Thesis Writing Guide

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Thesis Writing Guide The Writing Center American University of Beirut

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The Purpose of this Handbook Table of Requirements A Run through the Process The Preparation Stage  Be Realistic!  The Writing Process  Choosing a Topic  Keeping a Research Log  Conducting a Preliminary Study  Scheduling  Choosing a Committee and Advisor  Checklist The Writing Stage  Writing the Proposal  Literature Review  Introduction  Methodology  Writing the Thesis  Results  Discussion  Conclusions  Revising  Writing an Abstract The Formatting Stage  Style  Organization  Citation  Rules and Formatting at AUB  Copyrighting your Thesis  Checklist Submitting and Defending  Committee  Defense Tips and Advice Other References Appendices  Example Outlines for Five Types of Proposals  Sample Pages

Purpose Writing a thesis can be a difficult but exciting task. Yet the creativity of the project, thoroughness of the research and insight of the analysis are only part of the work. Many graduate students aren‘t sure where to begin, what to put into a thesis, and how to organize it. This booklet is a comprehensive guide to writing a thesis at the American University of Beirut. Although it is specifically catered to theses, this manual can also serve as a guide for those doing PhD dissertations and various projects. You will find helpful advice and direction regarding several aspects. Are you having problems thinking of a topic? Check out ―The Preparation Stage‖ section. Have you gotten started, but are having problems actually writing and organizing your thesis? Take a look at ―The Writing Stage‖ segment. If you‘ve done the writing but aren‘t sure what it should look like, you may want to consult ―The Formatting Stage‖. Along with steps to writing your thesis, this handbook introduces and explains the defense of the thesis in the ―Submitting and Defending‖ part. Guidance from your advisors is essential and he/she should always have the last word, but you‘ll find the answers to your basic questions and uncertainties here. This guide was written for the AUB Writing Center, and is intended as a supplement, not a substitute for AUB‘s official ―Thesis Manual‖—the university guidelines for submitting a thesis, posted on the Jafet Library website at http://wwwlb.aub.edu.lb/~webjafet/researchassistance/thesismanual/thesis manual.htm

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Table of Requirements (in the order they appear in the thesis) Preliminary Blank page Pages Title page Thesis approval page Thesis release form Acknowledgements Abstract Preface Table of contents List of figures/ illustrations List of tables List of abbreviations Glossary Dedication Body of Introduction Text Literature review Methodology Results Discussion Conclusions End Pages Appendix Footnotes and Endnotes Bibliography/References/Works Cited Index

Required Required Required Required If any Required Optional Required If any If any If any If any If any Required; Organized according to conventions of specific disciplines If any If any Required If any

A Run through the Process Writing a thesis can be complicated, but it doesn‘t have to be. Often, graduate students are not familiar with the process that goes into writing and submitting a thesis. Here is a basic overview of what‘s to come: 1. Preparing for the thesis may take as much effort as the thesis itself. It is important that you have a topic which is both interesting to you (you will be spending a lot of time on it!) and realistic; you should have an idea of what you are getting yourself into before you start. Preparation also involves picking an advisor and a committee in front of whom you will defend your thesis. 2. Writing a thesis proposal is the first formal writing step in the process. The proposal can sometimes be the first three chapters of the thesis (the introduction, literature review and methodology), or at the very least, their beginnings. When a proposal has been written, a proposal 2

meeting, or defense, takes place between you and the committee members in order to verify that your research plan is acceptable. 3. After the research or experiment has been thoroughly done, the remaining sections of the thesis need to be composed. These are usually divided into the results, discussion and conclusions chapters. 4. Once you‘ve written the thesis, you will need to write an abstract to add to the beginning. 5. With the important thoughts on paper, you should consider the formatting aspect of writing: style, general organization and other technical details of the thesis. There are also certain university requirements of paper, size, and other logistical features that need to be addressed. 6. After the thesis is complete, you will need to submit the thesis to your advisor and committee members in advance, to give them a chance to read it before your defense. The actual thesis defense is a presentation of your work, followed by questioning by the committee. At the end of this guide, you will find a list of other references that may be helpful in thesis-writing. Templates of standard required pages can be found in the appendices. Some general sources that might help you in your thesis writing: http://www.asgs.org/ (The Association for Support of Graduate Students) http://www.sss.uq.edu.au/linkto/phdwriting/ (First Thoughts to Finished Writing University of Queensland, Australia) http://learnerassociates.net/dissthes/ (Writing and Presenting your Thesis and Dissertation, by S. Joseph Levin) http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/dissertation.html (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/learning/online/dissertation.html (University of Kent) http://nextwave.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2001/02/28/10 ("Thesis Writing, Guru-Style," by Andrea Lord) “Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day” by Joan Bolker, available in AUB‘s Jafet Library The Preparation Stage Before you actually start writing your thesis, you need to think about a lot of things and prepare yourself. Writing a thesis is different from many of the previous things you may have done because it is almost entirely defined by you, and gives you the freedom to do what you want. It is important for you to have a lot of academic, as well as emotional support at this time, whether from your advisor, your fellow masters or PhD students, or others.

