This document provides an outline for organizing the first three chapters of a PhD thesis: Chapter I (Introduction) introduces the research problem and questions, provides background on how the researcher became interested in the topic, briefly outlines the methodology, justifies the research, and previews the following chapters. Chapter II (Literature Review) maps out the existing research on the topic and discusses major concepts and topics in order to identify gaps and justify the research questions. Chapter III (Methodology) explores different methodological approaches and justifies the approach chosen to answer the research questions based on the topic's ontological and epistemological stances established in the previous chapters.

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A Brief Outline for Organising/Writing the PhD Thesis: Chapters I, II, & III
By Kip Jones First published on KIPWORLD BLOG 28 May 2014 http://aq.be/5fa0b8
pdf version: http://aq.be/bb7072
The Research Question(s) are central and key to both the overall purpose and design of the
Thesis. Each Chapter relates to them. The Intro sets up the problem(s) from which they arise
and provides a map for the investigation. The Lit Review Chapter then investigates what is
already known in relation to the research questions and convinces the reader that they are
unanswered and need to be addressed. The Method Chapter establishes the researcher’s point-
of-view within scholarship and methodology and then proceeds to consider various ways of
answering the research questions within those parameters, finally arriving at the method chosen
for the investigation and the reasons for it.
Chapter I: Introduction
A. Background (275 wordsi[i]) (This is the section of the Introduction where first person can be
used; perhaps how you became interested in the area of study, but not your life story [or
employment history] here.)
B. Research Problem and Hypotheses (349 words) (This is crucial to establishing the whole
raison d’etre of the study and the Thesis!) Make the reader/examiner as curious to find answers
as you initially were!
C. Methodology (242 words) The plot of how you came to the method, rather than the method
itself; that’s for later. Resist writing your full methodology here.
D. Justifications for the Research (177 words)
‘The research is also justified because its revelations and discovery add to and enrich …’
E. Outline of the Thesis (descriptions of the following, not details or argument) What the
reader can expect.
1. Chapter Two: Review of the Literature (178 words)
2. Chapter Three: Method and Methodology (1184 words)
3. Chapter Four: Presentation of data (157 words)
4. Chapter Five: Analyses of data (167 words) (Four and Five are often combined)
5. Chapter Six: Conclusions and Implications (78 words)
F. Definitions (122 words)
G. Delimitations (234 words)
H. Conclusion
‘This introduction lays the foundations for the thesis. It introduces the research problem,
questions and hypotheses. The research is justified, definitions are presented, the methodology
is briefly described and justified, the thesis outlined and the limitations are given (c.f., Perry
1995). On these foundations, the thesis can proceed with a detailed description of the research,
beginning with a thorough exploratory examination of the literature on [the topic] in the
following Chapter.’
Note: The Introduction is an overview, setting out the plan of action or map for the Thesis itself.
It is not the place to go into detail about the how’s and why’s of either the questions, method(s)

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or findings, but rather, is descriptive of the processes that are to follow. This is not the place for
argument or debate.
Chapter II: Literature Review
‘A literature review is a text written by someone to consider the critical points of current
knowledge including substantive findings’. Theoretical and methodological considerations are
left for the following Method Chapter.
A. Introduction (about one page)
B. Mapping the process (about half page)
(How you went about searching the Literature, terms, databases, etc)
C. Unpacking [the topic] (20-25 pages)
1. The choice of terms in the literature (Further exploration and definitions of your terms from
the literature)
2. The history of [your topic] research (linking your reviews of the parent and immediate
disciplines/fields).
3.Unearthing specifics of your interest in the literature
4.Exploring major concepts of your research interest in the literature
D. Discussion (eight pages)
Three main subjects or topic areas from the literature, delineated and synthesized (“the
combination of ideas to form a theory or system”) to your research questions as valid and
deserving investigation.
E. Conclusions (a page)
“A new history of [your topic] has been constructed by journeying through the
literature, locating the peaks and valleys, the well-worn footpaths and the nooks and crannies of
language in the previous research. Reconstructing the territory itself has set a new map for
further exploration. …The question then remains … only by understanding … can we finally
begin to understand this phenomenon we call …?” (Jones, 2001)
From Chad Perry:
“The second section aims to build a theoretical foundation upon which the research is based by
reviewing the relevant literature to identify research issues which are worth researching
because they are controversial and have not been answered by previous researchers. That is, the
literature review is not an end in itself but is a means to the end of identifying the worthy
research issues …”
III. Method & Methodology
A. Introduction (Two pages)
Having explored the literature on the topic and come to the conclusion that your questions
remain unanswered, this Chapter explores possible methods by which to answer them and
arrive at a conclusion for the best way forward.
B. Justification for the methodology (One to two pages)
The following outlines that journey and its underpinnings.
Justification for the methodology in terms of the research problem and the literature review, for
example, a qualitative methodology requires a research problem involving people’s
constructions of meanings which have not previously been explored (Perry)

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Ontology ... to do with our assumptions about how the world is made up and the nature of
things
Epistemology ... to do with our beliefs about how one might discover knowledge about the
world
Methodology ... to do with the tools and techniques of research
Guba and Lincoln (1994:108) categorize alternative inquiry paradigms according to their
stance on the following three questions:
The ontological question
What is the form and nature of reality and, therefore, what is there that can be known
about it?
The epistemological question
What is the nature of the relationship between the knower or would-be knower and what
can be known?
The methodological question
How can the inquirer go about finding out whatever he or she believes can be known?
Your Methodology follows on from the Ontological and Epistemological positions you have
taken. There is no need to defend them from different ontological or epistemological
standpoints.
C. Research procedures (15 pages)
Because of the preceding exploration of the theoretical possibilities, a decision was made to use
a … approach, building upon a … theoretical metacontext, and based within the general rubric
of … .
This is your map or set of instructions for another researcher who wishes to follow your
procedures.
D. Ethical considerations (One page)
E. Conclusions (One-two pages)
From Perry:
• Describes the major methodology used to collect the data which will be used to answer
the (research questions).
• Must be written so that another researcher can replicate the research.
• Must show familiarity with controversies and positions taken by authorities.
• Analogous to an accountant laying an ‘audit trail’
• Awareness of how validity and reliability are viewed in qualitative research,
• Advantages and disadvantages of other methods must be discussed
References
Jones, K. (2001) Narratives of Identity & the Informal Care Role (unpublished PhD Thesis).
Available at:
https://www.academia.edu/2570520/Narratives_of_Identity_and_the_Informal_Care_Role_unpu
bished_PhD_Thesis_
Perry, C. (1998) “A Structured Approach for Presenting Theses” Australian Marketing Journal,
Vol. 6., 1, pp. 63-81. Available at: http://users.ugent.be/~dgosseli/Presentations/PhD-Thesis-
Approach.pdf