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KIGALI INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITY ULK

Website: www.ulk.ac.rw E-mail: info@ulk.ac.rw P.O. Box : 2280 Kigali

Postgraduate Handbook for Writing a Thesis

5th March 2014

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Table of Contents

List of Acronyms and abbreviations .......................................................................................... v

Part 1: OBLIGATIONS, PROCEDURES AND FORMAT ..................................................... 1

1.1 Obligations ....................................................................................................................... 1

1.1.1 ULK obligations .............................................................................................................................. 1

1.1.2 The supervisor’s Obligations: ........................................................................................................ 1

1.1.3 Student’s obligations ....................................................................................................................... 2

1.2 Procedures ........................................................................................................................ 2

1.2.1 The choice of a topic (attributes) .................................................................................................. 2

1.2.2 Thesis Phases ................................................................................................................................... 3

1.2.3 Submission of thesis ....................................................................................................................... 4

1.3 Formatting and style ........................................................................................................ 5

1.3.1 Cover page ................................................................................................................................. 5

1.3.2 More guidelines on formatting and style ..................................................................................... 7

Part 2: CONTENT OF THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL ...................................................... 10

1. Title of Research Project (Academic Research) .............................................................. 10

2. Background to the study .................................................................................................. 10

3. Problem statement .......................................................................................................... 10

4. Research objectives .......................................................................................................... 11

5. Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 11

6. Hypothesis (optional) ...................................................................................................... 11

7. Scope of the study ............................................................................................................ 11

8. Significance of the study .................................................................................................. 11

9. Methodology .................................................................................................................... 12

10. Dissemination of research findings ............................................................................... 12

11. Structure of the thesis ..................................................................................................... 12

12. Duration of the project ................................................................................................... 12

Part 3: THESIS CONTENTS AND FORMAT ..................................................................... 13

Cover Title Page ............................................................................................................... 13

Declaration ........................................................................................................................... 13

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Approval page ...................................................................................................................... 13

Dedication............................................................................................................................ 13

Acknowledgement ............................................................................................................... 14

Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ 14

List of Tables ....................................................................................................................... 14

List of figures / Diagrams / Illustrations ........................................................................... 14

Abbreviations and Acronyms ............................................................................................... 14

Operational Definition of Key Terms .................................................................................. 14

Abstract ................................................................................................................................ 15

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ................................................................................... 16

1.1 Background to the study ................................................................................................................. 16

1.2 Problem statement ........................................................................................................................... 16

1.3 Research objectives .......................................................................................................................... 16

1.4 Research Questions .......................................................................................................................... 16

1.5 Hypothesis (optional) ......................................................................................................................... 16

1.6 Scope of the study ............................................................................................................................ 16

1.7 Significance of the study .................................................................................................................. 16

1.8 Definitions of key concepts ............................................................................................................ 16

1.9 Structure of the thesis ...................................................................................................................... 17

Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................................................... 18

2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 18

2.2 Conceptual and theoretical Perspectives ....................................................................................... 18

2.3 Related case studies .......................................................................................................................... 18

Chapter 3: Research Methodology ...................................................................................... 19

3.1 Research Design ............................................................................................................................... 19

3.2 The population of the study ........................................................................................................... 19

3.3 Sampling ............................................................................................................................................ 19

3.4 Data Collection Techniques and Tools ......................................................................................... 20

3.5 Validity and reliability tests (depending on the study) ................................................................ 20

3.6 Data processing ................................................................................................................................ 20

3.7 Methods of data analysis ................................................................................................................. 21

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3.8 Limitations/delimitations ................................................................................................................ 21

3.9 Ethical considerations ...................................................................................................................... 22

Chapter 4: Research Findings ............................................................................................. 23

Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusion and recommendation .................................................... 24

References ............................................................................................................................ 25

Appendices .......................................................................................................................... 25

Part 4: REFERENCING STYLE ........................................................................................... 26

4.1 References within the text .............................................................................................. 26

4.1.1 Paraphrasing ................................................................................................................................... 26

4.1.2 Quotes ............................................................................................................................................. 29

4.2. List of References .......................................................................................................... 30

4.2.1 Books (print and online) .............................................................................................................. 31

4.2.2 Journal and newspaper articles .................................................................................................... 34

4.2.3 Web documents and sites ............................................................................................................. 35

4.2.4 Other electronic media ................................................................................................................. 36

4.2.5 Audiovisual and other media ....................................................................................................... 42

4.2.6 Unpublished sources ..................................................................................................................... 45

4.2.7 Proceedings and technical reports .............................................................................................. 46

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List of Acronyms and abbreviations

APA : American Psychological Association

DOI : Digital Object Identifier

ULK : Kigali Independent University

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Part 1: OBLIGATIONS, PROCEDURES AND FORMAT

1.1 Obligations

Supervision of students’ thesis plays a vital role in the promotion of the standard of the University.

The relationship of the three participants, that is, the student, the supervisor and the university

should be well regulated in order to make this central role of the university to be effective.

1.1.1 ULK obligations

The University shall:

Appoint and terminate supervisors;

Pay supervisors a remuneration specified in the contract on the day of the viva-voce

(defence);

Make follow up on students’ research progress to guarantee prompt completion;

Ensure quality of university research.

1.1.2 The supervisor’s Obligations:

The supervisor shall:

Arrange a supervision schedule with a student;

Ensure adherence to the supervision schedule;

Keep record of the supervision meeting and progress;

Read the submitted work and give timely feedback to the student in writing;

Provide mentorship and counselling to the student;

Respect student’s reasonable views and ideas on his/her research;

Report on the progress of the student in writing to the relevant authority of the University;

Brief the student on the need to conduct his/her research according to ethical principles and

best practices;

Remind the student the implications of misconduct;

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Recommend the student for remedial courses or required literature in order to fill the

identified gaps;

Approve and endorse the student’s work by signing;

Update himself widely with knowledge in the student’s area of research;

Uphold profession etiquettes and moral principles.

1.1.3 Student’s obligations

A student carrying out a research shall:

Develop a supervision schedule in consultation with the Supervisor;

Adhere to the stipulated supervision schedule;

Present to the Supervisor the chapters and other write-ups for review;

Seek guidance from Supervisor from time to time (at least once in 30 days);

Appropriately incorporate amendments made by the supervisors;

Proof read each piece of work developed before presenting to the Supervisor;

Make timely payment of fees as prescribed by the University;

Acquire appropriate materials and tools for carrying out their research;

Behave in a way that conforms to ethics of research and the University rules and regulations;

Present progress reports of research on time;

Present completed proposal and thesis within the prescribed format and time.

1.2 Procedures

1.2.1 The choice of a topic (attributes)

It is worth noting that the formulation of a research topic starts from the researcher’s interrogation,

i.e. the topic bears on an initial issue that the researcher poses himself and to which he wishes his

research finds an answer. According to Quivy and Campenhoudt (1995: 24), this initial issue, called

“research topic” must present the following 4 qualities:

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Clarity (concision and precision): the initial questions must be precise and concise, this is

to say that they must display with precision what the researcher will work on and that he is

mostly preoccupied with. In simple words, the research topic should be defined clearly,

concisely and precisely.

Research feasibility: an initial question enables to apprehend a feasible research issue, i.e it

takes into account the resources at the researcher’s hand (time, money, logistic means,

human resources, resource-person). Feasibility also depends on the possibilities for

observation and access to data pertaining to the hypotheses indicators.

Scientific relevance: a research question is scientifically pertinent/relevant.

Empirical and theoretical foundation/base: this means that the initial question/research

topic must be founded on experimental, verifiable, observable phenomena through our

senses.

In addition to the abovementioned criteria, in order to appoint a supervisor the following will be

considered by the University authorities:

The candidate’s consent that his or her topic is original and it has never been submitted by

the student for another degree or attempted by another person;

In case a student proposes a Supervisor who is not teaching at ULK, the later should be a

PhD holder having an expertise in the research area. As for other supervisors, the proposed

lecturer should sign a contract with the ULK before the supervision starts;

Masters degree holder with one research publication can be appointed as co-supervisor but

not as supervisor;

Only students who are financially suitable will have access to supervision.