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Be Realistic! First of all, it is essential to be realistic about a number of aspects of the thesis. While you should choose a topic that will sustain your interest, it is also important to acknowledge that it is unlikely that your research will be a world-altering discovery. The thesis is an academic requirement, and much of its purpose lies in its process and what you learn from it. Secondly, it is important to realize how much time you are willing to spend on this project and to act accordingly. If your aim is to have a study that lasts for years and you have the means and will to do it, then go ahead. However, think twice before jumping into a study that you will be unable to complete. It‘s also important to have a topic which is narrow enough to be feasible. The Writing Process Needless to say, your thesis will involve a lot of writing. If you are unsure of your skills as a writer, perhaps you should brush up on your knowledge of the writing process. Writing is more than copying down words. There are certain steps that must be followed to ensure a good piece of writing. An important thing to remember is that writing is a process; you should be writing throughout, not just when the time comes to turn in a finished product. It‘s helpful to keep a notebook of ideas and rough drafts at hand and continuously write down your thoughts. The Writing Center at AUB is a good place to go if you need any kind of help in writing, from brainstorming, to organizing, to help with grammar and mechanics. Some websites that will help you in the writing process are: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/(The Owl at Purdue University) http://www.idrc.ca/IMAGES/books/WFC_English/WFC_English/ (Writing for Change by Alan Barker, Firoze Manil, and Judith Charlton) http://webware.princeton.edu/sites/writing/writing_center/wcwritingresourc es.htm (Writing Center at Princeton University) Choosing a Topic The first step in any writing process is choosing a topic to write on. If you are not sure about how to start, which is likely to be the case, you should try brainstorming. It‘s a good idea to read relevant articles and books that cover the general area of your study. Articles are available through AUB libraries at http://olib.aub.edu.lb/cgi-bin/jl_w207.sh. Then think of all possible ideas, and don‘t leave anything out; you never know how one idea might lead to another. Don‘t let other people interfere with you or your ideas in a negative way. After all, this research is yours, so you should be making all the decisions. Be as creative as you can be, and most importantly, write all your thoughts down. What may seem like a doubtful idea one moment may eventually become more and more promising. Writing down ideas helps

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you to remember them and makes them more concrete, something you can add to and build on. The following websites may also help: http://chris.golde.org/filecabinet/disspropose.html ("Some Thoughts on Dissertation Proposal Writing," by Chris M., Golde) http://chronicle.com/jobs/99/11/99111902c.htm ("Choosing a Research Topic," by Richard M. Reis) Keeping a Research Log After you have some idea of what you want to do, another helpful suggestion might be to keep a record of relevant or potentially-relevant literature. This way it will be easier for you to actually get to writing. You can write down names of books and citations, photocopy articles, and organize them according to categories; whatever helps you keep track of possible future references. You can also create your own database of electronic resources (RefWorks) at AUB. For help with research at AUB, you can visit http://wwwlb.aub.edu.lb/~webjafet/researchassistance/tclinics/tclinics.htm. You may also want to schedule one-on-one appointments with library specialists to help you locate information on your topic in all the library‘s resources, including print and electronic resources. They can also teach you to keep track of sources using the citation software RefWorks. To fill out the appointment request form visit: http://wwwlb.aub.edu.lb/~webjafet/forms/instrform.html Conducting a Preliminary Study It‘s good to have a preliminary study that precedes your official research. This will give you an idea of what your thesis might be, how much time you will need, or if you like the idea at all. Use it as an experiment and test out some ideas you have. Scheduling Having a schedule is a key aspect of writing a thesis. Creating a rough timeline or checklist will help you focus on deadlines, those of the university or those you‘ve set for yourself. It is also helpful to put this timeline in a place where you will always see it, in order to be constantly reminded of your work. Your timeline should be divided into five rough sections: preparing for the thesis, writing a proposal, conducting research, writing the thesis, and revising the thesis. Give yourself enough time for each part and stay on schedule. The following websites may help: http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/dissertation.html (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), http://www.kent.ac.uk/uelt/learning/online/index.html (University of Kent)

