what is library based dissertation

Dissertations & projects: Literature-based projects

Research questions
The process of reviewing
Project management
Literature-based projects

On these pages:

“As a general rule, the introduction is usually around 5 to 10 per cent of the word limit; each chapter around 15 to 25 per cent; and the conclusion around 5 per cent.” Bryan Greetham, How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation

This page gives guidance on the structure of a literature-based project. That is, a project where the data is found in existing literature rather than found through primary research. They may also include information from primary sources such as original documents or other sources.

How to structure a literature-based project

The structure of a literature-based dissertation is usually thematic, but make sure to check with your supervisor to make sure you are abiding by your department’s project specifications. A typical literature-based dissertation will be broken up into the following sections:

Abstract or summary

Acknowledgments, contents page, introduction, themed chapters.

Bibliography/Reference list

Use this basic structure as your document plan . Remember that you do not need to write it in the order it will finally be written in.

For more advice on managing the order of your project, see our section on Project Management.

If you use the template provided on our Formatting page, you will see that it already has a title page included. You just need to fill in the appropriate boxes by typing or choosing from the drop-down-lists. The information you need to provide is:

Type of assignment (thesis, dissertation or independent project)
Partial or full fulfilment information
Subject area
Your name (and previous qualifications if applicable)
Month and year of submission

This may not always be required - check with your tutor.

It is independent of the rest of the report - it is a mini-report, which needs to make sense completely on its own.
References should not be included.
Nothing should appear in the abstract that is not in the rest of the report.
Usually between 200-300 words.
Write as a single paragraph.

It is recommended that you write your abstract after your report.

Contents page with list of headings and page numbers

If you choose not to use the template, then you will need to go through the document after it is written and create a list showing which heading is on which page of your document.

Purpose: To thank those who were directly involved in your work .

Do not confuse the acknowledgements section with a dedication - this is not where you thank your friends and relatives unless they have helped you with your manuscript.
Acknowledgments are about courtesy, where you thank those who were directly involved in your work, or were involved in supporting your work (technicians, tutors, other students, financial support etc).
This section tends to be very brief , a few lines at the most. Identify those who provided you with the most support, and thank them appropriately.
At the very least, make sure you acknowledge your supervisor!!

Purpose: To state the research problem and give a brief introduction to the background literature, provide justification for your research questions and explain your methodology and main findings.

Explain what the problem you will be addressing is, what your research questions are, and why they will help address the issue.
Explain (and justify) your methodology - where you searched, what your keywords were, what your inclusion and exclusion criteria were,
Define the scope of the dissertation, explaining any limitations.
Lay out the structure of the dissertation, taking the reader through each section and providing any key definitions.
Very briefly describe what your main findings are - but leave the detail for the sections below.

It is good practice to come back to the introduction after you have finished writing up the rest of the document to ensure it sets the appropriately scene for subsequent sections.

Should you have a separate literature review chapter?

Not usually , as your project is basically a big literature review, it isn't necessary to have a separate chapter. You would normally introduce background literature in your introduction instead.

However, if your supervisor suggests a separate chapter then it could go at this point, after the main introduction (which would then not include background literature).

For more advice on writing a literature review see the Literature Review pages on this guide.

Purpose: To present the themes you have identified in your research and explain how they contribute to answering your research questions

You will typically have 3-5 themed chapters. Each one should contain:

An introduction to the theme - what things it means and what it incorporates.
How the theme was addressed within the literature - this should be analytical not just descriptive.
A conclusion which shows how the theme relates to the research question(s).

Ensuring your themed chapters flow

Choosing the order of your theme chapters is an important part of the structure to your project. For example, if you study History and your project covers a topic that develops over a large time period, it may be best to order each chapter chronologically. Other subjects may have a natural narrative running through the themes. Think about how your reader will be able to follow along with your overall argument.

Although each chapter must be dedicated to a particular theme, it must link back to previous chapters and flow into the following chapter. You need to ensure they do not seem like they are unrelated to each other. There will be overlaps, mention these.

Some literature-based projects will focus on primary sources. If yours does, make sure primary sources are at the core of your paragraphs and chapters, and use secondary sources to expand and explore the theme further.

Purpose: To present the conclusion that you have reached as a result of both the background literature review and the analysis in your thematic chapters

A conclusion summarises all the points you have previously made and it should not include any evidence or topics you have not included in your introduction or themed chapters. There should be no surprises.

It should be about 5-10% of your word limit so make sure you leave enough words to do it justice. There will be marks in the marking scheme specifically allocated to the strength of your conclusion which cannot be made up elsewhere.

Some conclusions will also include recommendations for practice or ideas for further research. Check with your supervisor to see if they are expecting either or both of these.

Reference list

It is good practice to develop a reference list whilst writing the project, rather than leaving it until the end. This prevents a lot of searching around trying to remember where you accessed a particular source. If using primary sources, it also allows you to monitor the balance between primary and secondary sources included in the project. There is software available to help manage your references and the university officially supports RefWorks and EndNote.

For more advice on reference management, see our Skills Guide: Referencing Software

Transcriptions
Correspondence
Ethical approval forms

If you have information that you would like to include but are finding it disrupts the main body of text as its too cumbersome, or would distract from the main arguments of your dissertation, the information can be included in the appendix section. Each appendix should be focused on one item.

Appendices should not include any information that is key to your topic or overall argument.

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How to Write a Library-Based Dissertation?

Author : Jacob

Dissertation

This is only a thin line of difference between a library-based dissertation and an empirical study. To understand the difference between the two, one must delve deep into the meaning and scope of the two forms of dissertations. Whereas an empirical study is founded on the distinctive characteristics of a subject matter, a library-based dissertation is a piece of academic research that views a particular discipline or subdiscipline under scrutiny. This form of the dissertation does not rely as much on gathering and collating primary data directly through observation or measurement. Rather, the focus is on putting together a well-reasoned critique from the analysis of the discipline.

Library research requires performing a meticulous and stepwise procedure to gather and collate information to write an informative and elucidate paper. Library research can also be used to create a presentation or to conclude a project. They define, evaluate, and elaborate information collated through a study of the primary sources. Library research also includes repackaging the information derived from secondary sources to make it more accessible and comprehensive.

There are ways in which a library-based dissertation can be differentiated from other forms of academic work. A library dissertation must be considered a type of scholarly work in which existing work performed by others is meticulously scrutinized. Here the emphasis is on studying the available sources and the existing work on a particular discipline rather than gathering new primary data through a novel or fresh research. here the information or knowledge derived from the sources is sourced through direct evaluation or measurement. The data which becomes the subject matter of study and evaluation in a library-based dissertation is the past work of other scholars. The importance of the existing research findings on any subject cannot be ignored. It can form the basis for an objective study into the merits and demerits of the discipline. This is especially true in case you want to conduct a detailed study of an area. A library-based research also lets you study the intricate elements of a subject to further your professional concerns.

A dissertation writing services usually also includes with its gambit a detailed description of the work which has been carried out in a particular domain or field. This is done with the purpose of explaining and consolidating the existing research findings to understand the research gaps that must be filled with the help of novel research. A library dissertation is focused more on defining the scope of the research rather than the research itself. It is distinguished for academic work popularly assigned to students studying advanced degrees in some of the most eminent universities around the world.

The distinguishing features of a library dissertation

Here are some of the most distinguished features of a library dissertation that make it different from the other forms of academic work.

A library dissertation is centred around describing the scope of the past work to identify the gaps in the research and the areas of the subject that have not been explored as much as the others. A Library-based dissertation should always include all the important questions of research that can make a material difference to the outcome of the study. After carrying out a balanced study on the subject, the existing work on a subject is then placed under the scrutinizing eye of traditional research methods. In a library-based dissertation, the researcher can also make judgments about the efficacy and validity of the research findings and outcomes in the realm of your professional practice.

What are the important steps in conducting a Library-Based Study?

In library-based research, it is important to begin by identifying the research topic and the overall scope of the project.
In library-based research, it is important to define the title of the research and create your questionnaire. Just like all types of scholarly work, even in library-based dissertations, it is important to have a clear set of questions that you seek answers for. This will form the foundation of your research paper.
It is important to provide a manifest discussion of the key concepts which are being evaluated as a part of the study. For this purpose, it is important to carry out an extensive perusal of the topic assigned to you.
You can also formulate a research proposal within the expanse of the research project. This could take a lot of time depending upon the exact subject matter of the research.
A library-based dissertation also carries out a comprehensive review of the available research evidence. This shall include within its scope creating sets of criteria that will be used to assess the reviewed materials. It also includes an elucidate literature review of all the required books, articles and journals that are relevant to the purpose of the study. This may include but is not limited to statutory reports, business research, newspaper posts, etc.
Draw a logical conclusion. In a library-based dissertation, it is extremely important to provide an overall evaluation of the statistical research as well as the other forms of analysis of the available evidence.
You can also elucidate further on how the literature survey responds to the questions that you wish to explore with your research. The conclusion can also be a relative analysis of the pros and cons of the case.
Make suggestions for additional investigative studies, or highlight the implications for preparation.

How Should a Scholar do the Research for a Library-Based Study?

Research should be able to add supplementary material to the information which is being examined, such as presenting a review of the weight of data for and corresponding to a circumstantial position or approach, distinguishing fundamental gaps in information, or presenting a unique outlook to view an issue. A library-based research can present an exceptional chance to recognize how experimentation is done in a variety of circumstances.

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Advantages of a library based dissertation proposal

Methodologies1

Introduction.

How you approach your question have a very profound effect upon how you make your dissertation, which section discusses the types of research you may undertake for your dissertation. Using literature and situation studies is called along with the merits of primary research are debated and advice is supplied regarding how to use existing research data. You do not want to consider statistics, nonetheless the possibility relevance in the quantitative approach is extremely suggested together with, the thought of qualitative analysis and performing your own personal research may yield valuable data. The options utilizing quantitative and qualitative data can also be discussed.

