Thesis preparation overview

Definition

Griffith University defines a thesis as "a report on a scholarly project based on or manifested in rigorous experimental, theoretical, creative, empirical and/or design inquiry".

The preparation of a thesis is the outcome of a research project, carried out over a number of years under supervision. Candidates should familiarise themselves with the degree program definition that will be used in the assessment of their thesis. These policy provisions help to shape the product that should be the outcome of Doctoral/Masters research, and the standard of achievement that is expected.

Writing

A thesis should be a coherent exposition of a research study. It should follow an ordered sequence in which the research objectives, relationship to other scholarly work, methodology and strategies employed, and the results obtained are identified, analysed and evaluated. The main text should include a discussion of the findings or outcomes, analysis, results and conclusions.

Many candidates find that the task of writing the thesis is part of the research process and is best tackled progressively by building on reports and 'in progress' papers produced for their supervisors, rather than by "writing-up" the results in a final discrete stage.

International candidates may take part in free, 45-minute, individual teaching consultations with tutors in the EnglishHELP program to discuss any aspects of academic language and learning, such as writing and speaking skills. Candidates can apply for up to two consultations per week, and availability is subject to demand. For details see the EnglishHELP website. This is not a thesis editing service. The Griffith University Postgraduate Students Association (GUPSA) also provides a free service whereby candidates can submit up to 8,000 words of their writing to an editor for review and a follow up individual consultation. Conditions apply. For details see the GUPSA website. This is not a thesis editing service. Please see further below for information relating to thesis editing services.

Candidates may find it helpful to consult publications dealing with the preparation of theses relevant to their field or looking at some previously examined theses in the relevant field prior to the commencement of thesis writing. These may be accessed in the Griffith University Library, or through digital copies available through Griffith Research Online.

Candidates should seek advice from their supervisors regarding relevant references.

Ethics considerations and the use of confidential information

Candidates carrying out research involving the use of human or animal participants must apply for ethics approval, and include in their thesis confirmation that ethics approval has been granted. Further, assurance must be provided that the research was conducted in accordance with relevant guidelines and codes and the approved research protocol. For human research, application for ethics approval will typically include provision for the accessing of confidential information, where relevant, and outline an ethical approach to the use of such confidential information, including assurances of privacy. Such provision will also affect the way in which the thesis will present data obtained during the research project.

A submitted thesis should include a copy of the ethics approval document, and the approved recruitment, participant information and consent materials. Any document which personally identifies a research participant should not be included in a publicly available thesis without justification and express consent from the participant or participating organisation. As a general rule, signed consent forms should never be included in a thesis. Similarly, confidential material acquired informally or accidentally in the course of research or consultation should be used with considerable discretion and within the scope of the specific consent (usually written) provided by participants.

Any sensitive or confidential information supporting the main thesis should be included in a confidential appendix. Such confidential information may be personal information, or information of commercial significance. In most cases, confidentiality will apply to a part or parts of the thesis only. A confidential appendix will permit free access to the thesis proper with appropriate access restriction placed on the appendix only. If the restriction is in source or attribution, the information may be quoted in the thesis and its source indicated in the confidential appendix. This appendix should only contain confidential material relevant to the review of the thesis, referred to by the candidate in the main body of the thesis. This appendix will not be uploaded with the publicly available thesis on the GRO website.

Examiners of a thesis are advised that the task of examination must be undertaken on a confidential basis. If necessary, an examiner can be asked to sign a Deed of Confidentiality.

Responsibility for appropriate use of confidential information in the thesis rests with the candidate.

Freedom of information legislation

Under Freedom of Information legislation, people may seek to gain access to a thesis or confidential appendix that has been granted restricted access status by the University.

Although Freedom of Information legislation provides for a range of exemptions that will in most instances protect a thesis from being accessed against the wishes of the author, candidates are advised to be circumspect in the use of confidential information and sources for which a long-term embargo would be necessary.

Candidates using information that may need to be sequestered in a confidential appendix are strongly advised to seek the advice of their supervisors and the Dean, Griffith Graduate Research School on whether use of the information is advisable, or necessary for achieving a favourable outcome for the candidature. This should occur well in advance of submission, at admission or during the candidature confirmation procedure.

Contribution of others

Candidates must acknowledge the work of others in their thesis. This includes full and proper referencing of all quotations, conclusions of findings reached by others, and important ideas and concepts. Research may be jointly published, may be carried out in collaborative teams, and may be done and/or written with the technical, statistical, editorial, or physical assistance of others. A statement precisely outlining the contributions of others to the intellectual, physical and written work must be set out at the beginning of every higher degree by research thesis. See Thesis Formatting for details.

Editorial assistance

Candidates are responsible for the editing and final format of their research thesis. A professional editor may be employed to assist with the editorial process when the primary supervisor has agreed that professional editing is required. The Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd) have developed 'IPEd guidelines for editing research theses (PDF, 188k), endorsed by the Australian Council of Graduate Research (ACGR). These guidelines clearly outline the extent of assistance that can be provided by a professional editor when editing a research thesis – namely that it is limited to proofreading and copyediting services.

Conditions when employing a professional editor

When a candidate employs the services of a professional editor for their thesis, the following conditions must be met:

Any commercial arrangement entered into by an candidate and a professional editor is the responsibility of the candidate and their primary supervisor and Griffith University accepts no responsibility for this arrangement. Candidates may use their Element-allocated research allowance towards professional thesis editing services, at the discretion of their Element.

The IPEd have allowed those needing a professional editor to search the freelance registers kept by various editing societies. You can 'find an editor' through this search functionality, including searching by state and document type (i.e., thesis).