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Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

DIFFERENTIAL IMPACTS OF WEATHER ANOMALIES ON HOUSEHOLD ENERGY EXPENDITURE SHARES: A COMPARISON OF CLUSTERED PANEL ANALYSIS METHODS , Jordan Champion

CONSUMER DEMAND FOR FOOD PRODUCTS, PRICE SURGE, AND U.S. PUBLIC POLICY: AN EMPIRICAL ECONOMIC ANALYSIS , Clement Olivier Codjia

Horse Owner Preferences for Equine Veterinary Services , Olivia Gibson

Industrial Hemp Production and Potential Risks in Kentucky , Hoyeon Jeong

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Two Essays on Industrial Hemp Firms in the United States , Abraham Olakunle Ajibade

THREE ESSAYS ON THE U.S. BEEF SUPPLY CHAIN: PRODUCTION, MARKETING, AND PRICE DYNAMICS , Erdal Erol

CONSUMERS’ PREFERENCES AND WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR VALUE-ADDED DAIRY PRODUCTS IN KENTUCKY - CONSIDERING PRICE, PROVENANCE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES , Favour E. Esene

THREE ESSAYS ON HEALTH, FOOD, AND AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS , Saber Feizy

Reclaiming Your Competitive Advantage , Mason T. Hamilton

Gambling on Growth: An Analysis of the Early Impact of Historical Horse Racing on Kentucky’s Thoroughbred Industry , Barrett W. Kerr

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE VALUES: A COMPARISON ACROSS GROUPS , Thomas B. Pierce

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

DEMAND SYSTEM ANALYSIS OF BEER IN THE U.S. MARKET , Laxmi Devi Adhikari

THREE ESSAYS ON FOOD SAFETY AND PRIVATE FOOD SAFETY CERTIFICATIONS , Lijiao Hu

Spent Hemp as an Animal Feed and Vertical Price Transmission in US Hemp Value-Added Supply Chain , Solomon E. Odiase

Consumer Measures of Local Food System Performance and Shopping Behavior Across COVID , Azita Varziri

DEMAND ANALYSIS OF VIETNAMESE COFFEE IN THE U.S. , Leo Kyaw Zin

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

KENTUCKY FOREST SECTOR: STRUCTURAL CHANGES AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS , Domena Attafuah Agyeman

TWO ESSAYS ON FOOD ENVIRONMENT, NUTRITION, AND FOOD INSECURITY , Suliman Abdulaziz Almojel

FARM LEVEL IMPACT OF ADOPTING MULTIPLE COMPONENT PRICING IN THE APPALACHIAN FMMO AND EVALUATING THE USMCA CANADIAN CREAM TRQ: A GSIM APPROACH , Luke Gregory Cummings

PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY DIFFERENCE AMONG KENTUCKY GRAIN FARMS , Ahmed Yahya Hussein

Three Essays on Grocery Sales Taxes , Lingxiao Wang

THREE ESSAYS ON PRICE ANALYSIS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE , Wei Zhang

THE GLOBAL ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION: A FOCUS ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FOR U.S. AGRICULTURE, REFUGEE IMMIGRANTS FOR GERMANY’S TRADE AND THE CLIMATE-INDUCED DIASPORA FROM LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES , Yunzhe Zhu

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF PUBLIC POLICIES AND ADDICTION ON PURCHASE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS WITH CAUSAL INFERENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING METHODS , Xueting Deng

EVALUATING THE ECONOMIC COSTS AND LAND VALUE IMPLICATIONS OF IMPLEMENTING COVER CROPS IN KENTUCKY , Robert C. Ellis

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Sustainable Agriculture: a necessary alternative to industrial

agriculture in the twenty-first century.

By: Debra J. Brubaker

Biology Senior Seminar

Goshen College

Dr. Stan Grove

November 18, 2002

Thesis Statement: Sustainable agriculture, while differing in its application, represents a logical, realistic, and necessary alternative to industrial agriculture given the reality of limited resources and anticipated food shortages in the 21 st century

I.     Introduction

A.      Background

B.      Thesis

II. Industrial Agriculture: can the trend continue

A.       Its contributions

1.       Increase yield

2.       establishment of industrial economy

B.      Environmental Problems

1.       Contamination of water, air, etc.

2.       Depletion of Natural Resource Base

3.       Soil Erosion

C.      Decline of Rural Communities

D.      The Outlook

III.   Sustainable Agriculture: a necessary alternative

A.      Sustaining our resources

1.       Decreasing external inputs

2.       Soil conservation

3.       Fossil Fuel conservation

B.      Sustaining the farmer and community

1.       Value vs. Cost

2.       CSA

IV. Conclusion: Sustaining the Future

Introduction

Agriculture has been a fundamental component of human societies for centuries. It is so fundamental in fact that it is often forgotten by those dependent on its products, but not directly involved in the production. As we enter the 21 st century, agriculture is beginning to receive more attention from the general public as the implications of farming are realized and the problem of potential world wide food shortage is addressed. With the future in focus, much of agricultural establishment uses words like biotech, and high-tech to describe their goals for U.S. agriculture. With few exceptions, traditional agriculturalists see a continuing trend of industrial agricultural practices that continue to drive production to fewer, larger, and more specialized production units which are virtually responsible for all stages of the production globally. This increased specialization is dependent on new biological technologies and information technologies at all levels from farms on which the food is produced to the markets where it is distributed.

While these forecasts are legitimate, a growing number of agriculturalists, concerned public, and educators envision a very different future for agriculture. Such a view is represented in the writings of John E. Ikerd , an agricultural economist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri . In his paper, " Sustainable Agriculture: a necessary alternative to industrial agriculture ", Ikerd questions whether the guiding trends of agriculture in the past hundred years can continue to be the guiding force of agriculture. He argues the while the tools of the "high-tech" future may be different from the tools of the industrial age, the objectives to specialize, mechanize, and control all aspects of production are the same. Persons like Ikerd do not hesitate to acknowledge that the industrialization of agriculture fulfilled a purpose, and some industrialization will continue, but they stress that there are logical reasons to question further industrialization given the increasing problems associated with its effects on the environment, rural economy, and dependence on external inputs which are not renewable ( Sustainable Agriculture ·). Those that oppose the industrial model for the future of agriculture have adopted a different paradigm which falls under the concept of "Sustainable Agriculture." Like industrial agriculture, sustainable agriculture has many different tools and applications, but is defined by its attempts to make agricultural decisions which are environmentally sound, economically viable, and socially just for all sectors of society ( Hassanein 3 ). This concept of Sustainable agriculture, while differing in its application, represents a logical, realistic, and necessary alternative to industrial agriculture given the reality of limited resources and anticipated food shortages in the 21 st century.

Industrial Agriculture: Can the trend continue?

Contributions in the Past

At the start of the 20 th century, the gains from industrializing agriculture were undeniable. As an agrarian society, much of the time, money, energy, and resources of farming went to support the farming community themselves. At the same time, the opportunities of the industrial revolution were becoming evident. In order to harness such opportunities, it was necessary to free up individuals to work in manufacturing as well to make it possible for the public to have the economic resources to buy the products of the new industries. These two things were achieved by applying concept of industry to agriculture. Through specialization, mechanization, and well developed process, it was possible to produce more food more quickly and cheaply with a smaller manual labor force. This new industrial agriculture was so efficient in regards to dollars and cents that it resulted in great economic gains for individuals and the United States as a whole ( Rethinking ·).

While the industrial agriculture movement was beneficial in the past, many feel like the objectives of the movement have been achieved and the continuation of such practices result in more harm than benefits at the beginning of the 21 st century. At the same time that industrial practices increased production, they have also resulted in the requirement of external inputs (such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides), increasing environmental concerns, and weakening of rural economies. According Jules N. Pretty's book Regenerating Agriculture pesticide and fertilizer consumption has increased drastically with nitrogen use increasing from 2 to 75 million tons in the past 45 years. Additionally pesticide use in many individual countries has increased 10 to 30% since the 1980's ( 3 ). Dependence on external inputs to keep production rates high results in farmers reliance on agrochemical companies which can keep prices of their product high while farmers get less and less for their product because of increasing production nationwide.

Environmental Concerns

The increased use of synthetic chemical and pesticides is not only a concern for the sustainability of the farmer but also of the natural world. The uses of these chemicals in addition to other conventional agriculture practices have resulted in concerns with the chemical contamination of drinking water, food, and atmosphere ( Pretty 4 ). For example, heavy use of synthetic fertilizer and livestock confinement has resulted in large levels of nitrate entering the groundwater. High concentration of nitrates has been proven to be harmful to infants, and sometimes even fatal ( Gardner 8 ). Residue of pesticides on farm products has been of increasing concern, and increased levels of ammonia, methane, and other gases has been linked to ozone depletion ( Pretty 60 ).

Other environmental concerns include depletion of the natural resource base including water and energy fuels. Industrial practices require more water than the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors combined. This has lead to ground water depletion, conflict over water rights, and increased threats to fish and other aquatic organisms ( Gardner 9 ). As human workers are replaced by increased mechanization, and markets span more and more of the globe, agriculture also requires large amounts of fossil energy to produce and transport the product. Ikerd comments that "industrialization has transformed an agriculture created for the purpose of converting solar energy to a human-useful form, into agriculture that uses more non renewable fossil energy than it captures in solar energy from the sun"( Sustainable Agriculture ·).

The area of environmental concern that has been addressed the most thoroughly in the past has been the issue of soil erosion. Large scale farming most often involves large mono-cropped fields which are used year after year. Such use results in the depletion of crop residue and soil infrastructure making the land more vulnerable to loss of topsoil. Industrial agricultural practices have attempted to address this issue through conservation programs and encouraging no-till farming practices. These have been successful to a certain extent. Conservation, or land set aside programs have encouraged many farmers to reduce the acreage they farm and leaving a certain proportion of the land in cover year around. The relatively new concept of no till farming which involves planting crops directly in a field with crop residue still on the surface rather than plowing has decreased topsoil erosion effectively, but has also resulted in higher herbicide and fertilizer runoff ( USDA ). Many other attempts have been made, but few have been proven effective despite the large amount of funding that has been aimed at achieving them ( Pretty 35 ).

Decline of rural communities

An area of concern equal to the impact of industrial agriculture on the environment is its effect on rural farmers and communities. From the start of the industrial movement, specialization and mechanization has required fewer and fewer people to produce the same amount of food. In the beginning this freed people to work in factories and other town or city jobs, but now such efficiency in production pushing persons from the farming lifestyle because they are no longer able to support themselves. In order to survive as a farm, farmers need to become larger to compete, but with a limited number of people to feed and limited land, some farmers must lose in order for others to succeed. Additionally large farms need to bypass local suppliers of chemicals, seed, and equipment in order to be able to compete. Because of this, local businesses lose out. With failing local businesses and farms, persons are leaving rural areas so grocery stores, drugstores, and even schools are failing. This dilemma is resulting in desolate towns. The picture looks bleak for rural America according to John E Ikerd's paper " Rethinking the Role of Agriculture in the Future of Rural Communities ." He reports that today less then two percent of the U.S. population is farmers. More than half of these ãfarmersä report a ãprincipal occupationä other than farming and farm households earn about 90 percent of their incomes from something other than farming. As a nation we spend only ten percent or ten cents for every dollar, of our disposable income on farm products. Only a penny of the ten cents goes to the farmer while the other nine cents goes to marketing and input firms. Increased industrialization will only result in the farmer receiving smaller portions of that penny ( Rethinking ·).