What approach can one take – qualitative or quantitative? This movie contains comments inside the following academics:

Dr Iain Garner – Psychology
Alan McGauley – Social Policy
Shawna McCoy – Criminology
Kevin Bonnett – Sociology

What approach can one take – qualitative or quantitative?

Advantages of a library based dissertation proposal detailed comparison of theories

Qualitative facts are particularly helpful when you want to discover why people be a part of such conduct. Consider the research Methods modules you require now. Think about the different types of studies you’ve read for other modules. There are lots of scope to make use of the approaches and techniques that you’re preferred with. You have to justify your approach and techniques and to cite appropriate literature that will assist you do that.

You’ll most likely require to use large datasets and undertake quantitative data analysis, and you’ll be adopting a realist method of the subject studied. Quantitative dissertations may be closer to the lower finish of all of the different approved lengths for the dissertation (e.g. when the length will probably be 5,000-8,000 words, dissertations according to quantitative analysis may be nearer to 5,000 words extended). They’ve got tables and figures giving your important findings. Keep in mind that tables needs to be carefully entitled and labelled which then causes of important data needs to be acknowledged.

Advantages of a library based dissertation proposal Exactly what does the study

Qualitative dissertations includes descriptive material, usually extracts from interviews, conversations, documents or field notes, and they are therefore prone to finish up closer to the top of limit in the word range (e.g. 8,000 words). The types of method appropriate for just about any dissertation could include content analysis, somewhat scale ethnographic study, small-scale in-depth qualitative interviewing.

Your best philosophical approach (realist, phenomenologist or constructionist).
Your abilities and skills with means of data collection (if needed) and analysis.
The subject or issue you are searching at.
The way you frame pursuit question.

There are many ways that qualitative and quantitative data and analysis may be combined. Listed here are two examples.

You might be thinking about doing an analysis that’s mainly quantitative, searching at social trends, or policy implications. You should also introduce a ‘human touch’ by performing numerous interviews asking what these trends mean to folks or how particular individuals experience occasions. After doing quantitative analysis, you need to give a chapter or section across the qualitative data you’ve collected. In your discussion of findings you should utilize the qualitative data that will assist you be aware of patterns within the quantitative analysis.
You might be thinking about doing an evaluative situation study on the procedure or policy. You’ll have a particular focus – a ‘case’ that you’re searching at. You’ll triangulate methods – i.e. collect data in lots of different ways, plus a handful of of individuals data might be quantitative. You’ll analyse all sorts of understanding and describe this, then write attorney that shows how each research session leads to the general picture of what is happening.

Your supervisor or research methods tutor might provide you with detailed types of these or any other strategies to combine methods.

Can my dissertation be entirely literature-based?

Yes. If you decide to perform mainly theoretical dissertation, it’s almost to dissertation will most likely be entirely literature-based. This could probably function as methodology of theoretical analysis: selection and discussion of theoretical material and descriptive material, in context, and detailed comparison of theories with their applicability. You may ask how helpful certain concepts or theories work for understanding particular patterns of conduct. How helpful is the idea of institutional racism? Is objectivity on tv possible? How helpful is subcultural theory for understanding virtual communities? Here, the main focus of attention is less to uncover something regarding the social world, for instance virtual communities, regarding get a judgement about the requirement of key concepts or theories to understand that world. The way a study is contacted and exactly how contrasting approaches are attracted upon ought to be stated clearly. A library-based or theoretical study isn’t necessarily ‘easier’ than an empirical study, indeed, this can be harder. Keep in mind that theoretical studies, like data-based studies, must have their research design typed from the beginning. But even when your dissertation is much more empirically focused, it might be entirely literature-based. You are able to conduct review of a location at the office. How much does the study literature in this particular subject reveal about x? While all dissertations have a very literature review, you can create a dissertation that’s entirely with assorted review of the literature. Should you this, you have to measure the literature from an explicit position and identify some styles to actually result in the review distinctive. You may, for instance, explore empirical debates in your selected field across different countries or intervals.

What’s situation study research?

Although it’s possible for dissertations to obtain entirely literature-based, the commonest type of dissertation takes the type of a predicament study. Here the main focus of attention is about the specific community, organisation or quantity of documents. The attraction of this kind of dissertation can it be arises from empirical curiosity but is concurrently practical. You might be thinking about a broader question however a predicament study allows you to concentrate on a particular example. A considerable challenge in situation study dissertations is connecting your own personal primary research or re-analysis while using the broader theoretical styles and empirical concerns within the existing literature.

What’s an empirical study?

Most dissertations demand either primary or secondary research. Essentially, you ordinarily have to analyse data you’ve either collected yourself or data that’s already available. The real reason for this is actually the questions dissertations usually address make following form: Is x happening? Is x altering? Why x happening? Why x altering? These questions demand primary or secondary analysis of understanding. Situation Study 9Be careful whenever you undertake empirical research: a student’s view

What’s secondary analysis?

Secondary analysis takes place when you analyse data that was collected by another investigator. It enables the investigator for more information on areas of interest without coping with undergo the operation of collecting data themselves within the field. The issue with using fieldwork methods in a undergraduate dissertation, however, is they are pricey in relation to time (that’s relatively scarce in your final year!) and perhaps your own personal financial sources too. You may decide, therefore, to test secondary research, analysing existing data.

Are you going to i have found existing research data?

There are a number of documents that already contain research data you can analyse. You might, for instance, be considering exploring whether gender stereotypes on tv are altering. This may entail content analysis of newspapers, magazines, video or any other media over different intervals. Here you wouldn’t be acquiring your private data but rather may be analysing existing documents.

If you’re interested, for instance, in performing historic research, you might like to visit archives. Government reports and autobiographies doubles as data. Other documents include official statistics, datasets (record data), and banks of interview transcripts that are freely open to the educational community. More and more more, documents, databases and archives are readily accessible online. Research Methods tutors within your course can suggest the supply and ease of individuals data sets. There are lots of benefits of doing secondary analysis, particularly in the event you execute a quantitative study. You may use bigger datasets than you might have collected yourself. Her next advantages:

They allow you to discuss trends and social changes.
The information are frequently collected utilizing a random sample, which enables you to definitely certainly generalise for that population in your thoughts.
They might also allow you to make comparisons after a while, as some datasets are products of longitudinal studies. Types of large datasets would be the British Crime Survey, along with the Youth Cohort Study. Smaller sized sized sized, more targeted datasets can also be available.
Secondary analysis has disadvantages also: the information were collected for almost any purpose completely different from yours.
Are trying to find out something concerning this purpose, combined with means of collection, to be able to justify your use of another dataset.

Collecting you’ve data – primary research

Quantitative data might also originate from non-participant observations or any other measurements (e.g. in a experimental design). Also, sometimes data which are collected through qualitative processes (participant observation, interviews) are coded and quantified. Pursuit methods tutor supply you with many of these kinds of data, but right here are a handful of common quantitative data collection methods additionally for their definitions:

Numerous questions the respondent solutions by themselves. Self-completion questionnaires are perfect for collecting data on easy topics, as well as for gaining an over-all overview of a problem. Questionnaires must have apparent questions, an clear to see design, instead of being too extended.

Much like a self-completion questionnaire, apart from the questions which are requested by an interviewer for that interviewee. Exactly the same questions are read out very similar to everyone respondents. There’ll typically certainly be a fixed selection of solutions for the respondents.

Sightseeing and recording systematically their conduct. Before the observation, an observation schedule will most likely be created which details exactly what the investigator will want to look for and exactly how individuals observations must be recorded.

If you’re performing a qualitative analysis you will probably wish to use no under some original material. This really is frequently collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation tracks and fieldnotes, non-participant observation, or some mixture of these. Listed below are some data collection methods that you would like for that dissertation:

An approach to contacting them which will help the interviewee to possess additional control within the interview. A job interview might be semi-structured, which utilizes the job interview schedule to help keep control button within the interview, but in addition enables for several versatility based on the interviewee’s responses. A job interview might be unstructured, here the goal is to check out the interviewee’s feelings regarding the issue being explored and elegance for questioning is extremely informal. Or possibly the job interview generally is a existence history in which the interviewer tries to find out more concerning the whole existence, or part of the person’s existence.

A kind of interviewing and you will uncover several participants there’s an emphasis within the questioning round the tightly defined subject the accent is on interaction inside the group along with the joint construction of meaning. The moderator attempts to provide you with a comparatively free rein for that discussion.

This requires studying individuals natural settings. The investigator participates directly within the setting and collects data within the systematic manner. The investigator will observe conduct, concentrate on conversations, and acquire questions.

Spend time searching at general books about research – they provides you with presenting the information collection methods available and help you get the best option for almost any project. Bryman (2004) is really a helpful beginning point. For virtually any research session you conduct, be it empirically based (quantitative or qualitative) or library based, its methods needs to be justified. You have to show within the final dissertation the way you have provided shown to other ways, and the way you obtain selected and eliminated these.

STUDENT VOICE: Findings from your research

Within our study, supervisors saw a part of their role as somebody who draws out students’ causes of choosing the specific research approach. Frequently noisy . supervision conferences they ask students to warrant their causes of choosing the library-based or even an empirical study. (Todd, Cruz and Bannister 2006, p167).

Your supervisor will require certainly offer convincing main reasons why you’ve selected the approach you’ve – consider getting ready!

