STUDY WITH A VIEW TO A
MASTER'S OR DOCTOR'S DEGREE IN PHILOSOPHY
A Departmental Guide for Prospective and Registered Students
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Tuition and the various degrees offered in the Department
3. Admission to and registration for master's and doctoral studies
3.1 Admission
3.2 Registration
3.3 The research proposal
4. Organisation of study
5. The writing of the dissertation or thesis
6. The submission of the dissertation or thesis
7. Re-registration
8. Suspension of registration
9. Summary
Appendices
1. Guidelines on the composition of a research proposal
2. List of texts on the writing of dissertations/theses
Prepared by the
Departmental Research Committee
1990
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1 INTRODUCTION
Work towards a master's or a doctor's degree differs materially from undergraduate and
honours studies. Whereas the latter program consists of work taught and supervised by
lecturers who plan the study objectives and the syllabus, the former is based on the own
research of the student, with the lecturer fulfilling a role in the background as a supervisor
or promoter. It therefore goes without saying that different considerations from those that
applied at undergraduate and honours level will hold good for the advanced students, from
the deliberations that precede the setting in motion of such a study to the requirements for
the carrying out and completion of that study.
It happens too often that students begin master's and doctoral studies simply to acquire a
further qualification. Research actually demands an exceptional intellectual ability, very
thorough preparation and an intense interest in the subject field, as well as the will and the
desire to contribute to the sum of knowledge in that field. For their own sakes, students
should be completely honest with themselves on all these points before they decide to
commit themselves to further studies. On the University's side, these considerations form
the foundation of the formal requirements or regulations.
A distinction must be made between three sorts of University regulation: general regulations
that apply to all faculties, regulations that apply only to the Faculty of Arts, and domestic
regulations that apply only in individual departments of the Faculty. You will find information
on the first-mentioned two types of regulation in the relevant portions of the Unisa Calendar
as well as in special brochures which are available from the University Administration. It is
necessary that you should have a thorough knowledge of these documents, which are
available on request from the Registrar (Academic) at the usual Unisa address, or from the
Regional Offices.
In this guide you will find a short explanation of the domestic regulations for the Department
of Philosophy, that is to say, of those procedures and practices which are followed in the
Department of Philosophy, within the framework of the previously mentioned types of
regulation, regarding the admission and registration of students and the organisation of
study with a view to the obtaining of a master's or doctor's degree in Philosophy. The
intention is to give prospective students a clear idea of the requirements that need to be
fulfilled, and of what they are letting themselves in for. The intention is also to help students
who have already been accepted to make their approach to their research as effective as
possible.
2 TUITION AND THE VARIOUS DEGREES OFFERED IN THE DEPARTMENT
In order to put the higher (more advanced) degrees of master and doctor into perspective,
it is necessary to give a brief outline of the way in which tuition in the Department of
Philosophy is structured.
The bachelor's degree is an introduction and a general orientation. We expect of students
who have completed a B.A. with a philosophy major subject (either Philosophy III and/or
Logic III, at Unisa) to be able to handle logico-philosophical questions with the necessary
awareness. This means that students should have a reasonably good comprehension of what
kind of claim a philosophical assertion makes; what the conditions for the discovery of its
nature are; how, for instance, it differs from other types of claim; and how it should be
tested and subjected to constructive reasoning techniques. We can describe tuition at
undergraduate level as an initiation of the student into Western Philosophy 1 For various
reasons, into which we cannot go here, the Department limits its field at all levels to the
teaching of Western Philosophy.1. This initiation includes the nurturing of a logical sensitivity
in the student, the familiarisation of the student with important figures, the sub-disciplines,
the technical vocabulary and standard viewpoints of Western Philosophy. Further, the
student should have reached the point of being able to identify and handle core problems,
and to adapt and extend his/her philosophical knowledge, insights and capabilities with
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greater confidence and over a wider area, to his/her own life-world, to further philosophical
studies (formal and informal) and to other fields of study.
Although at undergraduate level in the Department, a distinction is made between the two
major courses, Philosophy and Logic, no such differentiation occurs between degrees in logic
and philosophy at postgraduate level. Even though a purely logical topic may be dealt with,
the degree is awarded in Philosophy.
