THESIS WRITING IN ENGLISH

CURSOS PER AL PDI

PW#1: WRITING YOUR TITLE, WORKING RESEARCH QUESTION AND

HYPOTHESIS

1. Choose 5 options from the list in the exercise “Twenty titles for the writer.” Try them
out on a title you have already written or will write for your thesis.

(i) Write a sentence that’s not in the draft to use as a title

Efficiency in Tax administration: An evidence from cross-country study.

(ii) Write a title that is a question beginning How or Why

How efficient is Tax administration across countries?

(iii) Write a title beginning with an –ing verb

Estimating the performance of Tax agencies: A cross-country approach

(iv) Write a title beginning with On

On investigating the determinants of Tax administration efficiency

(v) Write a 5-word title

Tax agency efficiency across countries

2018/Dr Cristina Pividori—Adapted from “Developing your Research Project”

(University of Southampton) https://www.futurelearn.com/
 THESIS WRITING IN ENGLISH
CURSOS PER AL PDI
2. After having watched the animation, use the blank version of the template below and
have a go at filling it in. Whether you are narrowing down or broadening your focus
you should fill in all the sections.

1. Subject
2. Theme
3. Context
4. Topic
5. Research questions
6. Working research question
7. Working Hypothesis

Subject
Taxation

Theme
Tax administration

Context
Tax agencies across countries

Topic
Efficiency in Tax
administration across
countries
 How efficient are Tax agencies  Does it exist the relationship
across countries? between the Tax administration
Research performance and the likelihood of
 What are the determinants of the questions income inequality?
performance of Tax administration
among countries in terms of macro  Can effective Tax administration
institutional factors? help lower Tax evasion?

Working Research Question

To what extent does the performance of Tax administration entities vary across countries
during 2007-2011 and 2012-2015 periods?

Working Hypothesis
Type in your working hypothesis here (it should summarise your answer to the working
research question)
Based on the findings, it is suggested that Tax administration in OECD countries are
more efficient compared to those in non-OECD countries, especially during 2012-2015
period. And institutional quality and inflation are regarded as significant factors
dedicating to this efficiency with positive association. Moreover, it is found the negative
correlation between Tax administration performance and level of income inequality as
well as Tax evasion.

2018/Dr Cristina Pividori—Adapted from “Developing your Research Project”

(University of Southampton) https://www.futurelearn.com/