If you’re getting difficulty making that choice, don’t hesitate to check out your supervisor for advice. It absolutely was particularly helpful for that respondents:

It has been a great experience personally it is so completely different from other pursuits. Along with other essays you can hurry them if you wish to. this can be really much work, you cannot hurry it. It takes more. (Todd, Bannister and Clegg, 2004, p340)

….My causes of data collection is literature based as my research question involved sensitive subjects which may have been unacceptable for primary data collection. (Level 6 students at Sheffield Hallam College)

I made the decision primary data since it would enable me to produce skills that may be helpful for postgraduate study. (Level 6 students at Sheffield Hallam College)

It’ll involve primary data, secondary data, quantitative and qualitative research methods, lit reviews, theory and policy studies along with an search for alternatives. My dissertation depends upon the aid of ‘poverty’, as poverty may be the experience. Theories and plans aren’t. However, to complete justice for that subject, theories and policies will most likely be incorporated so Iam able to demonstrate where failures within the system may exist. (Level 6 students at Sheffield Hallam College)

Note: Research needs to be conducted within the sensible and ethical manner data needs to be analysed and presented within the rational manner. It is essential that students don’t expose themselves varieties to dangers or risks when performing research. Students require approval in the dissertation supervisor prior to starting any kind of fieldwork (understand the section on Research Ethics for more information).

Will my research be inductive or deductive?

Generally, deductive studies theory-testing and inductive studies theory-generating. Frequently people link deductive research with quantitative experiments or surveys, and inductive research with qualitative interviews or ethnographic work. These links aren’t solid – for example, experimental research, made to test a specific theory through creating a hypothesis and creating an experimental design, may use quantitative or qualitative data or maybe a mixture. In situation your pursuit begins with a theory that is driven by ideas that you’re testing (e.g. that social class background social deprivation or privilege will likely affect educational attainment), it’s, generally, deductive. However much research combines deductive and inductive elements.

What’s all of this about research design?

Research design is essential to performing an excellent bit of content. In the start of the pursuit you have to set lower clearly:

Pursuit focus and research question .
means of data collection
means of data analysis
The groups and sources you’ll need.
The best way to access these sources (whether people, existing datasets, biographical accounts, media articles or websites, official records).
The suggested connection between these studies (in your situation, a dissertation) along with the form it should take.
Some time-frame for people this.

Both you and your supervisor will talk about your design and choose once the studies ‘do-able’. Your college may require create a report (e.g. an ‘interim framework report’ or maybe a brief ‘research proposal’) that specifies pursuit design. Others might need to consider the look to discover whether you will find ethical problems that affect pursuit.

Quantitative or qualitative? A quantitative approach means you’ll need substantial datasets, combined with inclusion of tables and statistics in your final submission. This info could derive from numerous sources – ensure to know them! A qualitative approach will probably mean performing interviews or focus groups or observing conduct. Determine that you’re to achieve this, and consider the best way of having the solutions you require from people. Are you going to stop people all the time? Are you going to conduct telephone interviews? Are you going to send survey forms and hope that people send rid of it? Are you currently presently a participant or non participant observer?
Deductive or inductive?Deductive studies theory-testing, that’s frequently associated with datasets, surveys or quantitative analysis. Inductive studies theory-generating, that is frequently associated with qualitative interviews.
Empirical or theoretical? An empirical study could involve close analysis of statistics or some type of qualitative research. However, a theoretical study brings a distinctive challenges, and you’ll be known as upon to evaluate theories with their applicability.
After you have made the decision upon your approach, you can create an analysis design, i.e. how to overcome the task.
Now look somewhat inside the research methods you’ve studied. Aside from matching pursuit for that general feeling of objective/subjective reality, you’ll need to ensure that you just match your methodology for that problem you’re going after.
Which kind of data in the event you answer your question/test out your hypothesis? How can you best manage to collect that data?
Again, consider serious amounts of functionality within the exercise. The opportunity to handle your time and efforts will most likely be proportional for the ability to manage the restrictions within the study – especially if it’s carefully in the office.
Since you have arrived at date, try and write decrease your pursuit proposal up to now as you can. Make certain that you just identify where your proposal needs further work and, concurrently, where you will have to place your maximum effort. It might be useful to draw an essential path and that means you are apparent which actions you have to take plus what sequence. It’ll be useful to plot pursuit queries about the chart across the next page and make sure the plans for collecting data really answer the issue furthermore to remaining from ethical problems.
Right now you have to be really callous on your own. How viable will it be? What are threats for that study? Try some ‘what if?’ queries about yourself. It will be better revisit enter board now, than when the project goes ahead.
IMPORTANT. Whatever approach you agree with, you MUST manage to justify its suitability for that subject and question.

Key Questions

Will the data required to resolve your question already exist or will you need to generate your personal information?
Can you really combine quantitative with qualitative methods? e.g. general market trends including interviews or maybe a scenario study that appears in occasions from numerous angles.
What factors may limit the scope in the research? (time, sources, etc.)
Which method(s) are perfect for the questions and time available to accomplish this study?
What exactly are variations between kinds of data, and kinds of research?
Does assembling your project have apparent links between theory and fitness?

Further Studying

BRYMAN, A. (2004).Social Research Method. second erection disorder. Oxford, Oxford College Press CRESWELL, J. (2002).Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. second erection disorder. London, Sage SEALE, C.(2006).Researching society and culture. London, Sage Right here are a handful of references for particular methods: ARKSEY, H and Soldier, P. (1999).Interviewing for social scientists: a dent or dimple resource. London, Sage DALE, A. ARBER, S. AND PROCTOR, M.(1998).Doing Secondary Analysis. London, Allen and Unwin HAMMERSLEY, M. and ATKINSON, P. (1995).Ethnography: Concepts used. London, Routledge OPPENHEIM, A. N. (1992).Questionnaire Design, Interviewing and Attitude Measurement. London, Pinter

Web Sources

1. Professor Chris Winch, Dr Malcolm Todd, Ian Baker, Dr Jenny Blain, Dr Karen Cruz

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Dissertation

How to Write a Dissertation | A Guide to Structure & Content

A dissertation or thesis is a long piece of academic writing based on original research, submitted as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

The structure of a dissertation depends on your field, but it is usually divided into at least four or five chapters (including an introduction and conclusion chapter).

The most common dissertation structure in the sciences and social sciences includes:

An introduction to your topic
A literature review that surveys relevant sources
An explanation of your methodology
An overview of the results of your research
A discussion of the results and their implications
A conclusion that shows what your research has contributed

Dissertations in the humanities are often structured more like a long essay , building an argument by analysing primary and secondary sources . Instead of the standard structure outlined here, you might organise your chapters around different themes or case studies.

Other important elements of the dissertation include the title page , abstract , and reference list . If in doubt about how your dissertation should be structured, always check your department’s guidelines and consult with your supervisor.

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Acknowledgements, table of contents, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review / theoretical framework, methodology, reference list.

The very first page of your document contains your dissertation’s title, your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date. Sometimes it also includes your student number, your supervisor’s name, and the university’s logo. Many programs have strict requirements for formatting the dissertation title page .

The title page is often used as cover when printing and binding your dissertation .

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The acknowledgements section is usually optional, and gives space for you to thank everyone who helped you in writing your dissertation. This might include your supervisors, participants in your research, and friends or family who supported you.

The abstract is a short summary of your dissertation, usually about 150-300 words long. You should write it at the very end, when you’ve completed the rest of the dissertation. In the abstract, make sure to:

State the main topic and aims of your research
Describe the methods you used
Summarise the main results
State your conclusions

Although the abstract is very short, it’s the first part (and sometimes the only part) of your dissertation that people will read, so it’s important that you get it right. If you’re struggling to write a strong abstract, read our guide on how to write an abstract .

In the table of contents, list all of your chapters and subheadings and their page numbers. The dissertation contents page gives the reader an overview of your structure and helps easily navigate the document.

All parts of your dissertation should be included in the table of contents, including the appendices. You can generate a table of contents automatically in Word.

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If you have used a lot of tables and figures in your dissertation, you should itemise them in a numbered list . You can automatically generate this list using the Insert Caption feature in Word.

If you have used a lot of abbreviations in your dissertation, you can include them in an alphabetised list of abbreviations so that the reader can easily look up their meanings.

If you have used a lot of highly specialised terms that will not be familiar to your reader, it might be a good idea to include a glossary . List the terms alphabetically and explain each term with a brief description or definition.

In the introduction, you set up your dissertation’s topic, purpose, and relevance, and tell the reader what to expect in the rest of the dissertation. The introduction should:

Establish your research topic , giving necessary background information to contextualise your work
Narrow down the focus and define the scope of the research
Discuss the state of existing research on the topic, showing your work’s relevance to a broader problem or debate
Clearly state your objectives and research questions , and indicate how you will answer them
Give an overview of your dissertation’s structure

Everything in the introduction should be clear, engaging, and relevant to your research. By the end, the reader should understand the what , why and how of your research. Not sure how? Read our guide on how to write a dissertation introduction .

Before you start on your research, you should have conducted a literature review to gain a thorough understanding of the academic work that already exists on your topic. This means:

Collecting sources (e.g. books and journal articles) and selecting the most relevant ones
Critically evaluating and analysing each source
Drawing connections between them (e.g. themes, patterns, conflicts, gaps) to make an overall point

In the dissertation literature review chapter or section, you shouldn’t just summarise existing studies, but develop a coherent structure and argument that leads to a clear basis or justification for your own research. For example, it might aim to show how your research:

Addresses a gap in the literature
Takes a new theoretical or methodological approach to the topic
Proposes a solution to an unresolved problem
Advances a theoretical debate
Builds on and strengthens existing knowledge with new data

The literature review often becomes the basis for a theoretical framework , in which you define and analyse the key theories, concepts and models that frame your research. In this section you can answer descriptive research questions about the relationship between concepts or variables.

The methodology chapter or section describes how you conducted your research, allowing your reader to assess its validity. You should generally include:

The overall approach and type of research (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, experimental, ethnographic)
Your methods of collecting data (e.g. interviews, surveys, archives)
Details of where, when, and with whom the research took place
Your methods of analysing data (e.g. statistical analysis, discourse analysis)
Tools and materials you used (e.g. computer programs, lab equipment)
A discussion of any obstacles you faced in conducting the research and how you overcame them
An evaluation or justification of your methods

Your aim in the methodology is to accurately report what you did, as well as convincing the reader that this was the best approach to answering your research questions or objectives.

