Research hand book

DILLA UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE
RESEARCH HANDBOOK
STRUCTURE FOR RESEARCH PROPOSAL, SENIOR ESSAY & THESIS
(FOR STUDENTS AND ADVISORS)
PREPARED BY: KANBIRO ORKAIDO. (MBA)
DECEMBER, 2017
DILLA, ETHIOPIA

DU CBE ACFN Research Handbook By: Kanbiro O. (MBA)
Strive your best for Scientific research page 2 of 23
STRUCTURE OF RESEARCH PROPOSAL/SENIOR ESSAY/
THESIS
General guidelines of Research proposal/Senior essay/Thesis format
Language: English
Grammar: simple present tense and future tense are used in research proposal, and
present and past tenses can be used in senior essay.
Paper Specifications:
 Color: White
 Size: 21 cm x 29.7cm (A4)
 Weight: >80 gm
Typing:
 Margins: 1.5’ left and 1’ Right, Top and Bottom
 Spacing: 1.5
 Font size: Chapter and Titles ………… 16
Sub titles ………………….. 14
Body ……………………… 12
 Font type: Times New Roman
 Font style: Regular
 Indentation: Chapter and titles ….………. centered
Body……………………….. justified
 Paragraphs: Before and After ……………Auto
 Font color: Black
 Breaking a word on 2 lines: Not allowed
 Corrections with fluid: Not allowed
 Overwriting: Not allowed
 Crossing out words: Not allowed
 Typing machine: Computer
 Printing quality: Laser or better quality
 Copies: High quality photocopy
Size of research proposal and senior essay:
20 – 25 pages for research proposal
≥ 35 pages for senior essay
Preliminary pages
A) Cover page: Typed in all capital letters, should include
 Approved senior essay/thesis title typed in the middle of the page
 Name of the degree, e g. BA (for senior essay), M.Sc. or MBA (for thesis).
 Full name of the author typed in the middle of the page
 Name and location of the University
 Month and year of research proposal/senior essay/thesis submission typed 5 cm above
the bottom margin

Sample of the top cover
DILLA UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING
DETERMINANTS OF LOAN REPAYMENT: The Case of
Microfinance Institutions in Kaffa Zone
BY
HAILU KEBEDE
DECEMBER, 2017
DILLA UNIVERSITY, DILLA, ETHIOPIA

B) Title page includes:
i. Title
 A short statement of the main topic and should identify the variables.
 Should be a reflection of the contents of the document
 Fully explanatory when standing alone
 Should not contain redundancies such as ‘a study of….. or ‘an investigation of……
 Abbreviations should not appear in the title.
 Scientific names should be in italics.
 Should contain 12 to 15 words.
ii. Author’s name and affiliation
Preferred order of names - start with 1st, middle followed by last name.
 Full names should be used, initials should be avoided.
 Titles like Dr. / Ato. / Mr. / should not appear in the names.
Preferred Affiliation: Affiliation should be well illustrated i.e. ‘A research proposal/thesis/ research
project/senior essay/ submitted to the Department of ………in the college of Business and
Economics in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the degree of Bachelor of
Art in Accounting and Finance
 The year and the place of the university should follow at the bottom of the caption.
Note: For proposals (spiral bound) the cover page should include the title, author and affiliation
(all on one page) and centered.
Sample of the title page
DETERMINANTS OF LOAN REPAYMENT: The Case of Microfinance Institutions in Kaffa
Zone
A RESEARCH PROPOSAL/SENIOR ESSAY/THESIS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND
FINANCE IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE
OF BACHELOR OF ART/MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA) IN ACCOUNTING AND
FINANCE
BY
HAILU KEBEDE
ADVISOR
ASHENAFI TSEGAYE (MBA)
DECEMBER, 2017
DILLA UNIVERSITY, DILLA, ETHIOPIA