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Choosing a Committee and Advisor Choosing a committee and advisor is another main step in the process. Whether you pick an advisor first and then choose a topic with their help, or pick a topic and then choose a suitable advisor, is up to you. Regardless, a good advisor can be a very useful asset in helping to direct you through your thesis-writing as well as to guide and support your ideas. A good advisor will have time to listen and respond thoughtfully. An advisory committee also needs to be chosen well; it‘s best to pick people who are encouraging of your ideas and will help you rather than harm you during your writing and defense. Checklist Ask yourself: 1. Am I familiar with research done by other people in my field of research? 2. Do I have a clear understanding of the steps I will take to conduct my study? 3. Do I have the ability to get through the steps and complete my study? 4. Am I motivated to get through my entire research study? If you answered yes to all of these questions, then you are probably ready to move on to the next stage. (http://learnerassociates.net/dissthes/) The Writing Stage Writing the Proposal Purpose The purpose of a proposal is to explain to the committee at your proposal meeting, the type, scope, and nature of your research. The proposal should be the foundation of the thesis. Writing a proposal is the first formal writing step. It is important not to rush into this before clearly defining your ideas and going through the ‗preparation stage‘ properly. To make sure you are ready to start with a proposal, you should check to see if you can answer yes to the above questions. Title Your proposal should include a working title, that is, one that may be changed later. A good title mentions the most important key terms in the beginning and doesn‘t use ambiguous or unclear words. Writing

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A proposal is written in future-tense and usually consists of the first three chapters of the thesis: the introduction, literature review and methodology. Although it is helpful to write the full chapters at this point and not pile up the work, many people do not actually write the full three chapters. A solid foundation for the chapters is good enough. Sample Theses A good way to start writing a proposal is to read an example of one to get an idea of what it should look like. Your advisor should have some old proposals for you to examine or you could find them on your own at the AUB libraries using the following link: http://staff.aub.edu.lb/~webjafet/researchassistance/how/find_thesis.pdf. You can also access Digital Dissertation at http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/gateway. This is an online database of theses done in the US and Europe which offers you a 24 page preview of the thesis for free. It will give you a chance to see what topics people outside of Lebanon are writing about, and the formats they use for their theses. Literature Review Next, you should begin writing your thesis. You could start with any part of the proposal that you feel comfortable with at first. However it is sensible to write a literature review first because it will allow you to go through all the previous research and allow you to take it all in. This is where your research log of relevant literature (mentioned above) might come in handy. The literature review should be a comprehensive look at all the research that‘s been done in the field of your study. You should not simply summarize books and articles in your literature review. Rather, organize it by topic. Within that, mention key issues, people‘s theories and research, etc. These websites help specifically in writing a literature review: http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/litrev.html ("The Literature Review: A Few Tips on Conducting it.‖ University of Toronto), http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/literature_review.html (the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) Introduction After that, you may want to write your introduction. The introduction describes your thesis briefly. In it, you need to include the background information, the problem your study addresses, as well as a rationale for why your research is needed and what you plan to do. You also need to state the research questions that will guide your research. They will link between your research and previous research. It‘s good to start with broad relational questions here.

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Methodology Then you can move on to the methodology section of your proposal. Methodology should be chosen carefully; consider all your options before choosing. Sometimes you will even be able to use combined methodology or develop your own instruments. Also, make sure you budget for your methodology. Here you can describe how your research will be done and the process you go through. This includes the type of research methods as well as a step-by-step description of the research. You can also talk about the different materials and apparatuses you will use in the study, including anything from surveys in the social sciences, to raw materials, chemicals and equipment in the hard sciences. You will also need to talk about participants if there are any; how you choose them, on what basis, who they are, background information, etc. are all relevant here. Discussing how you plan to analyze your data is also important. You may also mention when and where your research will be conducted. Each department may have different guidelines for this section of the thesis so it is important to check with your advisor. In Appendix 1 you will find five sample proposals for different types of studies. Proposal Meeting Once you have finished writing a thesis proposal, you will need to submit one to the dean‘s office, as well as to members of your committee for your proposal meeting. Plan your meeting well; by the end, the committee should fully understand that you are ready to take on the task of moving forward with well-planned research. Writing the Thesis After you have finished the proposal and collected data, you should begin writing the thesis. It‘s reasonable to start writing whatever part of the thesis you feel most comfortable with. You can then move sections around and sequence them as you see fit. At this point you will need to change the tense of your methodology section to past tense, to reflect what you have already done. You may need to edit or add to your original proposal and make it into the thesis. The organizational format provided here is a suggestion, but is not necessarily required for all departments. Remember, your thesis advisor is the go-to person for everything regarding your thesis! The Results Section In this section, you will need to state the results of your research without discussing them. There may be graphs, tables, figures, etc., all of which you need to describe. This section may be optional and varies depending on the discipline and department.