Next, you report the results of your research . You can structure this section around sub-questions, hypotheses, or topics. Only report results that are relevant to your objectives and research questions. In some disciplines, the results section is strictly separated from the discussion, while in others the two are combined.

For example, for qualitative methods like in-depth interviews, the presentation of the data will often be woven together with discussion and analysis, while in quantitative and experimental research, the results should be presented separately before you discuss their meaning. If you’re unsure, consult with your supervisor and look at sample dissertations to find out the best structure for your research.

In the results section it can often be helpful to include tables, graphs and charts. Think carefully about how best to present your data, and don’t include tables or figures that just repeat what you have written – they should provide extra information or usefully visualise the results in a way that adds value to your text.

Full versions of your data (such as interview transcripts) can be included as an appendix .

The discussion is where you explore the meaning and implications of your results in relation to your research questions. Here you should interpret the results in detail, discussing whether they met your expectations and how well they fit with the framework that you built in earlier chapters. If any of the results were unexpected, offer explanations for why this might be. It’s a good idea to consider alternative interpretations of your data and discuss any limitations that might have influenced the results.

The discussion should reference other scholarly work to show how your results fit with existing knowledge. You can also make recommendations for future research or practical action.

The dissertation conclusion should concisely answer the main research question, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of your central argument. Wrap up your dissertation with a final reflection on what you did and how you did it. The conclusion often also includes recommendations for research or practice.

In this section, it’s important to show how your findings contribute to knowledge in the field and why your research matters. What have you added to what was already known?

You must include full details of all sources that you have cited in a reference list (sometimes also called a works cited list or bibliography). It’s important to follow a consistent reference style . Each style has strict and specific requirements for how to format your sources in the reference list.

The most common styles used in UK universities are Harvard referencing and Vancouver referencing . Your department will often specify which referencing style you should use – for example, psychology students tend to use APA style , humanities students often use MHRA , and law students always use OSCOLA . M ake sure to check the requirements, and ask your supervisor if you’re unsure.

To save time creating the reference list and make sure your citations are correctly and consistently formatted, you can use our free APA Citation Generator .

Your dissertation itself should contain only essential information that directly contributes to answering your research question. Documents you have used that do not fit into the main body of your dissertation (such as interview transcripts, survey questions or tables with full figures) can be added as appendices .

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Dissertation

What Is a Dissertation? | Guide, Examples, & Template

A dissertation is a long-form piece of academic writing based on original research conducted by you. It is usually submitted as the final step in order to finish a PhD program.

Your dissertation is probably the longest piece of writing you’ve ever completed. It requires solid research, writing, and analysis skills, and it can be intimidating to know where to begin.

Your department likely has guidelines related to how your dissertation should be structured. When in doubt, consult with your supervisor.

You can also download our full dissertation template in the format of your choice below. The template includes a ready-made table of contents with notes on what to include in each chapter, easily adaptable to your department’s requirements.

Download Word template Download Google Docs template

In the US, a dissertation generally refers to the collection of research you conducted to obtain a PhD.
In other countries (such as the UK), a dissertation often refers to the research you conduct to obtain your bachelor’s or master’s degree.

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Dissertation committee and prospectus process, how to write and structure a dissertation, acknowledgements or preface, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review, methodology, reference list, proofreading and editing, defending your dissertation, free checklist and lecture slides.

When you’ve finished your coursework, as well as any comprehensive exams or other requirements, you advance to “ABD” (All But Dissertation) status. This means you’ve completed everything except your dissertation.

Prior to starting to write, you must form your committee and write your prospectus or proposal . Your committee comprises your adviser and a few other faculty members. They can be from your own department, or, if your work is more interdisciplinary, from other departments. Your committee will guide you through the dissertation process, and ultimately decide whether you pass your dissertation defense and receive your PhD.

Your prospectus is a formal document presented to your committee, usually orally in a defense, outlining your research aims and objectives and showing why your topic is relevant . After passing your prospectus defense, you’re ready to start your research and writing.

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The structure of your dissertation depends on a variety of factors, such as your discipline, topic, and approach. Dissertations in the humanities are often structured more like a long essay , building an overall argument to support a central thesis , with chapters organized around different themes or case studies.

However, hard science and social science dissertations typically include a review of existing works, a methodology section, an analysis of your original research, and a presentation of your results , presented in different chapters.

Dissertation examples

We’ve compiled a list of dissertation examples to help you get started.

Example dissertation #1: Heat, Wildfire and Energy Demand: An Examination of Residential Buildings and Community Equity (a dissertation by C. A. Antonopoulos about the impact of extreme heat and wildfire on residential buildings and occupant exposure risks).
Example dissertation #2: Exploring Income Volatility and Financial Health Among Middle-Income Households (a dissertation by M. Addo about income volatility and declining economic security among middle-income households).
Example dissertation #3: The Use of Mindfulness Meditation to Increase the Efficacy of Mirror Visual Feedback for Reducing Phantom Limb Pain in Amputees (a dissertation by N. S. Mills about the effect of mindfulness-based interventions on the relationship between mirror visual feedback and the pain level in amputees with phantom limb pain).

The very first page of your document contains your dissertation title, your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date. Sometimes it also includes your student number, your supervisor’s name, and the university’s logo.

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The abstract is a short summary of your dissertation, usually about 150 to 300 words long. Though this may seem very short, it’s one of the most important parts of your dissertation, because it introduces your work to your audience.

Your abstract should:

State your main topic and the aims of your research
Describe your methods
Summarize your main results
State your conclusions

Theoretical framework

Your literature review can often form the basis for your theoretical framework. Here, you define and analyze the key theories, concepts, and models that frame your research.

Checklist: Dissertation

My title page includes all information required by my university.

I have included acknowledgements thanking those who helped me.

My abstract provides a concise summary of the dissertation, giving the reader a clear idea of my key results or arguments.

I have created a table of contents to help the reader navigate my dissertation. It includes all chapter titles, but excludes the title page, acknowledgements, and abstract.

My introduction leads into my topic in an engaging way and shows the relevance of my research.

My introduction clearly defines the focus of my research, stating my research questions and research objectives .

My introduction includes an overview of the dissertation’s structure (reading guide).

I have conducted a literature review in which I (1) critically engage with sources, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of existing research, (2) discuss patterns, themes, and debates in the literature, and (3) address a gap or show how my research contributes to existing research.

I have clearly outlined the theoretical framework of my research, explaining the theories and models that support my approach.

I have thoroughly described my methodology , explaining how I collected data and analyzed data.

I have concisely and objectively reported all relevant results .

I have (1) evaluated and interpreted the meaning of the results and (2) acknowledged any important limitations of the results in my discussion .

I have clearly stated the answer to my main research question in the conclusion .

I have clearly explained the implications of my conclusion, emphasizing what new insight my research has contributed.

I have provided relevant recommendations for further research or practice.

If relevant, I have included appendices with supplemental information.

I have included an in-text citation every time I use words, ideas, or information from a source.

I have listed every source in a reference list at the end of my dissertation.

I have consistently followed the rules of my chosen citation style .

I have followed all formatting guidelines provided by my university.

Congratulations!

The end is in sight—your dissertation is nearly ready to submit! Make sure it's perfectly polished with the help of a Scribbr editor.

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Study skills- dissertation.

Introduction
Literature Review
Methodology
Conclusions and Recommendations

What is a Dissertation?

A dissertation is a large project that takes place on many university courses.

There are different sections of a dissertation depending on your discipline and I would encourage you to seek advice from your supervisor concerning the content of different sections in your subject.

The structure of a literature based dissertation is usually based on themes but it is important to check that you are structuring your dissertation according to the specifications and rules that your department abides by.

Typical literature based dissertations are broken up into the following sections that are explored in subsequent pages:

Abstract or summary
Acknowledgments
Contents page
Conclusion and recommendations

Reference List

This is the first page of your dissertation and will include information such as your:

Project Title
Type of assignment
Partial or full fulfilment information (e.g. part of a wider degree programme)
Subject area
Your name
Month and year of submission

Ask your supervisor for the specifics of what you should include and if any additional information is appropriate such as a logo or image.

Check with your supervisor to see if this is required for your dissertation or not.

It is a summary of your entire dissertation to enable the basic information to be communicated clearly and concisely. This includes your reason for undertaking the study, methods, findings and conclusions.

It is a mini-report, which needs to make sense completely on its own.
References should not be included.
Nothing should appear in the abstract that is not in the rest of the dissertation.
Usually between 200-300 words.
Written as a single paragraph.

Writing your abstract may be more successful if written after your dissertation as you will have a broader understanding of your project in its entirety.

Test your knowledge by completing the dissertation quiz below:

Contents Page

A page which details which sections and chapters can be found on each page.

Your supervisor and subject department should let you know how your contents page is expected to be formatted.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements are space intended for you to thank those who have supported you to complete the dissertation.

This may include the subject of a case study and at the very least, your supervisor.
A dedication is slightly different and means that you want the project to be in memory or considered with a particular person in mind.
This is usually written in a brief manner.

Appendecies

Your appendices should include any secondary information that can help to clarify your research. Most common information included in an appendix are:

Questionnaires
Correspondence

If you have information that you would like to include but are finding it disrupts the main body of text. It may distract from the main arguments of your dissertation, the information can be included in the appendix section. You should have different numbered appendices for different items such as questionnaires and tables and refer to them as appendix 1, appendix 2 in your text. They should be labelled according to the appendix that is referred to first, in the text.

The reference list is part of your dissertation you may be aware of from previous assignments. It consists of a list of all the sources cited in the body of your work in the appropriate referencing style that you use on your course such as Harvard or Vancouver.

Ensure that you format your references according to the format used on Cite Them Right Online. There are examples and tutorials on the site to support you to use it effectively. You can also ask questions at the Study Skills Drop ins on Library Talk if you have any questions relating to study skills and referencing.

