Abstract This paper examines the emergence of the doctoral thesis as a research genre and traces the development of the thesis macrostructure or thesis types over time. We do this by examining the first doctorates that were awarded in English-medium universities and comparing them with doctorates that have been awarded more recently at the same universities. The data on which the study is based is a set of 100 PhDs. The study found there was change in Science-based doctorates where some of the early PhDs were written in ways that were less recognisable compared with how they are written today. There was continuity, however, in Humanities doctorates in that both the early and recent theses were all topic-based in a way that continues through to today. There was, in addition, a preference for particular thesis types at some of the institutions in particular areas of study. The findings contribute to our understanding of research genres and have implications for how we teach thesis and dissertation writing in different areas of study as well as what we advise students are appropriate choices to make as they are writing their theses and dissertations. The study is also of relevance to people working in the area of higher education more broadly and especially those with an interest in doctoral writing.

中文翻译：

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论文写作的变化与延续：学术流派的演变

摘要 本文考察了博士论文作为一种研究类型的出现，并追溯了论文宏观结构或论文类型随时间的发展。我们通过检查在英语中等大学授予的首批博士学位，并将它们与最近在同一所大学授予的博士学位进行比较来做到这一点。该研究所依据的数据是一组 100 名博士。该研究发现，以科学为基础的博士学位发生了变化，与今天的写作方式相比，一些早期博士学位的写作方式不太容易识别。然而，人文博士学位的连续性，因为早期和最近的论文都以主题为基础，一直延续到今天。此外，还有 在某些机构的特定研究领域偏爱特定的论文类型。这些调查结果有助于我们对研究类型的理解，并对我们如何教学和论文写作的影响以及我们建议学生是合适的选择，因为他们正在写作他们的论文和论文。该研究还与更广泛地在高等教育领域工作的人有关，尤其是对博士写作感兴趣的人。