Thesis Writing: The Introduction Adapted from John

Swales’ Aspects of Article Introductions

(1981) And from Hoey’s SPRE

analysis of texts

Compiled by

Iris Devadason

Aspects of Introductions in Academic WritingMOVE I Establishing the field

A) Asserting centrality:importance/topic prominence

B) Stating current knowledge

C) Ascribing key characteristics

MOVE II

Summarizing Previous Research

A) Strong author orientation

B) Weak author orientation

C) Subject orientation

MOVE III

Preparation for Present Research

A) By Indicating Gaps in previous research

*by question-raising

*by airing a problem

*by raising a hypothesis

B) Extending a Finding

MOVE IV Introducing Present Research

A) Stating the Purpose of the Research

B) Describing the present research

C) Using First Person Pronoun

And in UTC we have 2 more moves.

Move V METHODOLOGY

Empirical research:Case studies.Questionnaires.Interviews.Quantitative and Qualitative analysis.

Library research Exegesis:Word Study\Historical criticism\Source

Criticism\Textual Criticism\ Form Criticism\\Rhetorical criticism

Experiences of Individuals or the Community, for Contextual Theology,

Surveys,Re-reading Sources in History or Missiology\Content Analysis\ Visual Analysis

Inter-disciplinary approaches may be used.

Move VI (a): Scope and Limitations. The writer defines the scope of his/her work and

speaks of what is being omitted for various reasons such as space and relevance.

S/he describes the location of the research or the people whose work or thoughts are to be analyzed or used.

S/he defines terms which will be used throughout the essay/thesis.

S/he admits own bias or interpretation or stand.

MOVE VI (b)

Structure of the thesis, Outline of the thesis, or of chapters Or Summary of chapters

One student wrote:This study will have 3 chapters,apart from the Introduction & Conclusion

Ch:I will present an analysis of the contemporary Ao Naga Christian notion of the human being.

Ch:II. Will explore the Ao Naga traditional world-view in the hope of finding resources in the form of myths and stories that would interpret their conception of the human being.

Ch: III. Will move towards reconstructing contemporary theological anthropology contextually, taking the paradigm of Jesus Christ that would be relevant to the Ao Nagas.

What do moves signify?

When reading others’ work you will be reading with these moves in mind and will not miss any such statements in the text before you.

When writing your own thesis you will write systematically.

UTC Faculty require you to write with clarity too.

UTC ’s Requirements are as follows:

Statement of the problem/purpose Significance of the problem or issue being dealt

with Methodology Operational definitions Structure of the thesis Sources of data Literature review Scope and limitations Bibliography/ References Appendices

The Source of this is Dr.Mabry’s Book: The Manual for thesis writers It is from Ch:2 of the

Manual. In this Chapter

Dr.Mabry says that a well-planned proposal can later be suitably modified to become an Introduction

On P.258, in Ch:9 he does describe in brief what an Introduction is , the length and its contents, but this is brief.

What Moves of Swales are involved in UTC’s requirements? Statement of the problem ] Significance /purpose ] = Move I+IV Literature review =Move II Operational definitions, ] Sources ] = Move III ? Scope & Limitations ]

Methodology = Move V Structure ] = Move VI

Later, Swales offered the CARS Model: : C creating A a R research S space

And this model had 3 steps only

The 3 Moves are as follows: Move I: Establishing a territory

Move II : Establishing a Niche

Move III : Occupying the Niche

Specifically,

Establishing a Territory =

Step I: Claiming Centrality /or

Step 2: Make Topic generality/ ( optional ) or

Step 3: DPR description of previous research

(obligatory)

The student wrote:

“Who are we?” is one question of the basic existential questions that human beings ask.”

The need to know ourselves will always remain a question as long as human beings live on earth.”

Another student wrote : “The world is heading towards an ecological death…….”Robert Marshall a founder of the Wilderness Society, as early as the 1930s observed that forests were, “ rapidly disappearing”

Establishing a Niche

Step I A- Counter-claiming/ or Step I B - Indicating a gap/ or Step I C - Question-Raising/ or Step I D - Continuing a Tradition

This is an obligatory step

Steps I A, I B, I C, I D are as follows: “Inspite of what Tillich has contributed

towards this theological method, it is not without ambiguities.”=Indicating a gap and questioning another’s stand.

“I do not agree with him here”..clearly disagrees.

“How does this understanding of human life relate to the Christian understanding of human beings? = Question Raising

Occupying the Niche

Step I A - Outline Purpose or Announce Present Research ( obligatory )

Step II- Announce Principal Findings

( optional ) referring to this is useful but not total declaration

Step III- Indicate Structure ( optional )

States purpose:

“ Thus, the object of my study is to analyse the contemporary theological anthropology of the Ao Naga Christians.”

Or as another student says: “Having reckoned the ‘signs of the times,the purpose of this research is to join the world community of ecclesiastical bodies,international institutions,….scholars and theologians in finding a solution to this problem.It is not too late for theological thinking to take place………..”

How does this apply to our format? The Title and the Research Problem stated in

1 sentence = Establishing Territory. The Elaboration of the Problem & Its

Significance, The Literature Review and The Scope and Limitations = Establishing the

Niche

Occupying the Niche

Hypothesis Operational definitions Structure Sources

Moves Analysis.How does this help us? It also helps us in reading critically. Here’s how…. You have so much to read! You must be critical when

you read. You must interact with the

text. You must carry within you tools of critical reading always and Moves Analysis is one way of decoding another person’s text

Where do we start?

Find the author’s purpose first.That is Move I=Move IV as in UTC’s Format.

