This document provides guidance on writing an M.Phil thesis. It discusses the purpose of the thesis as developing student knowledge and contributing to research. The thesis offers an opportunity to delve deeply into a topic and synthesize knowledge. It addresses writing style and audience, noting the primary audience is the scholarly community and secondary is external examiners. The key components of a thesis are outlined as the title page, statement of originality, dedication, acknowledgements, abstract, table of contents, lists of tables/figures/abbreviations, chapters including introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion and conclusion, and references. The title should summarize the main idea concisely and highlight key variables. A copyright statement declares the work as original

1. M.Phil Education (Writing for Thesis EDU 705)
Suleman @ VU (0334-5325170)
Topic Heading Description
1 Purpose of thesis To develop students (knowledge, understanding and capabilities)
Goal of thesis
Contribute to research and development work
Deals with complex theoretical issues
To plan and use adequate methods and evaluate
Thesis at the end
offers the
opportunity to
Delve deeply and synthesize acquired knowledge
2
Writing style and
audience
Audience & Purpose (context of writing, range of audience and critics)
Primary Audience (Scholarly community, Real and imagined, -
Internalize audience  Supportive, Hostile and Adversarial)
Secondary Audience (External examiners, Representative of scholarly
community)
Immediate Audience (Supervisor, Highly influential and Ideal Reader)
3
Components of
thesis
1. Title page 2. Statement of originality/ copyright page
3. a) Dedication b) Acknowledgements 4. Abstract 5. Table of Contents
6. List of : - Tables - Figures/ illustrations 7. List of Abbreviations
8. Chapters  Introduction  Literature Review  Methodology  Results
 Discussion  Conclusion9. References 10. Appendices
4
Title
Title should SUMMARIZE the main idea:
 beconcise highlight key variables full explanatory
Title should not have abbreviations.
Function:  inform  statement of content (data based)
5 Copyright Appears after title page, may differ in form, declares that work is your own
Dedication A short statement of tribute
Acknowledgement Statement of gratitude and recognition
6
Table of contents
Provide (outline of thesis, Titles of all chapters – Subtitles: sections, Hierarchy ,
Page numbers)
What to include: ( Important supplemental material, Some interview transcripts,
Pictures, Consent forms, Ethical clearances)
Purpose: ( Validate the research process, Provide important information that
cannot be included, Overcome the limitations of word restriction)