5.1 – Structure

The thesis should be structured in chapters (see 4. Structure of the Thesis) that consist of subchapters built of paragraphs. Each paragraph (5-15 lines) should have a topic sentence, subordinate sentences regarding the central topic, and if appropriate, a concluding or transitioning sentence leading to the next topic.  As a rule of thumb, it should not be possible to write a good paragraph that is shorter than three sentences. Contrast linkers and signpost words help in guiding the reader.

5.2 – Abbreviations

Use unusual abbreviations sparsely. Each abbreviation has to be defined when it is used the first time and has then to be used consistently. It may also be helpful to include a list of abbreviations in the beginning of the thesis. Abstract and body text are considered individual parts where abbreviations have to be newly defined; it is recommended to avoid abbreviations in the abstract. Common abbreviations and SI-units do not need to be listed.

5.3 – Figures, tables and charts

The graphs, figures and tables should be understandable independently. Explain the annotations and abbreviations in the figure legend or title of a table. All figures, sub-figures, and tables should be numbered continuously, have a caption, and they should be referred to and cross-referenced in the text. Cross-references to figures and tables are usually presented in brackets at the end of a sentence.

General considerations:

• Use only table or graph, but not both
• Avoid 3D-graphs
• Bar charts are often less informative than line charts or scatter plots and should primarily not be used.
• Use contrasting colors and white background for graphs.
• Use only horizontal lines in tables

Axes:

• x-axis: independent variable
• y-axis: dependent variable
• Axis title: parameter and abbreviation + SI-unit. Use equal font type and size for both axes
• Scale: should be reasonable, indicate units, and maximum and minimum values. Consider how many decimal places is relevant.

Figure captions:

The main caption should be self-explanatory, and express the complete figure information. Additional information after the main caption should describe boundary conditions (i.e. sample conditions, pre-treatment, processing conditions, analytical method etc.). The figure should be understandable on its own, and It should not be necessary for the reader to search for details in text.

5.4 – Language and style

The shift from informal to a more formal writing style can be supported be actions like:

• switch from prepositional verbs to single verbs (set up -> establish)
• avoid contractions (wasn’t -> was not)
• use formal negative forms (not … many -> few)
• place adverbs within the verb if possible (then it can be solved -> it can then be solved)
• limit the use of direct questions
• avoid addressing the reader directly as “you”

Decide for American English (US) or British English (UK) spellings and be consistent throughout your text. For example:
‘behaviour, colour, flavour, etc.’ (UK) to ‘behavior, color, flavor, etc.’ (US)
‘itemisation, naturalisation, etc.’ (UK) to ‘itemization, naturalization, etc.’ (US)

Use of comma in listings (so called “Oxford comma”): ‘Chicken, cows and goats were sold’ to ‘Chicken, cows, and goats were sold’.

Use of comma in front of ‘which’ (UK and US): Use it in non-restrictive clauses ‘That box of apples, which I picked this morning, can be used to make the pie’ and do not use it in restrictive clauses ‘The box of apples which is by the door can be used to make the pie’. In the latter case ‘which’ can also be replaced by ‘that’. A restrictive clause gives information that is necessary for understanding.

Consider the accuracy of your measurements and how many significant digits you can actually report. Your calculated values should not have more significant figures than your measured values.  Depending on the uncertainty in your measurement technique, they may have the same or a smaller number (typically at least one less) of significant figures. Several digits after comma are usually not real differences. Consider also the accuracy of the percent changes that are derived from your data. For example 15% increase in the compound X or 27% decrease in the reaction rate, rather than 78.21% difference between the two samples.

5.5 – Citations

To cite a well-known scientific fact, do not used the first citation that comes along or a paper that mentions the point as background, but use the original citation or at least a standard textbook or up-to-date review. Lecture notes, handouts, scripts, and laboratory documents are not acceptable references for scientific theses. If something is not externally available or published reference source, it should be described.

It is recommendable to use a reference management program for the literature citations and bibliography (such as EndNote, Mendeley, or similar). ETH Library offers regular short courses and training in the use of reference management programs, as well as databases to search for scientific information.

Examples:

– To cite in emulsion science the Grace curve use the original paper by Howard Grace (Grace HP: Chem. Eng. Comm. 14 (1982) 255-277) instead of e.g. L. Dietsche and A. Neubauer: Computational fluid dynamic model of viscous droplet breakup, Chem. Eng. Sci. 64 (2009) 4543

– To introduce the Arrhenius equation and the use of the activation energy in rheology do not cite P. Fischer and H. Rehage: Rheological Master Curves of Viscoelastic Surfactant Solutions by Varying the Solvent Viscosity and Temperature, Langmuir 13 (1997) 7012 but the book by J.D. Ferry: Viscoelastic Properties of Polymers, John Wiley & Sons, New York (1980).

If the style of in text citations and bibliography to be used is defined in the research group where the work is carried out, these output styles should be applied. When not, one you can choose an output style from the reference management program (e.g. Endnote, BibTeX or Mendeley) or a selected, high quality journal in the field. It is very important that bibliographic information provided is complete, and the chosen style is used consistently. At least the following information should be included:

• Article: authors, title, journal, year, volume (if applicable), pages
• Book: authors, title, publisher, place of publishing, year, edition
• Book chapter: authors, chapter title, editors, book title, publisher, place of publishing, year, pages
• Internet information: authors, title, date of retrieval, URL, date of issue

Also be aware, when importing references from various databases to a reference management system, that the information may be structured differently, and that you may need to manually update the entries is some fields (such as capitalization if titles and journal names, abbreviations of journal names and author names, etc.)

5.6 – Revisions and corrections of the text during writing

In order to produce high quality text, several revisions are needed. Remember that the writing of your thesis is a developmental process, meaning that it should occur as an ongoing process in your research rather than as a final step in the thesis work. Read through your manuscript critically and carefully, and edit the text, at least twice after the text is complete. The feedback you get will be much more constructive, if time is not wasted on correcting typos and other small details. Ask your fellow students to read the thesis and give feedback. With similar background in studies, they should be able to understand your text, and so they can help you identify places, where more details are needed.