The Outlook for Industrial Agriculture

The negative impacts of industrial agriculture are evident, but many believe that it still represents the best path for agricultural development. Others believe that industrialization has very little left to offer, especially in the United States . While yield levels for cereal grains have increased since the onset of the industrial revolution, yields since the 1980's have remained steady or even fell. While it seems like the climax of production has been achieved in the United States , it is possible that advances in bio technology and genetic engineering could again create an upward trend in production. Production in the United States already exceeds use, but supporters of increased technology claim that new technology is needed to fight food shortage world wide.

Such justification has its flaws. First of all, industrial practices that result in increase yield are already developed and unavailable to farmers of the developing countries because of the requirement of large amount of external input to maintain soil fertility. Such products are expensive and therefore unattainable by a large percentage of the agrarian population. Those that oppose increased industrialization and use of controversial biotechnology argue increased industrialization has never been effectively innovated in developing countries in its many years of existence so there is little hope that increased technology will make a difference soon enough ( Pretty 7 ).

Sustainable Agriculture: a necessary alternative to industrial agriculture

So what is the alternative? With increased environmental problems, dying rural communities, and concern of world wide food shortage, some changes must occur in the way agriculture is carried out. There is more than one way to farm the land. While large numbers of people have been involved in industrial or conventional farming, a growing number of people have been moving in the direction of sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture emerged in the early 1980's to try and counteract many of the problems associated with conventional agriculture. Sustainable Agricultural is a goal rather than a set of well defined practices. Nearly the only consensus is that sustainable agriculture must be environmentally sound, economically viable, and socially just. Generally the picture of a sustainable agriculture practice is one that is "highly diversified, flexible, environmentally sound family farming that replaces chemical-intensive practices with on farm resources, renewable energy, conservation, and skillful management of natural processes ( Gardner 10 )."

While the concept of sustainable agriculture is understood by larger and larger numbers of the population, it is difficult to translate the defining principles into practices. The question is how can farmers develop operations that will fulfill the goals? Many skeptics of this alternative say the there is no way farmers will be able to implement sustainable practices and be able to compete with large scale corporate agriculture. As John E. Ikerd responds in his paper, " Sustainable Agriculture: A positive alternative to Industrial Agriculture ," by saying, "They are not going to compete with industrial agriculture." One example that shows that sustainable farms are succeeding is in the North Western States in Europe where 2800 farmers who produce twice as many crops as conventional farmers use 60 to 70% less fertilizers, pesticides, and energy, and yet their yields are roughly comparable. Additionally these farms contributed more to the local economy with each farm contributing more than £13500 for local goods and services ( Supporting... 28 ). Opportunities for farmers of the future will come from farming in ways that are fundamentally different from both ways of the past and the present.

Sustaining our Resources

Sustainable agriculturalists have a deep regard for sustaining the integrity of our environment. Sustainable agricultural practices attempt to respond directly to pesticide contamination of land, air, water, and wildlife, high rates of soil erosion and degradation, dependence on fossil fuels, as well as other environmental issues. These practices focus on significantly reducing or eliminating the use of synthetic chemical and fertilizers. Instead of using large amounts of pesticides to minimize crop loss by insects, weeds, or disease, alternatives such as biological pest control, resistant crop varieties, crop rotation, and the use of beneficial insects are applied. Sustainable farmers work to develop healthy soil structure through cover cropping and application of composted manure. By doing so farmers are able to drastically reduce the need for fertilizers ( Hassanein 5 ).

A farmer worried about maintaining soil fertility must also be concerned with eliminating top soil erosion since it is the top soil that is the most productive layer. There are many different soil conservation technique that are used together to maintain a healthy topsoil. Some of these practices are contour farming, conservation tillage, mulching and cover crops, as well as others. Contour farming involves farming across the slope rather than up and down a slope. Sometimes physical structures such as terraces are used to hold back ground. Other times fields are alternated so that a farming field is up hill from one that remains in sod or other vegetation. Each sod strip than serves as a silt trap for the field above it. Conservation tillage basically means that the soil is disturbed as little as possible. Such practices can range from no tillage farming to cultivation which only disturbs the surface. The less the soil is disturbed the less likely it is to be eroded. Mulching and cover cropping are practices used to increase crop residue in the soil. Cover-crops often serve as a "green mulch" and are a positive alternative to leaving a barren field fallow. In addition to conserving soil, cover crops often are able to add nutrients to the soil. Mulching is a process of covering bare soil with dead or dying plants to reduce exposure to hard rain and wind. Such practices when used in combination are very effective at conserving top soil ( Pretty 120-122 ).

Sustainable agriculture advocates for the decreased reliance on fossil fuels both on the farm as well as by stressing the need for local food systems. Many sustainable farmers aim to market their products as close to their farm as possible rather than depending on fossil fuels to transport their goods from one side of the country to the other.

These examples of resource conserving practices only represent a few of the numerous practices used to insure the sustainability of our finite resources for years to come. These practices do two important things: they conserve existing farm resources, and introduce new elements into the farming system that add more of the resources for years to come. In the process, they are able to substitute for some or all of external inputs that are often required in the conventional system ( Pretty 129 ).

Sustaining the farmer and the community

While industrial agriculture has driven many farmers to bigger productions or out of farming all together, many small family farmers have found hope in the area of sustainable agriculture. Opportunities for small farmers lie in their ability to exploit the weaknesses of industrialization and focus on the strengths of the sustainable alternative. Sustainable farmers have been able to create a market for their product without competing with the conventional farmers by focusing on value rather than cost. In the United States , most everyone can afford to pay more for the food they value. Marketing to these niches means that the farmer is both producer and marketer. As a farmer it is possible to make more money for the product by not allowing the middlemen to claim his/her share.

Neva Hassanein in her book Changing the way America Farms quotes Harriet Freedman, an advocate of community food security saying "the sustainable agriculture must reconnect consumers and producers to forge new relationships around more locally responsive food systems rather than around commodity markets," ( Hassenein 4 ). This relationship between the farmer and the community is one of the main strengths of the sustainable agriculture movement. Farmers are able to market their product by building relationship with customers that have been neglected by the mass marketing technique of large corporations. A growing initiative under the sustainable agriculture umbrella, referred to as Community Supported Agriculture represents the extreme of community involvement. In this type of program, a community member will pay at the beginning of the season for a weekly allotment of produce. By paying at the beginning of the season customers share some of the risk of farming which is affected by natural systems uncontrollable by the farmer. They also can benefit by sharing in the bounty of harvest. In addition to paying for the produce, CSA members are encouraged to participate in the farming when they are able. Often farmers offer field days in which farmers and customers work side by side to produce the food they are all eating. While it is unlikely that such relationships will occur on a large scale, they guarantee a place for the small farmer in rural America .

Sustainable Agriculture: Sustaining the future

Industrial agriculture has been beneficial in the past by increasing yield and enabling the establishment of a solid economy, but growing problems with industrial agriculture show the system needs to be evaluated, and new alternatives must be explored. Sustainable agriculture with its range of practices offers a necessary alternative which improves on aspects in which industrialization has failed. Sustainable agriculture does not require a rejection of all new technologies, but instead incorporates new technology into a system that attempts to evaluate the impact of new technologies on the environment, farmer, and community. It steps back from the industrial drive to mechanize and specialize and recognizes that long term sustainability of agriculture depends on land that is constantly renewed by good management rather than external inputs. It depends on farms that are economically viable and communities that can differentiate between value and cost of a product. In the words of Wendell Berry is his book What are People For?, "if agriculture is to remain productive, it must preserve the land and the fertility and ecological health of the land; the land, that is, must be used well. A further requirement, therefore, is that if the land is to be used well, the people who use it must know it well, must be highly motivated to use it well, must know how to use it well, must have time to use it well, and must be able to afford to use it well" ( Healthy Farms Healthy Communities ).

Works Cited

Gardner, John C. et al Planting the Future: developing an agriculture that sustains land and community. Ames : University of Iowa Press. 1995.

Hassanein , Neva . Changing the Way America Farms: Knowledge and Community in the Sustainable Agriculture Movement. Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press, 1999.

Ikerd , John "Healthy Farms Healthy Communities"9. February 2002. October 4, 2002 .

< http://www.ssu.missouri.edu/faculty/JIkerd/papers/SustainableLink.html >.

--- "Sustainable Agriculture: A Positive Alternative to Industrial Agriculture" 7 December, 1996 . October 4, 2002 < http://www.ssu.missouri.edu/faculty/jikerd/papers/ks-hrtld.htm >.

--- "Rethinking the Role of Agriculture in the Future of Rural Communities" 25, January 2002. October 4, 2002 . < http://www.ssu.missouri.edu/faculty/JIkerd/papers/YaleRural%20Studies.html >.

Pretty, Jules N. Regenerating Agriculture: Policies and Practice for Sustainability and Self-reliance. Washington , D.C. : Joseph Henry Press, 1995.

--- "Supporting Policies and Practice." Facilitating Sustainable Agriculture. ed . N. G. Roling and M.A.E. Wagemakers . Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. 1998.

USDA Press Release. "Fitting Farming Practices to Minimize Water Pollutionä 17 November 2000 . November 10, 2002 < http://www.pestlaw.com/x/press/2000/USDA-20001117A.html >.

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Direct Marketing of Louisiana Shrimp: A Cost-Earnings Analysis , Jill Christoferson

The Role of Futures Prices in Pricing Commodity Exports of Developing Countries , Jorge Jose Handal Reyes

An Evaluation of the Impact of the Adoption of the Onboard Module Building Cotton Harvest System on the Economic Competitiveness of Cotton Production in Louisiana , Natalia Estefania Latorre

Factors influencing adoption of VSH queens in the honey breeding industry , Julie Leiby

Exchange Rate Volatility Effects on BRICS Countries Exports , David Isaias Maradiaga Pineda

Three Essays on U.S. Meat Goat Production: Goal Structure, Selection of Breeding Stock, and Meat Goat Marketing , Narayan Prasad Nyaupane

United States Meat Goat Production Economic Performance Measures: A Stochastic Production Frontier Analysis , Berdikul Qushim

Three Essays on Migration Decision, Migration Destination Choice, and Food Security: Evidence from Chitwan, Nepal , Madhav Regmi

Application of Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis to Determine Consumers' Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Grass Fed Beef in the United States , Franklin Fernando Vaca Moran

Evaluating Alternative Techniques for Forecasting Industrial and Occupational Employment , Drew A. Varnado

Estimating U.S. household seafood demand based on longitudinal and cross-sectional data , Huabo Wang

Remittance and Migration: Impact on Technology Adoption, Natural Resource Conservation, and Household Welfare , Deborah Ann Williams

Theses from 2013 2013

Assessing the efficiency of alternative best management practices to reduce nonpoint source pollution in the broiler production region of Louisiana , Bryan Gottshall

Consumer's preferences for goat meat in the United States : an application of choice-based conjoint analysis , Jessica Irene Hill

An analysis of consumer preferences for grass-fed versus grain-fed beef , Bo Lin

Quality of care: analyzing the relationship between hospital quality score and total hospital costs , Jordan Andrew Newell

Environmental Kuznets Curve In Water Pollution: A Semiparametric Approach , Mahesh Pandit

Empirical and simulation essays on analyzing a country's export performance : the case of Ghana , Aude L. Pujula

The effects of U.S. shrimp imports on the Gulf of Mexico dockside price : a source differentiated mixed demand model , Maryam Tabarestani

A linear programming model and partial budget analysis to optimize management strategies of western flower thrips in greenhouse impatiens production , Xiaohua Yue

Theses from 2012 2012

Commuting patterns and labor markets: a new regional classification for Louisiana , Deepa Acharya

Three essays on modeling economic and fiscal change for communities under disequilibrium following natural disasters , Arun Adhikari

The economic feasibility of utilizing energy cane in the cellulosic production of ethanol , Kayla Lynn Brown

Factors influencing price volatility on soybeans futures prices , Diego J. Gavilanez Hernandez