1.2.2 Thesis Phases

This phase will start to be undertaken by the student after completing the core course modules

which includes Research Methodology. The following steps will be followed:

The student will submit to the post graduate directorate his/her research topic;

The Directorate will convene a meeting of the relevant authorities to vet the various topics

submitted;

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After the approval or amendment of the student’s topic, the University authority will allocate

a supervisor or supervisors to a student based on the expertise of lecturers;

Decisions will be published on the ULK website;

The student should get in contact with his/her supervisor before engaging in writing the

proposal.

1.2.3 Submission of thesis

This section pertains to the channel and/or steps followed by the student for submitting the thesis:

Submitting the authorisation letter signed by the supervisor;

Submitting the internship report (where appropriate), for marking;

Submission of a single copy of the thesis (more copies where appropriate) to the Director of

Research and Postgraduate Studies for review;

After having verified whether the student’s file is complete, the Director of Research and

Postgraduate Studies will appoint the first examiner in consultation with the Vice Rector of

research and postgraduate studies;

A summarised report on the thesis and observations or corrections of the examiner will be

submitted to the Director of research and postgraduate studies ;

The student is given back the submitted copy (copies) of the thesis with

corrections/observations;

Editing of the thesis by the student taking into account the corrections/observations made;

For the second submission (after corrections), the student should have paid to the bank all

academic fees for the programme, including the thesis fee where appropriate;

All the bank slips should be presented to the finance office for recording;

Submission of 3 edited copies taking into consideration the observations indicated in the

first submission;

The Director of research and Postgraduate Studies will set up the date and hour of the thesis

presentation in consultation with the supervisor and the student;

The panel is nominated by the Vice-Rector of Research and Postgraduate Studies in

consultation with his Director;

Presentation of the thesis on the date and the hour convened;

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After the presentation, two corrected copies of the thesis are submitted to the library

through the Academic office within 1 month after the supervisor’s approval ;

The Academic Testimonial outlining achievements is withdrawn from the Vice-Rector of

Research and Postgraduate Studies;

The Degree Certificate is issued uniquely after the graduation ceremony.

1.3 Formatting and style

1.3.1 Cover page

A blue hard cover page should bear the title, the author names followed by “Thesis Submitted in

Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Masters degree in [name of program]”, the name of

the institution and the date.

See the format on the next page.

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[THESIS TITLE]

by

[your official name starting with the SURNAME]

Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment

of the Requirements for the Masters degree in

[name of program]

Kigali Independent University ULK

[Month and year of Defence]

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1.3.2 More guidelines on formatting and style

The formatting and style depicted below are mostly based on the American Psychological

Association (APA) style.

Size of the thesis

Based on the guidelines provided below, ULK recommends that the thesis should

have at least 80pages which is in fact above the requirements of the National

Council for Higher Education (NCHE)

Margins Minimum of one inch (1”) margin on all sides

Flush left (ragged right edge)

Font New Times Roman for text;

Sans Serif font (e.g., Arial) for statistics in tables and figures

Font size 12 pt. for text and headings; Table font can be reduced to 10 pt., but no smaller

Spacing Double-spaced throughout, including references

One space following any punctuation mark; one space between sentences

No spaces on internal punctuation for abbreviations such as i.e., or e.g., or U.S.

One space between author’s initials

Example: ...funky lowercase (e.g., the writing of e. e. cummings).

Paragraphs Indent the beginning of a new paragraph 0.5”

Avoid one-sentence paragraphs.

Pagination Page numbers begin with the title page (i.e., page i), but the number is not shown

on the title page. Beginning with page ii, numbers are placed in the upper right-

hand corner.

Allow 5 spaces between the end of the header and the page number.

NB: Use roman numbers on preliminary pages, and Arabic numbers for the

remaining pages.

Numbers Numbers less than 10 are written out as words (i.e., one through nine)

Numbers 10 and greater use Arabic figures (10 – 999,999)

Use the % symbol and figures to report any number as a percentage (6%, 22.5%)

EXCEPTIONS: Do not use a figure to start a sentence: write out the number

-When writing out the number also write out “percent”

-Use the word percentage when writing in general terms and not referring to

a specific numerical value.

Example: “Sixty-seven percent of the sample....as compared to 2% that

did not qualify. This was a larger percentage than previously …”

Italics Correct use:

1. To introduce a word used as a term; drop italics on subsequent use of term

(APA 4.21)

2. Titles of books, periodicals, brochures, reports--in text & reference entries

(APA 6.15)

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3. Anchors of a scale

Examples: “Familism is …preserving the family of origin. Thus, familism …”

“Oprah’s latest book club selection, Share the Wealth Girlfriend, sold a staggering…”

“…used a 3-point scale with ratings that ranged from 1 (poor) to 3 (excellent)…”

Incorrect use:

▪ Don’t use italics for emphasis – rely on your writing to give emphasis to a

thought.

▪ Foreign phrases that have become accepted as English words (i.e., included in

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary)

Examples:

et al. ; per se ; vis-à-vis ; ad hoc; ad infinitum ; quid pro quo; a posteriori; ad lib;

a priori; pro bono; ad nauseam; sine qua non

Hyphen use APA style is stingy with hyphens, and most students tend to overuse hyphens.

Note: Ignore Word’s suggestions for hyphenation—it’s not APA compliant.

Words that are always hyphenated:

▪ Any compound words with self- as the prefix (self-report, self-talk, self-

esteem)

▪ Two words acting as a compound adjective to modify a third word

- (low-dosage group, 12th-grade students, a two-thirds majority)

▪ Any word easily misunderstood without a hyphen

- (re-pair for pairing again, re-form for form again)

▪ Any compound with a base that is capitalized, a number, or an abbreviation

- (non-Latino, post-1990, anti-FBI rally)

Do not hyphenate:

Racial/ethnic group names

- (African American, European American, Arab American, Scot Irish)

Compound adjectives that include an adverb ending in -ly

- (federally funded grant, randomly assigned rats, widely accepted term)

Compounds that include a comparative or superlative adjective

(better written text, less informed group, higher order analysis, worst case

scenario)

Abbreviations &

Acronyms

APA recognizes only seven acronyms as words that do not require definition:

HIV, AIDS, IQ, ESP, REM, NADP, ACTH

Define all other abbreviations by writing out name in full on first use and

putting abbreviation in parentheses. Example: “…School of Social Work (SSW)

…”

Once defined, you must use the abbreviation for all subsequent references;

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no flip-flopping!

Use abbreviations sparingly—overuse turns a paper into alphabet soup!

APA does not set a limit on the number of abbreviations allowed; however, most

readers can keep track of only 4 to 5 unfamiliar abbreviations.

Quotes Less than 40 words is an “in-line quote.” 40 or more words are set as a block quote

Students tend to overuse quotes either because they lack confidence in their ability

to express profound ideas in their own words or because they are lazy writers. In

either case, your instructors are interested in learning your thoughts on a topic, not

the words of another author.

It is appropriate to include a quote when the author’s unique phrasing suffers

substantially or loses meaning when paraphrased.

Quotes must be introduced in the text by explaining the meaning, relevance, or

significance of the quote to your text. In-line quotations are incorporated into the

text, set within double quotation marks, and followed by the in-text citation with

the page number of the quote. Use p. for a quote from a single page, use pp. for a

quote that spans a range of pages. Note that the sentence punctuation follows the

citation.

Example: Keep your writing accessible by avoiding use of “pointy-headed prose”

(Barbaro, 2007, p. 7).

If an in-text citation for the quoted author was given earlier in the sentence, only

the page number follows the quote.

Example: Smith and Jones (1993) found gum chewing improved students’

retention of classroom material, but also noted professors found “the sight of 30

cud-chewing faces disgusting and demoralizing” (p. 32).

Long quotes of 40 words or more are set as block quotes; each line is indented 5

spaces (0.5” in.) and double-spaced. See Sample APA paper at the end of this

document for an example.

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Part 2: CONTENT OF THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL

1. Title of Research Project (Academic Research)

The title of the project should be clear and descriptive enough to reflect the nature of the work

being proposed. The title of the project will remain unchanged once the proposal has been

approved.

