in the first paragraph of the abstract. But now your content
should focus on evaluating the worth or applicability of
these concepts, or showing how far your theoretical
innovations or expectations are supported by the empirical
findings or applied analysis of the middle chapters.
◆ Check that you are using the same language in your abstract
as in the thesis title, and that both of them match up or mesh
with the language of your chapter headings. (Bear in mind
the point from pp. 91–2 above, that your chapter headings
should work within the thesis title, rather than simply
repeating elements of it exactly.) Danger signs to look out for
occur where the conceptual or thematic elements triggered in
the overall title, the abstract and the chapter headings do not
match up. The three elements should not suggest different
intellectual problematics or ways of looking at issues.
It is best to try and define your abstract early in the rewriting
and text revision process. In Britain and Europe university reg-
ulations often provide a helpful stimulus in this respect,
because they require you to submit an early version of the
abstract at the same time that you formally register the thesis
title. This first version is not binding and it is used only to help
faculty boards decide who should examine your thesis.
The first chapter (plus any other lead-in chapter)
As Figure 8.1 shows, the opening chapter is critically important
in defining the overall theoretical frame for the doctorate. It
should set out a small number of intellectual themes stemming
from the central question of the thesis. Themes are guiding
ideas to which you will return. They could consist of theoreti-
cal positions, methodological innovations or empirical research
findings, depending on your findings. Generally two, three or
four themes are more than enough to try and handle. If you
find that you have six or seven themes going on, then you need
to reduce their number. Consider if you can perhaps nest
some of them inside one another, so that one top-level
theme includes two or more subthemes. Each theme needs to
be handled in the opening chapters chiefly in a framing way,
summarizing what other authors have already said about them
THE END-GAME◆ 205