How to Write a Master's Thesis

by Yvonne N. Bui

Overview

"This is the best textbook about writing an M.A. thesis available in the market."  
–Hsin-I Liu, University of the Incarnate Word  
  
The Third Edition of How to Write a Master′s Thesis is a comprehensive manual on how to plan and write a five-chapter master’s thesis, and a great resource for graduate students looking for concrete, applied guidance on how to successfully complete their master′s degrees. While research methods and statistics courses may teach students the basic information on how to conduct research, putting it all together into a single project and document can be a challenge. Author Yvonne Bui demystifies this process by integrating the language learned in prerequisite methods and statistics courses into a step-by-step guide for developing a student′s own thesis or project.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506336114
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	07/31/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Yvonne N. Bui (PhD, Special Education, Learning Disabilities, University of Kansas) is Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Learning and Instruction, School of Education at the University of San Francisco. She teaches master’s- and doctoral-level courses in Special Education, Research Methods, Master’s Thesis, Statistics, Grant Writing, and Dissertation Proposal Development. She serves as the chairperson and committee member for students’ theses and dissertations within the School of Education. She is the coeditor of Exceptional Children in Today’s Schools: What Teachers Need to Know. Her research interests include developing curriculum for students with disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and international special education. Her personal interests include reading, writing, hiking, backpacking, camping, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Table of Contents

List of Students’ Master’s Theses
Preface
About the Author
Chapter 1. Overview of the Master’s Degree and Thesis
The Master’s Degree
What Is a Master’s Thesis?
Selecting a Thesis Chairperson and Committee
How to Read and Use This Book
Components of a Master’s Thesis
Quantitative, Qualitative, or Mixed Methods Research?
Style Form
Summary
Resources
Chapter 2. Selecting a Research Topic
Important Factors to Consider When Selecting a Topic
How to Narrow and Refocus Your Topic
Developing Answerable Research Questions
Creating a Realistic Timeline
Time Management
Summary
Resources
Chapter 3. Using the Literature to Research Your Problem
Benefits of Conducting a Literature Review
Meeting With a Reference Librarian
Sources of Data: Primary Versus Secondary
Selecting Keywords
Conducting Searches in Electronic Databases
Conducting Searches on the Internet
Different Types of Articles
Staying Organized
Summary
Resources
Chapter 4. Conducting Ethical Research
Legal Regulations and Ethical Standards
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Ethical Behavior
Summary
Resources
Chapter 5. How to Write Chapter One, Introduction
Writing Style
Chapter One Sections
Summary
Resources
Chapter 6. How to Write Chapter Two, Literature Review
Preparation and Organization
Chapter Two Sections
Summary
Resources
Chapter 7. How to Write Chapter Three, Methods
Research Designs and Research Methods
Preparation and Organization
Chapter Three Sections
Summary
Resources
Chapter 8. How to Write Chapter Four, Results and Findings
Preparation and Organization
Chapter Four Sections
Quantitative Data
Qualitative Data
Mixed Methods Data
Summary
Resources
Chapter 9. How to Write Chapter Five, Discussion
Preparation and Organization
Chapter Five Sections
Summary
Resources
Chapter 10. Wrapping It All Up
Preparation and Organization
APA Style
Next Steps: Presenting at Conferences and Getting Published
Summary
Resources
Appendices
Glossary
References
Author Index
Subject Index

Editorial Reviews

Yvonne Bui’s How to Write a Master’s Thesis should be mandatory for all thesis track master’s students. It steers students away from the shortcuts students may be tempted to use that would be costly in the long run. The step by step intentional approach is what I like best about this book.

Joel M. Cox

This is the best textbook about writing an M.A. thesis available in the market.

Hsin-I Liu

This is the type of textbook that students keep and refer to after the class.

Elizabeth Tolman

The key strengths are in the book's organization and explanation of how to structure the thesis. The step by step focus in this comprehensive book offers the student an on call 24 hour thesis advisor.

Christine Kerr

This book is great and fills an absolute need!!! I was so happy to find it.

Melissa R. Shyan-Norwalt

I don't use any other books but the Bui book. And yes, I would recommend this book to others. The Bui book is an easy read simply laid out and easy to follow. Students appreciate this book.

Cath Stilwell

Dr. Bui's text is a much appreciated edition. It easily facilitated graduate research in Arts Management, a discipline still determining how to "best" conduct empirical research.

Antonio C. Cuyler

This is thebest book I have read so far on how to write a master's thesis, I love the practical adviceand the conversational writingstyle.

Bible Lee

I just wanted to say what a wonderful guide your book has been through my entire thesis writing experience. I referenced your book through every chapter and as I begin to write the last chapter, I honestly feel that I wouldn't feel as confident with my draft if not for your writing. It has a perfect balance of humor, motivation, realistic expectations, and wonderful examples. I especially appreciated your examples and instructions for the SPSS software interpretations.

Lindy Smart