Posted: October 5th, 2013

Thesis

Thesis Format:
Theses are typically between 30 and 40 pages, exclusive of references. Below is a general summary of how the final thesis document should look. Your thesis must be completed according to the guidelines described in the 6th Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. It is recommended that you 
purchase your own copy of this manual.

The final document includes the following parts:
1. The Title Page: Follow the format guidelines given in the APA Publication Manual. Make sure that you select a title which succinctly describes the content of the document.
2. Acknowledgment Page (I can do this myself): On this page, you acknowledge those who have helped you complete your thesis, even if it is only by giving support and encouragement.
3. Table of Contents: Again, refer to the APA Publication Manual for proper format.
4. Abstract: The APA Publication Manual describes the purpose of an abstract. Consider it a one-paragraph summary of the contents of the thesis.
5. The Body of the Thesis: See below.
6. References: Refer to the APA Publication Manual for proper reference format. The reference pages list only those sources of information that you actually cite in your thesis. You do not include those sources of information that you only consulted in preparing your document, but did not cite. Some advice: do not attempt to pad your reference list. It is important that you read quality articles, not a lot of articles of questionable quality.

The Body of the Thesis:
This part contains your comprehensive review of the literature. In the body of the thesis, you provide theoretical, historical, and contextual descriptions about your topic as a backdrop to the central focus of the thesis – the critical evaluation of the research that has been published on the topic you have selected. Secondary sources of research, such as review articles, may help you become familiar with the literature in your area or in critiquing it, but they may not be used in place of primary sources – the actual journal articles that you will be examining. Of course, you are encouraged to provide a Christian commentary on the subject matter.We recommend that you structure the body of the thesis as follows:

Chapter 1: Introduction – This part of the thesis introduces your topic area. It involves identifying, defining, and clarifying exactly what it is that you are investigating. You should make clear why the topic you have chosen to investigate is important and worthwhile. The introduction concludes with one or two paragraphs which outline, in order, the next chapters in the thesis. Make sure the readers know what they are going to encounter once they leave the
introduction.

Chapter 2: Discussion of the Literature – Before you begin to critique the literature, it is important that you summarize it, drawing the reader’s attention to salient points that will provide the foundation for your critique in Chapter 3. 

Chapter 3: Critique of the Literature – Once you have summarized the relevant literature, it is 
now time to critique it. It is in this
section that you evaluate the research literature, pointing out
where it is methodologically sound and where it is not. It is important that you identify the similarities in conclusions of research studies, but it is even more important that you identify the contradictions in the literature and attempt to explain why there are discrepancies and inconsistencies. Rigour in identifying and evaluating the methodologies used in the studies cited is crucial. Make sure that you note where studies are methodologically sound and where there are problems with methodology. If you are unclear about how to critique methodology, it is recommended that you review your text from PSY 230 and consult some review articles in 
journals like Psychological Review and American Psychologist.

Chapter 4: Conclusion – In this chapter, you will summarize the main points you want the readers to understand. Identify that which still remains unknown. At the end of this chapter, you should discuss recommendations for future research; that is, you should document your suggestions for the next steps that researchers should take to further investigate the subject matter. What questions remain unanswered? What do we still need to know about the subject? When you write the thesis, keep your audience in mind at all times. Your audience is not the general public. It is other honours psychology students; that is, persons at your own level of training and background in psychology.

The subject of this thesis I want to be within the topic of Forensic Psychology, and specifically, my interest is in sexual offenders. The thesis could be on anything that has sufficient literature in this area, but what I would find interesting is looking at what makes the non-psychotic child rapist. Almost like a profiling account. That’s jsut an option, if there isn’t enough research, then please remain within this field. 

Also every piece of literature used must be from an academic journal. Sources will be graded. If you need a username and password to access databases, I can provide that

This is important, and I by any means, please ask me questions if you need anythign answered. And please tell me what topic you end up going with. 
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