2. Background to the study

The background gives the rationale of the study. Therefore a student is expected to provide

evidence and conditions of the existing situation and make clear and logical statements about the

major study variables.

The first paragraphs should state the conceptual aspect, that is, what is the study about and why that

particular topic was chosen. The theoretical aspects, or what theories inform the independent

variable of the area of study; the historical aspect should highlight how other scholars have viewed

the same issues; and the contextual aspect should refer to the exact context where the study is being

carried out.

3. Problem statement

The statement of the problem refers to what has been detected in the practical or theoretical world

and needs a solution. It is derived from the background and should be supported with published

literature or recorded statements. The student should clearly state the nature of the problem, its

known or estimated extent or magnitude and bring out the limitations or delimitations of the

independent and dependent variables as noted in the background (about one to three pages).

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4. Research objectives

These arise directly from the purpose of the study. Each specific objective should state what must

be achieved. The student should write the objectives in such a way that they reflect what he/she

intended to achieve. Objectives should be categorized into General and Specific Objectives.

5. Research Questions

The research questions must be stated in question form and in a way that they are synchronized with

the research objectives.

6. Hypothesis (optional)

The research hypothesis is a tentative explanation of the research problem. It is also a tentative answer

to the research problem and can be an educated guess about the research outcome. Not all researches

need a hypothesis; therefore, if the study is hypothesis free, an ASSUMPTION may take its place. The

hypothesis must be stated where it is applicable. Ideally, the hypothesis can be in null or alternative

form.

7. Scope of the study

This section defines the research coverage in terms of time, content and geography or space. It

therefore, defines the parameters of the research. The student should state with justification the

scope of his/her study.

8. Significance of the study

This refers to the academic relevance of the study. It focuses on academic contributions and

practical use arising out of the research findings. It should emphasize knowledge creation, the

technological or socio-economic value to society. The student should point out the potential

contribution and relevancy of his/her study.

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9. Methodology

This describes the activities to be employed to achieve the desired results. Here a complete research

plan for the project should be clearly spelt out with the different phases of the project being

indicated. A clear definition of the analytical techniques to be used as well as the methodology to be

adopted should be explained. The facilities and equipments as well as other logistical materials to be

used must also be mentioned.

10. Dissemination of research findings

The anticipated results should be stated and these should align with the objectives. Details on the

steps already taken (or planned to be taken) to utilize the research results must be provided.

11. Structure of the thesis

The proposed structure of the thesis displays its different chapters, subchapters, sections and

subsections.

12. Duration of the project

The expected duration of the project with clear indications of the various phases or stages must be

given and clearly shown by the use of a Gantt chart.

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Part 3: THESIS CONTENTS AND FORMAT

Cover Title Page

The cover page should bear the following information:

The title - which is concise and written in capitalize major words;

Author names - first name, middle initial, last name;

The following sentence - Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for

the [Bachelor’s/Masters] degree in [name of program];

Institutional affiliation - Kigali Independent University ;

Date - Month and year

Declaration

This is a pronouncement by the student that this study is original, done by the student and has not

been submitted for any award anywhere else by the student or any other person. The student shall

sign the declaration.

Approval page

The appointed Supervisors have to sign the approval page as a confirmation that they supervised the

student and submission is made with their approval.

Dedication

This mentions the name(s) to who the research is dedicated and basis for dedication in a precise

manner.

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Acknowledgement

As an example, this entails recognition of the founder of ULK, supervisors, colleagues, sponsors,

individuals and institutions that have made significant contribution to the research.

Table of Contents

The table of content serves as a synopsis or headline display, it contains an index and reference to all

major sections of the thesis with an indication of page numbers on which they are located.

List of Tables

This consists of all the tables in the thesis showing their headings, titles and page numbers.

List of figures / Diagrams / Illustrations

Captions of figures, diagrams and illustrations used in the thesis and their corresponding pages are

listed.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

All abbreviations and acronyms used in the thesis are listed alphabetically and written in full form.

Operational Definition of Key Terms

The student shall give Operational definitions of the key terms used in context of the research in

case it is necessary.

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Abstract

An abstract is a brief statement of the thesis pointing out the focus of the study, objectives,

theoretical and conceptual frameworks, methodology, the key findings and student’s contribution to

knowledge and recommendations. This should not exceed 300 words.

The abstract should be followed by key words (5 to 7) for internet indexing.

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Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study

This chapter should contain the explanations under the following headings; the details of which are

given in Pg.10 to Pg.13.

1.1 Background to the study

As explained in the part of the proposal (See page 10 for more explanations).

1.2 Problem statement

As explained in the part of the proposal (See page 10 for more explanations).

1.3 Research objectives

As explained in the part of the proposal (See page 11 for more explanations).

1.4 Research Questions

As explained in the part of the proposal (See page 11 for more explanations).

1.5 Hypothesis (optional)

As explained in the part of the proposal (See page 11 for more explanations).

1.6 Scope of the study

As explained in the part of the proposal (See page 11 for more explanations).

1.7 Significance of the study

As explained in the part of the proposal (See page 11 for more explanations).

1.8 Definitions of key concepts

This gives the definitions of major terms as they are used in the study. Key terms are ideally found in

the research title, research instrument and other parts of the study where the terms need to be

operationally defined in this section.

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1.9 Structure of the thesis

Unlike the structure of the thesis which is detailed in the proposal, in the introduction it only

displays its different chapters.

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Chapter 2: Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

This gives a short introduction on the coverage of this chapter.

2.2 Conceptual and theoretical Perspectives

This should discuss the theory to which the study is based (one for each independent and dependent

variable or combined). One or more theories may need to be discussed in this section if the topic is

a well-researched area with various antecedents before arriving at a theory or synthesis of two or

more theories that will serve as the pivot for the study. In some cases where few studies have been

undertaken, there may be no theories to draw upon. In such a case, the conceptual framework shall

be used.

2.3 Related case studies

This portion discusses past empirical investigations similar to or related to the present study. This

section should identify the gaps (in terms of coverage, context, timing and methodology) existing in

literature and specify the ones that the research will focus on.

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Chapter 3: Research Methodology

This chapter should show the methods and approaches used to obtain data and information from

the field. In case of experimental research or in case the researcher uses secondary data, the content

of this chapter will be discussed between the supervisor and his/her supervisee. For any of these

cases, this chapter should start with an introduction.

3.1 Research Design

A research design is a plan for carrying out field research. It describes the nature and pattern used

during field research. The research design (for example; survey, historical, experimental, exploratory,

descriptive etc) used in the study should be clearly explained. The qualitative and quantitative

methods of data collection used should be indicated and justified.

3.2 The population of the study

The population of the study refers to the people, objects and events from which the study sample is

drawn.

The student should describe and justify the choice of the study population for his/her field research,

clearly pointing out the major characteristics and numbers involved. The choice of study population

should be justified in relation to variables studied.

3.3 Sampling

Sampling is a method of determining a subset of a study population (sample size) to be used when

carrying out field research as well as specifying the techniques used in selecting the units of the

subset. This can be achieved through identification of sampling frame. The sample size should be

determined using either confidence level or sampling formulae or rule-of –the –thumb and as much

as possible should be adequate. There are several sampling techniques such as random sampling,

stratified, classified, purposive, and systematic. Snowballing etc from which a student should choose

the ones most appropriate to the nature of the study.

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The student should describe the sampling frame used in the study. He/She should describe and

justify the sample size as well as the sampling techniques used in the study.

3.4 Data Collection Techniques and Tools

The techniques and instruments used to collect data from the field are many and varied. They

include: interviews; Focus Group Discussion (FGD); observation; questionnaire; reviews of primary

Documents; etc. The choice of these techniques and instruments depends so much on the overall

design of the study. Each of the techniques and instruments to be used in the study has to be

explained fully and a copy of the instrument appended.

The student should describe, explain and justify each of the data collection tools used in the study

and clearly show how each tool was administered.

3.5 Validity and reliability tests (depending on the study)

Validity is the extent to which a test (items of research instrument) measures what it claims to

measure. The four common types of validity are content, concurrent, predictive and construct. It is

important for the test to be valid so that the results can be accurately interpreted, believed and

applied. A student should explain and justify at least two tests of validity of his/her research

instruments used in the study.

