How to Write a Master′s Thesis

"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.

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

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.

Review :
"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." "This is the best textbook about writing an M.A. thesis available in the market."  "This is the type of textbook that students keep and refer to after the class."