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Tables and Graphs Make sure you introduce and describe all graphs and figures in your text (you will also need to discuss them in the discussion section). Use similar wording to describe similar graphs for the sake of clarity. Also, at early stages in the writing, keep the graphs simple and even hand-written. Creating graphs on the computer will only take time, and may not be used or may be modified, in the end product; don‘t waste your time. A section in the preliminary pages should be dedicated to a list of figures and graphs in your thesis. The Discussion Section In the discussion section, you will need to talk about the previously mentioned results. You should address your research questions and explain how your research relates to previous research. Conclusions In the conclusions section, make sure that you are adding something new and not restating the discussion chapter. Help the reader understand what your research means or implies. Write about how the key ideas in your thesis can be applied to other fields of study. Sometimes this section is done best after taking a break from the rest of the thesis. Before you finish, go back to the beginning of your thesis, to the introduction, and make sure that everything you said you would cover is covered throughout. Also, make sure that the concepts in the conclusion are presented in the introduction. Basically make sure your thesis is coherent. Revising Revising is often not given the importance it deserves. Make sure you revise your thesis adequately before submitting it. Revision can be done on organization, ideas, grammar, usage, etc. You can get help from a professional editor or simply have peers read over your work. The Writing Center is a good place to go to have someone read with you and revise what you‘ve written; a fresh perspective is usually helpful in giving new ideas and refining old ones. Writing an Abstract An abstract is a very brief summary of the main points of your research that will be placed at the beginning of your thesis. It is important to identify the research questions that you deal with in your thesis. Make sure it contains the statement of the problem, describes methods and procedures, and briefly goes into results and conclusions. The purpose of an abstract is to give other researchers an idea of what your thesis is about. Giving the

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right information in an abstract is important because it will inform your readers about your thesis quickly, allowing them to decide whether or not it is relevant for their own research. An abstract is usually maximum one page long, and often even less. Check with your department for details.

The Formatting Stage Style There is no specific length that a thesis needs to be but each department may have specifications. There is no minimum length as specified by AUB; the advisor will help you decide about the number of pages. All theses need to be written in English, except theses in the Arabic department. Arabic thesis writing styles are the same as the ones for English. The parts of the thesis that refer to research that has already been done should probably be written in past tense. Make sure to use clear and unambiguous words in your writing. Keep using the same terms throughout to refer to the same thing; it will help keep your writing clear. For questions regarding style, contact the Archives and Special Collections Department by e-mail [email protected], or by telephone (961) 1-350 000 ext.2609/10. Organization The thesis should be divided into: preliminary pages, text, and end pages. Each of these parts may be divided into sections. A clear table of contents should explain the organization of the thesis. Citation Citation is the documenting of other sources used in your research. Different departments will require different citation styles. Some may require APA, others MLA, still others the Chicago or other styles. Refer to your department for information on citation style. If no style is specified, you should use the Turabian style. References on how to use these styles can be found in the AUB libraries. AUB Requirements There are certain requirements that need to be met for your thesis to be accepted by AUB. These include submission deadlines, number of copies, size, paper, typeface, style and form, organization, and much more. Please visit the following website for more information on thesis submitting requirements: http://wwwlb.aub.edu.lb/~webjafet/researchassistance/thesismanual/thesis manual.htm

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Don‘t wait till the last deadline to make sure your thesis is formatted correctly. Visit the Archives and Special Collections (ASC) Department in Jafet Library, from Monday to Friday, 8:00 am. to 5:00 pm or contact them by e-mail [email protected], or by telephone (961) 1-350 000 ext.2609/10 for questions and comments. This is also the place to go for thesis submission. Visit the following site for quick guidelines on formatting your thesis: http://staff.aub.edu.lb/~webjafet/researchassistance/how/how.htm#11 Copyrighting Your Thesis AUB gives students to copyright their theses two years. In the required release form at the beginning of the thesis, students can choose between 1. ―Authorize the American University of Beirut to supply copies of my thesis/dissertation/project to libraries or individuals upon request.‖ Or 2. ―Do not authorize the American University of Beirut to supply copies of my thesis/dissertation/project to libraries or individuals for a period of two years starting with the date of the thesis/dissertation/project defense.

The Thesis Defense Preparing for the Defense Although the name thesis ―defense‖ sounds like something frightening and violent, it is actually just a meeting where you will explain your thesis and answer questions; you do not actually need to defend yourself. Try to attend a thesis defense to see exactly what it is like. If that is not an option in your department, ask others that have gone through it to describe the experience and give their advice. Discuss research with others who may bring insight into your paper. The questions they ask could help you see where you have a problem. It‘s best to only allow your advisor to read your thesis as you are write it; stick to the suggestions he/she makes. It‘s better not to give copies of your thesis to your committee before you have finished writing. You may think this will help, but if two members of the committee disagree on something, you may have a problem pleasing everybody. Make sure to meet with your advisor and talk about how to go about the defense. During the defense It‘s helpful to remember that the thesis defense is meant to be critical of your work. A good rule of thumb is to answer only questions, and not comments. Answering everything said in the defense will only make you frustrated and won‘t be helpful. Instead, calmly say ―thank you‖, write a

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note for yourself to check over later, and proceed with the defense. Although it‘s hard to detach yourself from something you‘ve put so much work into, this will save you time, energy and emotions. You may also want to tape record your defense so that you can actually listen to the comments and leave the note-taking for later.

