Suggested Chapter Content

There is no “ideal” length for a thesis; while verbosity is not valued, completeness is.  Again, seek the consultation of your thesis advisor.

Chapter I - Introduction: The purpose of the introduction is to set the stage for readers.  The introduction presents the problem, relates the problem to nursing, and presents limitations, assumptions, and definitions.  A good introduction introduces the problem early and states it in a way that makes its importance obvious.  The following sections comprise Chapter 1.

1. Background of the problem
2. Statement of the research problem/question
3. Operational definitions must be specific to study (may be incorporated into Chapter III, if desired)
4. Need for the study
5. Significance of study
6. Assumptions
7. Limitations (in prospectus)

Chapter II - Review of the literature: The literature review should tie the proposed research to what has already been done in the area.  It strengthens the author’s arguments concerning the significance of the study, orients the reader to what is already known about the problem, and serves to demonstrate the researcher’s knowledge of the field.  It should conclude with a brief synopsis of the literature and its implications for the problem under investigation.  Chapter II includes two major sections:

• Related research
• Conceptual framework of the study - a structuring device that describes and organizes concepts and ties them to the proposed study in order that the planned research may contribute to the body of nursing knowledge similarly conceived.

Chapter III - Methodology: This section is the core of the proposed research.  It describes the plan for accomplishing all required tasks, including the methods for selecting participants, measuring variables, and controlling extraneous factors.  Evidence for the reliability and validity of instruments should be presented and procedures should be described in sufficient detail to permit replication by another researcher.  Chapter III is comprised of the following sections:

• Design of the study/type of research
• Sample/recruitment/protection, inclusion/exclusion criteria with data
• Site from which the sample is selected
• Measuring instruments - reliability/validity
• Procedures for data collection
• Plans for treatment of the data (included in proposal but not thesis)
• If needed, the student should seek consultation from a statistician prior to completing the proposal
• A “mock-up” of any tables or figures should be included
• Time schedule for conducting the study (included in proposal but not thesis)

When writing a thesis Chapters 4 and 5 are often formatted as follows

Chapter IV - Results and Discussion: This chapter coherently presents the analysis of the finding including appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics to answer the research explanations for findings and interpretations consistent with results.  The relationship of specific findings to the literature review and the conceptual framework should be included. 

• Results and discussion may be divided into separate chapters
• Limitations (in final document)

Chapter V - Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations: The summary should clearly describe the study and its findings.  Recommendations for future research and specific nursing applications should be made.

• Recommendations for further research
• Nursing implications