Reliability refers to the consistency of a measure. The variable on the research instrument is

considered reliable if when tested several times, the same results are obtained. Students should

explain the reliability test conducted and justify the results obtained.

3.6 Data processing

This is a process of cleaning and organizing data for the purposes of presentation and analysis. Data

processing includes editing, coding, tabulating and synchronizing the data. The student should

describe how he/she processed the data. The student should also specify the computer program

he/she used.

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3.7 Methods of data analysis

Data analysis involves organization and interpretation of the data generated in respect of each

objective in the study. There are several approaches to data analysis: qualitative and quantitative

approaches. There several methods that can be used under data analysis. These include explanatory

techniques for qualitative data and statistical techniques (correlations, regression, chisquare, etc.)

for quantitative data. There are two types of statistics for analysis; that are descriptive and inferential

statistics. Descriptive statistics use for instance mean, medium, mode, percentages and range.

Inferential statistics use for instance T. Test, correlation, regression and Chi square. The student

should adequately describe and justify the data analysis approaches used for each objective in the

study.

In addition to the qualitative and quantitative approaches, a list of other methods includes:

i. The functionalist method;

ii. The structural method;

iii. The systemic method;

iv. The comparative method;

v. The historical method;

vi. The deductive method;

vii. The inductive method;

viii. Experimental method;

ix. Analytical method.

As for the techniques, the choice of methods depends so much on the topic and the overall design

of the study. Each of the method to be used should be relevant for the study and has to be

explained clearly.

3.8 Limitations/delimitations

The limitations and delimitations sections of the thesis describe situations and circumstances that

may affect or restrict the methods and analysis of research data. Limitations are influences that the

researcher cannot control. They are the shortcomings, conditions or influences that place

restrictions on the methodology and conclusions of a study. Any limitations that might influence

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the results should be described and explained. In stating the limitation, the student should consider

a number of factors such as analysis of data, the nature of self-reporting, the instruments used the

sampling strategy and time constraints. A student should state clearly the problems, challenges and

risks encountered during the study and show how these have been overcome.

Delimitations are choices made by the researcher which should be mentioned. They describe the

boundaries that have been set by the student for the study. The student should explain and justify

the things that he/she has not done (e.g. population not studied, literature not reviewed, methods

not used, etc.)

3.9 Ethical considerations

The student shall explain how he/she handled ethical concerns or issues regarding the research such

as matters of confidentiality, consent, safety, integrity, truthfulness, plagiarism/copying, etc.

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Chapter 4: Research Findings

This chapter will start with an introduction to the chapter.

After the first three chapters of the thesis, the student is required to present the analysis and

interpretations of the research findings in respect to each study objective in this chapter.

Alternatively, each research objective can be presented, analysed and interpreted in a separate

chapter. Hence, chapter four will be presentation, analysis and interpretation of the first specific

objective and the proceeding chapters likewise each doing the same to the remaining specific

objectives.

Guidelines for presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Findings

For presentation, the student has to explain using tables, figures, illustrations and case stories in

order to convey his/her findings. The presentation should be structured logically according to the

research questions.

For analysis, the student may analyze the data using descriptive statistics (e.g. percentages, averages,

and counts) and/or inferential statistics (e.g. chi square, correlation, regression, etc) A student may

also analyze data qualitatively) e.g. by critical description, explanation, dialogue, comparison etc.).

For interpretation, the student should generate answers and make conclusive remarks in relation to

each of the research question and the key variables.

24

Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusion and recommendation

Chapter five will be composed of Summary of the Findings, Conclusion and

Recommendations in case the first choice in chapter four has been adopted. If the second choice

has been given the priority then this will be applied on the last chapter after the chapters presenting,

analyzing, interpreting and exhausting all the objectives researched upon.

For summary:

In each chapter, the student should provide a clear summary of the key issues and observations.

For the conclusion:

In each chapter, the student should state his/her interpretation or understanding of the outcomes in

relation to the overall purpose of the study.

For recommendations:

For recommendations a student must not only outline or state them, but he should also try to

contextualise them.

25

References

A thesis must include a detailed list of references, which tells the reader where to look for articles

cited in the text. In this section, the student should list in alphabetical order all works cited in the

thesis. It should be written according to the APA formatting style.

The student should bear in mind the following:

Only cited authors in the thesis should be listed in the reference section;

All authors in the reference section should appear in the body of the thesis.

Appendices

The appendices should include; field research instruments, maps and relevant documents and

illustrations.

26

Part 4: REFERENCING STYLE

For uniformity, the Kigali Independent University ULK has adopted the American Psychological

Association (APA) referencing style. Therefore, for more detailed information about how to write,

structure and publish using the APA standards, refer to the following publication:

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological

Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

4.1 References within the text

Use the author-date method of citation for quotations (exact words of another author) and

paraphrasing (summarising the words and ideas of one or more authors).

4.1.1 Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is when you summarise the ideas, concepts or words from the work or one or more authors.

Please note: changing only a few words from another author does not constitute paraphrasing.

Type Examples

If you are referring to the general theme of a book or article

Brown (1991) investigated the effects of ...

An investigation into the effects of maternal age

(Brown, 1991) found that ...

When to include page numbers

When paraphrasing or referring to an idea in another work, page or paragraph numbers are not required. But it can be helpful, for example when paraphrasing or referring to information or an idea that can be located on a particular page, quoting or referring to images, figures or data, or when a work is particularly long and page numbers might be useful for the reader.

Soil layers below the well tip contribute relatively little water (Kozeny, 1988, pp. 223-224).

Kozeny (1988, p. 223) found soil layers below the well tip contributed

27

Type Examples

little.

When the authors of a source are not part of the formal sentence structure

Both the authors and years of publication appear in parentheses, separated by semicolons.

Reviews of research on sport and reading have concluded

that at least some types of reading behaviours are related to

higher levels of physical health (Austin, 1990; McGovern & Henderson, 2001; Wright & Morgan, 2001).

When the names of the authors of a source are part of the formal sentence structure

The year of publication appears in parentheses following the identification of the authors.

Wright and Mander (2002) found that although there was a reduction in literacy, the difference was not statistically significant.

Group authors and abbreviations

The names of groups are usually spelled out each time they appear in text.

Only abbreviate if the name is long, cumbersome and the abbreviation is familiar or easily understood.

First citation in text:

(Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR], 2008)

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR, 2008)

Subsequent citations :

(UNHCR, 2008)

UNHCR (2008)

One or two authors Cite the names every time the reference occurs:

Smythe and Jones (2001) found ... (first and subsequent

citations)

... as has been shown (Smythe & Jones, 2001).

More than two authors For three, four or five authors, cite all authors in the first instance, thereafter, only first author followed by "et al." (not underlined and with no stop after "et") and the year of publication.

Campbell, Brady, Bradley, and Smithson (1991)

found ... (first citation)

Campbell et al. (1991) found ... (subsequent citations)

For with six or more authors, cite only the first author followed by

28

Type Examples

"et al." and the year. In the list of references give all names up to and including six authors.

"and" or "&"? In running text use "and" to join the names of multiple authors, but use an ampersand (&) inside parentheses.

Jones and Brady (1991) continued to find ...

The authors found the same result in the second and third trials (Jones & Brady, 1991).

Citing multiple works by the same author at the same time

Arrange dates in order (oldest to newest). Use suffixes after the year when there are multiple publications from the same year. If the publication dates are same, the suffixes are assigned in the reference list where these kinds of references are ordered in alphabetical order by title (article, chapter or complete work).

Several studies (Jackson, 1999, 2001a, 2001b, 2005) revealed a similar outcome.

Primary authors with the same surname

Include the first author's initials in all text citations even if the year of publication differs.

T.R. Smith (2006) and B. E. Smith (2007) found that ...

J. J. Jackson and Robertson (2000) and E. M. Jackson

and Johns (2005) reached the conclusion that ...

Secondary citations You must acknowledge both the primary and secondary source of information. To do this, include the primary source first and then insert the words "as cited in" before the secondary source.