Tips and Advice (Taken from Joan Bolker‘s Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day.)

Getting started… Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. Here a few tips to help you get an idea of what you want to do… When thinking of a thesis topic, think of what has interested you in the past, what appeals to you and what you would like to explore further. Figure out what kind of research others have found most interesting and enjoyable, both to study and to read. Ask for help from you advisor and peers and be aware of what sources are available in your field at the library. Especially your advisor can give you helpful feedback on ideas that are too extravagant and unrealistic, as well as ones that may be feasible and realistic. Sometimes you may want to pursue a topic that is highly popular at the moment. Likewise, you may want to pursue an area of research that is relatively new, and therefore possibly contribute something new and exciting to the field. Getting stuck… So you‘re writing your thesis and doing fine…then suddenly you get writer‘s block! The following might help… Take a break, but make sure you‘re not doing yourself more harm than good; be aware of deadlines. Try freewriting. Write as much as you can, about anything at all and in whatever style you want for a few minutes, hours, days at a time. Try poetry if you feel inspired, or write about why you think you‘re stuck. This may help you get past your writer‘s block. Cut yourself off from something you really like until you finish a part of the thesis. The reward will motivate you to keep working. Make sure the goals you are setting for yourself are realistic, and you are not killing your own motivation by trying to write too much too fast. Reread what you‘ve written already and see if any interesting points jump out at you. Try to comment on them and see if it takes you anywhere. Look further into some of the smaller concepts you‘ve talked about. Try to dig deeper and see if it will take you forward.

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Preventing getting stuck can be even more important. Try putting yourself in the mindset that if you don‘t write, you will feel bad. When you finish writing for the day, make sure that it is something that is easy to pick up again the next time you write. This will keep you motivated to write. Write before you do anything else; give it priority. Take things one day at a time and don‘t get upset if you feel like you haven‘t written enough; it will only heighten your anxiety. Finally, keep in mind the rewards of your writing. Interruptions… Interruptions can be anything from a failing hard drive on a computer, to lack of motivation, to getting sick. The following are things you can do in the case of an event beyond your control: Plan out what you can and cannot do about the situation. Ask yourself if this will delay your thesis or cause you never to finish it. Don‘t panic. Get all the help you can. *Always keep hard copy versions of your thesis!* This guide was composed for the Writing Center by Olga Habre. Fall 2007. Other References Bolker, Joan. Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1998. (Available in Jafet Library) Gibaldi, Joseph. The MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1998. Crews, Kenneth D. Copyright Law and the Doctoral Dissertation: Guidelines to Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms, Inc., 1992. Day, Robert A. How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper. 5th ed. Boulder, Colorado: NetLibrary, Inc., 2000. Electronic access: http://encompass.library.cornell.edu/cgibin/scripts/ebooks.cgi?bookid=7615. Murray, Rowena. How to write a thesis. Philadelphia: Open University Press, 2002. (Available in Reference section of Jafet Library) Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 4th ed. Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association, 1994.

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Strunk, William, Jr., and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. 4th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1999. The Chicago Manual of Style. 15th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003. Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 6th ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1996. Graduate studies in the FAFS: http://wwwlb.aub.edu.lb/~webfafs/pdf/graduate_manual.pdf Graduate studies in the FEA: http://webfealb.fea.aub.edu.lb/ece/pages/public/Internal.aspx?tab=Static&Page=academi cs_graduate__manual

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Appendix 1 Example Outlines for Five Types of Proposals The following five proposal outlines are modified from those listed by the Southern Connecticut State University School of Graduate Studies in their Revised Thesis Proposal Requirements and Guidelines dated May 1999. AN OUTLINE OF AN INVESTIGATIVE OR EXPERIMENTAL STUDY A. B. C.

D.

E.

Title of proposed thesis Abstract – optional Introduction 1. Statement of purpose(s) 2. Literature review - Relationship of study to related research and analysis of pertinent research 3. Statement of need or relevance of the study Methodology 1. Experimental design (include methods and materials) 2. Subjects to be used, if appropriate 3. Measures used (surveys, interviews, psychological instruments, protocols, etcetera) 4. Plan for the analysis of data List of References

AN OUTLINE OF A DESCRIPTIVE OR HISTORICAL STUDY A. B. C.

D.

D.

Title of proposed thesis Abstract –optional Introduction 1. Statement of purpose(s) 2. Literature review - Relationship of study to related research and analysis of pertinent research 3. Statement of need or relevance of the study Methodology 1. Research plan 2. Proposed chapter development with discussion of major subheadings List of References

AN OUTLINE OF AN INTERPRETIVE, ANALYTICAL OR CRITICAL STUDY A. B. C.

