Checklist For Research

Before submitting your research, use this checklist as your reference:

Abstract

Check if the Abstract contains:

______Clear statement of the topic in the first paragraph. The reader should not have to wade through a lot of material to get a statement of the topic covered in the research.
______Rationale of the research being performed. Why was the work done?
______Discussion of the outcomes of the literature review. What was found? What do we know and don't know?
______Clear statement of the objectives and hypothesis. The objectives and hypothesis should be plainly stated.
______Clear statement of the conduct of the data collection. Describe each study and its protocols.
______Clear statement of the participants. Be clear about the sample sizes and recruitment methods.
______Clear statement of the research results. What did the study show?
______Clear statement of the contribution of the research. Phrase this discussion in terms of the research aims.
______Proposed future studies. Avoid a token "more work is needed" rather give some serious suggestions.


Introduction

Check if the Introduction contains:

______Clear outline of the structure of the introduction. Clearly outline what is going to be included in the introduction ie. "Tell them what you are going to tell them."
______Rationale for the study drawing upon the literature review outcomes. The rationale development should draw upon the research literature. How prevalent is the issue or problem? Can this be costed? Does it inform theory to practice?
______Clear statement of the study aims/questions/hypothesis. State these unambiguously. Put them under a separate heading. Make sure they remain the same throughout the research.
______Logical and clear theoretical or conceptual framework when needed, a flow chart of relationship among variables.


Review of Related Literature and Studies

Check if the Literature Review:

______All pertinent literature has been covered
______Must be comprehensive.
______Is NOT a cut and paste from various sources
______Has appropriately critical stance in the review of the literature
______Some thesis introductions are literature lists rather than critiques.
______Has sufficient critique in the review.
______Has clear discussions of the outcomes of the literature review including identification of knowledge gaps. What can we need to know? What do we not know?
______Has enough literature to support your hypothesis?
______Has enough literature that does not support your hypothesis?
______Has enough foreign literature?
______Has enough local literature?


Method

Check if the Method contains:

______Description of the study design. How appropriate was the research design?
______Full description of how the study participants were chosen. Inclusion and exclusion criteria of the participants should be stated as well as the recruitment process.
______Details of how many study participants were approached and how many participated. Keep the relevant records to provide these details.
______Full description of all the tools and protocols used in the study including interview schedules, tools and apparatus. The level of detail should be sufficient to enable replication of the study. Put lengthy tools as appendices, but describe the characteristics e.g. reliability and validity.
______Balanced methodological defense of the tools and methods chosen. Explain why the tools and methods were used.


Results

Check if the Results contain:

______Clear outline of the structure of the results chapter
______Uniquely numbered tables and figures
______Clear table and figure titled that can stand alone
______Consistently formatted tables and figures prepared according to the relevant style standards


Discussion

Check if the Discussion contains:

______Clear outline of the structure of the discussion chapter
______Point by point analysis of how your results answer the research questions you presented in the thesis Introduction
______Discussion of how the results compare to the rest of the literature reviewed in the literature review


Conclusion

Check if the Conclusion contains:

______Clear outline of the structure of the conclusion
______Short review of the studies conducted. Briefly describe the studies conducted and how it was conducted.
______Clear description of the outcomes of the study performed. What were the results?
______Discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the study performed. What quatiflcations should be placed upon the outcomes?
______Discussion of the future work. What should happen next?


References and Attachments

Check if the References and Attachments contain:

______Are all the references cited in the text, included in the reference list? Carefully check the entries.
______Are all the references in the reference list Included in the text? Carefully check the entries.
______Do all the references adhere to the appropriate style? Adhere rigorously to the style standard.
______Is there an accurate table of contents? Most word processors have Table of Contents, use them.
______Is there an accurate list of figures and tables? Make sure that there Is exact correspondence between what is in the list and the text.
______Are all appendices listed In the text Included? Make sure that there is an exact correspondence between what is in the list and text.



Adapted from: Thomas, S.A. (2000), How to write health sciences thesis and dissertations. Edinburg: Churchill Livingstone.