know in order to accept the conclusions of my analysis?’ Then
set out to provide information that meets exactly these needs,
no more and no less. If different types of readers have strongly
divergent needs then you need to segment them, handling one
group’s demands in one place and another group’s needs else-
where. For instance, most non-specialist people aiming for
a straight-through read of your text may need to see only strate-
gically important information provided in the main text. At the
same time, readers particularly interested in professionally
checking or evaluating your analysis (like your PhD examiners)
may want to see detailed appendices giving chapter and verse
to back up the main text exhibits. Finally an even smaller group
of readers may want to replicate your analysis in detail, or use
some of your basic evidence in different analyses of their
own. For this small group it may be appropriate to provide full
documentation of all your evidence and source information.
In theses with a lot of data and numerical information,
segmenting your readers in this way means providing in the
main text fairly accessible charts and tables, and only summaries
of your detailed analysis results. Then your Research Methods
Appendix can explain in detail the methods and techniques used
in your analyses, and a data annex could include full print-outs
of the results. Finally you could provide all your data sources in
full on a CD bound into the back cover, for anyone keen to repli-
cate your analyses. In theses without numerical data but with a
great deal of documentation analysis or interview material lying
behind the main text then a similar approach could prevail. The
main chapters might include either multiple short quotations run
on as normal text, or longer extracts handled as indented quotes
or in text boxes. (Boxes are an increasing trend given the
enhanced capabilities of modern word processors.) These selective
citations can be backed up by full extracts from documents or
transcripts of interviews included in appendices or on an accom-
panying CD. The ‘need to know’ criterion sets out what should be
included in the main text, what should be placed in annexes or
appendices, and what need go only on the back-up CD for refer-
ence. It is important for your thesis that incongruous elements
are not introduced into the main text, like huge tables printed
‘for the record’ or overly long interview quotations which disrupt
the flow and development of your argument.
160 ◆AUTHORING A PHD