Writing Dissertations

Robert Blake Student Learning Development Centre, CELT EFFECTIVE LEARNING PROGRAMME WRITING DISSERTATIONS

DISSERTATION WRITING: OUTLINE Introduction What is a dissertation? Planning your study: generating a research question; background reading & method Planning a research schedule Structuring your dissertation Working with your supervisor

WHAT IS A DISSERTATION : Depends on department Extended lab/field report & conclusions Extended study Analysis of case study Project work from company placement Library driven examination of problem Model testing [e.g. Acc & Fin] Metaphor of a journey

RESEARCH PROPOSALS i.e. plan for the dissertation Required by many depts. Example from Linguistics: Area of research Questions you aim to answer Rationale i.e. reasons for researching this area- contribution to understanding & practical use Your background in this area: previous knowledge & gaps Data you will collect How you will collect data and how you will analyse it Initial bibliography i.e. review of key studies * [progress report/ grant proposal-science]

GENERATING A RESEARCH QUESTION Start with expected outcome or hunches Develop research question[s] or hypothesis Research question= well specified critical question rather than description of what aspect you want to find an answer to. 2 stages: What am I interested in? What questions can I make about this topic that could lead to an investigation? Examples of RQs in psychology from Oxford http://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/babylab/research.html

GENERATING A RESEARCH QUESTION Hypothesis = A tentative proposition which is subject to verification through subsequent verification…. Guide to the researcher depicting & describing the method to be followed in studying the problem. In many cases hypotheses are the hunches that the researcher has about the existence between the variables [Verma and Bear 1981 in Bell 1993] Forms framework of study: i.e. which literature to investigate, how to select/devise methods; how you discuss results and write conclusions NB need to modify question as study develops

What data will you collect? How will you collect this data? -interviews, questionnaires, case study -lab or field work -writing code and trialling software designing a model or hardware -simulating/testing -analysis of primary sources e.g. documents [original historical, legal sources etc]; -secondary sources- library & web sources- peer reviewed? DECIDING ON RESEARCH METHODS

ANALYSING DATA How will you analyse this data? theory or framework, quantitative or qualitative quantitative e.g larger scale, number/statistically based. qualitative e.g. small scale, detailed description using software for analysis e.g. SPSS, Excel etc How much data can you deal with in time allotted?

READING: BACKGROUND THEORY OR LITERATURE REVIEW Read efficiently using SQ3R SQ3R= Survey, Question, Read, Recall, Review http://www2.ntu.ac.uk/sss/studysupport/Information/Reading/SQ3R/SQ3R.htm Read critically - see Toronto Uni http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/critrdg.html Library –database searches –see subject librarian Keep a careful record of reading & where used in your dissertation 

YOUR COMMENTS ON READING….. YOUR NOTES FROM READING BIBLIOGRAPHIC THIS PART- DETAILS. TOPIC & KEYWORDS RESEARCH QUESTION. PHD READING RECORD Date of notes/pages author title publ/place/year/ed topic keywords chap/section/rq notes comments

SCHEDULING YOUR DISSERTATION WORK Make a timetable or wall chart e.g. Gantt Chart Identify best work times and keep to a daily writing slot Split your dissertation into bite size-chunks Be realistic about daily targets Include time for input [supervisor & critical friends] & for drafts & redrafts Familiarise yourself with deadlines* & plan accordingly

3 key questions Do I have the skills & knowledge to carry out this research? What time is needed? Do I have time within my schedule? E.g. need to learn/improve knowledge of statistics Learning software: Excel SPSS, Learning new techniques & other skills SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED

MAKING A DISSERTATION TIMETABLE How many words? How much practical work & analysis? 2 ways of timetabling dissertations: Whole dissertation timetable: examples 1 & 2 Weekly timetables: example 3 Important to break down dissertation into realistic weekly tasks to make it more achievable Look at the 2 examples of dissertation timetables What level of detail would work best for you? [Examples 1 &2 are from Strathclyde University's Centre for Academic practice webs pages on Dissertation writing. See: http://www.strath.ac.uk/Departments/CAP/dissertation/frameset4.html

MAKING A DISSERTATION TIMETABLE B

MAKING A DISSERTATION TIMETABLE The next slide shows how the plan for the whole dissertation can be broken into weekly tasks. Allows you see progress at manageable level- focus on individual tasks tick off these tasks not be overwhelmed by totality know exactly where you are or should be

MAKING A WEEKLY DISSERTATION TIMETABLE B

WHAT DOES A DISSERTATION LOOK LIKE? Dissertation structure can vary significantly from dept to dept & whether it’s based on an empirical study or analysis of literature. The former are based on a scientific report structure: Introduction Methods Results Discussion Conclusions

AN OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTERS: INTRODUCTION This sets the scene, by introducing: the research area previous studies gap in research to be filled your research questions/hypotheses brief signposting of dissertation structure NB In some dissertations, the background information is in a separate chapter called Literature Review

METHODS Explains what methods you used to collect data Explains how you collected the data Not just a description as it should explain reasons for various choices made Goal of your explanation is to allow future student to repeat your study Grammar! Past tense & passive used e.g. Twenty five interviews were conducted…..

RESULTS Presents the results collected from the method[s] you used But does not analyse these results May use a series of tables and figures to present the results more effectively Talks the reader through the series of results i.e. refers to figures Figure 4.2 shows that the incidence of x rises when… Highlights key patterns NB Some writers combine the Results & Discussion headings and organise by topic

DISCUSSION Interprets the results i.e. explains what they mean Broadens from discussion of your results to how they can be compared with the results of others who’ve done similar research Refers to the previous studies you introduced earlier Discusses any problems with results Doesn’t include tables & figures, except when comparing your results with others

CONCLUSIONS A short, succinctly written summary Must addresses the research question/hypotheses presented in the introduction May include limitations of your study and suggestions for further work

OTHER BITS FRONT Title page Acknowledgements Contents List of figures* Glossary* BACK References Appendices* *if your study requires this

WORKING WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR What can my supervisor? What won’t my supervisor do? Will they approve the research proposal/research questions? Will they read with drafts of work & if so, to what extent? Will they advise on methodology & help with difficulties ~~~ NB Make agendas for supervision meetings/ Tape as a record

SOME DISSERTATION WRITING TIPS [i] Keep a research journal with you to record ideas Write a dissertation timetable: whole process & weekly Start writing early Set a daily writing slot Allow time for problems:personal & with your data collection Set plenty of editing and rewriting time Get a critical friend to read through drafts and feed them!

MORE DISSERTATION WRITING TIPS [ii] Read at a couple of past dissertations Compare their structure by tracing through the research questions from the introduction to conclusion. Start writing in the middle- methodology or background Write the introduction and abstract last, when you know what you’ve found Introduce and conclude chapters. Guide the reader through with signposting & cross referencing

Writing Dissertations

More Related Content

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to Writing Dissertations (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

Writing Dissertations

Editor's Notes