C) Declaration – Should include both the candidate’s and the advisor’s declaration and duly
signed.
This proposal/ senior essay/ thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in
any other University
______________ ____________ __________
Name Signature Date
This proposal/ senior essay/ thesis has been submitted for examination with my advisor as an
approval
______________ ____________ __________
Name Signature Date
Note: Paginate using roman numbers starting with the declaration page.
D) Acknowledgement - A short acknowledgement page should be next to the declaration page.
It should acknowledge contributions of all concerned parties, including financial sponsors, if
any.
Sample of acknowledgement
First, my innumerable praise goes to the Almighty God/Allah for giving me the opportunity,
capacity and guidance throughout my life. Several individuals and organizations deserve
acknowledgement for their contributions to this study. My foremost appreciation and thanks goes
to my main advisor ------------------- for his valuable and constructive comments, suggestions and
overall assistance from the early stage to the completion of this research proposal/senior
essay/thesis.
My heartfelt gratitude also goes to my parents, who are always with me in all aspects in general.
My gratitude also goes to all of my friends and classmates for their comments and
encouragement when I am in need of their assistance. I will extend my thanks to Dilla University
for giving this chance/sponsoring this study. My appreciations also go to all employees------------
------ of for their unreserved support throughout the course this research proposal/senior
essay/thesis.
I owe you all gratitude and my God almighty/Allah blesses you!
Hailu Kebede

December, 2017
E) Table of contents – The heading should be in title case and single spaced.
 The chapter titles should be in caps and bold.
 The subheadings should follow each chapter title and should be in title case.
 Subheading of rows should be – Chapters & Pages indicated once at the top of each
column e.g.
Sample of table of contents
Author’s declaration …………………………………… i Common for both.
Acknowledgement …....................................................... ii
Table of contents ….......................................................... iii
List of tables…................................................................ iv
List of figures ….............................................................. v
Acronyms ….....................................................................vi
Abstract …....................................................................... vii
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................1 common for both proposal
& final paper
1.1. Background of the study.........................................................1
1.2. Statement of the problem .......................................................3
.
.
.
References
Appendices
D) Acronyms – The meaning of abbreviations used
E) Abstract- This is a brief statement of the problem, objectives of the study, target population,
sampling technique and sample size, instruments of data collection, (data processing and
analysis, key findings and major recommendations only in senior essay/thesis).
 It should not exceed 200-300 words.
 It should state key words (words or phrases frequently used in the research
proposal/senior essay/thesis) at its footnote or bottom of the abstract page

Main body of the research proposal/senior essay/Thesis/
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
This chapter should include the following;
1.1 Background of the study – Should show understanding and origin of the problem.
 Talk about the global, continental (Africa), national (Ethiopia) perspectives followed by
the local scenario/study area (the follow of idea should be form general to specific).
 Talk about the target group in the study.
 Should be approximately 2-3 pages undergraduate senior essay and (4-5 pages) for
postgraduate thesis (research project).
1.2 Statement of the problem
 Must indicate exactly what the problem is.
 Indicate why and how it is a problem. Give information to support this e.g. by use of
statistics or evidence.
 This should be derived from background information to illustrate connectivity
 It should clearly show research gaps i.e. what makes current study from earlier studies on
the same topic and includes Methodology, variable incorporation, and time gaps.
 Length- Maximum 2 pages.
1.3 Research questions
 It should be generated from the statement of the problem and should fully answered by
the research
 They should be in line with the specific objectives and equal in number.
 Have to be numbered (1, 2, 3….) and should be questions and not statements.
 Maximum of (2 -5) research questions should be stated
1.4 Objectives of the study
1.4.1. General objective: - One general objective which should be in line with the title.
1.4.2. Specific objectives: - have to be in line with the variables the candidates/researcher
hypothesized to influence the phenomenon being investigated or the research
questions stated. It should be related to the general objective. It should not be questions
in the questionnaire.
1.5 Justification (Significance) of the study
Should illustrate why the researcher is conducting the research and whom it shall benefit (at
least the study should benefit at least four parties such as study areas or organizations used
as case study area, researcher him or herself,

