NUST Business School Department of International Business & Marketing

GUIDELINES FOR WRITING & FORMATTING OF THESIS

These guidelines have been prepared to write & format thesis on a standard format. Please use the sample on the following text pages, as a standard guideline for the purpose. Once the research work has been carried out, one of the main points is the structuring of the dissertation / thesis. Complying with the predetermined order would assist in assimilating thoughts and organizing the results of research. Various universities across the world follow different formats and specify various formats that they want their students to rigidly follow. It is recommended that at NBS, thesis or dissertation would consist of the following parts:

1. ELEMENTS OF STRUCTURE Title Page:

The title page of your dissertation is the first page that any person including the evaluator would have a look at. Therefore it needs to make a correct impression on the person. It needs to be in line with the format specified by the end of this document. It would include: Dissertation title Name of the student Degree Level School & University name Submission Date

Abstract:
An abstract provides the reader, important details about the dissertation or thesis such as what is the research all about, what are the aims & objectives of the research, what methodology is adopted and the conclusion in short. Generally the complete abstract should not be more than 250-350 words. It also briefs the readers about the scenario under which the particular research was undertaken thereby justifying the need for the research to some extent. It also acts as a setting for the upcoming chapters and helps in understanding the research paper better and not written in an ad hoc manner.

Acknowledgements:
The acknowledgement section of the dissertation allows the researcher to present a note of thanks to the people who have played a role in the completion of the work. These people may include the guide or supervisor, teachers, professors, friends, relatives etc. It needs to be short and concise.

Table of Contents:

This section is made up of what all is there in the dissertation or thesis. The title of all sections along with page numbers is part of this section along with the Appendix. Generally the list of figures and tables is made separately.

Chapter # 1: Introduction:
As the name suggests, this part of the dissertation or thesis introduces the reader to the work. It gives a basic outline of what the researcher is bringing forth in the complete thesis or dissertation, why has the researcher selected this particular topic for his or her work and the structure of the dissertation. The aims and objectives of the research are part of this section. It also presents the macro environment of the research and the setting as well as the particular context for the research.

Chapter # 2: Literature Review:

This part of the research reviews the literature, which already exists in a critical manner. The researcher carries an in-depth study of the existing literature and points out the gaps in the same thereby identifying the need for the current research. In this section the researcher assimilates the existing literature in the light of the research he/she intends to perform and depicts the points that strengthens the points that help to prove his/her claim. It is generally the first chapter to be written by the researcher.

Chapter # 3: Research Methodology:

The methodology adopted by the researcher for the study is given in this part of the dissertation or thesis. The data collection involves various modes and methods and the researcher boils down to a particular approach that suits his/her purpose. The research methodology can be classified depending on various factors as quantitative or qualitative or mixed, primary or secondary, data collection method etc.

Chapter # 4: Findings and Discussion:

This particular section decides the fate of the dissertation or thesis. Findings deduced properly and discussed in line with the research objectives and aims enable a good work. The findings are based on the research conducted via primary data collection or secondary data already available. Generally this section forms generally 10 to 15% of the complete dissertation or thesis.

Chapter # 5: Conclusion & Recommendations:

Conclusion is the essence of the thesis and provides a summary of the key points of research and comes up with a final judgment. A good dissertation or thesis must also point out the possible limitations or gaps in the work and should place the findings in the broader perspective of literature. The researcher should also indicate the future scope of the work on the subject and what further research can be done. A sentence or two of practical or real life applications of the research is always beneficial.

Bibliography:
This section provides a list of sources including the books, journals, articles etc. which have been referred to by the researcher in the complete work. It is arranged alphabetically. The standard generally followed at NBS is Modern Language Association (MLA) format. Microsoft Word provides a complete package on referencing. It is highly encouraged that students should use automatic referencing, rather than manually putting in the values.

Appendices:
This is the last segment of the dissertation and consists of sample questionnaires, graphs, tables, and pictures etc. which are used while conducting the research.

2. FORMATTING OF THE REPORT

Please use the formatting as explained on the Following Pages. A soft version of the formatting sample can be obtained from the Assistant (Department of International Business & Marketing). We wish you all the best and success in your research.