D. E.

Title of proposed thesis Abstract – optional Introduction 1. Summary of the argument and its significance as a contribution to knowledge 2. Review of the criticism and scholarly literature on the subject Methodology Description of the analytical, critical, or interpretative methods and the theoretical approaches that will be used List of References

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AN OUTLINE OF A CREATIVE STUDY* A. B. C.

D. E.

Title of proposed thesis Abstract – optional Introduction 1. A clear, concise description of the nature and themes of the final creative product 2. An explanation of why a creative thesis was chosen and why the specific form and genre were selected Methodology A brief discussion of the major elements of the craft that will be used and how they will be used to achieve certain aims or effects. List of References

* Examples of research creative methods: Art Project, Music Recital, or Curriculum Development

AN OUTLINE OF A QUALITATIVE STUDY* Title of proposed thesis Abstract – optional Introduction 1. Statement of purpose and/or a description of the phenomenon to be studied including its significance to the field of study and research questions. 2. Review of relevant research as appropriate to methodology used (include researcher's perspective) Methodology 1. Sample selection 2. Data gathering technique 3. Data analysis methods 4. Limitations 5. Ethical considerations E. List of References *Examples of research using qualitative methods: phenomenological, ethnographic, grounded theory, philosophical investigations

(taken from http://www.tamucommerce.edu/honors/documents/Thesis_Proposal_Guidelines.doc)

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Appendix 2 (sample pages)

BLANK PAGE

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AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT

THESIS FULL TITLE

by

STUDENT FULL NAME

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts to the Department of Economics of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the American University of Beirut

Beirut, Lebanon January 1999

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AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT

THESIS/DISSERTATION FULL TITLE

by

STUDENT FULL NAME

Approved by:

[Signature] ______________________________________________________________________ [Dr. Full Name, rank] Advisor [Department] (as listed in AUB Catalogue of current year) [Signature] ______________________________________________________________________ [Idem] Member of Committee

[Signature] ______________________________________________________________________ [Idem] Member of Committee

[Signature] ______________________________________________________________________ [Idem] Member of Committee

Date of thesis/dissertation defense: [Month Day, Year]

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AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT

PROJECT FULL TITLE

by

STUDENT FULL NAME

Approved by:

[Signature] ______________________________________________________________________ [Dr. Full Name, rank] First Reader [Department] (as listed in AUB Catalogue of current year)

[Signature] ______________________________________________________________________ [Idem] Second Reader

Date of project presentation: [Month Day, Year]

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AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT

THESIS/DISSERTATION/PROJECT RELEASE FORM

I, [Name of Student in full]

authorize the American University of Beirut to supply copies of my thesis/dissertation/project to libraries or individuals upon request.

do not authorize the American University of Beirut to supply copies of my thesis/dissertation/project to libraries or individuals for a period of two years starting with the date of the thesis/dissertation/project defense.

____________________ Signature

____________________ Date

(Check √ whichever wording is applicable) N.B. This form is signed when submitting the thesis to the Archives Librarian.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks are for Mrs. Diana Abi Said, Miss Mona Al-Sayed for their great help in the computer work and for Mr. Mohammed Naja for his assistance in the technical work. My recognition and gratitude are addressed to INRA-FRANCE (Institut National de Recherche Agronomique) for its financial support and for providing tomato seeds, and to Debbaneh Frères company for providing the greenhouse and tomato seeds.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF 22

Rami Ali Dalloul

for

Master of Science Major: Poultry Science

Title: National Salmonella Surveillance in Poultry Breeders: Antimicrobial Susceptibility, Virulence, and Molecular Studies

Salmonella organisms were isolated from chicken breeding farms of four provinces of Lebanon. Twelve out of 800 samples collected in the surveillance were positive for Salmonella. The biochemical characters of the 12 Salmonella isolates from chicken breeding farms were matching with the genus Salmonella. The somatic and flagellar antigens of the 12 Salmonella isolates were identified and compared to Kauffman-White-Scheme for Salmonella serotypes. Seven isolates were S. blegdam and the other five isolates were S. paratyphi B var odense. The antimicrobial resistance pattern of Salmonella isolates from chickens were compared to isolates of the same serotype from humans. Among the 9 antimicrobial agents tested in vitro for effectiveness against Salmonella isolates, only gentamicin and polymyxin B were 100% effective against chicken and human isolates. There was variation in the effectiveness of the other antimicrobial agents against Salmonella of chickens versus those of humans. S. blegdam was highly virulent in day-old chicks in comparison to S. paratyphi B var odense and the reference S. typhimurium. Using the Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis technique, the protein profiles of S. paratyphi B var odense from chickens showed a similar banding pattern. The protein profiles of S. moscow from chickens showed similarity to isolates from humans. The protein profile of S. blegdam from chickens and humans were similar. A clear difference in banding patterns was present in some S. typhimurium isolates from chickens and humans showed similarity in protein profiles.