Marketing channels and internet technology used by specialty crop farmers , Sandamali Kanaththa Kankanamge

Three essays on the efficiency of rural hospitals in the United States , Iustin Cristian Nedelea

Examining the relationship between the exchange rate, foreign direct investment and trade , Shanta Parajuli

Economic and attitudinal perspectives of the recreational for-hire fishing industry in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico , Michelle Savolainen

Three essays on technology adoption and the roles of off-farm labor, human capital, and risk in contemporary US agriculture , Hiroki Uematsu

Economic assessment of rapid land-building technologies for coastal restoration , Hua Wang

Dissertations from 2011 2011

Three essays on the labor allocation decisions of the modern farm family , Jeremy Michael D'Antoni

The economics of processing ethanol at Louisiana sugar mills: a three part economic analysis of feedstocks, risk, business strategies, and uncertainty , Paul Michael Darby

Economics of U.S. government debt accumulation , Carlos Ignacio Garcia Jimenez

Exchange rate volatility and bilateral agricultural trade flows: the case of the United States and OECD countries , Kashi Ram Kafle

Theses from 2010 2010

Understanding the economic factors that impact the financial health of local governments , John David Barreca

Analysis of media agenda-setting effect on consumer confidence in the safety of the U.S. food system across consumer segments , Abhishek Bhagwat Bharad

Analysis of consumer preferences toward 100% fruit juice packages and labels , Tatiana Bonilla

Value of clearfield rice: an agronomic and economic approach , Tyler Paul Carlson

The returns and volatility of agribusiness stocks: how do they measure up to non-agribusiness stocks? , Benjamin Michael Clark

Factors affecting adoption of cover crops and its effect on nitrogen use by producers , Gnel Gabrielyan

Do the poor pay more for healthy food? an empirical economic analysis , Patrick Lee Hatzenbuehler

Three essays on the role of amenities as an economic development strategy , Junpyo Hong

Adoption of breeding technologies in the U.S. dairy industry and their influences on farm profitability , Aditya Raj Khanal

Stochastic trends in crop yield density estimation , David I. Maradiaga

Cellulosic ethanol in Louisiana: a three part economic analysis of feedstocks, pricing strategies and location strategies , Tyler B. Mark

An economic analysis of the costs of alternative sugarcane fallow weed control programs , José Rodolfo Mite Cáceres

An economic analysis of cover crops in corn-dominated production systems , Sukirti Nepal

The adoption of best management practices in the Louisiana crawfish industry , Narayan P. Nyaupane

Incentives, risk, and the role of private investments in Louisiana coastal wetland restoration , cheikhna Ould Dedah

Off-farm labor supply by farm operators and spouses: a comparison of estimation methods , Mahesh Pandit

Determination of the economic optimal cycle length for major sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) varieties in Louisiana , Juan Steer Nunes

Dissertations from 2009 2009

Three essays on environmental issues associated with broiler production in Louisiana , Nirmala Adhikari Devkota

The expansion and diversification of the export sector and economic growth: the Costa Rican experience , Gustavo Filipe Canle Ferreira

Remittances, foreign direct investment and economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean , Pablo Antonio Garcia-Fuentes

Essays on environmental issues associated with the diary production region in Louisiana , Larry Michael Hall

Three essays on the world rice market: a structure, conduct, and performance paradigm approach , Hyunsoo Kang

An analysis of government policy impacts in the ethanol and sugar markets , Hassan Marzoughi_Ardakani

Biophysical economic analysis of nutrient and sediment management practices in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley , Augustus Nyako Matekole

The economic importance and management of mercury contamination in pelagic fisheries , Tina Marie Willson

An analysis of the impact of the EU sugar policy reform on ACP countries: a quota market framework , Liliane Kiswendsida Zoungrana

Theses from 2008 2008

Antidumping investigation in agriculture: issues of trade diversion-named vs non-named countries , Nandini Bandyopadhyay

Spatial economics of the Louisiana wetland mitigation banking industry , Ryan Joseph Bourriaque

Estimating the economic impacts of hurricane damage on coastal fishing infrastructure , Tanza Erlambang

Three papers on the behavior modeling of the shrimp fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico , Tao Ran

Analysis of the impact and importance of re-wholesalers in the ornamental market , Marco Absalón Velástegui

Theses from 2007 2007

An economic evaluation of sugarcane combine harvester costs and optimal harvest schedules for Louisiana , Francis Gil Barker

Modeling the EU-US cereal trade - the post 'Agenda 2000' analysis , Sachin Chintawar

Record-keeping systems adoption by Louisiana dairy farmers , Elisabeth Grisham

Liability, institutions, and determinants of landowner access policies for fee-based recreation on private lands , James Emery Henderson

Best Management Practices adoption rates and alternative land usage among Southwest Louisiana rice producers , Heidi Landry

Analysis of the impact of fish imports on domestic crawfish prices and economic welfare using inverse demand systems , Young-Jae Lee

An analysis of the processor preferences for the adoption of potential crawfish peeling machines , Darius J. Lewis

Analyzing the cost of harvesting and the economic structure of Florida grouper fishery , I. Cristian Nedelea

An Analysis of the World Shrimp Market and the Impact of an Increasing Import Base on the Gulf of Mexico Dockside Price , Pawan Poudel

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How to Master Your Thesis Outline: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a thesis outline can seem like a big job, but it's a crucial first step in organizing your thoughts and research. This guide will walk you through each step of making a clear and detailed thesis outline. By following these steps, you can make the writing process smoother and more manageable.

Key Takeaways

• Pick a research topic that interests you to stay motivated throughout your thesis journey.
• A well-structured outline acts as a roadmap, guiding you through your research and writing process.
• Regularly update your outline as your research progresses to keep it aligned with your objectives.
• Use index cards to organize and visualize your ideas before writing them down.
• Seek feedback from advisors and peers to refine and improve your outline.

Choosing a Research Topic

Identifying your interests.

Start by thinking about what excites you. Pick a topic that you find fun and fulfilling. This will keep you motivated throughout your research. Make a list of subjects you enjoy and see how they can relate to your field of study. Is the topic interesting to you? This is a crucial question to ask yourself.

Evaluating the Scope of the Topic

Once you have a few ideas, check if they are too broad or too narrow. A good topic should be manageable within the time you have. Ask yourself if you can cover all aspects of the topic in your thesis. Does the research topic fit the assignment? This is an important consideration.

Aligning Your Outline with Research Objectives

Ensure that your chosen topic aligns with your research objectives. This will help you stay focused and organized throughout your research process. Make sure there is enough information on the topic , but not too much. This balance is key to a successful thesis.

Establishing a Foundation: Crafting a Thesis Outline

Purpose and importance of a structured outline.

When you start working on your thesis, a well- structured outline is your guide. It helps you organize your ideas and ensures that each part of your thesis is clear and aligned with your research goals. This framework is essential for keeping your arguments focused and making your research impactful.

By following a structured outline, you can manage your time and resources better. It acts as a support system for your research process , helping you tackle complex topics without losing sight of your objectives. Here are some key reasons why a structured outline is crucial:

• It organizes your thoughts and research findings.
• It helps to prevent deviation from your research scope.
• It ensures that your thesis statement is prominently featured, guiding the direction of your study.

Key Components of a Thesis Outline

A strong thesis outline includes several key components. These elements help you structure your research and present your findings logically. Here are the main parts of a thesis outline:

• Introduction : Introduces the topic and presents the thesis statement.
• Literature Review : Surveys existing research and situates your work within the scholarly conversation.
• Methodology : Outlines the research methods and justifies their use.
• Results : Presents the findings of your research.
• Discussion : Interprets the results and discusses their implications.

Creating a Detailed Outline with Index Cards

Using index cards can be a practical way to create a detailed thesis outline. Write down each major point or section on a separate card. This method allows you to easily rearrange and organize your ideas. Here’s how you can do it:

• Write each main idea or section on an index card.
• Include subpoints or details on separate cards and place them under the relevant main idea.
• Arrange the cards in a logical order that flows well.
• Review and revise the order as needed to ensure coherence and clarity.

This approach helps you visualize the structure of your thesis and makes it easier to make adjustments as your research progresses.

Mastering the Literature Review

Utilizing the literature navigator.

Starting your literature review can be overwhelming, but the Literature Navigator can help you manage the process. This tool is designed to save you time, access quality sources, and prevent plagiarism. Follow these steps to make the most of it:

• Begin with a preliminary review using multidisciplinary databases like ProQuest.
• Identify key references and trace their citations to understand the evolution of thought around your topic.
• Refine your approach by reviewing background information and consulting with a librarian if necessary.
• Prepare a detailed outline for your paper, laying the foundation for an in-depth review.

Remember, the process of finding, evaluating, and selecting literature is not linear. Use tools like the Search Planner to keep your research organized. By following these steps and utilizing the Literature Navigator, you can ensure that your literature review is thorough and methodically structured, reflecting a clear understanding of your research area.

Synthesizing Existing Research

Synthesizing research findings is a crucial step in your thesis journey. It involves merging individual pieces of information to form a coherent understanding of your research topic. State your conclusions clearly , ensuring they reflect a synthesis of the research problem, your questions, findings, and the relevant literature. This process not only shows your grasp of the topic but also how your work contributes to the field.

When preparing your synthesis, consider the following steps:

• Review your initial literature search results .
• Identify gaps and how they influence your study's approach.
• Structure your discussion logically, prioritizing significant findings.
• Interpret data cautiously, avoiding over-interpretation.

Identifying Gaps in the Literature

Identifying gaps in the literature is essential for positioning your research within the academic community. Start by reviewing the existing body of work to find areas that have not been explored or need further investigation. This can be done by:

• Analyzing the scope and limitations of current studies.
• Looking for inconsistencies or contradictions in the findings.
• Noting any emerging trends or new areas of interest.

By pinpointing these gaps, you can justify the need for your research and highlight its potential impact. This step is crucial for demonstrating the originality and relevance of your thesis.

Navigating the Research Terrain: Formulating Research Questions

Clarifying Research Objectives

Before diving into your research, it's crucial to clarify your research objectives . These objectives will guide your study and ensure that you stay on track. Start by asking yourself what you aim to achieve with your research. Are you looking to explore a new area, fill a gap in existing literature, or test a specific hypothesis? By defining your objectives early on, you can create a clear roadmap for your research.

Developing Effective Research Questions

Once your objectives are clear, the next step is to develop effective research questions. These questions should be specific, measurable, and aligned with your research goals. Use the 5 W's and H Questions method to brainstorm potential questions:

• What? Define the main focus of your research.
• Why? Explain the significance of your study.
• Who? Identify the population or sample you will study.
• When? Determine the timeframe for your research.
• Where? Specify the location or context of your study.
• How? Describe the methods you will use to conduct your research.

Aligning Questions with Methodology

Finally, ensure that your research questions align with your chosen methodology. Whether you opt for qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods, your questions should be designed to be answerable within the framework of your methodology. For example, if you're using qualitative methods, your questions might focus on understanding experiences or perceptions. If you're using quantitative methods, your questions might aim to measure variables or test relationships between them.

By following these steps, you can formulate research questions that are clear, focused, and aligned with your research objectives and methodology.

Detailing the Methodology

Choosing between qualitative and quantitative methods.

Selecting the right methodology is crucial for your thesis. You need to decide between qualitative and quantitative methods based on your research questions. Qualitative methods are ideal for exploring complex phenomena and understanding human behavior. They often involve interviews, focus groups, and case studies. On the other hand, quantitative methods are suitable for studies requiring statistical analysis and numerical data. Surveys, experiments, and secondary data analysis are common quantitative techniques. Consider the nature of your research and the type of data you need to collect.

