62 5 The Introductory Chapter
at the other, they set out to establish standards for ethical conduct. Neither type of research,
of course, proceeds independently of the other. Across this broad continuum of LT research,
Bachman (2000) writes, five central strands have emerged: research methodology, practical
advances, factors affecting language test performance, authentic or performance assess-
ment and concerns with the ethics of language testing and professionalization of the field.
Of these five, the present thesis is located within endeavors to examine factors affecting L2
test performance.The style of writing that Aek has used reflects the style in his discipline area. By
starting this way, Aek showed that he could identify key issues, understand the
many strands of concern, and be focused on one particular challenge. From the start,
the style and content of his work signalled to examiners and colleagues that he was
set to productively engage in academic discourse.
Colleen took a different approach, starting her thesis with a deeply personal story:
From ‘Chapter One: Thesis Introduction and Overview’ in Nordstrom, Colleen (2004).
Beyond Modernist Instruments: A Reconceptualisation Of ‘Quality Of Life’ In Terminal
Cancer, p. 1. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Melbourne.
... Months after arriving in Australia to start my PhD, my 38 year old sister, Rhea was
diagnosed with terminal cancer. She was given only months to live. Without hesitation, I
returned to Canada for several months to be with my older sister until she died. ... Return-
ing to Australia, I knew that my research must be about terminal cancer, and it must be from
the perspective of the person who is dying, not the health care professional. Not only did
those months in autumn change my thoughts on death, it changed me as a person. Intel-
lectually and personally, this thesis is my testimony of the illumination that has gradually
transformed my life since embarking on the journey of trying to understand Rhea’s experi-
ences, and what it means to me, and how I approach my professional life.
Although Colleen could have written a formal introduction, she made a conscious
decision to establish a more personal voice. She chose, consciously, to write in a
style that, like Aek, signalled to examiners and colleagues that she was aware of
the conventions in their community. Importantly, her style immediately aligned her
work with the tenets of a qualitative approach that highlights the value of the ‘lived
experience’ as a basis for empirical research. In a way, one aim of her thesis was to
take such a stance as a way of questioning some of the assumptions that had domi-
nated methodology in her field.
From the start, be aware of how your style of writing, your tone, and your use of
key terms underpins your approach to research and provides you with an introduc-
tion to the research community. Should you write in the third person, like Aek, or in
a way that is similar to Colleen? The best way to determine an appropriate style is
simple: go to several top journals in your field and note the way that their contribu-
tors write. Imitate them.
Stating the Problem, Motivating the Study
Now that you’ve situated your work, your next task is to motivate further interest in
the area—typically by ‘stating the problem’, because your research is nearly always
an attempt to find a solution to a problem that you have identified. You believe that