Why not watch the video below about using Cite Them Right Online?

Cite Them Right Online

It is a good idea to compile your reference list as you undertake research and write your dissertation as otherwise it can end up being a large overwhelming task at the end and it may be difficult and time consuming to find reference information for all your sources.

Last Updated: Jun 12, 2024 11:53 AM
URL: https://libraryguides.sunderland.ac.uk/dissertation

Dissertations: Choosing a topic

Choosing a topic
Research Proposal
Reviewing the literature
Introductions & Conclusions
Writing Chapters
Wrapping Up
Abstracts & Summaries
Managing Expectations

Choosing a research topic

Research is an exciting and impactful endeavour, but getting started can be overwhelming. This guide will provide you with valuable insights and practical advice to navigate the process successfully. We will explore the key considerations in selecting a research topic that aligns with your interests and goals , and then delve into the art of formulating effective research questions . By the end of this guide, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and tools to embark on a research journey that is both meaningful and rewarding. Let's dive in and unlock the secrets to selecting the perfect research topic and crafting insightful research questions!

Selection: Selecting a topic can be the most difficult part of doing research. Defining and refining your topic is an ongoing process. Be prepared to change the focus of your topic as you gather more information. Interest: Select a subject you can get interested in . Since you will be spending a considerable amount of time researching your topic, you will want it to be something that holds your interest and that of the reader. Focus: Make sure that your topic isn't too narrow or too broad . If the topic is too broad, you will be overwhelmed with information. If the topic is too narrow, you may not be able to find enough information on your research.

Finding inspiration
Narrowing down
Common mistakes
Activity: Choosing a Research Topic

Here are some ways to find inspiration:

Think about your own interests: which topic have you found interesting during your lectures, and is there an element that could be developed into a research project?
Consider previous literature: Look at key journals in your field and skim through the titles of research papers published within the last few years. Read the abstracts of the papers that captivate your attention to identify possible topics and pay special attention to any suggestions for further research.
Look through the dissertations of previous students in your department: the topics may give you inspiration, and they may have useful suggestions for further research.
Talk to experts and peers: Seek advice from your classmates, lecturers or professionals in your field. Don’t wait until you have a fully formed research question before discussing your ideas with others, as their comments and questions may help you to refine your focus.
Brainstorm and explore multiple options: Generate a list of potential research topics and explore each one. Consider the feasibility, resources required, and potential impact of each topic. Narrow down your list to a few strong contenders.

To narrow down your research topic, you can follow these steps:

Start with a broad topic: Begin by selecting a general area of interest that you would like to explore. This could be a broad subject within your field or a topic that you find intriguing.
Conduct preliminary research: Conduct initial research to familiarize yourself with the existing literature and gain a better understanding of the broader topic. This will help you identify key concepts, theories, and gaps in knowledge.
Identify specific research questions: Based on your preliminary research, brainstorm and develop specific research questions that you want to address within your chosen topic. These questions should be clear, focused, and aligned with your research goals.
Evaluate feasibility and scope: Assess the feasibility and scope of each research question. Consider factors such as the availability of data, resources, time constraints, and the practicality of conducting research on each question.
Prioritize relevance and significance: Evaluate the relevance and significance of each research question. Consider how each question contributes to the existing body of knowledge, addresses gaps in literature, and aligns with the research priorities in your field.
Seek feedback and input: Share your shortlisted research questions with mentors, advisors, or peers to get their input and feedback. Their perspectives can help you refine your questions and make informed decisions.
Refine and narrow down your topic: Based on the feedback and evaluation, refine and narrow down your research topic by selecting the most compelling research question(s) that meet the criteria of feasibility, relevance, and significance.
Define the scope and objectives: Clearly define the scope and objectives of your narrowed-down research topic. This includes determining the boundaries of your study, specifying the key concepts or variables to be investigated, and setting clear research objectives.
Conduct a literature review: Conduct a comprehensive literature review focused on your refined research topic. This will help you deepen your understanding of the subject, identify relevant theories and methodologies, and refine your research approach.
Finalize your research topic: After completing the above steps, finalize your research topic by formulating a clear and concise research question or statement that encapsulates the focus and purpose of your study.

When choosing a research topic, it's important to be aware of common errors that researchers often make. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Lack of specificity: Choosing a topic that is too broad or vague can make it difficult to focus your research. Be sure to narrow down your topic to a specific research question or area of investigation.
Lack of relevance: Selecting a topic that is not relevant to your field of study or the research objectives can lead to a lack of interest and impact. Ensure that your topic aligns with the current trends, gaps in knowledge, and research priorities in your field.
Insufficient research: Failing to conduct a thorough literature review can result in choosing a topic that has already been extensively studied or lacks originality. Take the time to familiarize yourself with existing research to identify gaps and potential avenues for exploration.
Overly ambitious or unfeasible scope: Choosing a topic that is too broad or complex can make it challenging to conduct a comprehensive study within the available time and resources. Consider the feasibility of your research topic and ensure it is manageable within the constraints of your project (e.g. time to complete your dissertation).
Limited access to data or resources: Choosing a topic without considering the availability of data or resources needed for your research can pose significant challenges. Assess the accessibility and availability of relevant data, research materials, or equipment before finalizing your topic.

By avoiding these common errors, you can choose a research topic that is focused, relevant, feasible, and aligned with your interests and goals, setting the foundation for a successful research journey.

Before you start writing your research proposal, you need to find and define your research topic. The following four steps will help you to identify and refine your topic:

Step 1: Identify areas of interest within your subject area

Step 2: Identify possible themes

Step 3: Consider the context of your research

Step 4: Decide on a topic

Journal of Suffolk Student Research

The Journal of Suffolk Student Research is an online academic journal, dedicated to the publication of high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate student research undertaken by University of Suffolk students. The journal will showcase the most outstanding student research undertaken at the University of Suffolk. It aims to promote and recognise this outstanding student research by offering valuable early experience of academic publishing and the peer review process.

Find out more here

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Last Updated: Feb 1, 2024 4:22 PM
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Skills for Learning : Dissertations & Literature Reviews

Dissertations are extended projects in which you choose, research and write about a specific topic. They provide an opportunity to explore an aspect of your subject in detail. You are responsible for managing your dissertation, though you will be assigned a supervisor. Dissertations are typically empirical (based on your own research) or theoretical (based on others’ research/arguments).

The Dissertation IT Kit contains information about formatting your dissertation document in Word.

Look at the Library Subject Guides for your area. These have information on finding high quality resources for your dissertation.

We run interactive workshops to help you prepare for your dissertation. Find out more on the Skills for Learning Workshops page.

We have online academic skills modules within MyBeckett for all levels of university study. These modules will help your academic development and support your success at LBU. You can work through the modules at your own pace, revisiting them as required. Find out more from our FAQ What academic skills modules are available?

Dissertation proposals

What are dissertation proposals.

A dissertation proposal is an outline of your proposed research project. It is what you imagine your dissertation might look like before you start. Consider it a temporary document which might change during the negotiation process between you and your dissertation supervisor. The proposal can help you clarify exactly what you want to cover in your dissertation. It can also outline how you are going to approach it. Your dissertation plan and structure might change throughout this process as you develop your ideas. Your proposal is the first step towards your goal: a completed dissertation.

Structuring your dissertation proposal

The structure, content, and length of your dissertation proposal will depend on your course requirements. Some courses may require that your aims and objectives are separate from the main body of the proposal. You might be expected to write a literature review, and/or provide a detailed methodology. You might also be asked to include an extensive context for your proposed study. Consult your module handbook or assignment brief for the specific requirements of your course.

Give each section of your proposal a heading You can also experiment with giving your proposed dissertation a title. Both of these approaches may help you focus and stay on topic. Most dissertation proposals will have a fairly standard structure, under the following headings:

Sections of a dissertation proposal

Aims and objectives
Rationale for your study
Methodology
Brief literature review
Benefits of your research

Describe what you plan to investigate. You could write a statement of your topic, a research question(s), or a hypothesis.

Explain why you want to do this research.
Write a justification as to why the project is worth undertaking.
Reasons might include: a gap in existing research; questioning or extending the findings of earlier research; replicating a piece of research to test its reliability.
Describe and justify how you plan to do the research.
You might be reviewing the work of others, which mainly involves secondary, or desk-based, research. Or you might plan to collect data yourself, which is primary research. It is common for undergraduate dissertations to involve a mixture of these.
If you are doing secondary research, describe how you will select your sources. For primary research, describe how you will collect your data. This might include using questionnaires, interviews, archival research, or other methods.
Others will have researched this topic before, or something similar.
The literature review allows you to outline what they have found and where your project fits in. For example, you could highlight disagreements or discrepancies in the existing research.

Outline who might potentially gain from your research and what you might find out or expand upon. For example, there could be implications for practice in a particular profession.

Dissertation style and language

A dissertation is a logical, structured, argument-based exploration of a topic. The style of your writing may vary slightly in each chapter. For example, your results chapter should display factual information, whereas your analysis chapter might be more argument-based. Make sure your language, tone and abbreviations are consistent within each section. Your language should be formal and contain terminology relevant to your subject area. Dissertations have a large word count. It is important to structure your work with headings and a contents page. Use signposting language to help your reader understand the flow of your writing. Charts, tables or images may help you communicate specific information.

Top tip! To signpost in your dissertation, use the ‘Signalling Transition’ section of the Manchester Academic Phrasebank .

Download the Dissertation Project Checklist Worksheet to help with planning your dissertation work.

Dissertation Project Checklist Worksheet

The Dissertation IT Kit also contains information about formatting your dissertation document in Microsoft Word.

