英语学位论文写作CHAPTER4课件.ppt

1、How to Write a DissertationIn English Introduction4.1Managing your time4.2Locating your interest4.3Selecting a topic4.4Chapter 4Prewriting(1):Developing the SubjectConsidering manageability and availability4.5Summary4.6Exercises4.74.1 IntroductionHow to write a dissertation in English This chapter i

2、s concerned with developing a subject for writing a dissertation.We will first discuss the importance of time management because knowing how to plan your time is a very important factor in determining your chances of success.We will then talk about locating the research interest for oneself.Followin

3、g that,we will address the question of selecting a research topic.Finally,we will raise the issue of manageability of the research subject or topic and the issue of availability of both material and human resources.4.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.2 Managing your timeHow to write a dissertation in English Bef

4、ore you start to write,you must be clear of the time you have for writing.The availability of time for the whole project(i.e.for choosing a topic,identifying your research focus and developing your research question(s),developing a preliminary bibliography,shaping a preliminary outline,reading the r

5、elevant literature,taking notes and writing summaries and paraphrases,undertaking primary research,developing the final outline,writing the first draft,revising the first draft,documenting and polishing,proofreading,and finally submission)is a crucial factor.Thus,you have to manage your time effecti

6、vely and make a realistic plan.When you are allocating the time to different steps of the research process,remember to set aside at least two days for emergency occasions,so that you will have the opportunity to relax before the deadline arrives.In terms of planning and managing your time,you must h

7、ave a realistic plan,one that you will be able to fulfil during the time available.Remember,your plan will be4.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.2 Managing your timeHow to write a dissertation in Englishdifferent from those of others because people have different advantages and disadvantages in doing research,wr

8、iting papers and dissertations.So follow your own plan and trust yourself.4.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.3 Locating your interestHow to write a dissertation in English If you are an English major studying in a university,you may be interested in all or most of the subjects,e.g.language,literature,literary s

9、tudies,linguistics,translation,applied linguistics,language and culture,language and society,language teaching,that you have learnt or are learning.However,you are likely to be more interested in some subjects and less in others.If there is more than one subject that you are interested in and want t

10、o write your dissertation on,you must choose the one that interests you most,other things being equal.Once you have identified the subject that you would like to work on,you must try to narrow down the subject area.For example,if you choose literature,then you must think of the research topic that i

11、s within the broad area of literature.For example,if you are interested in British literature,instead of American literature or literature in countries such as Australia,Canada or New Zealand,you can consider areas such as early British4.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.3 Locating your interestHow to write a di

12、ssertation in Englishliterature,Elizabethan drama,the 19th century novel,the 20th century literature.If you choose the 19 th century novel,then you can contemplate the Romance writers,e.g.great poets such as Keats,Shelley,Wordsworth,or Romantic novelists like Jane Austin and the Bronte sisters.If yo

13、u are interested in the Brontes,you can focus on Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights.After choosing this novel,you should decide what to do with it.You may want to investigate the characteristics of a certain person in the novel,e.g.Catherine Linton,or you may want to focus on the theme of this piece of

14、 work.You may also want to compare,from the perspective of ideology,this piece of work with anothernovel written in the same period by another writer in Britain or in another country.If you choose British poetry instead of novels,you have to make similar decisions until you have located an area that

15、 is small enough to study within a short period of time and big enough to be developed into a dissertation that is required.4.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.3 Locating your interestHow to write a dissertation in English On the other hand,if you choose language or linguistics,you must also decide what to inves

16、tigate.For example,you can start with linguistics or language and end with the study of the use of the third-person,singular number,female gender,subject case pronoun she in gossip.Thus,you start from linguistics and end up with the use of she in gossip as follows:LinguisticsFunctional LinguisticsSy

17、stemic Functional LinguisticsLexico-grammarMetafunctionTextual functionCohesion4.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.3 Locating your interestHow to write a dissertation in EnglishGrammatical cohesionReferencePersonal referenceshe,3rd person,singular,female,subjectiveshe in gossip Your interest in the subject will

18、make you eager to know more of the subject area and that will help a lot in the investigation of the research topic.If you choose a topic that is of little interest to you,you will feel bored and you will have problems in completing the research task.4.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.4 Selecting a topicHow to

19、write a dissertation in English Once you have located your research interest,you can now select a suitable topic for your dissertation.Suppose that you are interested in language English grammar syntax verb tense the use of verb tense the use of verb tense in the adverbial clause the use of verb ten

20、se in the adverbial clause introduced by as if,you choose the topic by narrowing down the research area.You can study the differences in both form and meaning in the following sentences:He speaks as if he knew the answer.He speaks as if he had known the answer.He speaks as if he knows the answer.He

21、speaks as if he has known the answer.4.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.4 Selecting a topicHow to write a dissertation in English So your focus is now on the use of verb tense in the adverbial clause introduced by as if.As you will realize soon,there are other possibilities in terms of the verb forms in the adv

22、erbial clause introduced by as if.But at the moment,you know what to look for and what you will do in your research.Thus,your research topic is Verb forms in the adverbial clause introduced by as if.Although this is a small topic,you will see later that it can be developed into a project,which can b

23、e the basis of a BA dissertation.If you choose the above topic,you must be interested in issues related to English grammar,and you must have some basic knowledge of syntax and verb tenses.If you are not interested in syntax or you have little knowledge of it,you are advised to think of another resea

