To Do or Not to Do a PhD? Insight and Guidance from a Public Health PhD Graduate
This section is a summary of your thesis. It should give a background of the study, the objectives set, the basic methods, the important results and their associated conclusions under the different headings of: Background, Aims, Methods, Results and Conclusion. The word count for the thesis abstract is much more than that for an abstract of a research manuscript; however, every institution has its own guidelines. No citations are included in the abstract. In summary, the abstract should address the following questions: 'What was done? 'Why was it done? 'What questions were set to be answered? 'How was it done? 'What was learnt? and 'Why does it matter? [1] Introduction or Background (Check with the University's Guidelines for the Appropriate Heading Title) This sets the scene for your thesis by providing a critical literature review of the topic you are investigating, e.g. type 2 diabetes. The introduction chapter needs to motivate and lure the reader into continuing to read your thesis by describing the problem at hand and the niche present in the scientific world that your thesis will address. It is paramount that the aim and objectives of the thesis are kept in mind while you are doing the literature review in order to stay on track and not deviate from the topic. All citations should originate from the original data source and not utilise other researchers' reviews and interpretations of the original research. Since this chapter is usually laid out during the initial phases of your PhD, it is important to keep updating the chapter with any new concepts, findings, studies and guidelines that may get published along your PhD journey. Personally, I suggest that you start this chapter early on. Most of the literature review is required as part of your PhD proposal, so once you already have laid the foundations, write it down in the form of an introduction chapter for your thesis. Having at least one chapter completed (even if you would need to update it along the way) means one less thing on your agenda when you reach the thesis writing stage. It is recommended that the methodology you followed for your literature review is noted down; The Structure of a Thesis