1.6 Scope (delimitation) of the study
This is a kind of a disclaimer. It should cite the focus of the study (conceptual scope i.e. variables
incorporated in the model) and geographical area or target group/population/.
1.7 Limitations of the study
 Not a must for a proposal.
 Has to be there in the final /senior essay/ thesis/project report.
 Indicate the challenges encountered in the study that may have limited the study.
1.8 Organization of the study
 Should the list of chapters that have included in the research proposal/senior essay/thesis
with topics discussed under each chapter.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter should include;
2.1. Theoretical review
Review of the theoretical literature should deal about definition of terms, theories about the topic
under the study, the issues relevant to the problem being investigated showing clearly the linkage
of literature review to the research questions;
2.2. Empirical review
 Indicate what has been done by other researchers about the topic including the
methodologies used and identify gaps.
 Most recent literatures (2000 – 2017 G.C.) must be stated.
 It should be written in researcher’s own words/phrases/sentences
 The hypothesized variables should be subheadings of the empirical literature review to
form a framework that would help in analysis.
 Cite 3-5 references per key section in the text.
 Use Harvard or APA method of citation.
 Consistency is important in citation.
 Each key variable should be 2-3 pages long.
 Critique of the existing literature relevant to the study and Summary of literature review
i.e., Summary of literature and Research Gaps
2.3. Conceptual framework of the study

 Conceptual framework should demonstrate an understanding of what variable influences
what.
 Preferable in figure form
 For example, using the topic below
Topic: Determinants of tax voluntary compliance attitude with taxation: The case of
category “A” tax payers in Kaffa Zone.
The variables could be: The variable in the circle at the middle (tax voluntary
compliance attitude) is dependent variable and the other variables (economic, social,
institutional, individual and demographic factors) that listed in the rectangles surrounding
the dependent variables are independent variables.
Figure 2.1: Conceptual framework of the study
Source: (Author, 2017)
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY
 This chapter should indicate;
3.1 The description of the study area

 Should describe the geographical location, seasonal, economic activities of the study, the
most recent population of the study and map of the study area.
3.2 Research design- It is essential to state the research approach/paradigm to be adopted by
the research e.g. Qualitative or quantitative, giving the justification for choosing it by citing
authority.
3.3 Data type and Source- Indicate the types of data used in the research and their sources
e.g. primary & secondary data.
Primary data source: There are several instruments and tools through which primary data
could be collected, for example, questionnaire, personal interview, and observation etc. from
sample of the study. A clear indication should be made by the researcher in this section.
Secondary Data Sources: In this section the researcher is supposed to provide details about
the possible sources where s/he can get the secondary data, for example, Hawassa City
Administration public library, university Library, FDRE Policy Documents, World Bank
Reports, Journals, books, internet websites etc.
3.4. Population of the study: should clearly identify the population and the target population.
Justify the target population.
3.5. Sample, sampling technique and sample size determination
Sample- is the smallest unit of analysis in any research which selected from target population.
This may include person, household, organization, institution, period of time, etc.
Sampling technique - In this sub-section researcher is supposed to state which technique of
sampling is being adopted i.e. probability (representative) sampling or non-probability
(judgmental) sampling. After starting the broader sampling technique, researcher should state
sub-category of the chosen sampling technique. For probability sampling, (simple random
sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling, customer sampling, multistage sampling and
justify the reason for using it. For non-probability sampling, (quota sampling, convenient
sampling, referral or snowball sampling etc. justify the reason for using it by illustrating
understanding of the technique.
Sample Size determination- Statisticians agree that a sample size of 30 or more will usually

result in a sampling distribution for the mean that is very close to a normal distribution.
 It preferable to use of a minimum number of 30 sample size for statistical analyses
provides a useful rule of thumb for the smallest number in each category within your
overall sample.
 Where the population in the category is less than 30, and you wish to undertake your
analysis at this level of detail, it is advisable to use census method (taking all population
as sample).
 The researcher should use scientific formula to determine sample size & provide a report
justifying the sample size calculated
3.6. Data collection methods & procedures
Data collection instruments:
There are several instruments and tools through which primary and secondary data could be
collected. For collecting primary data instruments such as, questionnaire, personal interview,
observation etc. A clear indication should be made by the researcher in this section. For
collecting secondary data review of necessary documents is used as an instrument of data
collection
Data collection procedures
Data will be collected from the respondents by researcher her/himself or by trained enumerators
under the supervision of the researcher.
3.7. Model specification – It is what mathematically explains the dependent (response)
variable and independent (explanatory) variables that affects the earlier negatively or positively
and the error term due to other variables that are extraneous to the model.
 It is mandatory for thesis but may or may not be included in research proposal or
senior essay
3.8. Data Processing and analysis - Data processing begins with Editing, coding and tabulation
process are necessary to be done prior to analysis. The data will be analyzed using analytic tools
(such as SPSS, STATA, E-view) that were employed. Provide a well thought out rationale for
making decision on the analytic tools selected.