CONTENTS (A)

23

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………..

v

ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………...

vi

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS………………………………………………

xii

LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………..

xiii

Chapter

I. INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………….

1

II. THE INTERNET ……………………………………………………….. 4 A. Definition of the Internet …………………………………………………

4

B. History of the Internet ……………………………………………………

4

C. Ownership and Control of the Internet …………………………………..

5

D. Applications of the Internet ………………………………………………

5

1. E-Mail …………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………….. 2. Usenet……………………………………………………………. 3. The World Wide Web …………………………………………… a. Definition of the World Wide Web ……………………… b. History and Evolution of the World Wide Web…………. c. Role of the World Wide Web in the Growth of the Internet…………………………………………………....

5 6 6 6 6

E. Growth of the Internet …………………………………………………….

8

III. INTERNET ADVERTISING………………………………………..

11

A. Definition of the Internet Advertising ……………………………………

Page 11

B. Models of Internet Advertising…………………………………………...

C O N T E N T S ( A )

7

12 ACKNOWLEDG

ABSTRACT ..........

LIST OF ILLUST 24

LIST OF TABLE

IV.

1. The Text-Based Advertising Model ………………………….…. a. Email Advertising………………………………………. b. Newgroups Sponsorships………………….….………... 2. The Multimedia-Based Advertising Model…….………………... a. Web Sites Content Sponsorships……………………….. ………………………. b. Interstitials ……………………………………………... …………………………………………………………. c. Banners ………………………………………………… Banners……………………………………………….…… i. Definition …………………………………….. .…... Definition…………………………………...…… ii. Size…………………………………………… ……… iii. Evolution………………………………….….. iv. Tips……………………………………………

12 12 14 14 14 16 17 18 19 21 24

C. Pricing of Internet Advertising………………………………………….…

25

1. Pricing of Commercial E-Mails …………………………………. …………………..CommerciaMails.……………………………… 2. Pricing of Newsgroups and Web Sites Content Sponsorship……. ………….. .……… 3. Pricing of Banners and Interstitials ……………………………… Interstitials……………………………….. a. The Cost per Thousand Impressions Method……….….. ……………………………………… MethodM….……………… b. The Click-Through Ratio Method ……………………... ClicThroughThroug………….……………………………. c. The Key Words Method …………………………….…. ………………………………………… D. Internet Advertising Objectivers………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………… ….... …………………………………………………………… 1. The Hierarchy of Effects Model ………………………………… EffectsModel………………………………………….. 2. Internet Advertising Communication Objectives ……………….. ………………………….. E. Evolution of Internet Advertisers ………………………………………....

26 26 26 26 27 27 28 28 29 30

THE INTERNET AS COMPARED TO OTHER

ADVERTISING MEDIA ………………………………………….….32 A. The Internet Advertising Medium ………………………………………... 32 ...………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………….. 1. Growth of the Internet Advertising………………………………. 32 …………………………………………………………… …………Revenues…………………….. 2. Increasing Popularity of the Internet Advertising Carrier……….. 3232 34 …………………...……………………………….... 32 ……….…. 3. Advantages and Disadvantages of the Internet Advertising Medium………………………………………………………….. 35 a. Advantages……………………………………………... 36 …………………………………………... i. Market………………………………………… 36 ………………………………………………………… ii. Targeting……………………………………… 36 …………………………………………………………. ……………….………………………………… iii. Information Capacity………………………… 37 ……………. …………….………...…………………………… iv. Flexibility………………………………….…. 37 .….Interactivity ………………………………….. 38 ……………………………………………… v. 25

vi. Sales Potential………………………………... ………………………………………... b. Disadvantages …………………………………….…… i. Limited Production Quality……………….….. ..………………………...

V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ………………

38 38 38

48

Appendix

I.

SOURCE CODE………………………………………………………………………. 50

II. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS……………………………………….. 52

BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………………… 54

CONTENTS (B)

26

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………… ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………

v vi

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS…………………………………………….

xi

LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………...

xiii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS………………………………………….... ………..………………………………………………………..

xiv

Chapter

1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………. 1 1.1. Thesis Objective …………………………………………………….

1

1.2. Thesis Significance ………………………………………………….

5

1.3. Thesis Organization ………………………………………………....

5

2. LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………………………...

6

2.1. Oxide-Coated Sands………………………………………………….

6

2.2. Effect of coating on The Sands Properties ………………………….

7

2.2.1. pH of Point of Zero Charge ……………………………… 2.2.2. Specific Surface Area of Filter Media …………………... 2.2.3. Iron Content ……………………………………………... 2.2.4. Zeta Potential …………………………………………….

8 9 9 9

2.3. Performance of Coated Sands ……………………………………….

14

2.3.1. Filtering Capacity………………………………………… 2.3.2. Adsorptive Capacity of IOCS……………………………. 2.3.2.1. Adsorptive Characteristics………………….…. 2.3.2.2. Adsorbing Capability of IOCS ………………...