Describing Data Collection Techniques

Once you've chosen your methodology, the next step is to describe your data collection techniques. For qualitative research, this might include conducting interviews or focus groups. For quantitative research, you might use surveys or experiments. Be sure to explain why you chose these techniques and how they align with your research objectives. It's also important to address any ethical considerations, especially if you're working with human participants.

Ensuring Reliability and Validity

Ensuring the reliability and validity of your data is essential for producing credible research. Reliability refers to the consistency of your measurements, while validity concerns the accuracy of your findings. To enhance reliability, use standardized procedures and tools. For validity, ensure your methods accurately capture the concepts you're studying. Address potential biases and limitations in your methodology section to provide a transparent and robust framework for your research.

Presenting Your Findings

Organizing data logically.

When presenting your findings, it's crucial to organize your data logically . This can be done by structuring your results around your research questions, hypotheses, or the overall framework of your study. Each major finding should be a subtopic within this section, making it easier for readers to follow and understand your results. Remember, the goal is to present a clear and concise synopsis of your findings , followed by an explanation of key points.

Using Visual Aids Effectively

Visual aids can significantly enhance the presentation of your findings. Utilize charts, graphs, and tables to illustrate your data clearly. These tools not only make your results more engaging but also help in highlighting important findings . Be brief and concise , focusing on the most relevant details. If possible, use visual aids to attract attention and indicate interesting aspects of your data.

Interpreting Results

Interpreting your results involves explaining what your findings mean in the context of your research. Discuss the implications of your results, how they compare with existing studies, and what they contribute to the field. This section should also address any limitations of your study and suggest areas for future research. By providing a thorough interpretation, you help readers understand the significance of your work and its potential impact on the field.

Engaging in Critical Discussion

Analyzing Implications of Findings

When you analyze the implications of your findings, you need to step back and think critically . This means not just describing what you found, but also evaluating what these findings mean in the broader context of your field. It's essential to consider how your results align or contrast with existing studies . This will help you understand the significance of your work and its potential impact.

Comparing with Existing Studies

Comparing your findings with existing studies is a crucial part of critical discussion. This involves looking at how your results fit into the current body of knowledge. Are they consistent with what others have found, or do they challenge established theories? By doing this, you can highlight the unique contributions of your research and identify any gaps that still need to be addressed.

Addressing Limitations

No study is without limitations, and acknowledging these is a key aspect of critical discussion. Discuss the limitations of your research openly and honestly. This not only shows your understanding of the research process but also helps others to see the boundaries of your study. Consider how these limitations might have affected your results and what could be done in future research to overcome them.

Concluding with Impact

Summarizing key findings.

In this section, you need to restate the main points of your research. This is your chance to remind the reader of the journey they have taken through your thesis. Make sure to highlight the most significant findings and how they contribute to your field of study. This is not just a summary but a synthesis of your work, showing how all the pieces fit together.

Reflecting on Research Outcomes

Reflecting on your research outcomes involves discussing the broader implications of your findings. How do they fit into the existing body of knowledge? Do they support or contradict previous studies? This is where you can show the importance of your work and its potential impact on future research . Be honest about any limitations and suggest how future studies could build on your work.

Suggesting Areas for Future Study

No research is ever truly complete. In this section, propose areas where further research is needed. What questions remain unanswered? What new questions have arisen from your findings? This not only shows that you have a deep understanding of your topic but also helps to guide future researchers who may build on your work.

Mastering Time Management for Thesis Completion

Setting specific and measurable goals.

To effectively manage your time while working on your thesis, start by setting specific and measurable goals. Break your project into smaller, manageable tasks and set deadlines for each. This approach not only keeps you on track but also provides a sense of accomplishment as you progress. Establish a consistent writing routine and allocate dedicated time for your thesis.

Creating a Writing Schedule

Creating a writing schedule is essential for staying organized and ensuring steady progress. Use a calendar or project management tool to plan your tasks. Break down your thesis into sections and assign time slots for each. For example:

• Week 1: Literature search and bullet point collation
• Week 2: Creation of figures and initial writing
• Week 3: Completion of writing
• Week 4: Editing and feedback

This structured approach helps you stay focused and avoid last-minute rushes.

Balancing Writing with Other Responsibilities

Balancing your thesis work with other responsibilities can be challenging. To make things more manageable, break the project into smaller steps or stages . Prioritize your tasks and set realistic deadlines. Remember to be flexible but realistic , allowing time for unexpected circumstances. By knowing when your assignments are due and creating a schedule that works for you, you can better manage your time and reduce stress.

Incorporate regular breaks and self-care into your schedule to avoid burnout. Seek support from your advisor and peers to stay motivated and on track. By following these strategies, you can master time management and successfully complete your thesis.

Refining Your Thesis

Seeking feedback from advisors and peers.

Getting feedback is crucial for refining your thesis. Share your draft with your advisor and peers to gain different perspectives. Constructive criticism can help you identify areas that need improvement. Don't hesitate to ask specific questions to guide the feedback process.

Revising for Clarity and Coherence

Revising your thesis involves more than just correcting errors. Focus on improving the clarity and coherence of your arguments. Make sure each section flows logically into the next. Use tools like the Research Proposal Compass to help structure your revisions effectively.

Proofreading for Grammar and Style

Proofreading is the final step in refining your thesis. Pay attention to grammar, punctuation, and style. Reading your work aloud can help you catch errors you might miss when reading silently. Utilize resources like grammar checkers, but don't rely solely on them. Peer reviews can provide valuable feedback and new perspectives.

Preparing for Thesis Submission

Understanding submission guidelines.

Before you submit your thesis, it's crucial to understand the specific guidelines set by your university. These guidelines often include formatting requirements, submission deadlines, and any necessary documentation. Familiarizing yourself with these guidelines early on can save you from last-minute stress. Make sure to check if there are any specific instructions for electronic or hard copy submissions.

Organizing Required Documents

Gather all the necessary documents well in advance. This typically includes your thesis manuscript, any required forms, and supplementary materials like appendices or data sets. Use a checklist to ensure you have everything in order. Proper organization can streamline the submission process and help you avoid any last-minute hiccups.

Planning for Final Revisions

Before you submit, take the time to make any final revisions. This includes proofreading for grammar and style, as well as ensuring that all citations and references are correctly formatted. Consider seeking feedback from advisors or peers to catch any overlooked errors. Remember, a polished thesis reflects your hard work and attention to detail.

Getting ready to submit your thesis can be a stressful time. But don't worry, we've got your back! Our step-by-step Thesis Action Plan is designed to help you tackle every challenge with ease. From organizing your research to writing the final draft, our guides make the process simple and stress-free. Ready to make your thesis journey smoother?

Mastering your thesis outline is a crucial step in the journey of academic writing. A well-structured outline not only organizes your thoughts but also provides a clear roadmap for your research. By choosing a topic that excites you, creating a detailed plan, and remaining flexible to new insights, you can navigate the complexities of thesis writing with confidence. Remember, your outline is a living document that evolves with your research. Regularly revisiting and refining it will ensure that your thesis remains focused and coherent. With dedication and the right strategies, you can craft a compelling thesis that makes a meaningful contribution to your field of study.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i pick a research topic for my thesis.

Choose a topic that interests you and has plenty of resources. This will keep you motivated and make your research easier.

Why is a thesis outline important?

A well-structured outline helps organize your thoughts, keeps your research on track, and ensures you cover all necessary points.

What should be included in a thesis outline?

Your outline should include an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion.

How can I effectively manage my time while writing a thesis?

Set specific, measurable goals and create a writing schedule. Break your work into smaller tasks and stick to deadlines.

What is the best way to conduct a literature review?

Start by gathering existing research on your topic. Summarize and analyze these sources to identify gaps your thesis can fill.

How do I develop strong research questions?

Ensure your research questions are clear, focused, and aligned with your research objectives. They should guide your study effectively.

What are some tips for revising my thesis?

Seek feedback from advisors and peers. Revise for clarity and coherence, and proofread for grammar and style errors.

What should I know about the thesis submission process?

Understand your university's submission guidelines, organize all required documents, and plan for final revisions to avoid last-minute stress.

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• Sage Knowledge: all Sage ebooks, reference and handbooks titles This link opens in a new window
• ScienceDirect (all journal and book titles) This link opens in a new window
• SciFinder-n, ChemZent, Analytical Methods & Formulas (first-time users, use this link to register) This link opens in a new window First time users, copy and paste this link in your browser to register: https://0-scifinder-cas-org.oasis.unisa.ac.za/registration/index.html?corpKey=3BFEC2D5-86F3-50AB-1304-ED64D2CF57C6
• Scopus This link opens in a new window
• SpringerLink: eJournals, eBooks and eReference This link opens in a new window
• Taylor and Francis Online Journals This link opens in a new window
• Wiley Online Library: eJournals, eBooks and eReference This link opens in a new window

Find e-Journals

Find e-reserves, open access journals.

• Directory of Open Access Journals This link opens in a new window A unique and extensive index of diverse open access scholarly peer-reviewed journals from around the world. Includes South African and African journals.
• World Bank Documents & Reports This link opens in a new window This is the official disclosure mechanism for the World Bank's final reports. The repository contains official documents and reports which are made available to the public in accordance with the Bank’s Access to Information Policy to better share the institution's knowledge base. The D&R site contains final and official documents and reports from 1946 through the present, including board documents, country focus, background studies, projects, publications and research.
• PlosOne An online Open-Access peer-reviewed High Impact Scholarly journal indexed in ISI.

Journal abbreviations

• ISSN Journal abbreviations
• Journal Abbreviation Services
• Journal Seek
• Journal Title abbreviations - Catltech University Libguide

openDOAR:: Directory of Open Access Repositories

Open Access Theses and Dissertations

Dissertations are useful for identifying research opportunities.

Very useful for generating reading lists.

Theses and dissertation related websites

• CAES Research The webpage focussed on research for the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
• The Next Scientist
• The PhD journey
• Proquest dissertations Bootcamp
• Reading for a PhD
• The Theses Whisperer
• Tips on comleting your PhD theses

South African

• UnisaETD: electronic theses and dissertations This link opens in a new window Full text theses and dissertations published by Unisa authors in the Unisa Institutional Repository.

International

• TROVE: Australasian collections via National Library of Australia This link opens in a new window
• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses: Global This link opens in a new window This resource contains abstracts and full text of international theses and dissertations.
• WorldCat Dissertations and Theses This link opens in a new window This resource contains abstracts and full text of international theses and dissertations.
• OpenDissertations This link opens in a new window OpenDissertations is an open-access database built to assist researchers in locating both historic and contemporary dissertations and theses. Created with the generous support of the H.W. Wilson Foundation and the Congregational Library & Archives in Boston, it incorporates EBSCO’s previously released American Doctoral Dissertations, and features additional dissertation metadata contributed by select colleges and universities from around the world. Providing researchers with citations to graduate research across a span of time, from the early 20th century to the present, this database will continue to grow through regular updates and new partnerships with graduate degree-granting institutions.

Britannica Academic Online

Encyclopedia.com

Print resources on the reference shelves have to be consulted in the library. 

Copies of chapters or entries can be made in the photocopy section on level 4 of the library.

e-Reference Sources

• Africa Yearbook This link opens in a new window
• Anipedia This link opens in a new window
• Brill Online Reference This link opens in a new window
• Gale Directory Library This link opens in a new window
• Oxford Reference Online Premium This link opens in a new window
• ScienceDirect Major Reference Works This link opens in a new window

Print References Sources

Open access reference resources.

• Encyclopedia of Life
• Encyclopeida of Veterinary Terms
• Science Images – Visual Dictionary
• UNESCO Open Access Publications This link opens in a new window All publications published from 2013 by UNESCO. Includes books journals, conference papers, reports, speeches,

Be careful when selecting information from websites as this information can be added by anyone.