Cumming's (1980) study (as cited in Pauley, 1991) ...

This belief has been confirmed (Cumming, 1980, as cited in Pauley, 1991) ...

You do not need to source the primary or original work cited (e.g. Cumming, 1980) but the secondary source (e.g. Pauley, 1991) needs to be given in your list of references.

No author When a citing a source in text that has no identified author, use a shortened title (or the full title if it is short) and year for the parenthetical citation.

The in text citation for the online source "New drug appears to sharply cut risk of death from heart failure" would be ("New Drug," 2001).

Use double quotation marks for article titles, chapter titles or web page titles.

29

Type Examples

Italicize (without quotation marks) book titles.

(Psychological effects, 1999)

For works designated as "Anonymous", cite in text as Anonymous followed by a comma and the date.

(Anonymous, 2007)

Legislation (includes Acts and Bills)

The Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (Vic) prohibits ...

... the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) ...

... according to s. 15 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld) ...

... Interactive Gambling Bill 2001 (Cth) ...

Legal authorities (cases) Carey v. Price (2005)

Mabo v. Queensland (1992)

4.1.2 Quotes

Quotations or quotes are when you use the exact words of another author or your own previously

published work. Quotations must always be referenced with page numbers.

Quotations of less than 40 words (approximately) should form part of the text and be

designated with double quotation marks.

With quotations of 40 or more words, DO NOT use quotation marks; set the quotation

in an indented (about a half inch) free standing block of text. Use double-line-spacing to

separate the quote from the text of your work.

Type Examples

Direct quotation

Less than 40 words:

Always include the author, year, and page number(s) as part of the citation.

Students receiving "additional information literacy training achieved higher grades than students who did not attend any skills' sessions" (Capel, 2002, p. 323).

40 or more words:

Although the groups contained different age groups, they were not differentiated in the feasibility study:

The intensive ESL program was enthusiastically supported by the

30

Type Examples

administration and was popular with the young learners and their parents. Although the groups differed in age, measures of English and French proficiency and language aptitude administered at the outset of the experiment indicated that differences between the fourth and fifth year classes were non-significant (White, Horst, & Bell, October 2007); thus in the research reported here, we do not distinguish between the two groups. (Horst, White, & Bell, 2010, p. 334)

Do not omit or alter citations embedded within the quote. These embedded citations are not included in your list of references unless used as a primary source elsewhere in your work. In the above example, the 2010 article (where the entire quote comes from) is included in the list of references but the 2007 work mentioned within the quote is not, unless it is used as a source elsewhere in the work.

For additional paragraphs within the quotation, insert a double-line-spacing and indent the first line of each an additional half inch (five to seven spaces).

Specific parts of a source

Always give page numbers for quotations (if available).

For sources that do not provide page numbers, use the paragraph number, if possible, preceded by the abbreviation 'para.'

(Zelow, 2001, para. 17)

(Broome & Davies, 1999, para. 5)

(Bray, 1999, chap. 3)

(Beutler, 2000, Conclusion section, para. 1)

4.2. List of References

At the end of your essay, place a list of the references you have cited in the text. Arrange this in

alphabetical order of authors' surnames, and then chronologically (earliest publication date first) for

each author where more than one work by that author is cited. The author's surname is placed first,

followed by initials or first name, and then the year of publication is given. If the list contains more

than one item published by the same author(s) in the same year, add lower case letters immediately

after the year to distinguish them (e.g. 1983a). These are ordered alphabetically by title disregarding

any initial articles (a, an or the).

31

The reference list includes only the sources you have used in any submission. APA Style

requires reference lists, not bibliographies.

The reference list begins a new page with the centred heading - References

Double-space all reference entries.

Reference list entries should be indented half an inch (five to seven spaces) on the second

and subsequent lines of the reference list for every entry - a hanging indent is the preferred

style. (i.e. entries should begin flush left, and the second and subsequent lines should be

indented).

Arrange entries in alphabetical order by the surname of the first author as the letters appear

(e.g. M, Mac, MacD, Mc).

If there is no author, the title moves to the author position (filed under the first significant

word of the title). If the title in this instance begins with numerals, spell them out.

States and territories are abbreviated in the location section of the publication

information. For U.S. states, use the official two-letter postal service abbreviation (e.g. New

York, NY: McGraw-Hill). Spell out country names if outside Australia or the United States.

4.2.1 Books (print and online)

General forms (when Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) are assigned, use them):

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. doi:xx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. Location: Publisher.

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. Retrieved from http://www.xxxxxxxxxxx

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. Retrieved from xxxxxxxxxxxx database.

Include subtitles. All titles must be italicised.

Information about editions (if other than the first), series, volume numbers or chapter page ranges

should be included in parentheses ( ) after the title - not in italics but before the full stop.

Other descriptive information may also follow the title and any parenthetical information in brackets

[ ] also before the full stop.

32

Type Examples

Online books

When a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is available:

Leaver, B. L., Ehrman, M., & Shekhtman, B. (2005). Achieving success in second language acquisition. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511610431

Schiraldi, G. R. (2000). The post-traumatic stress disorder sourcebook: A guide to healing, recovery, and growth [Adobe Digital Editions version]. doi:10.1036/0071393722

When a DOI is not available, use the URL:

Burton, R. (1832). The anatomy of melancholy. Retrieved from http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/b/burton/robert/melancholy/

Database information may be given for books (monographs) of limited circulation (e.g. from the University's database subscriptions):

Nazareth, L. (2007). The leisure economy: How changing demographics, economics, and generational attitudes will reshape our lives and our industries [Monograph]. Retrieved from Books24x7 database.

Use "Available from" when the URL leads to information on how to obtain the cited material (rather than to the material itself):

Tyler, G. W. (n.d.). Evolution in the systems age. Available from http://www.onlineoriginals.com/showitem.asp? itemID=46&page=2

Books downloaded to mobile devices (without a DOI).

Ware, C. (2010). Cottage by the sea [Kindle version]. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Landmark.

Tzu, S. (2011). The art of war [Kobo version]. Berkeley, CA: Shambhala.

Up to seven authors

List all authors names.

Calder, A. (2009). Compliance for green IT: A pocket guide. Cambridgeshire: IT Governance.

Bernstein, D. K., & Tiegerman, E. (1989). Language and communication disorders in children (2nd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merill.

Curwen, B., Palmer, S., & Ruddell, P. (2000). Brief cognitive behaviour therapy (Brief Therapies Series). London: Sage.

More than seven authors

List the first six and then the last.

Midgley, C., Maehr, M. L., Hruda, L., Anderman, E. M., Freeman, K. E., Gheen, M., ... Urdan, T. (2000). Manual for the patterns of adaptive learning scales (PALS). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan. In-text: (Midgley et al., 2000).

Edited General form:

33

Type Examples

books Editor, A. A. (Ed.). (year). Title of work. Location: Publisher.

Roy, M. J. (Ed.). (2006). Novel approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (NATO Security Through Science Series). Amsterdam: IOS.

No authors or editors

If there are no authors or editors, move the title to that position.

Psychological effects of cocaine and crack addiction: A survey of the psychological side of so-called "designer drugs". (1999). Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House.

In text, use a few words of the title (in italics), or the whole title if it is short, in place of an author name in the citation: (Psychological effects, 1999).

If a work is signed "Anonymous", begin the entry with the word Anonymous as if it were a true name.

Author as publisher

American Psychiatric Association. (2001). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Group authors

Full official names of group authors such as associations or government agencies should be used. Parent bodies precede subdivisions. File by the first significant word.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2006). Measures of Australia's progress (Catalogue No. 1370.0). Canberra: Author.

Church of England. Archdeaconry of Maidstone. (1877). The Church in its divine constitution and office, and in its relations with the civil power: A charge delivered to the clergy of the Archdeaconry of Maidstone at the ordinary visitation in may 1877; with notes (Talbot Collection of British Pamphlets). Retrieved from http://www.archive.org/details/churchin itsdivin00chur

National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia). Health Care Committee. Expert Panel on Mental Health. (1991). Homelessness and severe mental disorders: Report of the Health Care Committee Expert Panel on Mental Health (Monograph series (National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia). Health Care Committee) No. 2). Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.

