Student Learning Development

Getting to grips with your

dissertation
Student Learning Development

What is involved?
What is an individual study or dissertation?
• a structured piece of writing (usually 8,000 words +) on
a topic chosen by you (in consultation with your
supervisor)
• it identifies a key question
• it raises important, interesting and relevant issues and
questions
• it displays clear, reasoned and sustained argument and
evidence
• at some levels, an original contribution to research
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Which Route?
(1) Empirical research –
a practical research
project

(2) A literature based

study
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The Process

Plan

Research

Write
Student Learning Development

General Structure: An
Example
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Literature review/Theory
• Chapters 3/4/5: Methodology/ Findings/Discussion
• Chapter 6*: Conclusion
• References
• Appendix (if relevant)

*Numbers of chapters will vary according to your project

Student Learning Development

Preparing your individual study

will further enhance your skills
What skills will it enable you to demonstrate? The ability to:
• work independently, plan, organise and manage time
• identify a relevant research topic and define a research question
• make judgements and be selective
• think critically: evaluate reliability and validity of the information and data
• synthesise material
• communicate findings
• present a clear, coherent discussion
• express ideas by creating a reasoned argument
• relate issues to your subject area
Student Learning Development

What’s your topic?

• Motivation/enthusiasm
• Is the topic wide enough/too wide?
• Is it an interesting area of debate?
• What has already been written on this topic?
• Strategy – how will you undertake this research?
• Practical issues (feasibility, time, resources)
• Ethical issues (depending on topic)
Student Learning Development
What do you want to explore?
• clarify your interest
• formulate questions
• what do you want to find out? methodology/approach
• what is your objective?
• how will you do this?
Planning
How can you find answers to
your questions?
• survey available sources
• decide on your
• empirical/literature based?
• discuss your approach with
your supervisor
• any possible problems,
limitations or constraints?
• ethical considerations
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Identifying Sources
Primary sources – Contemporary
documents
• letters, diaries, personal
journals, speeches,
manuscripts, interviews
• newspaper or magazine
articles
• photographs, literary works,
films, plays, recordings
• data and statistics
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Secondary sources
Interpret primary sources:

• books
• academic journals
• may include radio or television
documentaries
• popular periodicals
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An overview: the research

process
• Identify appropriate research methods
• Consider how you will gain access to or collect
data
• Manage data (coding/transcribing)
• Analyse data
• Develop discussion
• Write-up results
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Empirical/Practical Research (1)

Research design or methodology
• Will vary according to subject area/choice
• Select appropriate methods/styles of research
• The method/s you choose should evolve out of
your question
• Justify your choice: why would your chosen
approach/style/s be appropriate rather than
others?
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Collecting Data:
Questionnaires, Interviews
and Focus Groups
• How will you collect data?
• Sample (size, representative, manageability)
• Approach
• Collecting data: designing questions
• Consider: data required, nature of questions, interpretation
and bias, collating material
Student Learning Development

Literature based dissertation

(2)
• Explores a topic in depth through a study of
current literature
• Is a critical review of work in the field
• Presents an original way of understanding an
issue or topic by using literature
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Relevance of sources
• Identify material and Initially read through the
resources which can research and consider:
help you to explore and • how does this source help
answer your question you explore the topic
• Be selective • what does it contribute to
• Consider what helps to current areas of discussion?
clarify issues, answers • in what ways does the
your question, adds to material differ from and is
current debates in your similar to other material?
area of interest?
Student Learning Development

Activity: Creating a working

title
• Consider your assessment of the literature
• What would you like to say about your topic?
• Try writing up to ten words which sum up your ideas
on the topic

Try using this technique with your chosen subject.