Information from subject databases is more reliable than internet sites.

Social Networking sites

• Academia.edu Websites for collaboration and researchers with similar interests
• Research Gate Website for Research collaboration

South African Internet sites

• Agricultural Research Council - ARC
• Statistics South Africa
• The Farmer's Weekly
• National Council of SPCAs
• PlantInfo Everything and anything about plants in SA.
• Agri Net News Portal South Africa
• Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

International internet sites

• International Food and Health Organization
• World Health Organization
• World Food Safety Organization
• Sub Saharan Africa News from SciDev Net
• Agriculture.com
• Environment – News Articles & legislation Environment.co.za is a site covering environmental issues from South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa and Worldwide.
• Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations

The following newspapers are available on microfilm in the Audio-visual Collection on level 4 of the Main Library:

• Argus (Cape)
• Natal Mercury
• Pretoria News

Contact number :  +27 12 429-3209

Search South African news articles according to subjects

• SA Media (News Clippings) This link opens in a new window A news clipping services collection comprising over 4,5 million articles. Covers mainstream publications in South Africa from 1977 to present day. Adds approximately 2500 news articles weekly, 3-6 weeks after the publication date.
• Slavery and Anti-Slavery: A Transnational Archive (Gale Primary Sources) This link opens in a new window Consists of more than five million cross-searchable pages sourced from books, pamphlets, newspapers, periodicals, legal documents, court records, monographs, manuscripts, and maps from many different countries covering slave trade history. The archive is not just valuable to researchers in African history, but the wider scope of African studies and African-American studies, making it an unprecedented collection developed under the guidance of a board of scholars, it offers never-before-available research opportunities and endless teaching possibilities.
• Access World News: Global - local, regional and national SA newspapers This link opens in a new window This comprehensive news collection covers newspapers at the local, regional, national and international level. Its diverse source types include print and online-only newspapers, blogs, newswires, journals, broadcast transcripts and videos.
• African Newspapers, 1800 - 1922 from World Newspaper Archive This link opens in a new window Searchable collection of 19th & 20th century historical African newspapers from 1800+. Countries included: South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Nigeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe. In English, Portuguese & French
• Rand Daily Mail Archive, 1902 - 1985 This link opens in a new window Searchable edition of one of South Africa's most important newspapers, with deep coverage of the country during the Apartheid Era.
• Newspaper Source This link opens in a new window Newspaper Source provides cover-to-cover full text for more than 40 (U.S.) & international newspapers. The database also contains selective full text for 389 regional (U.S.) newspapers. In addition, full text television & radio news transcripts are also provided.
• Times Digital Archive, 1785-2014 This link opens in a new window The Times Digital Archive is an online, full-text facsimile of more than 200 years of The Times, one of the most highly regarded resources for eighteenth-, nineteenth-, and twentieth-century news coverage, with every page of every issue from 1785 to 2014. This historical newspaper archive allows researchers an unparalleled opportunity to search and view the best-known and most cited newspaper in the world online in its original published context.

General Newspapers

• Pressreader
• Gale OneFile: News This link opens in a new window Access major U.S. and international newspapers online to search articles instantly by title, headline, date, or other fields.

Science Newspapers

• ScienceNews
• Science Daily
• ScienceWatch: weekly science news

RefWorks and Mendeley Guide

Zotero Quick Start Guide

Please confirm the referencing style with the academic staff member in charge of your research.

Some referencing methods have minor variations e.g. Harvard, Augmented Harvard and Harvard British Standard.

Be consistent when using a certain style.

Preventing plagiarism

• How to avoid plagiarism
• EndNote (Lite version) Register for a Clarivate / Web of Science login and password

Reference Management Software Tools

• Mendeley This link opens in a new window Online research manager tool that helps you organize your references and assists you with creating in-text citations and your bibliography. It also has a social networking tool that can help you collaborate with others online and assists in discovering the latest research in your field of interest.
• RefWorks This link opens in a new window Online research management, writing and collaboration tool that helps researchers gather, manage, store and share all types of information easily. It also generates in-text citations and creates the bibliography.
• Zotero Zotero is the only research tool that automatically senses content, allowing you to add it to your personal library with a single click. Whether you're searching for a preprint on arXiv.org, a journal article from JSTOR, a news story from the New York Times, or a book from your university library catalog, Zotero has you covered with support for thousands of sites

Citation Style Guides

• Chicago Referencing Style
• Harvard Style Generator

Plagarism Detection Software

Turnitin is a tool to used to check for plagiarism. A researcher's work is instantly checked for potential plagiarism by comparing it against the world's largest comparison database using pattern recognition algorithms.

Please contact your supervisor/ style leader to arrange for access.

Refer to the  Unisa Policy for Copyright Infringement & Plagiarism for further information

Free plagiarism software

http://www.plagtracker.com/

http://www.plagiarism-detect.com/

10 free plagiarism checkers:

http://elearningindustry.com/top-10-free-plagiarism-detection-tools-for-teachers

New Books on Research Methodology

Plagiarism is considered to be academic dishonesty. Use a reference management software tool to cite other author's work.

If you need electronic access you can limit your search on the library catalogue to e-books.

Research Methodology Books For Agriculture and related sciences

• Research Methodology by Pradip Kumar Sahu ISBN: 9788132210191 Publication Date: 2013-04-17

Research Support Databases

• Cabell's Journalytics Academic This link opens in a new window
• Data Citation Index This link opens in a new window
• Essential science indicators This link opens in a new window
• Funding Institutional This link opens in a new window
• Grants Index This link opens in a new window
• InCites Benchmarking & Analytics This link opens in a new window more... less... Access is restricted to Unisa staff and registered Unisa post-graduate students.
• Journal Citation Reports This link opens in a new window
• Nature Methods This link opens in a new window
• Sage Research Methods Online This link opens in a new window
• SciVal: Benchmarking, Collaboration and Trends This link opens in a new window
• Web of Science Core Collection (all citation indexes) This link opens in a new window

Author tools

• Researcher Academy
• Springer Author academy
• Elsevier's Researcher Academy

Books on the Research Process

Books on Writing Your Research Proposal

Books on Academic Writing

Books on Plagiarism

Books on Research Ethics

Books on Research Design

Books on Scholarly Publishing

Help guides for research

• Unisa Library Research Support Libguide
• Sage Research Methods Home
• Nature Methods
• Sage Research Methods Map
• SAge Research Methods Project Planner

Free Apps for Research

Open educational resources, introduction to citation analysis.

• Citation Analysis and Tracking
• Citation analysis tools
• Types of citation Resources
• Using Citation Resources
• Articles on Citation Analysis

Elsevier training materials

• Elsevier Scopus webinars
• How are CiteScore metrics used in Scopus?

Clarivate Web of Science training material

• Clarivate Web of Science Videos
• Clarivate Web of Science Libguide

E-visibility

• E-visibility Libguide
• Research e-visibility for researchers

Research profiles

• Academia.edu research profile
• Google Scholar research profile
• LinkedIn profile
• ORCID research profile
• Web of Science Researcher Profile
• ResearchGate research profile
• Research profiles for NRF application
• Scopus research profile
• Twitter profile
• Research profiles - vehicles to enhancing research e-visibility

Research metrics

• Accredited journals and selecting quality journals
• Article Impact
• CiteScore Journal Metric

DHET Accredited Journal list

• Journal Impact Factor
• Research metrics definitions and term of reference
• Interpreting Altmetrics

Citation Resources and Bibliometric analysis tools

• Enhancing your research performance and impact of your research

Research performance and benchmarking - Scholarly articles

• Benchmarking bibliometrics in biomedical research: research performance of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine, 2008–2012
• Benchmarking institutions of higher education
• Benchmarking international research
• Benchmarking research performance at the university level with information theoretic measures
• Benchmarking towards excellence in higher education
• Classifying higher education institutions in Korea: a performance-based approach
• Determining improvement needs in higher education benchmarking
• Performance indicators for assessing and benchmarking research capacities in univerisities
• Scientific Journal rankings and citations Know-How
• The Use of Bibliometrics to Measure Research Performance in Education Sciences

E-resources with COVID-19 collections

• Bio-One: COVID-19 peer-review research to inform the Coronavirus crisis Peer-reviews research articles published by Bio_one on the coronavirus crisis
• BioMed Central: COVID-19 article list List of articles in BioMed Central updated continuously
• Cochrane Special Collection: Coronavirus (COVID-19): infection control and prevention measure Special Collection created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and is regularly updated. Aims to ensure immediate access to systematic reviews most directly relevant to the prevention of infection and relevant reviews.
• Coronavirus research free access collection on Cambridge Core Free access to coronavirus research on Cambridge Core as published by Cambridge University Press
• COVID-19 Coronavirus primer Full text articles from various Annual Reviews journals about COVID-19
• COVID-19 Updates & information provided by EBSCO Free evidence-based content, current epidemiology, recent blog posts from EBSCO's clinical experts and links to important external resources
• COVID-19: free access to OUP resources With the recent coronavirus situation, Oxford University Press has made content from online resources and leading journals freely accessible to assist researchers, medical professionals, policy makers, and others who are working to address this crisis
• COVID-19: get the insights you need on the Coronaviruses Access the world’s leading research and late-breaking news on this rapidly evolving health emergency provided by Clarivate Analytics
• COVID-19: Global research on coronavirus disease The latest scientific findings and knowledge on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) compiled in a database. The WHO updates the database daily from searches of bibliographic databases, hand searches of tables of content and other scientific literature.
• COVID-19: Navigating the threat of pandemic syllabus Free online books about the COVID-19 virus outbreak from Duke University Press
• EBSCO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Healthcare Resource Center Access free evidence-based content, current epidemiology, recent blog posts from EBSCO's clinical experts and links to important external resources.
• Elsevier COVID-19 Healthcare Hub
• Elsevier Novel Coronavirus Information Center Elsevier's free health and medical research on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
• JAMA Network Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Full text collection available from the Journal of the American Medical Association
• LitCOVID: literature on COVID-19 in PubMed Curated literature hub for tracking up-to-date scientific information about the 2019 novel Coronavirus. It is the most comprehensive resource on the subject, providing a central access to research articles in PubMed. Updated daily.
• Mary Ann Liebert Publishers COVID-19 collection Vital academic research on the corona virus published in Mary Ann Liebert journals available for free online
• SARS-Cov-2 and COVID-19: research articles from SpringerNature Research articles from journals and relevant books on the SARS-Cov-2 new virus outbreak.