The honours degree can be defined as an in-depth study that follows the B.A. A variety of
disciplines are studied for the B.A., and in the philosophical studies at undergraduate level
acquaintance is made with a variety of standpoints and networks of related problems. The
honours course provides the opportunity for subject specialisation: some of the points of
view and complexes of related problems in philosophy which were introduced at
undergraduate level, are studied in depth within the framework of a limited number of
options. Complementarily, the student is expected to master the bibliographical skills that
are required for independent research. The use of the library forms part of what we call the
depth dimension of studies at honours level, and is an integrated part of the honours tuition
in Philosophy (Study guide 1 of the TCPOOO-P course). This Study guide is also valid for,
and available (on request) to all postgraduate students. It should be carefully studied.
For the master's degree a new way of study is required although it is an extension and
application of the honours course. The in-depth study of a specialist direction which was
done in the honours course, together with the mastering of the bibliographical skills that
went hand in hand with it, were intended to equip candidates to carry out specialised
research of limited scope in a reasonably independent manner in the sub-discipline in which
they chose to specialize, and to complete a treatise on it with that aim in mind. The M.A.
degree in Philosophy is a research degree, that is to say no part of the work is either taught
or examined. The dissertation that the student writes under the guidance of a supervisor,
is examined as such, and only if the examiners demand it may the student be asked to
participate in an oral examination on the dissertation. The "what" that is studied, is in the
hands of the student. The lecturer (supervisor) gives guidance as and when necessary in
reaction to the initiatives of the student.
The doctor's degree is a full-blooded research project at the highest academic level and for
that reason the preparation provided by the prior completion of the M.A. is indispensable.
As in the M.A., study for the doctor's degree consists of the completion and examination of
a research project. In this instance a thesis is written and a lecturer acts as a promoter. A
very high degree of independence is thus expected of the student. In the thesis for the
doctor's degree a positive and original contribution should be made to philosophy.
It should be emphasized here that success at one level should never be taken as a
guarantee of success at the following level. Although the achieving of a degree theoretically
allows admission to the following degree, students should remember that every degree also
means the end of the road for some of those who obtained it. They lack the capacity to
progress further. Students who have already had to struggle to reach a particular goal or
who barely made the grade, should think twice before they decide to continue. Remember
also the differences in approach at the various levels, as outlined above. It is possible for
a student to be extremely successful at third-year level, but fail the honours degree because
the concentration on texts and the microscopic approach that is followed doesn't suit
him/her. Equally, not all successful honours students have the imagination, the capacity for
analysis and synthesis, the desire to search and the ability to adapt to occasional failures
that are necessary for research. Before you apply for admission for a master's or doctor's
degree, an honest self-examination is necessary. Ask yourself: Are you prompted by the
right (that is, by academic) motives? Do you have the qualities that are needed for this type
of study?
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3 ADMISSION TO AND REGISTRATION FOR MASTER'S AND DOCTORAL STUDIES
Admission must be distinguished from registration. At this level, the prospective student still
has to fill in the standard "registration" form, but the form, in its turn, leads on to the
abovementioned two distinct actions.
3.1 Admission
To be considered for admission, the prospective student should complete the prescribed
form, provide the required documentation, and pay the required fees. The application is then
sent through to the Department of Philosophy.
In the Department, the Research Committee considers the application. A basic prerequisite
for admission is the formal qualifications: an honours degree for the M.A., and an M.A. for
the doctor's degree. If the qualifications were obtained at an accredited tertiary institution,
they present no obstacle to admission. It remains, however, a prerequisite to qualifying for
admission to study for the doctoral degree that in all cases the master's degree included a
dissertation. There are also special regulations for graduates from other fields of study who
wish to undertake master's or doctoral studies in Philosophy.
Independent of the purely formal admission requirements, there is domestically yet another
criterion for admission: the applicant's readiness and capacity to do research at the required
level. Detailed attention is given to the preliminary study that has been done: What has
been done? Where was it done? When (how long ago) was it done? What were the results?