Student Learning Development

Managing your research

• Planning is vital
• Be aware of time
• Be realistic: how much time do you
have? What can you achieve in your time
frame?
• Create a realistic task calendar from now
until your completion date
• Allow time to write, for delays
• Use our dissertation time manager, in
conjunction with the weekly time planner
to organise your study time
Student Learning Development

Managing your research

• get started as soon as possible
• develop a system (e.g. notebook, card index, PC)
• maintain precise records of all material consulted
• organise your records/keep all material in one place
• back-up files
• look at other dissertations
• try to get writing as soon as possible
• check referencing
• Keep going!
Student Learning Development

Writing up: Putting your

dissertation together
• A General Format (check with your department)
• Abstract
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• List of abbreviations
• List of maps/plates/charts/tables
• Introduction
• Chapters
• Conclusion
• Reference list
• Appendices
Student Learning Development

Introduction (General)
• Identifies the purpose of your study
• sets out the aims of the study/research question

• places your topic in context

• provides justification for this study: why is this issue/topic worth exploring?
How does it add to current research?
• Overview:
• indicates what you will investigate and how you plan to investigate it
• shows how the discussion will be developed in the forthcoming chapters
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Begin with wide context

Introduction

The discussion begins to narrow

as the focus of your issue is explored

The introduction should be finalised once the main body has been
completed
Student Learning Development

As you write…
Remember that it is important to try to engage with
your reader. Try to imagine any questions your
reader might ask:

• What does this mean?

• What is the evidence for this?
• How do these ideas link?
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Chapters: The Literature Review

• A literature review should usually follow on from
the Introduction (though this may vary).
• What is the purpose of the literature review?
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Exploring the literature

The literature review provides an opportunity to gather and explore
published material on your topic. It is an up to date assessment of the range
and breadth of research on your particular topic.

The literature review

• presents an overview of significant literature on your topic
• highlights key themes, points of discussion and debate
• demonstrates that you know the field
• justifies the research project
• underpins your research
• identifies need for further research in a particular area
• places your research within the appropriate academic context
Student Learning Development

Your literature review should…

• be analytical: don’t just report what has been

written and who said what
• identify the strengths, weaknesses and significance
of research in your field
• assess the contribution of this research
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Chapters: Methodology
• Discussion of the methods you used to collect data. This
section should allow someone to replicate your study.
What did you do?

• Justification for your methodology

•why did you do it?
•is it appropriate?
•strengths/weaknesses of your approach
•discussion of any ethical issues
Student Learning Development

A literature based study:

Reviewing the material
• A critical appraisal of the evidence
• Explores the validity, reliability and accuracy of your sources. Areas to
focus on:
• Date/setting
• Audience – implications
• Perspectives/approach/justification?
• Research methods: look for different approaches to research on
your topic
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Chapters: Discussion of
your findings
• What are the implications of your findings?
• How do they support your hypothesis?
• What conclusions do they suggest?
• It may be helpful to think of your discussion as
presenting a ‘case’. Back up your ‘case’ with clear
reasoning and strong evidence
• Show how the evidence helps to support your case
• Show how your work fits into the context of other
work
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Discussion
• A synthesis of evidence discussed
• Draws your ideas together

• What themes/issues have you identified?

• Think about how your re/search approach may have impacted upon your
results/conclusions
• Summarise your argument

• Show how your evidence relates/how does it fit together

• Similarities/differences
• Quality of evidence

• Is there a need for further research?

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As you write, remember…

• it should be a clear, coherent discussion which should hold
together
• answer your question
• try to be innovative - use the literature to present an
original way of understanding the issue or topic
• it is important to try to engage with your reader. Try to
imagine any questions your reader might ask:
• what does this mean?
• what is the evidence?
• how does this develop the discussion?
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Conclusion
• Draws the threads of your discussion together
• Summarises your argument
• Relates directly to your question
• Shows why your argument is preferable to any alternatives (may point
out any problems with your argument)
• May:
• state the need for further research
• include recommendations
• Implications for policy (if relevant)
Student Learning Development

Tips
• Manage your time • Follow guidelines
• Create a calendar from now • Reference appropriately
until the completion date • Keep up to date with
• Keep a task list references
• Don’t leave writing until the • Remember that your
last minute question may develop as
• Leave plenty of time for a you progress through your
final proof-read research
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Maintaining Motivation
• Try to keep your long-term goal in mind
• Review your time management regularly – is it
working for you? Are you on target?
• Try to maintain a balance with other activities
• Reflect on your progress
• Seek guidance and feedback as soon as possible