OERs for Agriculture - General

• Agshare Toolkit
• DOER - Agriculture
• Galileo Open Learning Materials - Agriculture
• Introduction to Small Farm Viability
• Merlot - Agriculture
• OER Commons – Agriculture
• OERs for Agriculture in Africa
• Open textbook Library

Sustainability - Agriculture

• ONLINE BACHELOR’S IN SUSTAINABILITY
• Sustainability I: The Impact of Modern Agriculture on the Environment and Energy Use
• Sustainability II: The Impact of Modern Agriculture on Biodiversity, Genetic Modification and Animal Welfare
• Sustainable Agriculture

Animal Health

• MERCK Manual Veterinary Manual
• OER Commons – Veterinary
• Open Education: Veterinary Medicine
• Veterinary Anatomy And Veterinary Physiology
• Veterinary Epidemiology: Introduction
• Veterinary Epidemiology: Principles and Methods
• Vet FOA Med

Locating Open Educational Resources (OERs)

• Galileo Open Learning materials
• LibreTexts - Free the textbook
• Merlot - Open Textbook collections
• OAPEN - Online Library and publication platform
• OER commons OpenTextbooks
• Open Textbook Library
• Open Texts - Opening up a world of digitised texts
• World reader

Open Educational Resources: Agriculture

• Academic Earth - Online college courses
• Center for the Study of the Public Domain
• HippoCampus.org
• JHSPH Open courseware
• MIT Open Courseware
• OER Commons
• OER Handbook for Educators
• Open Stax learning materials
• Saylor Academy - OPen colllege courses

Resources on creating and developing OERs

• Rubrics for evaluating OER objects
• OER evaluation checklist
• IRubric OER assessment Rubric
• OER Training webinars
• OER Professional Learning
• Open Educational practice
• DHET Accredited Journal list (CAES Research website)
• DHET Accredited Journal list for 2024

High Impact and Quality Journal lists

• Cabell's Journalytics Academic
• Clarivate Benchmarking and Analytics
• Clarivate Journal Citation Reports
• Clarivate Master List
• Harzings Quality Journal List
• SciVal Benchmarking, Collaboration and Trends tool (Elsevier)
• UlrichsWeb (Global seriela Directory)
• Web of Science Core Collection
• Read and publish agreements by SANLIC

Predatory Journal lists

• Beall's list of Predatory Journals and Publishers
• DOAJ list of journals removed and added
• Scopus discontinued journal list
• Stop Predatory Journals
• Think Check Submit

Open Access Information and Membership

• COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)
• Direcotry of Open Access Books
• Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
• Open Access checklist and policy advice for articles
• Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association
• ROAD (Directory of Open Access Scholarly Resources)
• STM (The global voice of scholarly publishing)

Quality Journal selection tools

• Elsevier JournalFinder
• EndNote Manuscript Matcher (Web of Science Group)
• Jane (Journa Auhtor Name Estimator
• Journal Guide
• SpringerNature Journal Suggester

Read more about Predatory publishing

• Avoiding predatory journals and questionable conferences
• How to select a journal for your research paper?

Conferences

• Avoiding predatory conferences
• Conference Database (upcoming conferences)
• Fake conferences
• How to Identify and aoid predatory conferences
• Red-Flag Conferences
• Think Check and Attend
• What is a predatory conference?

Predatory Publishing Checklist

• Predatory checklist

Open Access Laboratory Protocols

• Cold Spring Harbor (CHS) Protocols

The following Open Access Laboratory Protocols are available on Internet for free.

• Biology Web Directory - Biochemistry Protocols
• Bioprotocols.info - Free online protocols for Biomedical Research
• DMOZ Open Directory project
• Protocol Exchange by Nature
• Protocols.io

Laboratory groups

• Protocol Exchange - Lab Groups

Protocol groups sharing and collaborating

Tutorials and guides to using Current Protocols and Cochrane Library

• Using Wiley's Current protocols A tutorial for Current Protocols from Wiley
• Reference guide to Cochrane Library
• Reference guide to Current Protocols

Books for Laboratory Protocols

Subject Databases: Laboratory protocols

• Benchfly Video protocols
• Current Protocols in Molecular Biology
• JoVE - Journal of Visualized Experiments
• Laboratory protocols from Dolan DNA Learning Centre
• Nature Protocols
• Video protocols

New videos in Journal of Visualized Experiments

Unisa libguides for sustaibable development.

• Sustainable Development Libguide

Sustainable Development Goals

• SDG Academy for OERs
• SDG Good practices
• SDG Knowledge platform
• UN Sustainable Development
• UN Sustainable Development Goals

Unisa E-resources with focus on Sustainable Development

• OECD iLibrary This link opens in a new window
• Sustainable Development Goals Online (SDG) This link opens in a new window Sustainable Development Goals Online (SDGO) is an interdisciplinary collection of digital content, including Taylor & Francis’ books and journals across all disciplines, themed around the SDGs. SDGO includes more than 12,000 carefully selected articles and chapters in an online library covering the 17 SDGs, plus teaching and learning materials including presentations, videos, case studies, teaching guides, and lesson plans. The collection and platform is regularly updated, with major content releases each April and September.
• World Bank Open Knowledge Repository This link opens in a new window

Keeping up to date with your research

Doing research involves locating and accessing relevant information and data from various information and literature resources. However, conducting a literature search on the various information e-resources and databases involves two steps. The first step allows the researcher to conduct a comprehensive search on various e-resources and databases to locate and access the relevant literature for your research retrospective to present. The second step allows you to source and locate possible relevant information for your research on the various e-resources and databases by creating alert based on the current search / previous searches you have conducted. Creating alerts will ensure that the e-resource / database sends you an e-mail alerting you of new literature which is based on your alert, is published. This step is particularly helpful in eliminating the need to re-do searches regularly to see if new literature has been published that is relevant on your research.

There are generally three types of alerts available to the researcher to use and the availability of the alert depends on the functionality of the e-resource / database that you are conducting your literature search on:

• Table of Contents (TOC) Alerts  -- Receive the table of contents of the most recent issue of a specific journal(s). It is one of the best ways of keeping up to date with the latest articles, current research, and publishing trends in your field.
• Search Alerts  -- Search alerts are set up to provide automatic e-mail notification whenever new search results become available in a database (author's publication, keywords, or other search criteria). You will be able to connect to the citation, download the citation, and full text (when available) from the alert
• Citation Alerts  -- Be notified when someone cites a specific article

Table of Contents

• Creating TOC alerts on ScienceDirect

Search Alerts

• Creating search alerts on Ebsco
• Creating search alerts on ScienceDirect

Citation alerts

• Creating citation and author alerts on Google Scholar
• Creating citation and author alerts on Scopus
• Creating citation and author alerts on Web of Science

Unisa's catalytic niche focus areas

Unisa Catalytic Niche Focus Areas

Unisa introduced 10 New Catalytic Niche Areas of research and engaged scholarship which are increasingly becoming spaces of much needed innovation in the university, the country and the continent at large accessible at link  https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Research-&-Innovation/Research-&-Innovation-Week-2023/Catalytic-Niche-Areas .

The Catalytic Niche Areas with interest to the College    Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) include:

Marine Studies

Natural sciences (biotechnological studies).

Health /Medicine

This website will highlight the e-resources and database collections in support of the catalytic niche areas.

Health / Medicine

• American Chemical Society Publications This link opens in a new window Provides access to the electronic full-text versions of over 30 titles published (or co-published) by the American Chemical Society. Includes analytical, applied, biological chemistry, materials science & engineering, organic & inorganic, physical chemistry. more... less... Transformative agreement: gold open access publishing available for Unisa affiliated authors.
• BioMed Central This link opens in a new window Peer-reviewed open access journals in the subjects of biology and bio medicine.
• Global Health (CABI Publishing) This link opens in a new window Global Health is a public health database with more than 1.2 million records. Subject coverage includes international health, biomedical life sciences, non-communicable diseases, public health nutrition, food safety and hygiene, occupational health, toxicology, health services, and maternal/child health.
• Health and Safety Science Abstracts This link opens in a new window
• Health Source: Consumer Edition This link opens in a new window This database provides information on many health topics including the medical sciences, food sciences and nutrition, childcare, sports medicine and general health. It covers topics such as AIDS, cancer, diabetes, drugs & alcohol, aging, fitness, nutrition & dietetics, children's health, women's health, etc.
• Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition This link opens in a new window This database provides nearly 550 scholarly full text journals focusing on many medical disciplines specifically nursing and allied health. Topics covered include nursing administration and management, paediatric nursing, community health nursing and nursing ethics.
• Informit Health Collection (Australia) This link opens in a new window This database is a multi-disciplinary information resource for students, teachers and researchers engaged in nursing and allied health education, training and research. The Collection supports the practice of evidence-based treatment for the nursing profession and other allied health disciplines including addictions, child health, disabilities, geriatrics, health education, health informatics, health management, mental health, midwifery, public health and womens health. Coverage started from 1977 and new articles are added daily.
• MEDLINE This link opens in a new window MEDLINE provides authoritative medical information on medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, the health care system, pre-clinical sciences, and much more. Created by the National Library of Medicine, MEDLINE uses MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) indexing with tree, tree hierarchy, subheadings and explosion capabilities to search citations from over 5,600 current biomedical journals.
• Royal Society of Chemistry E-books, 1940 to present This link opens in a new window eBooks published by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
• Science-of-Synthesis: including Houben-Weyl Methods of Molecular Transformations This link opens in a new window Science of Synthesis provides a critical review of the synthetic methodology developed from the early 1800s to-date for the entire field of organic and organometallic chemistry.
• SciFinder-n (link for registered users) This link opens in a new window SciFinder is a research discovery application that provides unlimited access to the world's most comprehensive and authoritative source of references, substances and reactions in chemistry and related sciences. The database enables searching for substances, reactions, and patent and journal references anytime, anywhere. Updated daily.
• Environment Complete This link opens in a new window Environment Complete offers deep coverage in applicable areas of agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, renewable energy sources, natural resources, marine & freshwater science, geography, pollution & waste management, environmental technology, environmental law, public policy, social impacts, urban planning, and more. This database contains more than 1,957,000 records from more than 1,700 domestic and international titles going back to the 1940s.
• Gale in Context: Environmental Studies This link opens in a new window Understand environmental issues that affect people globally through topic overviews, journals, news, and multimedia content.
• GeoRef with GeoRef in Process This link opens in a new window Geosciences, geochemistry, geophysics - journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports and theses
• Inspec This link opens in a new window A comprehensive index to the global journal and proceedings literature in physics, electrical/electronic engineering, computing, control engineering, and information technology.
• JSTOR This link opens in a new window JSTOR provides access to more than 12 million journal articles, books, images, and primary sources in 75 disciplines.
• Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide This link opens in a new window The worlds largest index to literature on wild mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Coverage includes more than 1.6 million bibliographic records many of which include abstracts. Major topic areas include studies of individual species, habitat types, hunting, economics, wildlife behavior, management techniques, diseases, ecotourism, zoology, taxonomy and much more. Cover 1935 to present.
• Nature This link opens in a new window Nature is a weekly international journal publishing the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology on the basis of its originality, importance, interdisciplinary interest, timeliness, accessibility, elegance and surprising conclusions. Nature also provides rapid, authoritative, insightful and arresting news and interpretation of topical and coming trends affecting science, scientists and the wider public.
• Nature Climate Change This link opens in a new window A monthly journal dedicated to publishing the most significant and cutting-edge research on the nature, underlying causes or impacts of global climate change and its implications for the economy, policy and the world at large.
• Nature Protocols This link opens in a new window The journal covers new techniques and technologies, as well as established methods, used in all fields of the biological, chemical and clinical sciences. The journal publishes secondary research articles - predominantly Protocols (including Protocol Updates and Protocol Extensions), but also techniques-related Reviews, Perspectives, Correspondences, Matters Arising, Commentaries, and Consensus Statements - all of which are based on published primary research papers.
• BioOne Digital Library This link opens in a new window Access to leading research from 200+ full text journals in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences.
• Biological Science Database This link opens in a new window This interdisciplinary database offers abstracts and citations to a wide range of research in biomedicine, biotechnology, zoology and ecology and some aspects of agriculture and veterinary science.
• Cambridge Journals Online This link opens in a new window Provides full-text online access to electronic journals published by Cambridge University Press. Includes access to archives to first issue of journals.

Marine Open databases

• Coastal and Marine Species Database
• Global Marine Information System (GMIS)
• Marine database
• Marine Data Portal
• Marine Data Science
• Ocean Biodiversity Information System
• World Ocean Database
• WORMS - Word Register of Marine Species
• Last Updated: Sep 16, 2024 12:52 PM
• URL: https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/Agricultureanimalhealth

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation

How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction

Published on September 7, 2022 by Tegan George and Shona McCombes. Revised on November 21, 2023.