14 17 17 20

27

2.3.2.3. Metal Polishing Performance of IOCS………… oo………….… 2.3.4. Removal of Certain Metals of Concern………………….. 2.3.4.1. Complexed Metal Ions…………………………. ………….…………………….. 2.3.4.2. Chromium Removals…………………………... ………………………………….. 2.3.4.3. Cyanide ………………………………………...

23 24 24 25 26

2.4. Mechanism of Adsorption……………………………………………

26

2.5. Factors Affecting the Performance of Coated Sands………………...

30

2.5.1. pH and Temperature……………………………………… …………………………………….………….. 2.5.1.1. Crystallinity………………………………….... ……………………………………………… 2.5.1.2. Adsorbing Capability…………………………. ………………………………….. 2.5.1.3. Attachment Strength…………………………... …………………………………… 2.5.2. Type of Support Media…………………………………... …………………………………….………. 2.5.2.1. Comparative Evaluation of The Media... Properties………………………………………... 2.5.2.1.1. Morphology and Mineralogy………... 2.5.2.1.2. Physical and Chemical Properties…… 2.5.2.1.3. Physical Stability……………………. 2.5.2.1.4. Adsorbing capabilities……………….. 2.5.3. Metal salt used in coating…………………………………

30 30 33 34 34

2.6. Sand Coating Techniques…………………………………………....

39

2.6.1. Using pre-Formed Flocs………………………………….. 2.6.2. Batch Mixing of Sand, Salt, and Base…………………… 2.6.3. Direct Precipitation of Iron on Particle Surface…………..

39 39 40

3. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGIES……………………...

41

3.1. Choice of the Coating Material …………………………….………..

41

3.1.1. Kind of Metal…………………………………………….. 3.1.2. Type of Base……………………………………………... 3.1.3. Source of Iron……………………………………………..

41 42 42

3.2. Sand Coating Procedure……………………………………………...

43

3.2.1. Support Media……………………………………………. 3.2.2. Sand Preparation………………………………………….

43 44

28

34 34 35 36 36 36

3.2.3. Sand Coating……………………………………………... 3.2.4. Combination of Coating parameters……………………...

4. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ………………

44 46

48

Appendix

1.

SOURCE CODE………………………………………………………………………. 50

2.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS……………………………………….. 52

BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………………… 54

ILLUSTRATIONS

29

Figure 1.

Page Frictional performance of groups of test sections constructed with limestone rock asphalt aggregates............................................

9

2.

Non-linear behavior of lightweight source places in the cold region...

30

3.

Frictional performance of high quality limestone.........................

33

4.

Frictional performance of low quality limestone..........................

34

5.

Frictional performance of limestone rock asphalt.........................

36

6.

Frictional performance of low quality siliceous gravel...................

39

7.

Frictional performance of high quality siliceous gravel..................

50

8.

The correlation of PV with the PVMSS interaction term................

54

9.

The correlation of MSS with the PVMSS interaction.....................

75

10.

PV values for low soundness and varying soundness aggregates.......

86

11.

Service life versus PV of low soundness loss aggregates placed in the warm region at ADT=750....................................................

101

30

TABLES

Table 3.1. 3.2. 5.1. 5.2. 5.3. 5.4. 5.5. 5.6.

Page Statistical results with ranges of significant and related variables for the general models..............................................................

8

Statistical results with ranges of significant and related variables for the individual aggregate models..............................................

20

Three-variable general model: polish value (PV) limits for sound aggregates placed in the warm region.......................................

52

Three-variable general model: polish value (PV) limits for sound aggregates placed in the cold region ........................................

60

Three-variable general model: aggregates with varying soundness losses placed in the warm region.............................................

73

Three-variable general model: aggregates with varying soundness losses placed in the cold region...............................................

103

Three-variable with INRD model: INRD, PV, and LA limits for aggregates placed in the warm region.......................................

109

Three-variable with INRD model: INRD, PV, and LA limits for aggregates placed in the cold region.........................................

129

31

‫‪Title‬‬ ‫‪page in Arabic‬‬

‫انجامعت االميركيت في بيروث‬

‫انحركت انتعهيميت عىد انمسهميه في نبىان‬ ‫خالل انقرن انتاسع عشر‬

‫اعداد‬

‫غسـان عهي انغـداف‬

‫رسانت‬ ‫مقدمت الستكمال متطهباث ويم شهادة أستاذ في اآلداب‬ ‫(انماجستير)‬ ‫انى دائرة انهغت انعربيت ونغاث انشرق األدوى‬ ‫في كهيت اآلداب وانعهىو‬ ‫في انجامعت األميركيت في بيروث‬

‫بيروث ‪ ،‬نبىـان‬ ‫أيهىل ‪6991‬‬

‫‪32‬‬

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