Past dissertations

Exploring past dissertations within your academic field can give you an idea as to how to structure your dissertation and find similar research methodologies. You can access dissertations and theses completed by students at Leeds Beckett and other universities. To find external dissertations, look at our FAQ answer ' Are there other dissertations I can look at?' . To find dissertations completed by Leeds Beckett students, use the FAQ answer ' Can I find copies of past dissertations in the Library? '

Sections of a dissertation

Not all dissertations will follow the same structure. Your style can change depending on your school. Check your module handbook, assignment brief or speak with your course tutor for further guidance.

To decide what to include:

Think about your project from an outsider’s perspective. What do they need to know and in what order? What is the most clear and logical way for you to present your research?
Discuss your project with your supervisor. Be open about ideas or concerns you have around the structure and content.

Each section of a dissertation has a different purpose. Think about whether you're doing an empirical or theoretical dissertation and use the headings below to find out what you should be including.

You can also use the Leeds Beckett Dissertation Template to help you understand what your dissertation should look like.

Leeds Beckett Dissertation Template

Empirical (research-based)

1. Abstract
2. Contents Page
3. Introduction
4. Literature Review
5. Methodology
6. Findings / Results
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion
9. Reference List / Bibliography
10. Appendices

Abstract : provides a brief summary of your whole dissertation.

The abstract outlines the purpose of your research and your methodology (where necessary). You should summarise your main findings and conclusion.

Top tips! Give the reader a sense of why your project is interesting and valuable. Write in the past tense. Aim for about half a page.

Contents page : lists all the sections of your dissertation with the page numbers. Do this last by using the automatic function in Word.

Introduction: introduces the reader to your research project.

Provide context to the topic and define key terms. Ensure that the scope of your investigation is clear. Outline your aims and objectives, and provide a brief description of your research methods. Finally, give an indication of your conclusion/findings.

Top tips! Start broad (background information) and get more specific (your research aims and findings). Try writing the introduction after the literature review and methodology chapters. This way, you will have a better idea of your research aims.

Literature Review : positions your research in relation to what has come before it.

The literature review will summarise prior research on the topic, such as journal articles, books, government reports and data. You should introduce key themes, concepts, theories or methods that provide context for your own research. Analyse and evaluate the literature by drawing comparisons and highlighting strengths and weaknesses. Download the Critical Analysis Questions and Evidence Matrix Worksheets to help you with this process and for more information on literature searching see Finding Information .

Critical Analysis Questions Worksheet
Evidence Matrix Worksheet

The literature review should justify the need for your research and highlight areas for further investigation. Avoid introducing your own ideas at this point; instead, compare and comment on existing ideas.

Top tips! Your literature review is not a descriptive summary of various sources. You need to synthesise (bring together) and critically analyse prior research. Sophisticated use of reporting verbs is important for this process. Download our Reporting Verbs Worksheet to help you with this.

Reporting Verbs Worksheet

Find out more about literature reviews elsewhere on this topic page.

Find out more about critical thinking.

Methodology : provides a succinct and accurate record of the methodology used and justifies your choice of methods.

In this section, you describe the qualitative and/or quantitative methods* used to carry out your research/experiment. You must justify your chosen research methodology and explain how it helps you answer your research question. Where appropriate, explain the rationale behind choices such as procedures, equipment, participants and sample size. You may need to reference specific guidelines that you have used, especially in subjects such as healthcare. If your research involves people, you may also need to demonstrate how it fulfils ethical guidelines.

Top tips! Your account should be sufficiently detailed so that someone else could replicate your research. Write in the passive voice. Remember, at this point you are not reporting any findings.

*Qualitative research is based on opinions and ideas, while quantitative research is based on numerical data.

Find out more about the research process.

Findings/Results : presents the data collected from your research in a suitable format.

Provide a summary of the results of your research/experiment. Consider the most effective methods for presenting your data, such as charts, graphs or tables. Present all your findings honestly. Do not change any data, even if it is not what you expected to find.

Top tips! Whilst you might acknowledge trends or themes in the data, at this stage, you won’t be analysing it closely. If you are conducting qualitative research, this section may be combined with the discussion section. Important additional documents, such as transcriptions or questionnaires, can be added to your appendices.

Discussion : addresses your research aims by analysing your findings.

In this chapter, you interpret and discuss your results and draw conclusions. Identify trends, themes or issues that arise from the findings and discuss their significance in detail. These themes can also provide the basis for the structure of this section. You can draw upon information and concepts from your literature review to help interpret your findings. For example, you can show how your findings build upon or contradict earlier research.

Top tips! Ensure that the points you make are backed up with evidence from your findings. Refer back to relevant information from your literature review to discuss and interpret your findings.

Conclusion : summarises your main points.

Provide an overview of your main findings and demonstrate how you have met your research objectives. Set your research into a wider context by showing how it contributes to current academic debates. Discuss the implications of your research and put forward any recommendations.

Top tips! Do not introduce any new information in this section. Your conclusion should mirror the content of your introduction but offer more conclusive answers.

Reference List / Bibliography : a complete list of all sources used.

List all the sources that you have consulted in the process of your research. Your Reference List or Bibliography must follow specific guidelines for your discipline (e.g. Harvard or OSCOLA). Look through your module handbook or speak to your supervisor for more information.

Find out more about referencing and academic integrity .

Appendix (single) or Appendices (plural): presents raw data and/or transcripts that aren’t in the main body of your dissertation.

You may have to be selective in the data you present in your findings section. If this is the case, you may choose to present the raw data/extended version in an appendix. If you conduct qualitative research, such as interviews, you will include the transcripts in your appendix. Appendices are not usually included in the word count.

Top tips! Discuss with your supervisor whether you will need an appendix and what to include.

Theoretical (argument based)

Contents page
Introduction
Literature Review
Main body (divided into chapters)
Reference list / Bibliography

Provides a brief summary of your whole dissertation.

The abstract outlines the purpose of your research and your methodology (where necessary). You should summarise your main findings and conclusion.

Top tip! Give the reader a sense of why your project is interesting and valuable. Write in the past tense. Aim for about half a page.

Contents page : lists all the sections of your dissertation with the page numbers. Using the automatic table of contents feature in Microsoft Word can help you format this.

The Dissertation IT kit provides guidance on how to use these tools.

Introduces the reader to your research project.

Provide context to the topic and define key terms. Ensure that the scope of your investigation is clear. Outline your aims and objectives, and provide a brief description of your research methods. Introduce your argument and explain why your research topic is important. Finally, give an indication of your conclusion/findings.

Top tip! Start broad (background information) and get more specific (your research aims and findings). Try writing the introduction after the literature review and methodology chapters. This way, you will have a better idea of your research aims.

Summarises prior research on the topic, such as journal articles, books, and other information sources. You should introduce key themes, concepts, theories or methods that provide context for your own research. You should also analyse and evaluate the literature by drawing comparisons and highlighting strengths and weaknesses.

Many (although not all) theoretical dissertations will include a separate literature review. You may decide to include this as a separate chapter. Otherwise, you can integrate it into your introduction or first themed chapter.

Find out more about literature reviews on the Literature Reviews page.

Divide the main body of your research into chapters organised by chronology or themes. Each chapter should be like a mini-essay that helps you answer your research questions. Like an essay, each chapter should have an introduction, main body and conclusion. Develop your argument and demonstrate critical thinking by drawing on relevant sources. Compare and contrast ideas, and make suggestions or recommendations where relevant. Explain how each chapter helps answer your main research question.

Top tip! Divide each chapter into chunks and use subheadings where necessary to structure your work.

Find out more on the Critical Thinking pages.

Top tip! Do not introduce any new information in this section. Your conclusion should mirror the content of your introduction but offer more conclusive answers.

List all the sources that you have consulted in the process of your research. Your Reference List or Bibliography must follow specific guidelines for your discipline (Harvard, APA or OSCOLA). Look through your module handbook or speak to your supervisor for more information.

Find out more about referencing and academic integrity .

Appendix (single) or Appendices (plural): presents any data, such as images or tables, that aren’t in the main body of your dissertation.

You may have to be selective about the information you include in the main body of your dissertation. If this is the case, you may place data such as images or tables in the appendix. Appendices are not usually included in the word count.

Top tip! Discuss with your supervisor whether you will need any appendices and what to include.

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Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

Dissertation structure and layout - the basics

The Caveat

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

Acknowledgements page
Abstract (or executive summary)
Table of contents , list of figures and tables
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Literature review
Chapter 3: Methodology
Chapter 4: Results
Chapter 5: Discussion
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

A dissertation's structure reflect the research process

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
How does your research contribute something original?
How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings . In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the Grad Coach Blog .

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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The acknowledgements section of a thesis/dissertation

36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Managing the Dissertation Writing Process

Materials from workshop.

Slides: https://z.umn.edu/dissworkshopslides
Revision Memo: https://z.umn.edu/revisionmemo
Dissertation Analysis handout (PDF)
"How to Read like a Writer" (PDF) by Mike Bunn (in Writing spaces : readings on writing Vol 2 )

Finding Dissertations

Dissertations and Theses Global This link opens in a new window Collection of dissertations and theses from around the world, offering millions of works from thousands of universities. Each year hundreds of thousands of works are added. Full-text coverage spans from 1743 to the present, with citation coverage dating back to 1637.
Google Scholar (Setup connection to get to PDFs) Use Google Scholar to find articles from academic publishers, professional societies, research institutes, and scholarly repositories from colleges and universities. If you are using from off-campus access, change the "Library Settings" to University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Look for the "FindIt@U of M Twin Cities" links in your Google Scholar search results to access full text and PDFs. View this tutorial to learn how to go from a general idea to a very precise set of results of journal articles and scholarly materials.
University Digital Conservancy at the University of Minnesota A digital archive of M.A. and PhD theses at the University of Minnesota. The collection in this institutional repository can also be searched by keyword, date, authors and majors.

