Dissertation Basics
A C Marcelline
Academic Head – ANC-UWL PG Programs / Supervisor
The purpose of supervision
• Enable you to produce the best-quality piece of
work you are capable of. This means:
– This is your work, not your supervisor’s!
– So you have to be self-directed, and manage your
own time and resources effectively.
– Shortly after starting, you will know more about
your specialist topic than your supervisor will, so
his/her influence will become increasingly indirect.
Supervisors Commitments
• They will have 4 minimum contacts with you’ll –
you tell them what you are going to do with
them..
• Send in your work early– at least 2/3 days before
the meeting
• We will not chase you: management of your time
is up to you.
Your Commitments
• Book sessions with them - book next session each time
you’ll meet.
• If no progress no point meeting – of course pep chats
OK but not 20 minutes
• Get your meeting form signed with agreed targets
and dates (Email confirmation / e-signatures are
acceptable)
• It’s collaborative working:
– as long as the final product is your own, it makes sense for
you to work with fellow-students on both background
reading and other information-gathering, if possible.
Progress and Meetings
• Arrange a meeting with your supervisor
1st • Discussion
Week 3 • Seminar SPSS – Introduction
• Chapter 1 & 2 Within 4 weeks
• Along with your conceptual
2nd • Questionnaire Development
Week 6
• SPSS 2nd Session
• Chapter 3 completion
3rd • Data Collection strategy
Week 9
• SPSS Final Session
• Data Analysis
4th • Refining Chapter 1-3
Week 12 • Analysis & Conclusion
Dissertation :
How should it look?
A C Marcelline
Examiner – Dissertations
UWL
Chapter 1 - 10%
INTRODUCTION (approx. 10-15% of total words)
• 'The context'. Why do this study? Why now? Why
here? Why me? The aims of the study.
• Chapter one is very important and is possibly best
compiled by answering a series of questions as
follows.
– Is there a problem?
– What is it?
– Why does it need to be solved?
– What is your hypothesis (hunch)?
– Who will benefit from your investigation?
– In what sense will they benefit? Cont….
Chapter 1 – cont…
INTRODUCTION (approx. 10 - 15% of total words)
– In what sense will my contribution add to what is already
known?
– How in general terms are you going to solve the problem,
e.g., collect data, analyse data?
– By what methods? E.g., a case study approach.
• What are the constraints or limitations of the study?
Discuss with your Supervisors. You may include in chapter 1
or 5th Chapter – Work on Logic
• Include the RQ and objectives and Your Organisation of the
dissertation
• Organisation of the Study/Chapters
• A Summary of chapter 1
MARKING CRITERIA
Is there a clear introduction that discusses the topic of research and
rationale (what you are doing and why)?
Are appropriate background information has been provided including
all special terms and definitions?
Are the aim and objectives, research questions (or hypothesis) clear,
relevant and achievable (testable)?
Do aims, objectives etc go beyond mere description i.e. do they
involve explanation, comparison, criticism or evaluation?
Does the introduction indicate the content of the other chapters?
Chapter 2 - 25%
REVIEW OF LITERATURE (approx. 25% +/- of words)
• Two parts in this chapter
– Theoretical Frameworks A Combination
– Empirical Evidence
• This is a review of what is already known and of the
main themes or issues.
• It covers past research and studies and articles from
relevant journals, books, newspapers, etc.
• It is a summary of what other people have written and
published around the theme of your research. It is very
important that you acknowledge the authorship of
other people's work.
Chapter 2.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE (approx. 25% of words)
• The literature chapter can, and should be drafted very
early. As you find the literature, read it, and write
about it.
• Think of the literature review as a patchwork quilt -
made up of paragraphs you have written about
individual texts. Highlight the findings that are relevant
to your theses. Be critical of the literature - don't just
report it.
• Link – Critical evaluation
• Finally, Create a Summary which would help you in
creating your conceptual framework
MARKING CRITERIA
Has a comprehensive range of relevant academic literature, pertinent to the aim
and RQs of the dissertation or is the impression given that current relevant
academic literature on or around the problem has been included?
Are the key themes and issues surrounding the research questions clearly drawn
from the literature?
Does it attempt to compare and contrast a number of relevant concepts, models or
theories in a critical manner or is it merely descriptive?
Are these used in an effective manner?
Are the sources used up to date, where appropriate and do they have sufficient
academic weight?
Have sources been acknowledged and referenced fairly and properly?
Is the bibliography at the end of the dissertation complete and in the appropriate
version of the Harvard System?
Chapter 3.
Conceptualisation & Research Methodology
(approx. 20-25% of the words) – 25%
• Conceptual Model
– What did you derived from literature review
– The concept of your dissertation
• METHODOLOGY
– 'The framework': What I do? How I did it? Why did I do it
that way?
– Defining your population, Sample size.
– This is a description and evaluation of the methods,
techniques and procedures used in the investigation.
– It describes the scope and aims of the dissertation in some
detail. It is also very important that you justify the
methods used.
Chapter 3.
Conceptual Model & Research Methodology
(approx. 20-25% of the words) – 25%
• Introduction
• Conceptual Framework
• Variables
• Methodology
• Population
• Sample
• Data collection
• Analysis tools
• Operationalization
• Pilot test
• Conclusions
MARKING CRITERIA
Is there a clear rationale for methodology i.e. is student aware of nature and types
of research e.g. are distinctions between qualitative and quantitative, positivist
and interpretative methods addressed?