24、rch topic.4.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.4 Selecting a topicHow to write a dissertation in English In practice it is not very easy to choose a suitable subject or topic for your research.One way of ensuring that you have chosen a suitable topic is to consult your tutor,who is experienced enough to make the

25、judgment for you.Another way is to read dissertations completed in previous years and available in your university library.Compare your ideas/plan/project with those in the completed dissertations.If you choose a topic which is too broad,you may not have the ability to narrow it down.On the other ha

26、nd,if you choose a topic that is too limited or specialized,you may have difficulty in finding anything to write.Or if your topic is too technical,you may not be able to do the research at this stage.If your topic is too ordinary,it may not be of interest to the examination committee and it may not

27、reach the academic level that is required by the degree that you are working for.Therefore,one can say that choosing a suitable subject or topic is an essential step in the whole process of writing a BA dissertation.4.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.5 Considering manageability and availabilityHow to write a di

28、ssertation in English Before you decide your research topic,you must ask yourself whether you can manage it,taking time,knowledge,expertise and other things into consideration.In some cases,the research topic may be worthwhile,but you do not have enough time to conduct the research,or you do not hav

29、e the academic ability to deal with it,in which case you are not able to manage the topic.Thus,in terms of manageability,the topic is not suitable for you.Another important factor to consider is the availability of resources.In some cases a certain research topic is manageable and worthwhile,but it

30、may not be a suitable one for you because you do not have the necessary resources or materials to support the research.The resources and materials that you need for successfully completing the research include library resources,e.g.books,journals,non-print materials,and also human resources,especial

31、ly when you need native-speakers as informants,or organizations that can help you conduct your research.4.14.24.34.44.54.64.74.6 SummaryHow to write a dissertation in English This chapter is about the initial steps in doing research,which are involved with planning your time well,trying to find wher

32、e your research interest is,and choosing a suitable subject or topic for your own research.Young researchers are advised to consider the issue of manageability of the research subject or topic and the issue of availability of both material and human resources.These initial steps are important becaus

33、e they will affect the chances of your success.4.14.24.34.44.54.64.7 If you have 10 weeks,70 days,for writing your BA dissertation,how are you going to allocate thetime for different steps,e.g.for choosing a topic,identifying your research focus and developing your research question(s),developing a

34、preliminary bibliography,shaping a preliminaryoutline,reading the relevant literature,taking notes and writing summariesand paraphrases,undertaking primary research,developing the final outline,writing the first draft,revising the First draft,documenting and polishing,proofreading,and finally submis

35、sion?4.7 ExercisesHow to write a dissertation in English14.14.24.34.44.54.64.7 If you come across the following text(from Baudoin,E.M.et al(1994)Readers Choice.Michigan:The University of Michigan Press)and areinterested in using it as your research data,what do you think you can Focus on as a starti

36、ng point?4.7 ExercisesHow to write a dissertation in English24.14.24.34.44.54.64.7 Smoking in public:Live and Let Live Ours is a big world,complex and full of many diverse people.People with many varying points of view are constantly running up against others who have differing opinions.Those of us

37、who smoke are just one group among many.Recently,the activities of non-smokers have reminded us of the need to be considerate to others when we smoke in public.4.7 ExercisesHow to write a dissertation in English4.14.24.34.44.54.64.7 But,please,Enough is enough!We would like to remind non-smokers tha

38、t courtesy is a two-way street.If you politely request that someone not smoke you are more likely to receive a cooperative response than if you scowl fiercely and hurl insults.If you speak directly to someone,you are more likely to get what you want than if you complain to the management.Many of us

39、have been smoking for such a long time that we sometimes forget that others are not used to the smell of burning tobacco.Were human,and like everyone else we occasionally offend unknowingly.But most of us are open to friendly suggestions and comments,and quite willing to modify our behaviour to acco

40、mmodate others.Smokers are people too.We laugh and cry.We have hopes,dreams,and aspirations.We have children,and mothers,and pets.We eat our hamburgers with everything on them and salute the flag at Fourth of July picnics.We hope youll remember that the next4.7 ExercisesHow to write a dissertation i

41、n English4.14.24.34.44.54.64.7Keystime a smoker lights up a cigarette in public.Suggested Answers to the ExercisesHow to write a dissertation in English1.Although different researchers have different ways of managing and allocating the time available,the following list can serve as a checklist.5 day

42、s for choosing a topic,4 days for identifying your research focus and developing your research question(s),3 days for developing a preliminary bibliography,4 days for shaping a preliminary outline,16 days for reading the relevant literature,taking notes and writing summaries and paraphrases,4 days f

43、or undertaking primary research,2 days for developing the final outline,10 days for writing the first draft,4.14.24.34.44.54.64.7Suggested Answers to the ExercisesHow to write a dissertation in English 5 days for revising the first draft,7 days for documenting,polishing,proofreading,and submission.2

44、.If you are interested in the text,you must have your reason(s).So you can ask yourself why you are interested in the text.If we want to use it as our research data,there are a number of points that can be the starting points of our research.Perhaps we can start with the point of view and see how ma

45、ny clauses/sentences use we,ours,those of us,or many of us as Subject of the clauses/sentences.Then consider the sentences in which you is used as the Subject of the clauses/sentences.Then compare these sentences and work out why the text is structured as it is now.If you need to have theoretical support,we suggest you consider using the textual metafunction analysis within M.A.K.Hallidays Systemic Functional Linguistics.4.14.24.34.44.54.64.7back