Does s/he use the word “interesting”,or “significant”? All writers usually do. Find words such as these.

Is the writer “pushing “ himself and his ideas?

Most authors are vain and do draw attention to their own thoughts/ideas. Do not ignore these clues to Move I=Move IV.

Is there a Move II?

Does the writer give us a literature review?

Does he say what others in the field have done?

Does he run down others trying to ‘sell’ his own product? (Writing is a form of salesmanship)

Is he annoyed that no one has researched this area before?

Is Move II mixed up with Move III? Sometimes it is .Read carefully.

Does s/he raise questions? Does s/he claim to extend a

finding by someone else?

Where do you expect to find Move IV in a thesis?

Usually writers are very clear about this. They often mention this at once. Some writers however take their time and

delay this part. Some keep repeating it all along, in case the

reader forgets. They take the reader along with

them!

Are Moves Essential?

Some Moves are Obligatory. Some Moves are Optional. The Senate of Serampore insists on some of

these. Always discuss this with your own Guide. Moves are like steps and the reader is guided

through your work because of them.

How does the research proceed?

Questionnaires? Interviews?

Case studies? Verbatims?

Literature review? Word study:exegesis for

hermeneutics?

Form,source, rhetorical criticism? Biblical Tradition/ Experiences of people or the community?Sayings of the people(proverbs)

Liberation theology? Homiletics?

Content analysis?Visual Analysis? creating new metaphors?

Is it necessary to define your limits? What is achieved by doing this?

Yes, it is better to limit your research to a small area that you are familiar with. Do not take on too much!!

Shape of the thesis

How is our work organized?

Is the Introduction separate from the First chapter?Will there be a definite concluding chapter? A Summary?What is the total number of chapters

Other Matters

Are there Tables? How many? Do they add to or detract from the meaning of the argument?

Are there any stories, narratives told? Are they original or borrowed?

What does the appendix contain?

Are there any visuals like photographs,images,

Movies,paintings?

Pass on your knowledge!

Moves Analysis can be very rewarding.

It works both ways: It helps you read just as it helps

you write. There is more here than mere

linguistic analysis of text. You are dealing directly with how

writers write and how they convey meaning.

What determines the shape of the entire Thesis? How should we begin? How continue? How end?Another linguist has another Model to offer. This is for the whole thesis to be semantically coherent, for each part to link well with the other.

Michael Hoey’s Analysis

Patterns of Text: Hoey and other linguists who have worked on academic texts notice some recurring patterns in text that authors write and offer it to us as another way of reading/writing text.They are SPRE: a minimal pattern.

An example: Situation .. I was on sentry duty. Problem .. I saw the enemy approach. Solution ..I raised my rifle and fired. Evaluation..I warded off an attack.

What do these mean?

Situation refers to the topic /subject which you are concerned to explore.

Problem is closely related to situation, for the one may lead to the other.

Elaboration of the problem,the details. Solution , (sometimes by analogy ) or

Response. Your answers or findings. Evaluation. Critical comments on your own

findings.

How does this apply to a thesis? Your Introduction or First

Chapter is usually the Situation + Problem.

But you can separate them.i.e.Intro=Situation and Ch.I = Problem.

Chapters 2-3or 4 are normally the Elaboration of the Problem.

Chapter 4 or 5 could be the Basis of your Response or Solution

Conclusions should be distinct and contain some evaluation of your solutions or a kind of justification of your findings.

N.B However, you are the best judge of your own essay and can make changes as you think fit.

The Four minimal Stages

SITUATION PROBLEM SOLUTION EVALUATION

My Contribution to this model © SITUATION: real- world situation Contains sub-genres: myths /sayings of the people/

narrative / poetry /case-studies

and diaries/ sermons/ translations of ancient language texts.

Purpose :

Role of the writer to change the situation

(as Pastor-cum-theologian )

especially if the thesis is regarded not just as an academic exercise but as a genre that contains social value and leads to action.

The Problem

Identify problem of Inequity / Bias

( critical theory )

Critical theory: re-looking at accepted truths

( cf:Mabry )

Basis of Response

Trace causes for the situation in current ideology

( known to the reader )

e.g.exploitation of dalits, humiliation of

women etc

The response

Find sources of hope in Counter-theology ( new to the reader )

Concepts of “given” and “new” E.g. there is Western Theology, and there is

Indian Christian Theology and there is a Dalit theology we know, but this last one does not include Dalit women-idea.Nor Dalit Hindu women etc

Solution by Analogy: my findings Offer Hope: Theological / Cultural / Social ( interpretative, metaphorical ) This is an optional move. Creating or seeing analogies is difficult for all. It calls for

genius to see similarities in dissimilars. Very bold and daring alternatives as in re-

writing creed to include women. Using Poetry etc. Is very personal and non-verifiable but yet convincing as argument

Application:

Suggest Praxis for the real world

(similar to the third part of the sermon )

Evaluation

Communicative purpose or value of the

thesis. Be objective and humble!Exercise ‘scholarly caution’.Do not generalise.

This should contain modality: use of modal verbs which convey level of assertions.

can/could, will/would,shall /should

Ought/dare/need, may/might/must.

Modal Lexis

Be tentative and modest! Talk of …possibility,…achievable,… potential,…grey area,…have a chance,…assume,… believe, …

presumably,… anticipate, …forecast, …foresee.Avoid: …No matter what! … No two ways about it! …. Out of the question!

Which Model do you prefer? Moves are semantic steps. Either you choose the 4- Moves model or the

3- Moves model for the Introduction. Be aware of SPRE while you proceed. Moves- Consciousness helps in writing

coherently. It helps you to watch your steps! BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR WRITING