The Topic –Structure and Content The topic should form a cohesive work. The text is structured in separate but interconnected parts/sections/chapters where the introduction, aims and problem formulation, previous research, method, theory, results and analysis and conclusions/ final discussion are tied together.
Topic projects may differ depending on whether they are based purely on literature studies, or also empirical work (qualitative and/or quantitative). For this reason, there is no ready-made template or structure for a topic.
It is important that the thesis is structured in a way that makes its content clear and customized for its purpose. The suggestions below should therefore not be seen as a template rather, they describe the content of the different parts of the topic. Introduction.
Introduce the reader to the phenomenon the topic deals with, as well as background and context. In the introduction, a problematization will also begin that naturally leads to a more precise problem formulation and the purpose of the topic. Theory/previous research. This part introduces the theories used, previous research and its contribution to the topic .
This part should mainly cover earlier scientific knowledge in the form of articles, books, etc.Method This part presents the method or methods used in the topic. You will need to show that the method choices and the research design are relevant and appropriate and that they are based on the topic’ problem formulation and the aim.
A tip is to start from the problem formulation and aim when outlining and arguing for the methodological choices. Here the student can include both “broad” basic scientific methodological perspectives, strategies and more detailed accounts of the implementation of the methods, as well as how data collection and selection of data analysis were performed.
Note that only methods that are relevant to the topic itself are to be included here.
Empirics/data. All empirics used in the topic should be clearly stated, but it is not necessary to account for everything collected and found in the data collection process.
Here it is important to find an appropriate form and structure for the presentation of the empirics and the results analysis and Conclusions. The analysis should be systematic, clear and connected to the study’s problem formulation and aims.
In the analysis part, the theory/previous research (the frame of reference) is applied in relation to the results and the empirical material.
What interpretations can be made? Has the aim of the thesis been achieved? Has the problem been analyzed and answered? What conclusions can be drawn? What alternative methods/data could have been used? Suggestions for further research? Form–What Must the Topic Contain? The following forms must be followed in all topic projects: Summary All topic should contain a summary.