Regardless of formal qualifications, admission may be refused on the grounds of such
deliberations. In this relation, if any form of doubt remains in the minds of the Research
Committee, additional requirements for admission may be set or conditional admission
requirements recommended. So, for instance, it may be requested that before admission
can be granted, a preliminary examination should be passed, or a satisfactory essay
produced, or that a particular undergraduate or honours course topic should be successfully
completed, either before admission or during the first year of registration.
3.2 Registration
When the Department has decided that a student may be admitted to master's or doctoral
study, registration is considered and it usually takes a few months before registration is
finalised. The Department applies four criteria:
a) Free access to, and use of, a library, which entails that the student can either make
prompt and regular personal visits to, or is at least in a position to undertake study
from time to time in, a properly equipped library. It goes without saying that research
cannot succeed without the use of a good library. All Unisa students have automatic
access to all the library facilities of Unisa. The use of the library from a distance
demands a thorough knowledge of the available sources as well as of the procedures
to make required material available rapidly. We know from previous experience that
this use of a library from a distance is not sufficient for master's study and particularly
inadequate for doctoral study. Browsing in encyclopedias, in periodicals and among
the books on the shelves does not only yield indispensable discoveries, but is part of
the making of a researcher. It is therefore expected that before registration can be
considered, applicants can satisfy the Department that they have the necessary library
skills and are also able to make regular visits to a well-equipped library.
b) A title for the dissertation or thesis must be put forward. Such a title can be changed
during negotiations/discussions between the Department and the applicant.
c) The student must present an acceptable research proposal to the Department in
accordance with the guidelines in Section 3.3 below and Appendix 1.
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d) The Department must be in a position to handle the particular research project. In this
regard, students should bear in mind that there are different approaches/traditions in
philosophy. It is self-evident that the approach that a student wishes to follow in the
investigation of a theme, also in part determines the content of the theme. Although
the Department has a tolerably open mind, and lecturers are sometimes prepared and
qualified to accept responsibility for studies in another tradition, or including other
traditions than their own, registration will not be recommended if it appears that
no-one in the Department is in a position, or is willing, to supervise a study project
in a proposed tradition or on a proposed theme.
As soon as a candidate has satisfied the Department as regards these criteria, registration
is recommended and, if the recommendation is accepted, the candidate is formally
registered as a student. At any stage in the process which precedes registration, a student
may indicate which member of staff he/she would prefer as study supervisor/promoter. The
final decision in this case rests with the Head of Department.
If a candidate is unable to satisfy the Department as regards these criteria within a
reasonable period, it will be recommended that registration be refused, and if the
recommendation is accepted, moneys already paid will be refunded.
Formal qualifications and even formal admission are no guarantee that an applicant will be
allowed to register for master's or doctoral study. The decisive factor lies with the applicant,
and his/her readiness to get the project he/she wishes to register for, under way and
successfully completed within a reasonable time-span.
3.3 The Research Proposal
No investigation can begin before the particular problem or project has been properly
defined. A random plunge into a theme tends to land a person in frustrating dead ends. The
initial work is therefore of the greatest importance. It brings to light whether the project is
actually worth the trouble it will take, indicates the direction the research should aim at, and
makes it possible to estimate whether the whole undertaking has a reasonable chance of
success.
The initiative must be borne by the applicant. An inability to come up with an acceptable
scheme or project is interpreted as a lack of readiness to undertake research. Lecturers
and/or the subject librarian in the Unisa library may make bibliographical suggestions to the
applicant, but the actual spade-work and the planning must be done by the applicant
personally. Prospective students are, after all, not yet officially registered at the University
and are therefore not entitled to help in the form of teaching or guidance; at most they can
be given hints that may help them improve a proposal.
The proposal should consist of a clear statement of the problem and demarcation of the
terrain. It should show why the problem or theme is philosophically interesting, and that the
applicant has an understanding of what has already been done in his/her field of interest,
demonstrate his/her informed opinion of such scholarship, and indicate what he/she wishes
to do and how he/she intends to go about it. In conclusion, a core bibliography with short,
pointed comments on every item (ie. an annotated bibliography) should be provided, to
demonstrate both the nature and the interest of the proposed project and to persuade the
Department that the applicant is in a position to begin fruitful research without more ado.
