The state of the art is a crucial part of any dissertation. It is in fact an overview of knowledge around a given subject. It is the part of the dissertation reserved for the theoretical aspect in which the student presents theories and concepts around the study theme. Also known as a literature review in scientific fields, the state of the art is essential in carrying out the project. In English, we speak of “state of the art“.
Its realisation requires meticulous and well-in-depth research. It is not a question of working on all the works in your field of study, no! On the contrary, it is a question of identifying the relevant documents that deal directly or indirectly with the problem addressed in the work. In other words, to produce a good state of the art, it is important to label the subject well, and then to find a relevant and interesting problem.
Several types of documents can be used to enrich this part. However, we recommend that you sort carefully and select only reliable sources. Among others, you can work with books, scientific articles and even old works related to your theme.
Where to place the state of the art in a dissertation?
In general, the structure of the dissertation writing differs slightly depending on the university establishment. Therefore, we encourage you to contact the administration, in order to obtain the writing framework in force in your faculty. Above all, make sure to respect this structure at all levels.
Note, however, that this part is generally located at the beginning of the thesis, just after the introduction . Remember that this is a preparatory step for the study, and therefore it is necessary to present it well before getting to the heart of the subject.
How big is the state of the art?
Just like the positioning of the state of the art in the structure of the thesis, the size of this part should in principle be defined by the administrative managers of the institution. In general, the volume of this part depends on the overall volume of the work.
Some are written on 60 pages, others on 80 pages or more. So take the time to find out. But given its importance in the document, this part generally takes up between 5 and 10 pages.
Importance and challenges of the state of the art in a dissertation
The state of the art is an integral part of the thesis in more than one way. Its success is essential for the rest of the work. Among other things, succeeding in this part is important because it allows you to:
- Place the subject in its context : The state of the art allows us to understand the framework in which the research is carried out. This allows the reader in particular to understand the issues of the study.
- Identify gaps in existing literature : The study of works already produced makes it possible to identify the limits or even the areas which have been little or not studied.
- Developing a strong argument : Drawing on the research conducted by predecessors makes it easier to develop convincing arguments, particularly in the empirical part of the dissertation .
- Avoid plagiarism : By correctly citing the various sources used in your study, you protect yourself from an accusation of plagiarism.
As you can see, carrying out a scientific state of the art is extremely important for any research work. So, take this part seriously!
State of the art of the dissertation: how to write it?
Once you understand the importance of the state of the art in a dissertation, it is necessary to organise it well. A complete writing of the literature review goes through 4 important steps.
Step 1: Definition of keywords and formulation of the problem
After choosing the topic of the dissertation, it is necessary to reformulate it and then identify and define the main keywords. Indeed, this will allow you to understand exactly in which sphere of the field of study you are.
Once the keywords have been defined, the next step is to formulate the problem . To do this, you will need to identify the central problem posed by the subject. The problem starts with an initial question that then allows you to delimit the subject from a particular angle. It is very important to formulate it from the start, because this will give you an idea of the themes on which the bibliographic research will have to be carried out.
Step 2: Bibliographic research
This is the stage during which the search for documents to be used in the state of the art is carried out. Given that the problem of the Cover Page of a thesis has already been well formulated, we recommend that you carry out research starting from the heart of the study. This involves concretely carrying out bibliographic research by considering the key terms related to the study.
There are several solutions for this, one of the most effective of which is Google Scholar . It is a Google search engine dedicated specifically to education. By entering keywords, it will offer you many documents. Read the titles of the books and articles that are offered to you carefully, in order to identify those that are most relevant to your study. If in doubt, consult the table of contents . It is essential to do a thorough search, in order to select only relevant works.
Apart from these digital documents, you can consult physical books, old works that have a direct or indirect link with your subject. For a dissertation, it is recommended to work with at least ten works.
Step 3: Synthesis and critique
After identifying and selecting the relevant works for your study, you need to make a synthesis and a critical analysis. Keep in mind that the literature review is not a listing of the documents used in the dissertation. On the contrary, it is about making an organised presentation of the documents used. And for this, there are three approaches: a thematic approach, a methodological approach and a chronological approach.
Thematic approach
As for the thematic approach, it is a question of presenting the major themes that emerge from your bibliographic analysis. Certainly, the problem formulated at the beginning brought into play two or three different themes related to the subject. It is therefore a question of presenting each theme by going from the general to the specific. In presenting these different themes, it is important to clearly highlight the points of convergence and divergence between the works studied.
Methodological approach
In addition to the thematic method, it is also possible to make a bibliographic synthesis by presenting the main schools of thought in relation to the main subject. What are the methods used by these schools of thought? How do they approach the problem studied? Here, the state of the art should present the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of each school of thought. If you opt for this approach, it is essential to master the different schools.
Chronological approach
The last approach, and not the least, is to make a chronological presentation. This consists of presenting theories and concepts from the oldest to the most recent. This approach allows us to understand how a concept or phenomenon has evolved over the years.
After completing this bibliographic synthesis, it is necessary to make a small critical analysis and to say in what way the available methods and documentations do not allow to answer your problem. This will therefore pave the way for the empirical part of the thesis.
Step 4: Conclusion
The state of the art ends with a conclusion in which you must briefly summarise the main points that have been addressed. If you have opted for a thematic, methodological or chronological presentation, try to highlight this by concluding the literature review. But the most important thing is to show that the state of the art does not really allow you to answer the problem posed. By doing so, you demonstrate the relevance of the field study that you are going to conduct.
State of the art template for the dissertation or internship report
As we have just seen, the state of the art of a Research and Development (R&D) thesis follows a very specific structure and plan. We therefore recommend that you respect it carefully. Please make sure to receive the instructions from your institution and more specifically from your faculty.
The same applies to an internship report or a doctoral thesis. Below, you will find a diagram showing the model that a good literature review should have.
Useful tips
The state of the art is an essential part of any dissertation. It is essential to document your project well in order to show the jury members that you have a good command of the subject covered. So, if you do not know how to do the state of the art of a thesis or a final year project, here are some practical tips:
Choosing the right dissertation topic
The literature review is closely linked to the theme of the thesis. Therefore, we recommend that you work on a relevant and current topic. In addition, it is important to consider the availability of documentary resources when choosing the topic. Some themes are very little developed or have little scientific documentation. Consider these parameters when choosing your theme.
Define clear research objectives
What do you want to demonstrate through your study, what objectives do you want to achieve? These are questions that you will need to answer before starting the actual writing of the state of the art. This will allow you to easily identify the works and authors who can help you.
Select bibliographic sources carefully
There are many bibliographic sources on the Internet. Unfortunately, not all of them are reliable, and even when they are, they are sometimes obsolete data. Therefore, you will need to ensure the reliability of your sources, but also check whether they are recent and up-to-date.
Organise the structure well
After having used the various documents, make a good summary and structure this part in such a way as to present its content well. There is a thematic approach, a methodological approach and a chronological approach.
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