Queensland. Department of Corrective Services. Women's Policy Unit. (2000). Profile of female offenders under community and custodial supervision in Queensland. Brisbane: Author.

United States. Public Health Service. Office of the Surgeon General. (1988). The health consequences of smoking: Nicotine addiction; a report of the Surgeon General (DHHS Publication No. (CDC) 88-8406). Rockville, MD: Office of Smoking and Health.

World Bank. (2008). Textbooks and school library provision in secondary education in Sub-Saharan Africa (World Bank Working Paper No. 126. Africa Human Development Series). Retrieved from EBL database.

Translators Levy-Leboyer, C. (1982). Psychology and environment (D. Cantor and I. Griffiths,

34

Type Examples

and illustrators

Trans.). Beverley Hills, CA: Sage. (Original work published 1979).

The Publication manual does not include examples for including illustrators but the following format would be consistent.

Reesink, M. (1980). The princess who always ran away (F. Tresy, Illus.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

4.2.2 Journal and newspaper articles

General forms (when DOIs are assigned, use them):

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Article title. Journal Title, volume

number(issue number), page numbers. doi:xx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Article title. Journal Title, volume

number(issue number), page numbers. Retrieved from http://www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Article title. Journal Title, volume

number(issue number), page numbers.

The issue number of the journal is included if the journal is paginated by issue rather than if there is

continuous pagination throughout the entire volume.

Type Examples

Journal articles with a DOI

When a DOI is available:

Radford, M. (2001). Aesthetic and religious awareness among pupils: Similarities and differences. British Journal of Music Education, 18(2), 151-159. doi:10.1017/s0265051701000249

Online journal articles without a DOI

Russell-Bowie, D. (2010). Cross-national comparisons of background and confidence in visual arts and music education of pre-service primary teachers. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 35(4), 65-78. Retrieved from http://ajte.education.ecu.edu.au/

Print articles without a DOI

Coltheart, M., & Prior, M. (2006). Learning to read in Australia. Australian Journal of Learning Disabilities, 11(4), 157-164.

No authors If there is no author, move the article title to the author position.

In brief. (2010). Harvard Heart Letter, 20(12), 7. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.usq.edu.au/

35

Type Examples

ehost/detail?hid=22&sid=6544e16c-21a3-4092-87 ad-ac80b1cda933%40sessionmgr11&vid=1&bdata= JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&jid= HHR

In-text: ("In brief", 2010).

If a work is signed "Anonymous", begin the entry with the word Anonymous as if it were a true name.

Group authors Full official names of group authors such as associations or government agencies should be used. Parent bodies precede subdivisions. File by the first significant word.

Australia. Department of Family and Community Services. (2003, Spring-Summer). The role of families in an ageing Australia. Family Matters, (66), 46-53. Retrieved from http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/fammats.html

British Medical Association. (2007). British Medical Association expert witness guidance. Clinical Risk, 13(4), 143-146. doi:10.1258/13562620778125112

University of Queensland. Department of Social Work. (1998). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health: Current policy issues. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 26(1), 18-24.

Reviews, peer commentary and abstracts

Morris, S. (2008). Henry Giroux - urgently necessary and necessarily urgent: An essay review [Review of the book Against the terror of neoliberalism: Politics beyond the age of greed]. Education Review, 11(3). Retrieved from http://edrev.info/index.html

4.2.3 Web documents and sites

As with any published reference, the goals of a citation to online material are to credit the author

and to enable the reader to find the material.

When citing Internet sources, observe the following guidelines:

Follow previous sections for format of author, date, and title elements.

The date element should indicate the year of publication or, if the source undergoes

regular revision, the most recent update.

Direct readers as closely as possible to the information being cited; whenever possible,

reference specific documents rather than home or menu pages.

Include retrieval dates where the source material is likely to change over time.

36

Provide addresses that work where possible.

When citing entire websites, it is sufficient to give the address of the site in the text only (e.g.

Comprehensive information about the University can be found at http://www.usq.edu.au, or, the

University of Southern Queensland website (http://www.usq.edu.au) gives comprehensive

information). Specific information from a site, or parts of a site, need to be cited as follows:

Type Examples

Author and date known

General form (include a retrieval date if the source material is likely to change over time):

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. Retrieved month day,

year, from source.

Allen, D. (2004). Dealing with your meeting notes. Retrieved

from http://www.effectivemeetings.com/meetingbasics/

notes.asp

No author given General form:

Title of work. (year). Retrieved month day, year, from source.

Psychological perspectives (n.d.). Retrieved June 2,

2001, from http://www.onl.org.jp/horo~3/htm

4.2.4 Other electronic media

Follow previous sections for format of author, date, and title elements.

The date element should indicate the year of publication or, if the source undergoes

regular revision, the most recent update.

After the title of the work, insert in brackets as part of the title element (i.e., before the

period) the type of medium for the material.

A retrieval or availability statement replaces the location and name of the publisher

typically provided for text references. Use "Available from" when the URL leads to

information on how to obtain the cited material (rather than to the material itself).

Include retrieval dates where the source material is likely to change over time (e.g. Wikis).

See also, the audiovisual section of this guide for some examples not included here.

37

Type Examples

Theses or dissertations

Retrieved from a database.

Murray, B. P. (2008). Prior knowledge, two teaching

approaches for metacognition: Main idea and

summarization strategies in reading (Doctoral

dissertation, Fordham University, New York).

Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses.

(AAT 3302116)

Retrieved from an institutional or personal Web site.

McDonald, J. (2007). The role of online discussion forums

in supporting learning in higher education (Doctoral

dissertation, University of Southern Queensland).

Retrieved from http://eprints.usq.edu.au/3588/2/

McDonald_2007_whole.pdf

Encyclopedias and dictionaries

Give the home or index page URL for reference works.

Claiborn, C. D. (2008). Psychotherapy. In D. Hoiberg (Ed.),

Encyclopedia Britannica online (Academic ed.).

Retrieved from http://search.eb.com

Psychotherapy. (2008). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Retrieved June 17, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/

wiki/Main_Page

Psychotherapy. (2008). In AskOxford.com. Retrieved

from http://www.askoxford.com/?view=uk

Annual reports BHP Billiton. (2007). 2007 BHP Billiton annual report.

Retrieved from http://bhpbilliton.com/bbContent

Repository/20071114140799/bhbpannualreport07.pdf

Fact sheets, brochures and press releases

Florek, S. (2003). Megafauna extinction: Patterns of

extinction [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from

http://www.austmus.gov.au/factsheets/megafauna.htm

Australian Museum. (2003). Concretions, thunder eggs and

geodes [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from http://www.austmus.

38

Type Examples

gov.au/factsheets/geodes.htm

Xerox Corporation. (2004). Looks small, acts big: The Xerox

Phaser 3150 personal laser printer for business [Brochure].

Retrieved from http://www.office.xerox.com/latest/315BR-01

.PDF

Apple Inc. (2007). iPhone delivers up to eight hours of talk

time [Press release]. Retrieved from http://www.apple.

com/pr/library/2007/06/18iphone.html

Presentation slides OWL at Purdue University. (2004). Conquering the comma

[PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://owl.english.

purdue.edu/workshops/pp/comma.PPT#256,1,Conquering

the Comma

Images When referring to information gained from images:

Human skeleton [Image]. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.

teachpe.com/images/anatomy/skeleton.jpg

Saudi Arabia [Topographic map]. (2009). Retrieved from

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/

sa.htm

Tunbridge, D. I. (2003). Volunteers of the ACT Bushfire

Service lighting a back-burn on the Mount Franklin Road,

Brindabella Ranges, on the night of 11/12 January 2003

[Digital photograph]. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/

nla.pic-an24954626

Try to be consistent when specifying the medium in brackets [ ], immediately after the title.

Message posted to newsgroups, online forums, discussion groups or electronic mailing lists

Moore, R. (2006, October 29). Survey of test subjects

[Newsgroup message]. Retrieved from

news://sci.psychology.consciousness

Blaire, T. (2007, January 20). Transition in leadership

[Electronic mailing list message]. Retrieved from

39

Type Examples

the Politics and Government electronic mailing list:

http://www.polgov.org/mail-archive/rp/msg7.html

For personal email, refer to personal communication in the section on unpublished works.