In Appendix 1 you will find these broad principles outlined as separate directives. The
research proposal must be organised in agreement with them.
It is normal and to be expected that prospective students will work for several months at
the preparation of an acceptable proposal. We regard it as one of the most important phases
of the study programme, and encourage people not to be over-hasty in it. "Well begun is
half done" applies in this case also.
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As the work for such a proposal can last until late in the year, registration can be shifted
over to the next academic year. The student obtains the full advantage of this arrangement.
N.B. According to the University's Calendar, a master's degree can be completed in one
year. There are cases where it is possible, as in the Natural Sciences, or where a researcher
has completed a project as part of his/her daily work and can use it just as it is for his/her
dissertation. In philosophy it happens only in very exceptional cases that a student
completes such a study in one year. Prospective students should think of the three years
allowed as the minimum time period. To force a project into maturity, take short cuts or
pressurize the study or organisation and writing of the dissertation is a sure way of handing
in an unacceptable piece of work or throwing in the towel in frustration. Philosophy involves
thinking things through and reasoning, and that requires time and calmness.
Bona fide prospective students who wish to make use of Unisa's library facilities before they
have been formally accepted as students and registered, should direct a written request to
the Head of Department in this connection, for the consideration of the Director of Library
Services. Such requests have always in the past been treated with the greatest sympathy.
4 ORGANISATION OF STUDY
Registration is finalised by the registration of a dissertation or thesis title against the name
of a student and the appointment of a supervisor/promoter. The student is informed of this
and is then formally permitted to start his/her research.
It is self-evident that at this stage a student cannot even think of starting to write a
dissertation or thesis. First, a great deal of study and reflection must take place before the
real writing can be started. Although we do not think that in our case a comparison can be
made between the conduct of an investigation and the writing of a report on that
investigation, still we must distinguish between two quite different activities. There is the
"thinking out" of the "report" (which includes much more material than will appear in the
final product, in the form of philosophical dead ends, trains of thought that return to what
has already been done, flounderings, leaps, etc), and there is the final product, which is well
organised and professionally prepared, and through which a thematic thread runs. We
expect that a student will have to do many and various tasks once he/she has registered for
a master's or a doctor's degree, and is busy with his/her research.
It must be emphasized from the first that the onus for contact with the supervisor/promoter,
in order to inform him/her of progress or lack of it, to seek help or guidance, etc, rests on
the student. Furthermore:
a) Planning for the year. During the preparation of the research proposal, the student
gets an idea of the important texts which must be read and the central themes which
must be worked out. The student beginning a senior degree should, on this basis,
present a work program for the year to his/her supervisor/promoter, in which an
exposition is given of what will be done and when. In order to make certain that the
student will attempt to keep to this program and in this way make active progress
with his/her research, a minimum of three report-back dates should be suggested,
preferably in May, August and November. It should be broadly indicated which part
of the project should be completed by each of the report dates.
b) Reporting back. As was previously suggested, the lecturer takes a background role at
this level of study. The research must go ahead prompted by the scholarly interaction
between student and supervisor and the student must take the initiative. The function
of reporting back is to further and to give structure to, the interaction. At the same
time it should give the supervisor information on whether the student has sufficient
ability and dedication to master the project.
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This reporting back should be done in writing. On one side, it is important for both
parties to have a permanent record of the student's progress. On the other, it is
exceptionally important for the student to take an overview of his/her progress at
regular intervals, and to give some structure to the knowledge and insights that have
accumulated during that time. These reports must be delivered on the dates that the
student has stipulated in advance, independently of other forms of contact between
the student and the supervisor/promoter.
• Reports should be 1 - 1½ pages long, and should at the very least contain the
following information:
• What themes have been covered and how each of them is connected with the
central hypothesis/problem.
• What new insights have been obtained and how they influence the project.
• What problems have been encountered.
• An annotated bibliography with reasons supplied as to why exactly these works
have been read.
• Report of what written work has been done, including revisions of work already
handed in.
