Thesis and Dissertation Writing in a Second Language: a handbook for Supervisors

Discourse community expectations and thesis 
and disser tation writing
It is also useful to discuss general expectations and conventions for theses and
dissertations, as well as the particular expectations, conventions and require-
ments of the students’ area of study. Students can be asked how a thesis or
dissertation might typically be organized and how this might vary for a par-
ticular research topic and kind of study.
The next issue is what might typically be contained in each chapter of the
thesis or dissertation and what amount of variation might be allowed in all of
this. A further important topic is the level of critical analysis required of stu-
dents at the particular level and area of study and the level of originality and
‘contribution to knowledge’ expected of the students’ research projects.