Include the name of the list if the information is not part of the URL.

Wikis Self-study: Broadening the concepts of participation and program

support. (2007). Retrieved June 18, 2008, from the Adult

Literacy Education (ALE) Wiki: http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.

php/Self-Study:_Broadening_the_Concepts_of_Participation_

and_Program_Support

Audio podcasts Hutcheon, J. (2008, June 15). Jane Hutcheon reflects on life in

London [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.

au/correspondents/content/2008/s2274772.htm

Curtis, B., & Diez, M. (2008). Intermediate Spanish podcast

42: La Mafia [Audio podcast]. Available from http://www.

notesinspanish.com/category/intermediate-spanish-podcast/

Video podcasts Give the name and, in parentheses, the function of the originator or primary contributors (the director or the producer, or both).

National Geographic Society. (Producer). (2008, May 19).

Chimp memory beats humans' [Video podcast]. Retrieved

from http://www.podanza.com/podcast/national-geographic-

video-shorts/42ac4d6d3d12b6ad80303e9f6556d4a0/

Early Childhood Australia. (Producer). (2010). Intentional

teaching and the Early Years Learning Framework with

Judy Radich [Video podcast]. Available from http://www.

earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/eylfplp/play_based_

learning_and_the_eylf.php

Holland, A. (Producer), & Harris, H. (Director). (2008, June 12).

Bog man [Video podcast]. Retrieved from ABC: http://www.

abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/2272392.htm

Streaming videos Sarra, C. (2010). Elders and community [Video].

40

Type Examples

Retrieved from http://mediasite.eq.edu.au/eq/

Viewer/?peid=bb3dbc846b2a4426ae2f1256

bca8cf7e

Cambridge Educational. (Producer). (2011). Alcohol

and the family: Breaking the chain [Video]. Retrieved

from http://digital. films.com.libdbauth.nait.ab.ca/

portal/Playlists.aspx?aid=7892&xtdi98765

William James: The psychology of possibility (Giants of

Psychology) [Video]. (2011). Available from http://ffh.

films.com/id/20410/William_James_The_Psychology_

of_Possibility.htm

Interviews Interviews that are not retrievable should be cited in text as a personal communication (including month, day, year) and not included in the reference list (see section on unpublished works).

Hughes, R. (Interviewer), & Cilento, D. (Interviewee). (2000,

June 20). Diane Cilento [Interview transcript]. Retrieved

from http://www.australianbiography.gov.au/subjects/

cilento/intertext1.html

Blog posts Bedford, T. (2008, June 12). Re: Got a problem using EndNote?

Let us know here [Web log comment]. Retrieved from

http://library.usq.edu.au/wordpress/?p=539

McGarry, A. (2008, June 13). China's pain fires Olympic dream

[Web log post]. Retrieved from http://blogs.abc.net.au/

olympics/

Video blog posts (e.g. Youtube)

BridgeTEFL. (2007, October 5). TEFL online tutorial:

Teaching grammar in context [Video file]. Video

posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

EXg3w_jbNrc

Westrom, M. (2009, June 18). Psychology - short and long

term memory [Video file]. Video posted to http://www.

41

Type Examples

youtube.com/watch?v=TausqSK9p9k

Computer programs, software, or programming languages

Reference list entries are not necessary for standard off-the-shelf software and programming languages. Provide entries for specialized software or programs with limited distribution.

In text, give the name of the software, the version number and year.

Do not italicise the names of software, programs, or languages. If an individual has proprietary rights to the software, name him or her as the author; otherwise, treat such references as unauthored works. Immediately after the title and version, identify with a source type such as [Computer program], [Computer language], or [Computer software]. If no version number is available, include the retrieval date.

If the program can be downloaded or ordered from the web, give this information in the publisher position.

Schoonjans, F. (2008). MedCalc Statistical Software

(Version 9.5.2.0) [Computer software]. Retrieved from

3D2F.COM Software Directory: http://3d2f.com/programs

/13-638-medcalc-statistical-software-download.shtml

Accurate Personality Test [Computer software]. (2007).

Retrieved June 19, 2008, from http://www.

sharewareconnection.com/accurate-personality-

test.htm

Tools and applications.

CultureGPS lite (Version 1.13) [Computer software].

(2011). Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com/

app/culturegps-lite/id297051765?mt=8

Pages (Version 1.5) [Computer software]. (2011).

Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com/us/

pages/id361309726?mt=8&ls=1

Scott, C. (2011). Treasure hunt - the interactive

boardgame (Version 1.1) [Computer software].

Retrieved from http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/

42

Type Examples

treasure-hunt-the-interactive/id4425986640?

mt=8

Data sets twins.dta - twins study (life characteristics in midlife)

(UCLA Statistics Data Sets) [Data file]. 2003.

Retrieved from http://www.stat.ucla.edu/data/

Government of Southern Sudan. Ministry of Education,

Science and Technology. Directorate of Planning

and Budgeting. (2010). South Sudan 2010 secondary

data (2010 Annual School Census) [Data file].

Retrieved from http://southsudan.ed-assist.net/

4.2.5 Audiovisual and other media

Type Examples

Motion pictures

General form:

Producer, A A. (Producer), & Director, B. B. (Director).

(year). Title of motion picture [Motion picture].

Country of Origin: Studio.

Grazer, B. (Producer), & Howard, R. (Director). (2001).

A beautiful mind [Motion picture]. USA: Universal

Studios.

Television programs

Television program.

Campbell, C. (Executive producer). (2011, February 9).

The 7pm project [Television program]. Melbourne,

Vic: Network TEN.

Television series.

Gunton, M. (Executive producer). (2009). Life [Television

series]. United Kingdom: BBC Natural History Unit.

43

Type Examples

Television series edisode.

Fairfax, F. (Writer), Mulholland, T., & Rich, J. (Directors).

(2005). The curse of Tutankhamun [Television series

episode]. In P. Dolling [Executive producer], Egypt:

Rediscovering a lost world. United Kingdom: British

Broadcasting Corporation.

Videos and DVDs

Strang, G. (1992). The teaching of calculus: Careful

changes (Selected Lectures in Mathematics)

[Videocassette]. Providence, RI: American

Mathematical Society.

The self: Testing and intelligence (Discovering Psychology)

[DVD]. (2001). Boston, MA: WGBH Educational

Foundation.

Annunziata, J. (2007). Play therapy with a 6-year-old [DVD].

Available from http://www.apa.org/pubs/videos/4310799.

aspx

Music recordings

General form:

Writer, A. (copyright year). Title of the song or music

[Recorded by B. B. Artist if different from writer].

On Title of album [Medium of recording]. Location:

Label. (date of recording if different from copyright

date)

Badnews, U. R. (1927). We only live twice

[Recorded by P. Murray]. On Resurrection [CD].

Sandgate, Qld: Ibis Records. (1999)

Williamson, J. (2003). The last of the pioneers. On

Home among the gum trees [CD]. Pyrmont, NSW:

EMI Australia.

In text, include the side, band or track numbers.

"The Last of the Pioneers" (Williamson, 2003, track 5) ...

44

Type Examples

Audio recordings

Bacon, T. (Writer). (1997). Amazing journeys (Literacy

Links Plus Fluent D) [Audiocassette]. Auckland, NZ:

Shortland.

Costa, P. T. (Speaker). (1998). Personality and

continuity (Audio Recording No. 207-433-88A-B)

[Audiocassette]. Washington, DC: American

Psychological Association.

Smith, D. (2001, August 16). Airline nightmare (Audio

Recording from Nightline series) [Audiocassette].

Brisbane, Qld: Australian Broadcasting Commission.

Australian poetry live: Classics from the Hazel de Berg

collection [Audiocassette]. (1996). Canberra, ACT:

National Library of Australia.

Other non-book media

Specify the medium type or description of the form in brackets [ ], immediately after the title. Capitalize the first letter of the notation. Be consistent when specifying formats.