Sample of project management tools

Tool considerations:

Devices -- “apps” vs. Laptop
Collaboration
Fewer features vs. lots of features
Learning curve
Security/privacy

More Options

Open Project: https://www.openproject.org/
Redbooth: https://redbooth.com/
Notion: https://www.notion.so/
Freedcamp: https://freedcamp.com/
Smartsheet: https://www.smartsheet.com/
Click up: https://clickup.com/
Kanboard: https://kanboard.org/

Student Writing Support from the Center for Writing

Student Writing Support (SWS) offers collaborative one-to-one writing consultations to help student writers develop confidence and effective writing strategies. SWS offers three kinds of consultations:

walk-in consultations in 15 Nicholson Hall
appointments in Zoom
appointments in SWS.online

Our writing consultants will listen to your goals and concerns, read and respond to your written work, pose questions that help you clarify and articulate your ideas, and affirm the experiences and abilities you bring to your writing. We value your life experiences and languages, and we seek to provide a supportive space for you to share and develop your voice.

Sample of online books

Restarting stalled research by Paul C. Rosenblatt ISBN: 9781483393551 Publication Date: 2016 Written for researchers and graduate students writing dissertations, this unique book offers detailed advice and perspective on many issues that can stall a research project and reveals what can be done to successfully resume it. Using a direct yet conversational style, author Paul C. Rosenblatt draws on his decades of experience to cover many diverse topics. The text guides readers through challenges such as clarifying the end goal of a project; resolving common and not-so-common writing problems; dealing with rejection and revision decisions; handling difficulties involving dissertation advisers and committee members; coping with issues of researcher motivation or self-esteem; and much more.

Get materials we don't own or from our print collection (Interlibrary Loan & Document Delivery)

InterLibrary Loan & Digital Delivery Interlibrary Loan (ILL) & Digital Delivery offers access to materials needed for courses and research, including materials not currently available within the University of Minnesota Libraries, AND digital copies of articles and book chapters from our print and microform collections. Free for currently-affiliated University students, faculty, and staff.

Citation managers

Feature		(not recommended)
Cost	Free	Free		Free
Styles	Many citation styles	Many citation styles	Many citation styles	Fewer citation styles
Plug-ins	Microsoft Word, Google Docs	Microsoft Word (not compatible with UMN Office 365)	Microsoft Word	Microsoft Word
Access	Desktop/Web	Desktop/Web	Desktop/Web	Web
Storage	300MB free	2GB free	Unlimited	2GB free
PDF reader	yes	yes	yes	no
Editor integration	Word, Google Docs	Word	Word	Word
Sharing	Unlimited	Limited	Unlimited	Limited
Support

What is a citation manager?

A citation manager is a software tool used to create personalized databases of citation information and notes. They allow you to:

import and organize citation information from article indexes and other sources,
export your citations into Word documents or other types of publications,
format citations for your papers and bibliographies using APA and many other styles, and
include your own notes.

Choosing a citation manager

Guide to Citation Managers at UMN
Wikipedia's comparison of reference management software

Browse scholarly journals available from the UMN Libraries on your tablet device, iPhone, or via the web using BrowZine .

Read journal articles on your preferred device.
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Princeton University Library

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Why Can't I Find That Article?

Library Research Methods

Evaluating Websites
Citing Sources
Productivity Tools for Scholars

(Adapted from Thomas Mann, Library Research Models )

Keyword searches . Search relevant keywords in catalogs, indexes, search engines, and full-text resources. Useful both to narrow a search to the specific subject heading and to find sources not captured under a relevant subject heading. To search a database effectively, start with a Keyword search, find relevant records, and then find relevant Subject Headings. In search engines, include many keywords to narrow the search and carefully evaluate what you find.

Subject searches . Subject Headings (sometimes called Descriptors) are specific terms or phrases used consistently by online or print indexes to describe what a book or journal article is about. This is true of the library’s Catalog as well as many other library databases .

Look for recent, scholarly books and articles. Within catalogs and databases, sort by the most recent date and look for books from scholarly presses and articles from scholarly journals. The more recent the source, the more up-to-date the references and citations.

Citation searches in scholarly sources . Track down references, footnotes, endnotes, citations, etc. within relevant readings. Search for specific books or journals in the library’s Catalog . This technique helps you become part of the scholarly conversation on a particular topic.

Searches through published bibliographies (including sets of footnotes in relevant subject documents). Published bibliographies on particular subjects (Shakespeare, alcoholism, etc.) often list sources missed through other kinds of searches. BIBLIOGRAPHY is a subject heading in the Catalog , so a Guided Search with BIBLIOGRAPHY as a Subject and your topic as a keyword will help you find these.

Searches through people sources (whether by verbal contact, e-mail, etc.). People are often more willing to help than you might think. The people to start with are often professors with relevant knowledge or librarians.

Systematic browsing, especially of full-text sources arranged in predictable subject groupings . Libraries organize books by subject, with similar books shelved together. Browsing the stacks is a good way to find similar books; however, in large libraries, some books are not in the main stacks (e.g., they might be checked out or in ReCAP), so use the catalog as well.

The advantages of trying all these research methods are that:

Each of these ways of searching is applicable in any subject area

None of them is confined exclusively to English-language sources

Each has both strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages

The weaknesses within any one method are balanced by the strengths of the others

The strength of each is precisely that it is capable of turning up information or knowledge records that cannot be found efficiently—or often even at all—by any of the others

How to Gut a (Scholarly) Book in 5 Almost-easy Steps

Evaluating sources.

From Wayne C. Booth et al., The Craft of Research , 4th ed., pp.76-79

5.4 EVALUATING SOURCES FOR RELEVANCE AND RELIABILITY When you start looking for sources, you’ll find more than you can use, so you must quickly evaluate their usefulness; use two criteria: relevance and reliability.

5.4.1 Evaluating Sources for Relevance

If your source is a book, do this:

Skim its index for your key words, then skim the pages on which those words occur.
Skim the first and last paragraphs in chapters that use a lot of your key words.
Skim prologues, introductions, summary chapters, and so on.
Skim the last chapter, especially the >rst and last two or three pages.
If the source is a collection of articles, skim the editor’s introduction.
Check the bibliography for titles relevant to your topic.

If your source is an article, do this:

Read the abstract, if it has one.
Skim the introduction and conclusion, or if they are not marked by headings, skim the first six or seven paragraphs and the last four or five.
Skim for section headings, and read the first and last paragraphs of those sections.

If your source is online, do this:

If it looks like a printed article, follow the steps for a journal article.
Skim sections labeled “introduction,” “overview,” “summary,” or the like. If there are none, look for a link labeled “About the Site” or something similar.
If the site has a link labeled “Site Map” or “Index,” check it for your key words and skim the referenced pages.
If the site has a “search” resource, type in your key words.

This kind of speedy reading can guide your own writing and revision. If you do not structure your report so your readers can skim it quickly and see the outlines of your argument, your report has a problem, an issue we discuss in chapters 12 and 14.

5.4.2 Evaluating Sources for Reliability You can’t judge a source until you read it, but there are signs of its reliability:

1. Is the source published or posted online by a reputable press? Most university presses are reliable, especially if you recognize the name of the university. Some commercial presses are reliable in some fields, such as Norton in literature, Ablex in sciences, or West in law. Be skeptical of a commercial book that makes sensational claims, even if its author has a PhD after his name. Be especially careful about sources on hotly contested social issues such as stem-cell research, gun control, and global warming. Many books and articles are published by individuals or organizations driven by ideology. Libraries often include them for the sake of coverage, but don’t assume they are reliable.

2. Was the book or article peer-reviewed? Most reputable presses and journals ask experts to review a book or article before it is published; it is called “peer review.” Many essay collections, however, are reviewed only by the named editor(s). Few commercial magazines use peer review. If a publication hasn’t been peer-reviewed, be suspicious.

3. Is the author a reputable scholar? This is hard to answer if you are new to a field. Most publications cite an author’s academic credentials; you can find more with a search engine. Most established scholars are reliable, but be cautious if the topic is a contested social issue such as gun control or abortion. Even reputable scholars can have axes to grind, especially if their research is financially supported by a special interest group. Go online to check out anyone an author thanks for support, including foundations that supported her work.

4. If the source is available only online, is it sponsored by a reputable organization? A Web site is only as reliable as its sponsor. You can usually trust one sponsored and maintained by a reputable organization. But if the site has not been updated recently, it may have been abandoned and is no longer endorsed by its sponsor. Some sites supported by individuals are reliable; most are not. Do a Web search for the name of the sponsor to find out more about it.

5. Is the source current? You must use up-to-date sources, but what counts as current depends on the field. In computer science, a journal article can be out-of-date in months; in the social sciences, ten years pushes the limit. Publications have a longer life in the humanities: in philosophy, primary sources are current for centuries, secondary ones for decades. In general, a source that sets out a major position or theory that other researchers accept will stay current longer than those that respond to or develop it. Assume that most textbooks are not current (except, of course, this one).

If you don’t know how to gauge currency in your field, look at the dates of articles in the works cited of a new book or article: you can cite works as old as the older ones in that list (but perhaps not as old as the oldest). Try to find a standard edition of primary works such as novels, plays, letters, and so on (it is usually not the most recent). Be sure that you consult the most recent edition of a secondary or tertiary source (researchers often change their views, even rejecting ones they espoused in earlier editions).

6. If the source is a book, does it have a notes and a bibliography? If not, be suspicious, because you have no way to follow up on anything the source claims.

7. If the source is a Web site, does it include bibliographical data? You cannot know how to judge the reliability of a site that does not indicate who sponsors and maintains it, who wrote what’s posted there, and when it was posted or last updated.

8. If the source is a Web site, does it approach its topic judiciously? Your readers are unlikely to trust a site that engages in heated advocacy, attacks those who disagree, makes wild claims, uses abusive language, or makes errors of spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

The following criteria are particularly important for advanced students:

9. If the source is a book, has it been well reviewed? Many fields have indexes to published reviews that tell you how others evaluate a source.

