 students tend to view this section of the thesis/dissertation as insignificant, but it is vitally important to define the problem as clearly as you can so that the rest of the paper is focused – and the reader is not left with the impression that you lack a strong grasp of the subject matter. It’s always a good idea to run your ideas by a knowledgeable professor or classmate before writing this section. They can give you feedback, help with possible resources, or perhaps even point out if your topic is too broad or difficult to cover.
Rationale/Purpose for the study.
Once you have made it clear what it is you are writing about, the next step is to outline why it is appropriate for you to devote X number of pages to exploring it and to proposing a solution. The rationale/purpose section of the study should have three main things in mind:
- It should highlight the significance of the problem
- It should highlight what the outcome will be if the problem is not resolved
- It should be the section wherein you “sell” the reader on the importance of the paper by providing stats, anecdotes and background info that make clear how pressing things are.
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Hypothesis/Research Question.
Aline Russo of ThePaperExperts.com gives us a clear definition of a hypothesis: “A hypothesis is the suggested explanation for a phenomenon or a ‘reasoned proposal’ in which the writer outlines a possible link between multiple phenomena.” In essence, a hypothesis is what you are trying to prove to the reader or what you are trying to show actually exists. If you want to write a good thesis or dissertation, then you need to have a clear, focused hypothesis or research question; it’s as simple as that.
Delimitations/Scope of the paper.
You know, so many graduate students get themselves into trouble because their theses or dissertations get way too big; instead of highlighting a few things (or one big thing), they start highlighting a whole bunch of things that they never intended to talk about in the first place. Aline Russo of ThePaperExperts.com suggests that three things should be in the section of the opening chapter concerned with the scope of the paper:
- What the essay is basically all about (in other words, the hypothesis or research question re-stated)
- The key sub-questions you will attempt to answer
- The size of your study and what you will not be taking about
Keep all of these things in mind and you will do fine.
Objectives of the study.
This part of the paper is really an extension of your hypothesis; in other words, it will consist of the following items:
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