• If the original program has been deviated from, reasons why and an alternative
program must be put forward.
c) Written work. As has already been emphasized, the thinking out and preparation for
the writing of a dissertation/thesis are quite different activities than the actual writing
of it. Before material can be arranged and properly expressed, it must be available.
We expect students to identify individual themes that are of cardinal importance for
the carrying-out of the project, to write essays on them, and present them to the
supervisor/promoter for comment. A supervisor/promoter can also, if he/she deems
it necessary for the development of the student, ask that the student produce an
essay on a special theme. These will not form ready-completed chapters for the
dissertation/thesis, because what is dealt with in these essays is eventually going to
find a place (or perhaps not find a place at all!) in different ways and in different
sections of the final product. At this stage, the real issue is the mastering of a problem
by means of coming to grips with various aspects of it, to lay the foundation for the
planning of the dissertation/thesis itself.
These essays must conform to research criteria. They must deal with a specific
problem, have an acceptable structure, a satisfactory bibliography, etc. Any work that
is handed in for supervision must be typed in double spacing and preferably on A4 -
size paper. Broad margins must be left. If this requirement presents you with a
problem, you should discuss it with your supervisor/promoter without delay. Always
keep a copy of work that you have sent in for comment. It is also desirable that you
should submit two copies when you hand work in so that one copy can be kept in your
file.
d) Seminars. The best way to experience philosophical interaction is by means of
discourse. Instead of handing in essays, or supplementary to such essays, students
may request that their supervisors/promoters arrange seminar meetings to which the
lecturers in the Department as well as other master's and doctoral students are
invited, and at which the student concerned gives a paper on an aspect of his/her
research, to be followed by discussion. (The paper may consist of an argument that
he/she wishes to test, an apparently insoluble problem he/she wishes to air, an insight
he/she wishes to communicate, etc.) Each student ought to give at least one such
seminar on his/her project before he/she starts the actual writing of the
dissertation/thesis, and supervisors/promoters may request a student to do so.
The Department envisages holding an annual gathering of advanced students and lecturers,
at which every student presents a part of his/her research to those assembled, for general
discussion. It is hoped that this will help students to make quicker and better progress.
7
In this connexion it must be noted that the Department of Philosophy offers departmental
and inter-departmental seminars annually. Postgraduate students are invited to attend.
Notices are automatically sent to students who are within reasonable distance of Pretoria.
During group visits to undergraduate students outside Pretoria (Pietersburg, Durban, East
London, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town), lecturers do their best to make contact with
postgraduate students in those areas.
e) The second and subsequent years. The abovementioned ways of going about the
research project apply until the point is reached at which the student is either ready
to begin writing the dissertation/thesis or has given up the project.
5 THE WRITING OF THE DISSERTATION OR THESIS
One of the greatest temptations for research students is to think that every piece of reading
matter that has been studied and summarized must eventually find a place in the end
product. This urge finds its origin in over-eagerness to start writing: the problem has not
been properly excogitated and the way in which it should be handled has not yet been
adequately worked out and planned. This sort of haste should be guarded against from the
very beginning. And this is also the reason why we emphasized above that all possible facets
of the project should be thoroughly looked into before the dissertation/ thesis is finally
planned and the actual writing started.
A student is ready to begin writing when he/she has attained complete clarity concerning
his/her problem, has decided what he/she intends to do with that problem, and has a
workable plan as to how that aim can be realised. If he/she has worked as has been set out
above, the reports handed in will show clearly when this stage has been reached, because
the reports will eventually culminate in a plan or schematic structure for the
dissertation/thesis. The decision to start writing is therefore taken by the student and the
supervisor/ promoter together on the basis of the student's progress.
There are numerous books which discuss the writing of a dissertation/thesis. At this stage
it may help a student to consult some of these works. A list of titles is to be found in
Appendix 2.
The writing of the dissertation/thesis is done chapter by chapter, and throughout it must be
shown how a given chapter fits in with the rest. Subsequent chapters are submitted only
after comment and instructions have been received from the supervisor/promoter on the
previous chapters.