The introduction is the first section of your thesis or dissertation , appearing right after the table of contents . Your introduction draws your reader in, setting the stage for your research with a clear focus, purpose, and direction on a relevant topic .

Your introduction should include:

• Your topic, in context: what does your reader need to know to understand your thesis dissertation?
• Your focus and scope: what specific aspect of the topic will you address?
• The relevance of your research: how does your work fit into existing studies on your topic?
• Your questions and objectives: what does your research aim to find out, and how?
• An overview of your structure: what does each section contribute to the overall aim?

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Table of contents

How to start your introduction, topic and context, focus and scope, relevance and importance, questions and objectives, overview of the structure, thesis introduction example, introduction checklist, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about introductions.

Although your introduction kicks off your dissertation, it doesn’t have to be the first thing you write — in fact, it’s often one of the very last parts to be completed (just before your abstract ).

It’s a good idea to write a rough draft of your introduction as you begin your research, to help guide you. If you wrote a research proposal , consider using this as a template, as it contains many of the same elements. However, be sure to revise your introduction throughout the writing process, making sure it matches the content of your ensuing sections.

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Begin by introducing your dissertation topic and giving any necessary background information. It’s important to contextualize your research and generate interest. Aim to show why your topic is timely or important. You may want to mention a relevant news item, academic debate, or practical problem.

After a brief introduction to your general area of interest, narrow your focus and define the scope of your research.

You can narrow this down in many ways, such as by:

• Geographical area
• Time period
• Demographics or communities
• Themes or aspects of the topic

It’s essential to share your motivation for doing this research, as well as how it relates to existing work on your topic. Further, you should also mention what new insights you expect it will contribute.

Start by giving a brief overview of the current state of research. You should definitely cite the most relevant literature, but remember that you will conduct a more in-depth survey of relevant sources in the literature review section, so there’s no need to go too in-depth in the introduction.

Depending on your field, the importance of your research might focus on its practical application (e.g., in policy or management) or on advancing scholarly understanding of the topic (e.g., by developing theories or adding new empirical data). In many cases, it will do both.

Ultimately, your introduction should explain how your thesis or dissertation:

• Helps solve a practical or theoretical problem
• Addresses a gap in the literature
• Builds on existing research
• Proposes a new understanding of your topic

Perhaps the most important part of your introduction is your questions and objectives, as it sets up the expectations for the rest of your thesis or dissertation. How you formulate your research questions and research objectives will depend on your discipline, topic, and focus, but you should always clearly state the central aim of your research.

If your research aims to test hypotheses , you can formulate them here. Your introduction is also a good place for a conceptual framework that suggests relationships between variables .

• Conduct surveys to collect data on students’ levels of knowledge, understanding, and positive/negative perceptions of government policy.
• Determine whether attitudes to climate policy are associated with variables such as age, gender, region, and social class.
• Conduct interviews to gain qualitative insights into students’ perspectives and actions in relation to climate policy.

To help guide your reader, end your introduction with an outline  of the structure of the thesis or dissertation to follow. Share a brief summary of each chapter, clearly showing how each contributes to your central aims. However, be careful to keep this overview concise: 1-2 sentences should be enough.

I. Introduction

Human language consists of a set of vowels and consonants which are combined to form words. During the speech production process, thoughts are converted into spoken utterances to convey a message. The appropriate words and their meanings are selected in the mental lexicon (Dell & Burger, 1997). This pre-verbal message is then grammatically coded, during which a syntactic representation of the utterance is built.

Speech, language, and voice disorders affect the vocal cords, nerves, muscles, and brain structures, which result in a distorted language reception or speech production (Sataloff & Hawkshaw, 2014). The symptoms vary from adding superfluous words and taking pauses to hoarseness of the voice, depending on the type of disorder (Dodd, 2005). However, distortions of the speech may also occur as a result of a disease that seems unrelated to speech, such as multiple sclerosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This study aims to determine which acoustic parameters are suitable for the automatic detection of exacerbations in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by investigating which aspects of speech differ between COPD patients and healthy speakers and which aspects differ between COPD patients in exacerbation and stable COPD patients.

Checklist: Introduction

I have introduced my research topic in an engaging way.

I have provided necessary context to help the reader understand my topic.

I have clearly specified the focus of my research.

I have shown the relevance and importance of the dissertation topic .

I have clearly stated the problem or question that my research addresses.

I have outlined the specific objectives of the research .

I have provided an overview of the dissertation’s structure .

You've written a strong introduction for your thesis or dissertation. Use the other checklists to continue improving your dissertation.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Research bias

• Survivorship bias
• Self-serving bias
• Availability heuristic
• Halo effect
• Hindsight bias
• Deep learning
• Generative AI
• Machine learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Supervised vs. unsupervised learning

 (AI) Tools

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The introduction of a research paper includes several key elements:

• A hook to catch the reader’s interest
• Relevant background on the topic
• Details of your research problem

and your problem statement

• A thesis statement or research question
• Sometimes an overview of the paper

Don’t feel that you have to write the introduction first. The introduction is often one of the last parts of the research paper you’ll write, along with the conclusion.

This is because it can be easier to introduce your paper once you’ve already written the body ; you may not have the clearest idea of your arguments until you’ve written them, and things can change during the writing process .

Research objectives describe what you intend your research project to accomplish.

They summarize the approach and purpose of the project and help to focus your research.

Your objectives should appear in the introduction of your research paper , at the end of your problem statement .

Scope of research is determined at the beginning of your research process , prior to the data collection stage. Sometimes called “scope of study,” your scope delineates what will and will not be covered in your project. It helps you focus your work and your time, ensuring that you’ll be able to achieve your goals and outcomes.

Defining a scope can be very useful in any research project, from a research proposal to a thesis or dissertation . A scope is needed for all types of research: quantitative , qualitative , and mixed methods .

To define your scope of research, consider the following:

• Budget constraints or any specifics of grant funding
• Your proposed timeline and duration
• Specifics about your population of study, your proposed sample size , and the research methodology you’ll pursue
• Any inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Any anticipated control , extraneous , or confounding variables that could bias your research if not accounted for properly.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

George, T. & McCombes, S. (2023, November 21). How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Introduction. Scribbr. Retrieved September 16, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/introduction-structure/

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Harris P . Catang

CATANG, HARRIS P. JUNE 2016. Influence of Banana Bracts Compost on Lettuce (Lactuca sativa longifilia) and on Some Soil Properties. Benguet State University, La Trinidad, Benguet. Adviser: Emilia F. Dayap, MSc The study was conducted to determine the best rate of banana bracts compost on the yield of Romaine lettuce, effect of banana bracts compost on some soil physico-chemical properties and the economic value of banana bracts compost on Romaine lettuce production. General observation on the effect of the different rates of banana bracts compost on plants was significantly affected the yield of Romaine lettuce. Application of banana bracts compost at a rate of 20 tons/ha produced the highest yield of Romaine lettuce. Applications of different rates of banana bracts compost increased the soil pH, organic matter, organic nitrogen content, available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium content of the soil. Banana bracts compost applied at a rate of 20 tons/ha resulted to higher chemical properties of the soil. Application of banana bracts compost improved the bulk density of the soil.

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Purpose Manure extracts possess great potential as alternate inorganic fertilizers. However, limited information exists on how manure influences plant growth. This study's aim was to determine the impact of aerated manure extracts on romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. longifolia) and Russian kale (Brassica napus var. 'Red Russian') in hydroponic systems. Methods Chicken, cow, and turkey manure extract solutions (10, 25, and 50 g/L manure) were compared to a control (Hoagland) solution for lettuce and kale grown in an ebb and flow hydroponic system. Results The aboveground dry mass of lettuce grown in a 50 g/L turkey manure extract solution was greater than that of the control. The largest aboveground wet mass for kale occurred with the control. Nutrient analyses of all manure extract solutions showed a 29%-79% higher concentration of NH 4-N and higher total nitrogen than the control. Principal component analysis of the nutrient solutions identified six nutrients that should be monitored to maximize plant yield when using manure extracts in hydroponics: NO 3 − , NH 4 + , Ca, Mg, Mn, and Na. Conclusions Healthy lettuce and kale plants were grown in turkey manure extract solution (50 g/L). However, reduced aboveground wet and dry mass were recorded for both plants in chicken and cow manure extract solutions compared to the control. NH 4 + toxicity likely killed all plants grown in chicken extract (50 g/L). Apart from NH 4 + and P, all nutrients were below suggested concentrations suggested for lettuce growth. A combined manure/mineral fertilizer may be necessary to optimize hydroponic solutions.

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Modern business conditions have changed all aspects and areas of the economics as well as of agriculture. Agriculture is becoming an increasingly dynamic area with rapid modernization in business management, but facing many major changes and risks as well. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt a new way of managing this field with particular emphasis on the financial aspects. The overall objective of this research is to assess the importance of financial management of agricultural holdings in modern business, the extent of its application at the farms in the entity of the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the impact on the operating efficiency of farms. The paper also analyses the willingness of agricultural holdings for wider application of modern methods of doing business in this area. It is based on both primary and secondary data and employs different methods such as induction-deduction. The paper provides historical and comparative analyses on financial management of agricultural holdings. When it comes to agricultural farms, paying attention only to production process is no longer enough for a successful business. Today, successful business of agricultural farms depends on many factors: production planning, yield and quality achieved, as well as the efficient management of all business segments. This means that it is needed to pay attention to the whole business and management process of agricultural farm. Financial part is an especially important segment on which depends the success of the business and the future of agricultural farm. In this context, keeping records of income and expenditure and their management, planning and cost control, making calculations of production and risk management preventing negative business results are essential parts contributing to the functioning and progress of agricultural farms. Clearly, it is necessary to switch to a new way of financial management of agricultural farms in the Republic of Srpska.

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Undergraduate Thesis Templates and Forms

To ensure that students get the correct forms, students are urged to download the forms directly from the USM website. Please download to ensure you have the correct templates.

Visit the USM Research, Development and Extension website ( https://www.usm.edu.ph ) and click Undergraduate Students to see the forms. Alternatively, click this link for direct access to the forms: https://www.usm.edu.ph/rde-link-center/#1651080711092-8fc335d6-8aae . When you visit the site, you will see some guides (Research Process Flow and Guide to APA Style), templates of undergraduate outlines and final manuscripts (in English and Filipino language), and other forms you might need (such as Routing Slip).

Once you access the site, please download the forms. You are not allowed to edit on the form, to ensure that students do not accidentally change the template. Instead, please download first before editing.

