According to the Council of Graduate Schools, only 57 percent of students who start their Ph.D.s complete them within ten years, and many times its the thesis or dissertation that is holding them back. In this book, you will gain insight regarding the entire research process, from organising your literature and materials most effectively to analysing and evaluating the big picture for defence. You will learn how to locate and recognise a topic that is appropriate for your thesis or dissertation, and you will discover how to expand on the subject matter to ensure its unique and distinct from any other research out there. This book will ensure that your argument is strong, sound, and persuasive throughout your entire thesis or dissertation, from the introductory chapter through the summarising conclusive statements, and you will learn how to do so without plagiarising or cutting corners. You will master how to write ethically, objectively, and properly according to your academic subjects standards. With this book as your guide, you will even find out how your research can take you from a proposal to a published writing career. With this book, you will learn everything from the ground-level basics to the more detailed breakdown of the research process. You will gain a strong understanding of the difference between a thesis and dissertation, and you will grasp the components expected of your work -- regardless of the subject matter of your research. This book will walk you through the entire process step-by-step, teaching you how to structure a planning and writing schedule that will keep the process manageable and not overwhelming.

Not intended to be read from cover to cover, this book was designed instead to be a quick and useful reference for students, young engineers, and experienced professionals alike. It provides guidelines, advice, and technical information for preparing formal documents - covering a range of report formats (e.g. assessment, laboratory and progress reports). This concise, no-nonsense guide provides alphabetically ordered and cross- referenced topics, which make it easy to find answers to questions related to writing a technical report or thesis. Topics include: the format and content of reports and theses; copyright and plagiarism; print and Internet reference citation abbreviations; units and conversion factors; significant figures; mathematical notation and equations; writing styles and conventions; frequently confused words; grammatical errors and punctuation. It also provides commonsense advice on issues such as how to get started and how to keep your reader's attention.