Media formats can include, but are not limited to, the following:

Motion picture, Television program, Television series, Television series episode, CD, Record, Cassette, Audiocassette, Audiorecord, Audiotape, DVD, Videotape, Videorecording, Videocassette, Computer software, Data file, Chart, Flashcard, Game, Picture, Transparency, Slide, Realia, Kit, Filmstrip, Print, Work of art, Microform, etc.

Fractions are as easy as pie: A game of common fractions

[Game]. (1985). Baltimore, MD: Media Materials.

Zupelz - orange: Stimulating logical thinking - one puzzle at a

time [Flashcard]. Narangba, Qld: Origo Education.

Shaping the future: Working with the under-threes [Kit].

(2000). Buckingham, United Kingdom: Open University

Press.

Nervous system [Picture]. (2006). Burleigh Heads: Network

Education Australia.

Measuring cylinders [Realia]. (n.d.). England: Gradplex.

45

Type Examples

Hill, M. (1985). Australia's first people (Social Studies

Wallcharts) [Chart]. Sydney, NSW: McGraw-Hill.

Leadership Research Institute. (1999). Creative

leadership [Brochure]. Toowoomba, Qld: Author.

4.2.6 Unpublished sources

Type Examples

Personal communication

Personal communication may be unpublished lecture notes, letters, memos, personal interviews, telephone conversations, email or messages from non-archived discussion groups or bulletin boards, photographs, images, tables or data; all these sources are usually non-recoverable from the reader's perspective and are not to be included in the reference list, but should be cited in text as they are referred to.

Cite personal correspondence in text only.

Give the initials as well as the surname of the communicator, and provide as exact a date as possible: O. Stone (personal communication, March 29, 2001)

(M. A. Toby, personal photograph, May 2, 1987)

Lecture notes are treated as personal communication if they are unpublished (i.e. not copied and distributed in print or on the web with the instructor's permission).

Doctoral dissertations and Master's theses (unpublished)

Swinton, M. A. (1984). Family stress in phenylketonuria

(Unpublished master's thesis). University of Auckland,

New Zealand.

Online articles not yet formally published

In preprint archives, articles are posted online ahead of print and are not yet indexed. Use the DOI or the exact URL.

Charles, S. J., & Hogan, N. (in press). Dynamics of wrist rotation. Journal of Biomechanics. doi:10.1016/j.biomech.2010.11.016

Vickers, P. (in press). Theory eliminativism as a

methodological tool. Philosophy of Science.

Retrieved from http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/8472/1/

46

Type Examples

Theory_Eliminativism.pdf

Advance online publications are generally peer reviewed but may not be copyedited or formatted for final production. If there is no DOI assigned, give the URL of the journal home page.

Diekelmann, S., Buchel, C., Born, J., & Rasch, B. (2011).

Labile or stable: Opposing consequences for memory when

reactivated during waking and sleep. Nature Neuroscience.

Advance online publication. doi:10.1038/nn.2744

Update your references and refer to final versions, if possible, before you submit your work.

Manuscripts General form.

Author, A. A. (year). Title of manuscript. Unpublished manuscript

[or "Manuscript submitted for publication", or "Manuscript in

preparation"].

Geisel, T. S. (n.d.). All sorts of sports. Unpublished manuscript.

Informally published or self-archived work.

Benchimol, G. (2007). Prospects for innovating organisations.

Retrieved from http://cogprints.org/5701/1/PROSPECTS_

FOR_INNOVATING_ORGANIZATIONS.pdf

4.2.7 Proceedings and technical reports

When citing from a mongraph (book), use the same format as for a book or book chapter. Regularly

published proceedings use the same format as journal or periodical articles.

Type Examples

Published proceedings in book form

Capitalise the names of symposia, conferences and meetings.

If there are more than two editors a comma is placed before the ampersand.

Hughes, H. (2002). Information literacy with an

47

Type Examples

international focus. In K. Appleton, C. Macpherson,

& D. Orr (Eds.), International Lifelong Learning

Conference: Refereed papers from the 2nd

International Lifelong Learning Conference (pp.

208-213). Rockhampton: Central Queensland

University Press.

Hirata, J. (2005). How Should happiness guide policy?

Why gross national happiness is not opposed to

democracy. In Rethinking development: Local

pathways to global wellbeing; the Second

International Conference on Gross National

Happiness. Antigonish, Nova Scotia: St. Francis

Xavier University. Retrieved from http://www.

gpiatlantic.org/conference/papers/hirata.pdf

Davelaar, E. J., & Usher, M. (2004). An extended buffer

model for active maintenance and selective updating.

In Bowman, H. & Labiouse, C. (Eds.), Connectionist

models of cognition and perception II: proceedings of

the Eighth Neural Computation and Psychology

Workshop (pp. 3-14). River Edge, NJ: World Scientific.

Retrieved from ebrary database.

Blascovich, J., & McCall, C. (2010). Attitudes in virtual

reality. In J. P. Forgas, J. Cooper, & W. D. Crano (Eds.),

The psychology of attitudes and attitude change (Sydney

Symposium in Social Psychology). London: Psychology

Press.

Proceedings published regularly

Treat regularly published proceedings as periodicals.

Kozkovski, O., & Van Strien, S. (2009). Local connectivity

and quasi-conformal rigidity of non-renormalizable

polynomials. Proceedings of the London Mathematical

Society, 99(2), 275-296. doi:10.1112/plms/pdn055

48

Type Examples

Conference papers and symposium contributions

For symposium contributions, papers and poster presentations, give the month with the year.

Gorman, B. (2009, March). A treatment plan: Some hopes

(pipe dreams?) and suggestions for effective statistical

education. In B. Gorman (Chair), The crisis in the

statistical education of psychologists. Symposium

conducted at the 24th annual meeting of the Society for

Industrial and Organizational Psychology, New Orleans,

LA.

Liu, C., Wu, D., Fan, J., & Nauta, M. M. (2008, November).

Does job complexity predict job strains? Paper presented

at the 8th Biannual Conference of the European Academy

of Occupational Health Psychology, Valencia, Spain.

Rosenshine, B. (1997). The case for explicit, teacher-led,

cognitive strategy instruction. Paper presented at the

Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research

Association, Chicago, IL. Retrieved from http://apaa.asu.

edu/barak/barak1.html

Abstract.

Dickens, A. (2003). Working with the community. Paper

presented at the 8th Australian Institute of Family Studies

Conference, Melbourne. Abstract retrieved from http://www.

aifs.gov.au/conferences/aifs8/dickens-ab.pdf

Technical and research reports

General form:

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work (Report No. xxx).

Location: Publisher.

This format can be used for issue briefs, working papers and other corporate documents. Include the appropriate document number where available.

For online reports, identify the publisher in the retrieval statement unless the publisher is also identified as the author.

Queensland School Curriculum Council. (2000).

49

Type Examples

Consistency of teacher judgement (Research Report).

Brisbane: Author.

Ford, M., Gurney, A., Heyhoe, E., & Gunasekera, D. (2007).

Energy security, clean technology development and

climate change: Addressing the future challenges in

APEC (ABARE Research Report 07.14). Retrieved

from Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource

Economics website: http://www.abare.gov.au/

publications_html/climate_07/apec_security.pdf

Australian Human Resources Institute. (2008). The parent

trap: The parental leave debate (Research Report).

Retrieved from http://www.ahri.com.au/MMSdocuments/

profdevelopment/research/research_papers/0809_

pulse_report_the _parent_trap.pdf

Aermark, L. (2011). Spectral and Hardy inequalities for

some sub-elliptical operators (Research Reports in

Mathematics Number 1, 2011). Retrieved from

Stockholm University, Department of Mathematics,

Research Reports in Mathematics website:

http://www2.math.su.se/reports/2011/1/2011-1.pdf

Database information may be given for monographs from the University's limited circulation database subscriptions.

Bramley, G. (2010). Analysis of youth offending team

inspection reports (LGA Research Report). Retrieved

from ERIC database.

Australian Furniture Research and Development Institute, &

Standards Australia. (1997). Office desks (Australian/

New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4442:1997). Retrieved

from Standards On-Line Premium database.