No matter how good the preparation has been, it is to be expected that numerous new
problems will be encountered and that continual revision will be required. It is one thing to
concentrate on sub-sections and to attain clarity on those; it is another to make these
sub-sections into an integrated whole that eventually reaches/makes a particular point.
The linguistic, technical and bibliographical aspects of the dissertation/thesis are the
responsibility of the candidate. With regard to the latter aspect, it must be pointed out that
a candidate must acknowledge adequately everything that is made use of that has been
taken from other writers. Moreover, he/she must put together an acceptable bibliography.
There are various standard styles in terms of which bibliographical details may be presented.
We have a departmental style which we prefer, and this is discussed in an honours study
guide (TCPOOO-P, Study guide 1) and in a tutorial letter sent annually to undergraduate
students. We must emphasize that it saves a candidate a great deal of time and effort if
he/she decides on a particular style from the beginning, masters it and subsequently uses
it rigorously from then on. A (free) booklet by P.J.A. Roux, Reference Techniques, can be
requested at the Unisa library. In it, various styles for the presentation of bibliographical
details are discussed.
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6 THE SUBMISSION OF THE DISSERTATION OR THESIS
The submission of a dissertation/thesis occurs only with the written consent of the
concerned supervisor/promoter.
Make sure that you are fully aware of, and have conformed with, the University's
requirements for dissertations/theses.
Please avoid any feverish haste to finalise a dissertation/thesis during December and
January. Bear in mind that lecturers are usually on vacation or recess leave during these
months. Plan the finalisation of your report in such a way that it does not make unfair
demands on the time of others, cause unnecessary nervous strain to yourself or your
intimates, and that it does not, owing to over-hasty production (typing or grammatical
errors, faulty binding, etc) make the sort of impression on examiners that causes them to
recommend that certain improvements should be made before it can be accepted. The more
haste, the less speed. The attainment of a research degree is an exceptional achievement.
Do not allow hasty and sloppy writing to undermine the strenuous reasoning you have done.
7 RE-REGISTRATION
Re-registration after the first year of study is dependent, every time, on satisfactory
progress during the previous year. Applications for re-registration are expected during
January. Progress is evaluated on the basis of the interim reports and the work that has
been sent in for checking. Students whose progress is not up to expectation run the risk of
failing to obtain permission to re-register.
8 SUSPENSION OF REGISTRATION
Unforeseen circumstances may crop up (for example, a long illness, a change of home or
an extended business trip) which may interrupt or delay your studies for a longer or shorter
time. You are advised to tell your study supervisor/promoter in good time and to keep
him/her properly informed. Simply not to mention such circumstances and then use them
as an excuse for failing to make progress when you apply for re-registration, is to risk
refusal.
After you have registered for the first time, your studies may only be interrupted (i.e.
registration suspended for a full academic year) by agreement, following the provision of
reasons. Applications in this relation should reach the Registrar (Academic) before the
beginning of March. If the University is satisfied that your circumstances justify it, your
registration may be suspended for that academic year.
9 SUMMARY
Study at master's and doctoral levels is of an exceptional nature and it makes exceptional
demands on both students and lecturers. The foregoing is an attempt to give an exposition
of procedures and work methods which are used in the Department of Philosophy, and which
we believe will help the candidate to study fruitfully and successfully. At the same time, we
have attempted to give an indication as to what a student in applying to do research at
these levels is letting him/herself in for. The student who does his/her part can depend on
the help and support of the Department of Philosophy.
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APPENDIX 1
Guidelines on the composition of a research proposal
A research proposal, which is evaluated by an academic panel, must include the following
information (for M studies, read "dissertation" in place of "thesis" and "supervisor" in place
of "promoter"):
1. A provisional title for the envisaged thesis. (In M and D studies, the initiative should
come from the applicant in such matters.)
2. A clear and concise formulation (about 150 words) of the problem initiating the
proposed study.
3. The reason(s) why the proposed problem is considered philosophically interesting, in
contrast e.g. to literarily, psychologically or theologically so.
4. A statement of what the applicant hopes to achieve by the project. (In M studies, the
emphasis is on critical exposition, whereas a D thesis must be an original contribution
to philosophy, e.g. a new theory of meaning, or an extensive exploration of the logical
relations between concepts, or a systematic depth evaluation of a theory).
