My supv scratched out 'Chapter Two: Literature Review' and put comment 'needs more imaginative title' - the surest way to make me go completely blank!

What do people have?

Mine are completely unimaginative.
Chapter Two: Policy and Historical Context
Chapter Three: Methods and Methodology

The research chapters are papers - so their titles. Followed by the very cleverly named
Chapter Nine: Discussion and Conclusion

Can you have a peak at some of your sups previous students chapter titles to get a sense of what she's after?

My review of literature is part of the introduction, which is divided in four sections: History; Historiography and Review of Literature; Methodology, Aims and Research Questions; Thesis Outline. I otherwise have very long titles for my chapters, but I am in a different field.

Hi Ady,

perhaps:

"What is already known", "What does the literature tell us", "Historical overview on......", "Background information on.....", "First things first" etc.?

Thanks for input everyone. It's not a deal-breaker I know but I suppose if that was his immediate reaction to my clear as crystal if very dull titles I would be wise to take his advice on board! I like things to be clear from the outset though...

Rick, some of your titles are great. 'First things first' is tempting but my supervisor already says some of my writing is too chatty and parochial :$ so maybe I had better not ;-).

Hi Ady,

I just brought forward some thoughts, that was all.

So, you are saying you would like "more imaginative" titles, yet also want to make sure they are not too informal ("chatty")?:-)

======= Date Modified 20 Aug 2011 09:59:38 =======
Morning Ady! My lit review was part of the Introduction so the headings were as follows:
1. Introduction
1.1 Membrane Oxygenators
1.2 Using a membrane oxygenator to model gas diffusion
1.3 Isoflurane use in membrane oxygenators
1.4 Nitric oxide
1.5 HBOCs and Oxyglobin
1.6 Aims and Objectives of the Thesis

Essentially, each subsection was entitled along with further 'sub-sub' sections. I did keep the 'Introduction' title which is totally uninspiring, bit like me by the time I submitted lol. I didn't get picked up for the use of 'Introduction' so I guess it is very subject specific, mine was science based.

I do like Ricks suggestions, but would also take a peek at other theses within the department. Do remember this is your thesis and you don't have to agree with all of your sups comments. I cannot imagine an examiner failing a thesis just because the titles are not packing a punch, it is the content after all that matters. It also looks like nit-picking on your sups part for perfection rather than crucial errors in your final draft, which is a good thing!

Can't you use the content for a title e.g. instead of Lit Review "Narrative Analysis" or whatever the review is about.

======= Date Modified 20 Aug 2011 10:37:06 =======
And yet he liked the thesis title, to quote 'it's you, straightforward and exactly what your thesis is about'.

Thanks all and Rick, I genuinely liked your suggestions. His 'you're too chatty' is me trying to state my positionality. The first draft of my Introduction chapter had a sub-section 'the need for relevance' to which he commented 'great section on relevance, I like it'. The next draft he completely chopped it :-(

Really my problem is that I'm too stressed to be imaginative!

I've been thorugh the imaginative title bit, and have now reverted to the conventional. I suppose it may depend on your area to some extent, although there is nothing wrong that I can see in just stating the obvious. If you intend on getting an international audience (!) then they might not understand something less commonplace. This was brought home to me recently when I used the phrase 'anyone for tennis?' rephrased as 'anyone for science?' in something and when one of my fellow students read it through, they didn't get it at all and the point I was making was lost. :-( I thought it was quite good too!!!!

Hey Ady, it sounds like your sup is finding little things rather than having anything major to criticise. I would suggest that you need to decide what you want to go with and justify your approach, the argument that using alternative headings might confuse internationally is a good one. At some point the thesis needs to be accepted as 'at a good enough standard' to pass the award. Striving for perfection is admirable on your sups part but at the end of the day this is an unachievable goal in reality.

Please don't get stressed, take a little time out and then come back with a constructive eye and focus on what needs to be done and decide what is not necessary. Sending you a virtual gooy chocolate cake to help your inspiration (gift)

Hey Ady! What would you call the chapter if you published it as a lit review? That might be a place to start! Mine was along the lines of "The impact of X on Y: A systematic review". I suppose that's quite formal, perhaps you're looking for something a little more punchy, but I just gave my chapters the same names as they were published/submitted for publication with. Best, KB

Hi Ady

My thesis is entirely unconventionally titled and chapter titled. The title is one word! The sub title is four words.

So title looks like this - "Mating: From apes to humans" (obviously this isnt the real thing, but this is the form)

And then every chapter is themed on that one word - mating, so - I have Transformations in mating, pursuing mating, the fulcrum of mating, consensus in mating, theorisations of mating, rituals in mating, patterns in mating and the last chapter is the thesis title itself.

On the other hand I wont know if it has worked till my viva, which is in 2 weeks!

And I do not study mating!

At the moment I'm so lacking in imagination that I would probably put 'X: a literature review' if I were submitting it for publication! My lit review is essentially in two sections; the first is my philosophical orientation which is what my supv says will get me the PhD [or not!!] and the second section is the topic I am researching via my philosphical orientation so I think even the most imaginative person would struggle to find a chapter title that accommodates both!