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Home > College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) > Theses and Dissertations > Undergraduate Theses

CAFS Undergraduate Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Preliminary performance test of different strains of sitao , Lina P. Guia

A Cytological Study of Philippine Bananas I. Bungulan, Latundan and Lacatan , Jose C. Hapitan

Effects of fertilization and injury treatment on eggplant fruit formation. , Lilia A. Juano

Resistance of some sugarcane varieties to downy mildew (Sclerospora philippinensis Weston). , Rolando V. Labios

Fractionation and characterization of phenolic compounds in bignay [Antidesma bunius (L.) Spreng] pomace , Angella Sophia B. Laderas

Evaluation of systematic fungicides for control of smut of sugarcane under green-house conditions. , Hector H. Las Piñas

Influence of indole butyric acid treatments on the rooting of leafless cutting on ten unnamed gummamela varieties , Alejandro A. Llamoso

Comparative study of two sunflower (Helianthus annuus Linn.) varieties grown under coconut and in the open field , Leonardo P. Lopez

the Effects of Protective Plastic Covers on Growth and Yield of Tomato and Cabbage , Renato C. Mabesa

Preliminary Study on the seed production of okra during the wet season , Carlos L. Madrazo Jr

Maximizing Rice and Corn Production: Evaluation of Los Baños no. 1, Peta Tjere Mas and Position of Planting When Grown Under Palagad or Dry- Season Lowland Culture , Celestino M. Marquez

Evaluation of Bean Quality in Cacao Species. II. The Protein and Amino Acid Composition of Cacao Beans , Imelda A. Maure

Studies on Drought-Resistance of Some Promising Sugarcane Varieties , Raymundo B. Mendoza

a Further Study on the Influence of Three Kinds of Stock on Ladu Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) , Alejandro G. Micosa

A study on the effect of various culture media on the growth development of Phaleonopsis grandiflora Reich. f. ovules , Rufina C. Navasero

The effects of spacing and topping and their interrelationship on okra seed production. , Norma V. Norcio

the Influence of Nitrogen Nutrition Population Density on the Yield and Yield Components of Grain Sorghum at Fifty Centimeter Row Spacing , Wilfredo D. Pal-Laya

the Influence of Number of Plants to a Hill on the Yield of Corn at 100 Centimeter Row Spacing , Rogelio V. Perez

the Effect of Fertilizer Placement on Germination, Field and Yield of CES-55 Mungo Cultivar , Ofelia F. Samson

A study of dry matter distribution among aerial organs for cowpea varieties , Kamolwan Vichaidist

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

The cytology and gross morphology of the aneuploid progeny of triploid x diploid rice hybrids , Leonila N. Alonzo

Propagation of coffee by cutting , Dafrosa G. Arganosa

Comparative response of rice and cogon to wind factor , Yolanda E. Arreola

Effects of varying amounts of potassium on the external appearance, dry matter, and ash contents of upland rice plants , Jacinto F. Babaan

The comparative effects of mineral difficiencies and excess on the germination and morphology of the coconut "makapuno" embryo. (Cocos nucifera) L. grown in vitro. , Victoria B. Bagaoisan

Photoperiodical response of five new line selections of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merill) in the Philippines , Aurora M. Baltazar

The reaction to Helminthosporium leaf spot and pollen fertility of crosses between standard Philippine corn inbreds and A158 B , Meduardo C. Cabanting

Performance test of double-cross sweet corn hybrids , Reynaldo O. Caliboso

Bioassay of the makapuno milk: cytology of carrot tissue cultures , Gemma P. Deangkinay

The effects of source of inoculant and varying levels of nitrogen on the yield and other agronomic characters of soybean. , Eduardo R. De Arellano

Comparative performance of fifteen tomato varieties , Catalina G. Dela Cruz

A preliminary study on the yielding ability of some promising cowpea hybrids and three commercial varieties , Benedicta C. Dinulos

Growth of calamandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco X Citrus madurensis Loureiro) following photoperiod and gibberellic acid treatments , Francisco S. Dizon III

Susceptibility of sugarcane varieties to rat infestation , Cesar M. Drilon Jr

Effect of dymid on the sex ration of cucumber , Dionisio A. Galang

The effect of light intensity and nitrogen fertilization on the growth rate of the octopus tree (Brassaia actinophylla Endl.) , Francisco G. Pascual Jr

Biology of Pistia stratiotes L. , Cecilia P. Tamayo

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Genetic and pathogenic variability of rice false smut pathogen (Ustilaginoidea virens Cke. Tak.) in the Philippines , Mark Jave A. Bautista

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Major practice: evaluation of the effects of heat penetration treatment on total anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity of processed black soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr var. Tudela) milk , Frances Ann M. Paciente

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Analysis of the provision of gender-sensitive extension and agricultural advisory services among selected municipalities in Laguna Province , Eloisa Grace Artes Mirandilla

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Efficacy of herbicides on weeds in a non-crop area, herbicide carry-over trial on pole sitao and bitter gourd, and seed growth treatment in rice : a research apprenticeship , Alan Renz O. Faminial

Effects of humic acid-based feed additive on performance of broiler chickens , Bernadette Gerpacio Sta. Cruz

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Partial alpha-amylase activity profiling of Aspergillus niger biotech 3080-derived enzymes in rice bran substrate , Hector S. Abes

Influence of temperature and relative humidity on the adult longevity and progeny production of Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera : Tephritidae), pest of cucurbits , Judd Andrew D. Ada

Induction of mutation in sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) using diethyl sulfate (DES) and phenotypic and molecular characterization of induced mutants , Lorraine Klein M. Altovar

Genetic diversity analysis of coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn.) palms selected as survivors against coconut scale insect (Aspidiotus sp.) outbreak infestation in Laguna and Batangas , Ana Clarissa M. Ambagan

Herbicide selectivity in transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.) at different planting depths and effect of seed treatment on shoot and root lengths of rice at the Bayer CropScience Agronomic Development Southeast Asia : a research apprenticeship , Philina Christine P. Amurao

Effect of soil conservation measures on soil physico-chemical properties and maize yield at different slope positions , Regina Angeline F. Angeles

Determination of the potential of miracle plant (Synsepalum dulcificum) flowers for tea development , Rowellito S. Araña

Research internship on vegetable breeding with emphasis on pedigree selection for disease resistance in bitter gourd (Momordica Charantia L.) , Earl Austin B. Aromin

Determination of egg quality characteristics of three breeds of Philippine native chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus, Linn.) and their crosses , Clarence Aaron M. Articona

Detection of pork contamination in meat products using DNA markers specific to the mitochondrial cytochrome B gene of swine (Sus scrofa) , Shery Ane N. Artillaga

Genome sequence characterization of candidate host factor genes for virus resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicon Mill.) and rice (Oryza sativa Linn.) , Jayson C. Asunto

Phenological characterization of cacao (Theobroma cacao) from flowering to ripening using the BBCH scale , Hannah R. Azogue

The lipolytic activity of Pseudomonas fluorescens Biotech 1123 in commercially available salted butter under refrigerated conditions and its relation to product quality deterioration , Gilda Melanie O. Babaran

Production and evaluation of indian mango (Mangifera indica L.) seed kernel flour and its utilization in brownies , Mary Ann P. Bacarro

Interaction effects of flooding and seed burial on weedy rice (Oryza sp.) seed mortality , Kairah Patrisse R. Baldovino

Phytochemical, physico-chemical and sensory properties of ready-to-drink beverage from water lily (Nymphaea rubra) , Perseus Homer M. Balite

Optimization of tissue culture requirements for in vitro shoot multiplication of garlic (Allium sativum L.) , Glecy P. Bandojo

Effect of diet complexity and phase feeding in early broiler chick diets on growth performance, fecal quality, caloric efficiency and diet economics , Alberto Louis A. Basinillo

Food science and technology practicum at Universal Robina Corporation (URC), Cereal Plant, Brgy. Bagong Ilog, Pasig City, Metro Manila , Cathlyn Kim L. Bernardo

Duodenal a-amylase activity of broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with multi-enzyme combination products , Jayce Ann V. Bocala

Research internship on DArT marker characterization and detection for BX2 gene presence in native and inbred corn , Carlo M. Briz

Production practices of mungbean of the Bureau of Plant Industry - Los Baños National Crop Research, Development and Production Support Center (BPI-LBNCRDPSC) , Benjamin Jorge L. Cadag

Determination of the maternal lineage of Philippine native cattle (Bos indicus, Linn.) using the mitochondrial DNA D-loop sequence variation , Edelbert P. Carajay

Food science and technology practicum at Monde Nissin Corporation, Sta. Rosa, Laguna , Alyson O. Carpio

Partial biological characterization of Erwinia sp., the causal organism of bacterial crown rot of papaya (Carica papaya L.) , Raphael Gabriel F. Carvajal

Inhibition of meristematic regrowth on Luffa cylindrica L. rootstock and determination of possible DNA transfer between grafted Momordica charantia L. and Luffa cylindrica L. , Angelito C. Casas Jr

Postharvest practices in selected legumes seed production of the Bureau of Plant Industry-Los Baños , Venina Gelyn Y. Chua

Development of instant chocolate black rice (Oryza sativa L.) porridge , Jacqueline H. De Belen

Variability of soil properties along the southern slope of Mt. Banahaw, Quezon, Philippines , Bon August F. Decena

Food science and technology practicum at Newly Weds Foods (Philippines), Canlubang, Calamba, Laguna , Genieper B. De La Cruz

Genotyping of beta-casein (CSN2) gene in the Philippine native cattle (Bos taurus) as a marker to assess milk quality , Richard B. De la Cruz

Genetic variability and multivariate analyses of floral traits related to outcrossing in rice (Oryza sativa L.) , Dianne Gene M. Dela Rosa

Extraction and partial characterization of oligosaccharides and starches from sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) and arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea L.) , Vhanessa M. Dela Torre

Production and management of coffee (Coffea liberica L.) at Katy's Farm in Lipa City, Batangas , Aaron Paul R. Dizon

Herbicide selectivity in transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.) with pre-treatment applications subjected to varying durations of biomass decomposition and effect of seed treatment on growth and development of rice (Oryza sativa L.) at the Bayer CropScience Agronomic Development Southeast Asia : a research apprenticeship , Ginell Gille A. Dueñas

Effect of inclusion of hydrolyzed peptone in chick booster and broiler starter diets on growth performance, caloric efficiency, and fecal quality of broilers , Jeff C. Ebio

Selection and validation of reference genes for quantitative RT-PCR of Lakatan banana (Musa acuminata Colla) fruit ripening , Steven Ryan E. Ebuenga

Effects of endocarp removal and trichoderma (Trichoderma spp.) application on germination and growth of red bourbon and yellow bourbon Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) , Kryzelle Diane C. Eres

UPLB's technology transfer and commercialization practices : the case of the Center for Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship (CTTE) , Ma. Lobelle M. Esguerra

Germination response of selected weed species seeds to various scarification and chemical treatments , Dara Maria A. Fabro

Optimization of map position of resistance gene analogue (RGA) markers associated to downy mildew resistance in Maize (Zea mays L.) , Gem P. Faustino

Research internship on rejuvenative pruning of Robusta (Coffea canephora L.) coffee at Jamboree site, UP Los Baños , Ardjani S. Fernando

Development of gene specific markers for detection of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) witches? broom disease as baseline for selection of host resistance , Johnric Paolo F. Foronda

Optimization of SDS-PAGE parameters for the isolation of Glutelin in M-19 and M-20 rice varieties and optimization of PCR annealing temperature for SNP2 and W2R molecular markers , Jose Christian D. Gammad

Effect of relative humidity and essential oils on conidial germination of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Sacc. causing mango anthracnose , Jean Quennie Marie C. Gauna

Food science and technology practicum at RFM Corporation-Cabuyao Logistics and Industrial Center KM. 47 RFM Road, Brgy. Pulo, Cabuyao City, Philippines , Janine C. Genoveso

Physico-chemical and phytochemical properties, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic content of the indigenous plant Lagikway (Abelmoschus manihot) , Richelle Anne N. Guevara

Food science and technology practicum at Philippine Carabao Center National Headquarters and Gene Pool-Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija 2016 , Rocell O. Hernandez

Development and quality evaluation of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) yogurt juice drink , Shanen Keith E. Hernandez

Food science and technology practicum at Universal Robina Corporation-Cereal Plant, Bagong Ilog, Pasig City , Gabriel S. Ilagan

Determination of the potential of Kamuning (Murraya paniculata) flowers for tea development , Honey Bhabes R. Iñigo

Determining the optimum fertilizer rates for improved growth and nutrition of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) , Glorianne Excelsis C. Jamilla

Food science and technology practicum at the Regional Standards and Testing Laboratory of Department of Science and Technology (DOST IV-A), Brgy. Timugan, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines , Rhozelyne C. Leycano

Food science and technology practicum at the Department of Agriculture - Philippine Carabao Center at UPLB, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna , Jelen Mara S. Lopez

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