Both primary and secondary data are analyzed and presented using statistical tools like tables,
bar charts, line charts, pie charts and others to facilitate the interpretation of the result of the data
analyzed.
In this sub-section researcher should also clearly state various quantitative techniques i.e.
descriptive statistic such as (mean, median/mode, standard deviation, range etc.) or inferential
(chi-square, Z test, correlation, regression etc.); qualitative techniques like content analysis,
projective techniques etc. by which he/she is planning to analyze the collected data.
3.9. Data Presentation
Apart from data analysis technique researcher should also state how the data will be presented
i.e. through photographs, maps, tables, figures etc.
3.10. Ethical considerations
The following ethical considerations were given attention by the researcher and enumerators
while conducting the research or collecting the data:
 Voluntary participation (no participants will be forced to take part in the research and
participants were free to withdraw from the research at any moment).
 No harm to participants (the researcher ensured that no physical or psychological harm
be done to the participants as a result of the study).
 Anonymity and confidentiality (all information gathered during the study should be
handled confidentially and permission from the participants was obtained for all
information to be shared publicly).
 Not deceiving the subjects (participants should inform about the aim, the, purpose and
the procedures of the study and would not deceive in any way).
 Privacy of participants (the privacy of the participants should be respected).
REFERENCES: The proposal or final senior essay/ project/ should have only reference but
Thesis should include both reference and bibliography.
Sample of citations of references (Use APA or Harvard referencing Style)
1. APA Referencing Style
What is the APA referencing style?
The APA reference style is the American Psychology Association style for formatting text citations and
bibliographic references. Within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Departments of Sociology
and Social Policy, Linguistics, and Psychology all use the APA style.
Step 1: In-text citations in APA style
Whether paraphrasing or quoting an author directly, you must credit the source.
When using APA style, instead of footnotes or endnotes, parenthetical references are used for formatting
citations in text. Parenthetical references are bits of information located between the () symbols (known as
parentheses). These ‘in-text citations’ always include the Author's name and year of publication within a

parenthesis to acknowledge each citation. Therefore, APA style is known as an Author-Date citation
system.
e.g. 1 Samovar & Porter (1997) point out that "language involves attaching meaning to world
symbols" (p. 286).
e.g. 2 The origin of language is historically considered as symbols (Samovar & Porter, 1997;
Anderson, 2000).
e.g. 3 Samovar & Porter (as cited in Peterson, 2002, para. 3) discuss that language must be first
understood as symbols.
Parenthetical references are brief, but should include enough information (page numbers) to enable your
reader to find full citations in the reference list. Use a paragraph number (abbreviation para. ?) for
electronic sources that have no page numbers (as in example 3).
1: Direct quotations (e.g. 1)
Use double quotation marks to enclose another author's words. A location reference (page
numbers or paragraph numbers) must be provided. If your direct quotation is more than 40
words, indent the quoted section without quotation marks.
2: Indirect quotations (e.g. 2)
If you paraphrase quotations, you need to integrate them as part of your text with own words.
When paraphrasing or referring to an idea contained in another work, you are not required to
provide a location reference.
3: Citations from a secondary source (e.g. 3)
If you want to use an idea from an author cited by another author, use "as cited in." In the
reference list at the end of your essay, list only the secondary source (in this example, it would
be Peterson that you would list on your reference page).
Step 2: Creating your Reference List in APA style
Once references are cited in text, you need to append a list of references to acknowledge the cited
materials. All references cited in the text must appear in the list. The reference list provides the
information necessary to identify and retrieve each source. Our purpose of listing references is to enable
readers to retrieve and use the sources - reference data must be correct and complete. However, your
reference list does not require library call numbers.
Basic bibliographic data that are usually included in each citation are:
1. Author's or Editor's Name(s)
2. Publication Date
3. Title of Item (must be italicised)
4. Publication Information

