
• any substantial assistance provided to the candidate during the conduct of the research and the production of the examinable work must be acknowledged. The candidate must obtain written permission from the Principal Supervisor before obtaining paid editorial assistance with the examinable work. If permission is granted to obtain paid editorial assistance, such assistance must be acknowledged in the examinable work and if the professional editor's current or former area of academic specialisation is similar to that of the candidate, then this must also be acknowledged;
• where a series of papers is presented, there must be a comprehensive explanatory introduction and a final review to link the papers and to establish the broader academic context;
• conform to the Rule for the Presentation of Print Theses, Other Examinable Print Works and the Written Components of Examinable Non-Print Works or, for the body of works in a non-print thesis, to the requirements of the individual program.

Word limits Print Thesis

• The maximum length for a Doctor of Philosophy thesis shall be 100,000 words.
• The maximum length for a Master by Research thesis shall be 50,000 words.
• The maximum length for a research professional doctoral thesis shall be 60,000 words.

Non-Print Thesis

• The research documentation for a Doctor of Philosophy that is presented to support the body of work(s) shall not exceed 75% of the total work(s) submitted for the award. The maximum length for the piece of critical writing/exegesis shall be 50,000 words.
• The research documentation for a Master by Research that is presented to support the body of work(s) shall not exceed 75% of the total work(s) submitted for the award. The maximum length for the piece of critical writing/exegesis shall be 30,000 words.
• The research documentation for a Research Professional Doctorate that is presented to support the body of work(s) shall not exceed 75% of the total work(s) submitted for the award. The maximum length for the piece of critical writing/exegesis shall be 30,000 words.

The maximum length for the analysis/exegesis that is presented to support the portfolio shall be 30,000 words. The stated maximum length for a thesis or portfolio is exclusive of appendices and may only be exceeded with permission of the Research Advisory Committee.