To help you with the Thesis Writing process, GMBA offers a thesis Writing course.
 

This course evolves out of the recognition that GMBA students have a growing need for guidance on practical Thesis Writing.

This course focuses on developing core academic writing skills through analysing examples and course lectures. Specifically, students are introduced to the structure of thesis writing and the needed academic writing tools. In addition, students are introduced to a sect of qualitative and quantitative data collection tools and are shown how to interpret the findings.

In short, students are walked through the process of Thesis Writing and armed with a core set of how to do so.

Course Objectives:

After completing this course, students will be able:

• Collect and Introduce Literature in a critical discourse
• Understand relevant tools to be used for secondary and primary data analysis
• Read and Write about Data in a Results section
• Improve their Academic Writing Skills
• Formatting their Thesis

These goals are achieved through lectures and applied activities. 

Learning:
Recommended Readings

Turabian, K. L., et al. (2013). A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Eighth Edition: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers, University of Chicago Press.
APA Formatting and Style Guide // Purdue Writing Lab. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html

Grading Policy
Attendance & Participation                                                         30%

Assignment 1: Class Activities                                                     30%

Assignment 2: Thesis Proposal and Presentation                    40%

Time/Schedule:

This course schedule is tentative and subject to change.

Session 1: Starting the Thesis Journey

1. Types of Theses and Expectations
2. Structure and Formatting of a Thesis
3. Topic Identification
4. Identifying a Research Gap
5. Introduction to Thesis Proposal Writing

In Class: Example Analysis & Identifying a Topic

Session 2: Research Design

1. Identifying a Unit of Analysis and Population
2. Understanding the Purpose of a Literature Review
3. Developing a Theoretical Framework
4. Developing and Presenting Research Questions

In Class: Example Analysis and Using Tools for Accessing Secondary Data Sources

Session 3: Methods and Research design

1. Literature Management
   • Theoretical to Analytical Model
   • Overview of Endnote and Proquest
2. Quantitative Methods
   • Population and Sampling: Quantitative
   • Types of quantitative studies: Experimental, survey-based, secondary-data-based studies, Quantitative Content Analysis
3. Qualitative Methods
   • Conceptual Modelling
   • Population and Sampling: Non-Quantitative
   • Types of qualitative studies: Literature Review as a Method, Qualitative Content Analysis, Thematic Analysis
   • Interview Questions and Techniques

In Class: Case on experiment or survey design; application of class learning on research approach and design for individual study

Session 4: Data Analysis techniques

1. Data Processing
   • Quantitative data coding, editing
   • Multi-item constructs and reliability
2. Examples of research techniques: output requirements and interpretation
   • Regression
   • Factor analysis
   • Mediation/ Moderation
   • Anova
3. Linking results to implications
4. Drafting and Formatting APA Style
5. Research limitations and suggestions for future research

In Class: Applying class learning to understand techniques for data analysis and interpretation. We will use R-statistical Package Manager and Sample Data to demonstrate quantitative methods.