- Publication Place: Publisher's Name (Books, Videos, CD-ROMs etc.)
- Issue Number & Page Numbers (Periodicals - journals, magazines, newspapers etc.)
- Full Web Address - URL (Electronic sources)
(1) Author's Name
 Invert all authors' name - give surnames and initials. For editors, use (Ed.) or (Eds.) after initials
of editor(s).
 In works that have no author's name such as newspaper articles, "title of item" should appear in
place of "author" before "publication date.
 For electronic sources, wherever possible, identify the authors of documents. Be mindful of the
quality of online documents.
Example 1:
White, R. [One author]
Dryden, G., & Vos, J. [Two authors]
Robbins, S. P., Bergman, R., & Stagg, I. [Three and more (up to six) authors]
Duncan, G. M. (Ed.). [One editor]
Samovar, L. A., & Porter, R. E. (Eds.). [Two editors]
(2) Publication Date
 References always need a publication date. Finish the element with a period after closing parenthesis
(or brackets).
 For electronic sources, the date should be either the date of publication or update or date of retrieval.
Ideally provide the date you retrieved your document.
Example 2:
Stevenson, F. N., & Henry, W. (2002). [Journals, Books, Audio visual medias]
Creswell, J. W. (1993, June).
[Meetings, monthly magazines, newsletters
etc.]
Smith, A. (1994, September 28). [Dailies & weeklies]
McKenzie, R. (n.d.). [Work with no date available]
(3) Title of Item
 The title of the item must be italicised because this is the first access point for library catalogue
search.
 Enclose additional information (edition numbers etc.) after the title with parentheses. Use brackets to
specify a type of items if necessary. e.g. [CD-Rom] / [Electronic version] etc.

For Non-Periodicals (Books, CD-ROMs, DVDs etc.)
 Capitalise only the first word of the title and of the subtitle.
Example 3: A book.
Samovar, L. A., & Porter, R. E. (Eds.) (1997). Intercultural communication: A reader. (8th ed.).
New York, Wadsworth Publication Company.
Example 4: An article (chapter) in a book - no quotation marks for article (chapter) titles.
Gannon, M. J. (1997). Irish conversations. In L. A. Samovar, & R. E. Porter (Eds.), Intercultural
communication: A reader. (8th ed.). (pp. 125-133). New York, Wadsworth Publication
Company.
For Periodicals (Journal, Magazine & Newspapers articles etc.)
 For an article title, capitalise only the first word of the title and of the subtitle.
 For a periodical title, write the title in full, capitalising the first letter of each word (except
words such as ‘and’, ‘in’, ‘of,’ etc).
 Italicise the name of periodicals and volume numbers. A volume number is a part of a Title.
Do not include the abbreviation ‘Vol.’ before the number.
 A document title of online sources must be identified.
Example 5: A journal article - no quotation marks for article titles.
Deutsche, F. (1993). Husbands at home: Predictors of paternal participation in childcare and
housework. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65, 1154-1166.
Example 6: A magazine article.
Henry, W. A. (1990, April 9). Beyond the melting pot. Time. 135, 28 - 31.
Example 7: A newspaper article.
Gill, M. A. (2001, December 13). Ringing endorsement. Waikato Times. Edition 2, p. 15.
Drivers reject fuel prices driven by war threat. (2003, March 7). THE TIMARU HERALD. p.1
(4) Publication Information
 If two or more publisher locations are given, give the location listed first in the book.
 Well-known publication places such as Tokyo and New York do not need states or country name.
 Provide an internet address (URL) of specific documents rather than home or menu page - direct
readers as close as possible to the information being cited!