Have the alternatives been discussed and have the advantages and disadvantages
of chosen methods been evaluated? Has this understanding informed their choice
of approach?
Is the methodology described appropriate for the data required?
Is the research methodology described fully so that it could be replicated? I.e.
Are the research instruments well designed with all questions etc relevant to
research aims? Has a pilot study been evaluated?
Were research instruments approved by supervisor before implementation?
Are sampling methods described in detail in relation to sampling theory i.e. who
are the respondents; how many are there; why and how were they selected? Is
there evidence of care and accuracy in the data collection process?
Are data analysis methods discussed?
Are reliability and validity issues addressed?
Has the methodology been evaluated in retrospect with suggestions for
improvement if the research were to be undertaken again?
Chapter 4.
Data Presentation, Discussion, Analysis and Interpretation
of the Data (approx. 25-30% of the words)
• DATA PRESENTATION
– What was observed and what was
discovered/found out?
– This is a presentation of the data - not a discussion
in this section.
– It may involve the creation of tables, charts,
histograms, etc., each of which should have an
appropriate title or heading.
– Descriptive
Chapter 4.
Data Presentation, Discussion, Analysis and Interpretation
of the Data (approx. 25-30% of the words)
• DISCUSSION, ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION OF
THE DATA
– Interpretation of findings. What patterns have
emerged?
– The difference between your findings and those of
other people. The difference between the views of
various other authors.
– How do the main points you are making change
the way you think about the topic?
MARKING CRITERIA
Is the data presented relevant to aims and objectives?
Does any statistical presentation make the most of the data collected?
Is any qualitative data categorised and presented systematically?
Are the findings presented clearly and interestingly for the reader to follow? i.e. is
diagrammatic representation of data e.g. tables, charts etc embedded in the text?
Are the appendices used appropriately for bulky and/or less interesting/essential
data?
FOR QUESTIONNAIRES Do the appendices contain a data summary sheet, a summary
questionnaire and details of statistical analysis undertaken?
FOR INTERVIEWS Do the appendices contain data collected and analysed such as
interview transcripts?
FOR OBSERVATIONS Do the appendices contain back up data on observations carried
out?
Is the most relevant data clearly summarised, discussed and evaluated?
Have patterns in the data been identified and/or key variables compared and
relationships highlighted?
Are all statements discussed in context and supported by the data?
Have the findings of the primary research been compared and contrasted with findings,
theories, models or concepts derived from the literature review? Is the synthesis
effective?
Chapter 5
Summary and Recommendations
(Approx 10-15%)
• Summary of main findings as a series of
statements.
• Conclusions and directions for further
research.
• Recommendations
– Must be from your findings and conclusions (not
what was or is in your mind)
Chapter 5
MARKING CRITERIA
Do the conclusions follow on from the findings? Are the
conclusions well- grounded in the evidence and arguments
presented?
Have the aim, objectives and research questions been clearly
reviewed and addressed?
Are the conclusions discussed in context and are they applicable
to a wider scenario?
For work based dissertation are recommendations given and are
they consistent with the findings and conclusion?
Balance 5 Marks
MARKING CRITERIA
Is the overall style and presentation in accordance with that specified in the MSG?
Standard title page
Length 13500 – 16000 words
Word count given
White A4 paper
Hard binder
Correct pagination
Correct margins
Double spacing for text
Single spacing for indented quotes and references
Chapter and section headings
Tables and figures numbered correctly
Appropriate font/bolding and italics
Is the abstract a concise (1 page) summary of the aim, methodology and
findings/conclusion?
Is the contents page clear, concise and logically numbered?
Are appendices, tables and figures listed and appropriately referred to?
Has the dissertation been spell and grammar checked?
Does the dissertation have an overall coherence?
Finally
• Finally, after the last Chapter, you should
include
– Bibliography.
– Appendices
Additional Support
• Week 3 help with Questionnaire Formation
• Week 6 help with the SPSS
– Data
– Validity
– Reliability
• Week 9/10 help with SPSS
– The Analysis
– Tests etc..
Week Date Activities Responsible
Week 1 24th May 2021 Attend Orientation Sessions Students / ANC
Send Proposals to Supervisors Students
Week 2 31st May 2021 First meeting Completed Students / Supervisors
Topic Agreed Students / Supervisors
Working on Chapter 1 & 2 Students
Week 3 7th June021 Completed Chapter 1 Students
Working on Chapter 2 Students
SPSS Sessions Introductions ANC
Week 4 14th June 2021 Working on Chapter 2 Students
Week 5 21st June 2021 Completed chapter 2 Students
2nd Meeting with Supervisor Students / Supervisors
Feedback on work Students / Supervisors
Week 6 28th June 2021 Refine Chapter 1 & 2 Students
Work on Chapter 3 Students
SPSS Sessions for data Analysis ANC
Week 7 5th July 2021 3rd Meeting with Supervisor Students / Supervisors
Agreement on Questionnaire/conceptual frame work Students / Supervisors
Week 8 12th July 2021 Data Collection Students
Working on Chapter 3 Students
Refine Chapter 1 & 2 Students
Week 9 19th July 2021 Data Collection Students
Working on Chapter 3 Students
Refine Chapter 1 & 2 Students
SPSS Sessions for data Analysis ANC
Week 10 26th July 2021 Working on Chapter 4 Students
Week 11 2nd August 2021 4th Meeting with Supervisor Students / Supervisors
Chapter 4 Completion Students
Working on Chapter 5 Students
Week 12 9th August 2021 Chapter 5 Completion Students
15th August 2021 Submission Students
