What is a thesis?

A thesis is a formal and lengthy research paper, especially a work of original research,
written in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a graduate degree. The first steps in writing your
thesis are to select a topic, design your study and write an appropriate and acceptable proposal. When
writing the proposal, you must keep the following in mind:  A very clear statement of the question is
essential to communicating your intention of making an original and worthwhile contribution to
knowledge.  By making direct reference to a thorough literature review, you must demonstrate that
your question (a) has not been previously answered, and (b) is worth answering.

In the life of a research student there are several milestones such as defending your research proposal,
or submitting the thesis. This unit is concerned with one of the earliest milestones in thesis writing:
developing a research proposal. While not all research students are required to formally submit a
research proposal and defend it before a panel, the suggestions made in this unit still have relevance for
undergraduate Honours students, as well as Masters and doctoral students starting out on research.
Developing a topic The task of establishing a suitable topic is often a significant hurdle. While
supervisors in some departments may suggest topics, other supervisors expect students to have quite a
clear idea of the thesis topic before the preliminary supervision discussions take place. For students who
have had a break from university studies, establishing a broad topic area or even a potential topic is a
process that should begin before you enroll. It involves reading in your area of research interest,
thinking, discussing and, attending related seminars or conferences. These activities encourage
contemplation, and can assist in fostering ideas. For students who know the general topic area they wish
to research, reading widely in the area of interest will help to identify research issues, or questions that
need further investigation. The process of developing a topic is ultimately one of establishing a gap in
current research that a thesis could aim to address. If you have made an appointment with an academic
to discuss research topics, keep in mind that the discussion will be most fruitful if you are prepared. The
academic will most likely ask you about your research interests, particular aspects of those research
interests, your familiarity with the literature, and so on. It may be helpful to give the academic an
outline of your research interests before your meeting. The academic is unlikely to give you a topic, but
through discussion can help you to come up with your own. Furthermore, discussions with the academic
should assist you in refining an existing topic, or to establish a research space in the current research in
the field. Once you are closer to establishing your topic, you need to address a number of issues to make
sure your intended topic is suitable. This process may lead you to further refine your topic, but hopefully
not abandon it. It is important that early in your candidature the following issues are addressed.

good research paper title:

 Condenses the paper’s content in a few words

 Captures the readers’ attention

 Differentiates the paper from other papers of the same subject area

So here are three basic tips to keep in mind while writing a title:

1] Keep it simple, brief and attractive: The primary function of a title is to provide a
precise summary of the paper’s content. So keep the title brief and clear. Use active
verbs instead of complex noun-based phrases, and avoid unnecessary details. Moreover,
a good title for a research paper is typically around 10 to 12 words long. A lengthy title
may seem unfocused and take the readers’ attention away from an important point.

Avoid: Drug XYZ has an effect of muscular contraction for an hour in snails of Achatina
fulcia species

Better: Drug XYZ induces muscular contraction in Achatina fulcia snails

2] Use appropriate descriptive words: A good research paper title should contain key
words used in the manuscript and should define the nature of the study. Think about
terms people would use to search for your study and include them in your title.

Avoid: Effects of drug A on schizophrenia patients: study of a multicenter mixed group

Better: Psychosocial effects of drug A on schizophrenia patients: a multicenter

randomized controlled trial

3] Avoid abbreviations and jargon: Known abbreviations such as AIDS, NATO, and so
on can be used in the title. However, other lesser-known or specific abbreviations and
jargon that would not be immediately familiar to the readers should be left out.

Avoid: MMP expression profiles cannot distinguish between normal and early
osteoarthritic synovial fluid

Better: Matrix metalloproteinase protein expression profiles cannot distinguish between

normal and early osteoarthritic synovial fluid

Always write down the hypothesis and then take into consideration these simple tips. This
would help you in composing the best title for your research paper.

For a more detailed tutorial on writing an effective title and abstract, read the following
article:

How to write an effective title and abstract and choose appropriate keywords