Example 8: A well-known publication place - omit states and country name.
Creswell, J. W., (1994), Research design: Qualitative & quantitative approaches, London: Saga
Publication.
Example 9: Other publication places including New Zealand cities. (e.g. Hamilton: New
Zealand.)
Robbins, S. P., Bergman, R., & Stagg, I. (1997). Management. Maryborough, Victoria, Australia:
Prentice Hall.
Example 10: Journal Articles - issue numbers in a parenthesis & page numbers.
Zhang, Z. (1988). A discussion of communicative culture. Journal of Chinese Language Teacher
Association, 23 (2), 107-112.
Example 11: Online articles from a database - provide a database name. No URLs is needed.
Adderly, B. (2001). Mother nature's medicine chest. Better Nutrition, 63 (8), 30-32. Retrieved
from ProQuest database.
Example 12: An article in an internet only journal or websites.
Jean & Charles Schulz Information Center, Sonoma State University (2001, August 14). Citation
styles & formats. Retrieved May 6, 2002, from
http://libweb.sonoma.edu/research/citation/citestyles.html
Example 13: Websites (multiple documents).
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). APA style homepage. Retrieved May 2, 2002, from
http://www.apastyle.org/
Step 3: Formatting your reference page in APA style
When you type up your reference page, make sure you list all your references alphabetically. If no
author is known, the entry should start with its title. Double check the punctuation of your reference list
(e.g., is it a comma or full stop?).
Once you complete your reference list, make sure that:
 Each entry has four basic elements and finishes with a period. (Exception: URLs do not need a
period.)
 Each entry referenced appears in both the text and the list.
 The in-text citation and reference list entry are identical in spelling and year.
 The first line of each reference is set flush left and subsequent lines are indented.

 all entries are double-spaced
This guide is based on The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th
edition, and is only intended to help students understand the basic rules of the APA reference style.
Please refer to the actual Manual for more detailed information and examples using APA reference
style. (Quick Reference & Desk Copies of the manual are available on Level 2 of the Central Library
with the Call number: BF11.A69 2001).
2. The Harvard Referencing Style
What is the Harvard referencing style?
When preparing an assignment or research paper, it is vital that you acknowledge the resources you have
used, because:
- Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism.
- Readers need to be able to retrieve the source information you have used.
Your sources must be cited
a) in the text of your assignment or research paper (in-text citations) where you have
referred to information obtained from a particular source, and
b) in the list of references at the end of your assignment or research paper.
Step 1: In-Text Citations
Short citations included in the text of a research paper or assignment will enable your readers to find the
full details of the source in the reference list.
When citing references within the text of an assignment:
- citations must be in parentheses (brackets), or included as part of a statement.
- citations must be in the form (author/s, date) to enable your reader to find the full details of the source in
the reference list e.g. (Smith, 1998). If there are two authors for a particular reference, cite the names in
the order in which they appear e.g. (Smith & Green, 1998). If there are more than two authors of a cited
reference, use et al. e.g. (Platt et al., 2004).
- page numbers may or may not be included, depending on the specificity of the reference e.g. (Jones,
1995, p.82) to indicate a specific page or (Green et al. pp. 34-40) to indicate a range of pages.
If you are using electronic sources that have no page numbers, you may use a paragraph number
(abbreviation para.) to indicate to which part of the document you are referring.
When referring to two or more texts by different authors, separate them with a semicolon (;) e.g. (Smith,
1995; Green, 1992).
Direct quotations:
Use double quotation marks to enclose another author’s words. A location reference (page numbers or
paragraph numbers) must be provided. If your direct quotation is more than 40 words, indent the quoted
section without quotation marks.

Example:
According to Sharpe and Rosell (2003), the dominant behaviours of the beavers were “travelling,
foraging and being in the lodge” (p.1063).
Indirect quotations:
If you paraphrase another author’s ideas or research findings, integrate them as part of your text in your
own words. When paraphrasing or referring to an idea contained in another work, you are not required to
provide a location reference (page number), but may do so if appropriate. Make it very clear where their
ideas end and yours begin.
Examples:
Soils across the Iron Cove catchment area are enriched in these minerals (Snowdon & Birch,
2004).
Snowdon and Birch (2004) suggested that the catchment area is enriched in these minerals, but I
think that ….
Citations from a secondary source:
If you use an idea from an author cited by another author, use “cited in”. In the reference list at the end of
your paper, list only the secondary source.
Examples:
Wheatley (cited in Sharpe & Rosell, 2003, p.1065) stated that males may travel outside their
territorial boundaries during summer.
Males may travel outside their territorial boundaries during summer (Wheatley, cited in Sharpe &
Rosell, 2003, p.1065).
Citations for works with no author or anonymous author/s:
When a work has no author, or if the author is anonymous, the in-text citation consists of the first few
words of the title (italicised), followed by the year and page number.
Example:
This was apparently not the case in other catchment areas (Mineral deposition in catchment areas,
1999, p.34).
Step 2: Creating your reference list/bibliography
The list of references or bibliography will be at the end of your assignment/research paper, and will
usually have the heading References or Bibliography. References must be listed in alphabetical order.
Note: Ensure that each citation in the text of your assignment also appears on your reference list, and that
they are identical in spelling and year.