5. A clear formulation of how the project will be tackled. (Indicate the proposed methods
and structuring of the thesis, both of which must be relevant to the topic.)
6. An outline of the work that has already been done by others on the problem.
7. An annotated bibliography of primary and secondary texts specifically concerning the
problem.
8. A declaration that the applicant will have ready access to a fully equipped academic
library. (Specify name and location of library.)
Notes
(a) An applicant is welcome to suggest a particular promoter for his/her studies.
(b) It may take months to prepare a satisfactory research proposal. This is an important
phase of a project. It requires careful investigation and reflection.
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APPENDIX 2
List of texts on the writing of dissertations/theses
Allen, G.R. The graduate student's guide to theses and dissertations. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
This book ought to be read by the beginner. It tells how to organise material and write a
report and contains an annotated bibliography on the subject. Highly recommended.
Barzun, J. & Graff, H.F. 1957. The modern researcher. Rev. ed. New York: Harcourt.
Intended for historical research. Section 3 deals with thesis writing.
Boer, H. de 1968. Schriftelijk rapporteren: een praktische handleiding bij het samenstellen
van rapporten, notas, memoranda, scripties, dissertaties, zakelijke correspondentie, en
dergelijke. Utrecht: Aula-boeken.
Practical and comprehensive; deals with all subject fields. Contains a bibliography.
Campbell, W.G. 1978. Form and style: theses, reports, term papers. 5th ed. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin.
This is a reference manual, particularly useful for thesis typists.
Davis, G.B. 1979. Writing the doctoral dissertation: A systematic approach. Woodbury, N.Y.:
Barron.
A concise handbook for doctoral candidates in all fields: how to select an advisor, develop
a topic, write the proposal, schedule time, and prepare the final work.
Gall, M.D. 1989. Educational research: a guide for preparing a thesis or dissertation proposal
in education. New York: Longman.
Lewins, F. 1988. Writing a thesis: a guide to its nature and organisation. Canberra:
Australian National University.
Madsen, D. 1983. Successful dissertations and theses: A guide to graduate student research
from proposal to completion. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
This book deals with formulating the research proposal, finding a subject, taking notes,
writing outlines, persevering with the work, writing and defending the thesis and finding a
publisher. Highly recommended.
Maney, A.S. & Smallwood, R.L. eds. 1981. MHRA style book: Notes for authors, editors and
writers of dissertations. 3rd ed. London: Modern Humanities Research Association.
This publication aims to assist authors and editors of academic publications and those
preparing dissertations in the humanities to achieve clarity and consistency in matters of
style and presentation.
Mauch, J. & Birch, J.W. 1983. Guide to the successful thesis and dissertation, conception to
publication: for students and faculty. New York: Dekker.
This book emphasises aspects not covered by similar works, such as student/supervisor
interaction, time management, differences in research methods in academic and professional
disciplines, application of the scientific method. Contains an excellent bibliography.
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Recommended
Miller, J.I. 1987. The thesis writer's handbook: a complete one-source guide for writers of
research papers. West Linn, Or: Alcove Pub. Co.
Phipps, R. 1983. The successful student's handbook: A step-by-step guide to study, reading,
and thinking skills. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
Sternberg, D. 1981. How to complete and survive a doctoral dissertation. New York: St.
Martin's.
Concentrates on the sociological and personal issues that a doctoral student must confront
and master, aims to help him identify these and to deal with post-dissertation
unproductivity.
Turabian, K.L. 1982. A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations.
British ed. prepared by J.E. Spink. London: Heinemann.
Directed at those who are preparing academic work or papers for publication. British edition
is similar to the American edition, except that the British reference style is given.
Watson, G. 1987. Writing a thesis: a guide to long essays and dissertations. London:
Longman.
Winkler, A.C. & McCuen, J.R. 1978. Rhetoric made plain. 2nd ed. New York: Harcourt Brace.
Introduction to writing skills. Contains an extensive discussion of deductive and inductive
reasoning as used in writing.
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