Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION
The introduction chapter of your dissertation or thesis is the one in which you provide
all of the basic information that the reader will need to understand the thesis which is
to follow. Such things as the background of your research, how you came to research
your topic, what your topic is and how it relates to the world around it, and what kind
of general principles and methodology you will be using to research your topic and
evaluate your hypothesis, are all aspects of what you will cover in the introduction
chapter.

1.1

Overview

To start writing your introduction chapter, first come up with a simple one sentence
summary of the goal of your research. The reader will come to the first chapter of
your thesis expecting a statement of purpose. This statement should tell the reader
what the topic of the thesis/project is and what you hope to achieve. Then elaborate
the statement a little and explain it briefly.

1.2

Statement of Problem

Now tell the reader what your hypothesis is, as well as your basic reasons for
believing in the hypothesis. How does your knowledge of the reality of the field make
you lean towards one hypothesis or another? Explain to the reader how you will be
able to prove or disprove the hypothesis that you set out with through the course of
your research/work. Talk about any particular relevant issues that could affect the
course of the research, or any basic questions or problems that people might have
regarding the topic and how you will go about your research process. Try to anticipate
how people will react to your hypothesis and make sure that you are able to start your
project on a strong heading. It may be best to have the opening paragraph of your
thesis reviewed before you embark on the research process, to make sure that you are

on the right track (or at least that the track makes sense to others) before you set off
and put a lot of effort into collecting data.

1.3

Purpose of the research/project

Next, you can talk about the background of the project. How did you choose the
project? What kind of greater historical context does the research that you are engaged
in exist within? You may want to talk about any related experiments or research that
specific people have done in the past, including landmark research cases which are
related to the topic at hand. This gives the reader a sense of how your research fits
into the greater scheme of things, and lets the reader compare what you are about to
present to the research which they may or may not already be familiar with from
leading figures in the history of the field.

1.4

Applications of the research

The subheading is self explanatory. Tell the reader what difference your work can/will
make in real life.

1.5

Theoretical bases and Organization

Finally, give the reader a sense of how the dissertation will be organized. Provide
some kind of chapter by chapter breakdown to tell the reader what can be expected so
that the reader will be able to scan the paper at first and have a good sense of what
ended up happening. Use solid principles of organization throughout your paper, in
addition to hitting all the above topics in your introductory paragraph, to make your
dissertation as readable as possible.

1.6

Summary

Summarize all what you have written in introduction.

Chapter 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter will include all of you work before starting the core of your thesis. What
you studied and why you studied that particular article/paper or book.

2.1

Related Technologies

Write what technologies are related to your thesis/project work.

2.1.1 Related Technology 1

Go in detail of one technology very close to your work.

2.1.2 Related Technology 2

If required, select another appropriate technology related to your work and explain it.

2.2

Related Projects

Projects already done or currently being done related to your work.

2.3

Related Studies

In what direction other researchers from your field are working. What is hot in
research these days and what is not?

2.4

Their Limitations and Bottlenecks

Whatever you discussed above, discuss their limitations and bottlenecks so that the
reader becomes aware of what needs to be done in this research area.

2.5

Summary

Summarize all what you have written in literature review.

Chapter 3
TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
In this chapter, you will be discussing in detail all the tools used in your work. This
includes hardware, software and simulation tools or any other thing which aided in
your project. If multiple hardware/software tools are used, use subheadings and go in
detail of each one of them.

3.1

Hardware used with technical specifications

Details about hardware used. Use subheadings to explain different types of hardware
used.

3.2

Software(s), simulation tool(s) used

Details about software(s) used. Use subheadings to split different software, simulation
or mathematical tools used.

3.3

Summary

Summary of the chapter.

Chapter 4
METHODOLOGIES
This is the very core of your project/thesis/work. By now the reader is aware of your
goal, the relevant work going on and the tools you are going to use. Now explain from
beginning till very end all the methods you used to accomplish your results. Do not
hesitate in writing about all the techniques you applied but they were unable to give
you the required results. This is a part of learning process and should be included in
your thesis. The section headings in this chapter will be different for each thesis. Don
not hesitate in modifying/ adding/ removing any of these section headings as per your
requirement as you know best how you proceeded in your work and what were the
key steps features involved. Just make sure not to miss out on any of the steps. Some
sample section headings are given below. These wont be explained as they are self
explanatory and most probably will be amended by you according to your thesis
requirements.

4.1

Design of the investigation/Algorithms/ Hardware

4.2

Analysis procedures

4.3

Implementation procedure

4.3.1 Details about hardware

4.3.2 Details about software/ algorithms
4.3.2 Details about control etc

4.4

Verification of functionalities

4.5

Details about simulation / mathematical modeling

4.6

Summary

Summary of all your methodologies.

Chapter 5
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
In this chapter, you will explain all the results you achieved after completing all what
you explained in previous chapter. Try to find a balance while explaining your results.
Neither makes your project/work look worthless in case you were unable to achieve
the goals identified. Nor should you claim to have solved all the problems in the
world by the results you have achieved. Take a step by step approach as identified in
the section headings below.

5.1

Presentation of the findings

A general description of results of the thesis.

5.1.1 Hardware results

Split the project in major parts and discuss the results for each part.

5.1.2 Software results

Again split the project in different parts discuss the results for each part.

5.2

Discussion of the findings

Elaborate your findings/results and provide a critical analysis. Comparisons with

some standards or other authentic work done.

5.2.1 Comparison with initial GOAL

What you initially claimed and what you achieved in the end.

5.2.2 Reasoning for short comings

Most probably there will be some results not in line with your goal, explain the
reasons for this e.g. Hardware/recourses unavailability, time constraints e.t.c.

5.3

Limitations

The goals/results you achieved if some constraints have or if they are for some
specific conditions, explain all these.

5.4

Recommendations

What your recommendations would be to someone who wants to carry on with your
work where you left it or wants to improve it.

5.5

Summary

Summary of the results.

Chapter 6
CONCLUSION
What is the strongest and most important statement that you can make from your
observations? If you met the reader at a meeting six months from now, what do you
want them to remember about your paper? Refer back to problem posed, and describe
the conclusions that you reached from carrying out this investigation, summarize new
observations, new interpretations, and new insights that have resulted from the present
work. Include the broader implications of your results. Make sure you do not repeat
word for word of any part of thesis above.

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APPENDICES
Appendix A

10

Appendix B

11