The following elements must be included in a reference:
1. Author’s or editor’s name/s.
2. Publication date.
3. Title of the item.
4. Publication information:
 for books, give the publisher’s name and place of publication – if two or more publisher
locations are given, give the location listed first in the book.
 for journals, give volume, issue number and page numbers.
 for websites, give the full Web address (URL).
Works by the same author and published in the same year are distinguished by letters appended to the
year. Example: If you are using two references by R.M Smith, and both were published in 1998, one will
bear the date 1998a and the other 1998b, and in-text citations will reflect this.
Use web sites mainly to find references in the primary literature, not as sources in themselves (because
they are not peer-reviewed and not permanent).
Books
1. Whole book:
Author/s (surname then initials, commas between multiple authors, use & between two authors).
Year, Title, Publisher, Place of publication.
Examples:
(a) Authored book:
Coates, G. 2002., The rise and fall of the Southern Alps, Christ church, N.Z.: Canterbury
University Press
Basher, L. R., Lynn, I. H. & Whitehouse, I. E. 1995, Geomorphology of the Wairau Plains:
implications for floodplain management planning, Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln, N.Z.
Note: If there are more than three authors, include all of the authors in the reference at the end of your
assignment.
(b) Edited book:
Soons, J. M. & Selby, M. J. (eds), 1992, Landforms of New Zealand, Longman Paul, Auckland,
N.Z.
2. An article (chapter) in an edited book:
Author of article/chapter. Year, ‘Title of article/chapter’, in Names of editor/s (ed/s), Title of
book, Publisher, Place of publication, pagination.
Examples:
Jeanne, R. L. 1991, ‘Polyethism’, in K.G. Ross & R.W. Matthews (eds), The Social Biology of
Wasps, Cornell University Press, New York, pp.389-425.

Keller, L. & Reeve, H. K. 1999, ‘Dynamics of conflicts within insect societies’, in L. Keller (ed),
Levels of Selection in Evolution, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey,
pp.153-175.
Journal articles:
Author/s, Year, ‘Article title’, Journal title, vol. no and issue number, pagination.
Examples:
Basher, L. R., Ross, C. W. & Dando, J. 2004, ‘Effects of carrot growing on volcanic ash soils in
the Ohakune area, New Zealand’, Australian Journal of Soil Research, vol. 42, no. 3,
pp.259-272.
Henshaw, M. J., Strassmann, J. E., Quach, S. Q. & Queller, D. C. 2000, ‘Male production in
Parachartergus colobopterus, a neotropical, swarm-founding wasp’, Ethology, Ecology
and Evolution, vol. 12, pp.161-174.
Conference papers:
Example:
Trump, A. 1986, 'Power play', Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference, International Society
of Power Engineers, Houston Texas, pp. 40-51.
Websites:
Author/s or corporate author. Year of publication/latest update, Title of web page. Retrieved:
Date of retrieval, from Web page address/URL.
If a year of publication does not appear on the web page, use n.d. in place of the year.
Examples:
Snowdon, C. T. 1997, Significance of Animal Behaviour Research. Retrieved: February 20, 2004,
from http://www.csun.edu/~vcpsy00h/valueofa.htm
Trinity College of Western Australia, 2003, Animal Classification. Retrieved: February 18, 2004,
from http://library.trinity.wa.edu.au/subjects/science/biology/animclass.htm
Websites with no author:
Mariner 2002: Undergraduate student information, 2002, Retrieved: April 3, 2002, from
http://www.jcu.edu.au/school/ns/Notices/General/Mariner/Contents.html
Websites with no date:
Central South Island Glacial Geomorphology, (n.d.), Retrieved: August 3, 2004, from
http://wyvern.gns.cri.nz/website/csigg/
Senior essay/Thesis:

Author. Year, Title, Type of thesis, University.
Examples:
Matheson, S. G. 1981, The volcanic geology of the Mt Karioi region, M.Sc. Thesis, University of
Waikato.
Freedberg, S. 2003, Natal homing in a freshwater turtle demonstrated through mitochondrial
sequencing and mark-recapture data, Ph.D.Thesis, Indiana University.
Reports:
Author(s) of report. Year of publication, Title of report, Report series code and number,
Sponsoring body or body issuing report series, Publisher (if different from sponsoring
body), City.
Examples:
Kogan, P., Moses, I. & El-Khawas, E. H. 1994, Staffing higher education : meeting new
challenges : report of the IMHE project on policies for academic staffing in higher
education, Higher education policy series, no. 27, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London.
May, T. W. & Avram, J. 1997, The conservation status and distribution of macro fungi in
Victoria. A report prepared for the Australian Heritage Commission, Royal Botanic
Gardens, Melbourne.
Pamphlets:
Pamphlets often have no specific author.
Example: Pamphlet where the author is also the publisher.
Wellington Regional Council [1995], Facing the future: a ten-year plan for the Wellington
Regional Council, Author, [Wellington, N.Z.].
In the above example, the pamphlet is produced and published by the Wellington Regional
Council, hence the word “Author” in the publisher field of the reference. The square brackets
around the date and place of publication indicate that these are assumed (from information
appearing in the pamphlet).
When there is no date of publication (and no indication of it within the pamphlet), the reference
will appear as follows:
Wellington Regional Council (n.d.), Facing the future: a ten-year plan for the Wellington
Regional Council, Author, [Wellington, N.Z.].
The (n.d.) stands for “no date”.

Parliamentary acts or legislation:
Government acts are produced and published by the government, thus the author and publisher
are the same.
Example:
New Zealand Government 1991, Resource Management Act, Author, Wellington, N.Z.
In text citations would appear as follows:
Waste materials may be dumped only if resource consent has been obtained (New Zealand
Government, 1991, s. 15, ss.15A).
APPENDICES:
It should include Instruments (e.g. questionnaire for final report), Budget and work plan for
research proposal only.
STRUCTURE OF SENNIOR ESSAY/THESIS / REPORT
The senior essay/Thesis/Report will include the above three chapters plus;
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTS
4.1. INTRODUCTION-A brief on the chapter
4.2. THE RESULT OF DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
In this section data should analyzed with descriptive statistics such as frequency, Cumulative
Frequency, percentage mean, standard deviation, maximum and minimum value, and cross
tabulation etc. The qualitative (descriptive research data analysis is fully depend on descriptive
statistics).
 Style of presentation – Apart from data analysis technique the researcher should present
the data in systematic way i.e. Presentation of raw data should be done through
photographs, maps, tables, figures etc. & followed by discussion
 It should be guided by the methodology. Unit of analysis should be based on the research
questions or objectives and should capture the independent variables.
 Tables should have no vertical lines (use simple formatting)
 Table titles should be at the top of the tables.
 Tables copied from elsewhere should have source below them.
 Any table generated by the researcher should not have the source quote.
 Figure titles should be at the bottom of the figures.
 Figures can have different shadings. Discussion should follow the results.
4.3. THE RESULT OF INFERENTIAL STATISTICS AND DISCUSSION
This section of chapter four should show the result of model (regression) it states degree to
which dependent variables explained with independent variables.
 This optional in qualitative/descriptive research i.e., in senior essay but significant
issue in quantitative type research.

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS-
 This is an extended abstract that states the result of descriptive and inferential statistics
(if any).
5.3 CONCLUSIONS-
 Must be derived from the summary of findings
5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS-
 Should be derived from the conclusions
5.6. DIRECTION FOR THE FURTHER RESEARCHES –
Since any study cannot be free from limitations. Hence, there will be some limitations in current
study; the findings of single study that conducted on single local area say one woreda may
difficult to generalize to other woredas, zones, regions, nations, continents and the world about
the issue researched. These dimensions should be forwarded for the further researches.
REFERENCES
 It is preferable to use Harvard or APA referencing styles
APPENDICES
================================ /THE END! / ========================
SPECIAL ATTENTION
 Any deviation from contents of this research handbook in preparing both
research proposal and senior essay is intolerable!

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