10. Has the source been frequently cited by others? You can roughly estimate how influential a source is by how often others cite it. To determine that, consult a citation index.

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Last Updated: Oct 17, 2023 3:09 PM
URL: https://libguides.princeton.edu/philosophy

Harvard Library
Research Guides
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Chemistry and Chemical Biology Resources

Literature review.

Getting Started
Chemistry journals and databases
Find Dissertations and Theses
Find Conference Proceedings
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Managing Citations
Research Data Management
Managing Your Academic Identity
Helpful Tools

Reviewing the Literature: Why do it?

Personal: To familiarize yourself with a new area of research, to get an overview of a topic, so you don't want to miss something important, etc.
Required writing for a journal article, thesis or dissertation, grant application, etc.

Literature reviews vary; there are many ways to write a literature review based on discipline, material type, and other factors.

Background:

Literature Reviews - UNC Writing Center
Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students - What is a literature review? What purpose does it serve in research? What should you expect when writing one? - NCSU Video

Where to get help (there are lots of websites, blogs , articles, and books on this topic) :

The Center for writing and Communicating Ideas (CWCI)
(these are non-STEM examples: dissertation guidance , journal guidelines )
How to prepare a scientific doctoral dissertation based on research articles (2012)
Writing a graduate thesis or dissertation (2016)
The good paper : a handbook for writing papers in higher education (2015)
Proposals that work : a guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals (2014)
Theses and dissertations : a guide to planning, research, and writing (2008)
Talk to your professors, advisors, mentors, peers, etc. for advice

READ related material and pay attention to how others write their literature reviews:

Dissertations
Journal articles
Grant proposals
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Next: Managing Citations >>
Last Updated: Sep 13, 2023 2:15 PM
URL: https://guides.library.harvard.edu/CCB

Harvard University Digital Accessibility Policy

Dissertation and Thesis Guidelines

Overview of the Library Submission Process
MA/MS/PhD Students: Next Steps for Online Submission
MFA Students: Next Steps for Online Submission
Common Formatting Issues
Frequently Asked Questions and Tutorials

Dissertations and Theses Librarian

You can get help for research in several ways.

Contact the Scholarly Communications librarian, Kristin Laughtin-Dunker, at [email protected] or (714) 532-7769

Call the Reference Desk at (714) 532-7714

Chat with us at LibChat during Reference Desk hours

Email us at Quick Reference

Ask the KnowledgeBase

Library Submission Guidelines

All students must begin the submission process by following the Initial Steps for Library Submission detailed on the next page.

After receiving library approval, students will be given directions to proceed with online submission of their thesis or dissertation. Chapman University students are required to submit their thesis or dissertation online to Chapman University Digital Commons and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global . Only MFA students are exempt from the requirement to submit to ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.

Library Workshop Slides: Submitting Your Dissertation or Thesis to the Library

Deadlines for Completion of Library Requirements

The library submission process has multiple steps. In order to meet all deadlines for conferral of graduate degrees, the entire process (including submission to Chapman University Digital Commons and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, as applicable) must be completed on the following dates as per the deadlines set by the Office of the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education :

Summer 2024 ( without continuous enrollment) : June 28, 2024 by 2:00 p.m. Pacific time
Summer 2024 ( with continuous enrollment) : August 10, 2024 by 5:00 p.m. Pacific time

It is recommended to make the initial submission to the library at least one week in advance of these dates to allow time for any necessary revisions. Do not count on being able to start and complete the library submission process on the due date.

Though the above infographic provides a general overview of the process for submitting your dissertation or thesis to the library, please be sure to read the full instructions beginning on the Initial Steps for Library Submission page!

Infographic designed by Kalea Brown '26.

Next: START HERE: Initial Steps, Checklists, and Templates >>
Last Updated: May 20, 2024 4:15 PM
URL: https://libguides.chapman.edu/dissertations

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A literature-based dissertation is an academically rigorous work that requires students to use their research, analysis, and writing skills. It is an important part of a student's academic career and demonstrates their ability to analyze existing research and draw meaningful conclusions from the data they have gathered.

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What is a literature-based dissertation.

A literature-based dissertation is when a student uses existing literature as the basis for their empirical study. This type of dissertation requires students to read and analyze prior studies, identify gaps in the literature, develop questions to answer those gaps, and then use their research to answer those questions.

Main Components of a Literature-Based Dissertation

Get the literature-based dissertation pdf example of the above examples and learn about the main components of a literature-based dissertation.

1. Introduction

The introduction should lay down an overview of the literature you will review and explain the main arguments you will make in your dissertation. It should also introduce the reader to the main themes you will discuss in your literature review.

2. Literature Review

The literature review is where you will critically evaluate the existing research on your chosen topic. This section includes a discussion of the different approaches that have been taken to study your topic, as well as an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. You should also use this section to identify gaps in the existing research and formulate your research questions.

3. Methodology

This section will describe the methods you will use to collect and analyze data for your dissertation. That may include a discussion of different research designs, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques. It is important to note that your methodology should align with the research questions you formulated in your literature review.

4. Results

You will summarise your research's findings in the results section. It should include a detailed discussion of your collected data and how it relates to your research questions. It is crucial to note that you should not interpret your results in this section; rather, you should present the facts.

5. Discussion

In the discussion section, you will interpret your results and discuss their implications for theory and practice. That is where you will address any limitations in your study and suggest areas for future research. You should also discuss how your findings contribute to our understanding of your chosen topic.

6. Conclusion

The conclusion should summarise your main arguments and findings from your literature review and discussion sections.

The Process of Writing a Literature-Based Dissertation

Writing a successful literature-based dissertation involves several steps.

First, you must choose your topic and define your research question(s).
Next, you will need to select which sources you will use for your review.
After that, you should begin by reading all the chosen material and making notes on key points.
Once you have completed this step, it is time to create an outline for your paper that includes an introduction, body paragraphs with evidence supporting your thesis statement, and a conclusion. Lastly, it is time for you to write your final paper using proper citations for any information not original to your work.

Tips for Writing Your Literature-Based Dissertation

a. Research Thoroughly

The first step in writing your literature-based dissertation is researching thoroughly. Take the time to read through relevant academic sources, such as journal articles and books, to understand your chosen topic's current thinking.

That will help you form an argumentative stance and provide evidence for your claims. It's important to include recent research findings so that your paper is up-to-date with current knowledge and trends.

b. Develop a Clear Argument

Once you have completed your research, developing a clear argument that you plan to discuss in your dissertation is important. Your argument should be based on facts from reliable sources rather than personal opinions or beliefs.

Make sure your argument is well supported with evidence from other academic sources, and check for any logical inconsistencies before presenting it in your paper.

c. Organize Your Work Strategically

When organizing and structuring your work for the literature-based dissertation, it’s helpful to divide it into sections such as the introduction, main body of text, discussion/conclusion section, and references/works cited page. It will help keep all the information organized and easy to follow when reading the paper.

Additionally, ensure that each section is clearly labelled so that readers can easily navigate throughout the document if they need additional information on any particular topic or claim made in the paper.

d. Be Concise and Direct

When writing a literature-based dissertation, it is important to be concise and direct with your words. Avoid the temptation of using long sentences or complicated language; instead, focus on being clear with what you want to say.

Also, ensure not to include unnecessary details or information; stick with only relevant facts and data that contribute directly to your argument or thesis statement. Finally, try to avoid repeating yourself, as this can make your paper seem longer than necessary without providing additional insight into the topic.

Challenges Associated with L iterature-Based D issertation

I. Time Management

One of the most difficult characteristics of writing a literature-based dissertation is managing your time efficiently. You must dedicate enough time to research, reading, planning, drafting, and revising your work.

You need to ensure that each chapter follows logically from the previous one and contributes to the overall structure of your paper. To help manage your time more effectively and avoid procrastination, set achievable goals such as writing 500 words daily or reading 3 articles per week. It will help keep you on track throughout the entire process.

ii. Finding Relevant Sources

Any literature-based dissertation's success depends on finding relevant sources supporting your argument or study topic. As such, it’s important that you have access to many different sources – including books, journal articles, websites etc. – to ensure that you have all the information necessary for your paper.

The internet is useful for finding relevant sources; however, it’s also important to use library databases such as JSTOR or EBSCOhost, which offer access to millions of academic journals and books covering a wide range of topics.

iii. Maintaining Focus

When researching for your literature-based dissertation, it can be easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information available; this can make it difficult to stay focused on your topic area or specific question/argument.

To help combat this issue, make sure you create an outline at the start which clearly states what each chapter should include as well as what points should be made in each section/paragraph; this will provide guidance throughout the process and help keep things focused on what’s important in terms of answering your research question/argument.

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Writing a literature-based dissertation can be both challenging and rewarding simultaneously! It is important for students who are embarking on this type of project to remember that taking small steps will get them closer to completing their projects successfully. By following these tips, they should be able to make steady progress toward completing their dissertations in no time! Good luck!

Contact Premier Dissertations for a literature-based dissertation or get help with drafting any specific dissertation.

For further assistance, you may visit more resources on dissertation section writing shared below;

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1st Edition

How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation in Criminology

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Description

This book provides a guide for undergraduate criminology and criminal justice students undertaking their final-year dissertation. It speaks to the specific challenges for criminology students who may wish to research closed institutions (such as prisons, courts, or the police) or vulnerable populations (such as people with convictions, victims of crime, or young people), and offers guidance on how to undertake research on these topics whilet avoiding many of the access and ethical obstacles. It takes students through each phase of the dissertation, from designing and planning the research to writing up and presenting the completed work. The complexities of undertaking research on sensitive topics and with criminal justice institutions are discussed throughout, offering an insight into some of the challenges that students may be faced with and suggestions to overcome obstacles. It offers practical guidance for empirical and library-based projects and provides students with suggested resources for accessing primary and secondary data. It utilises a mixture of worked examples, top tips, practical strategies, and student activities to ensure the dissertation is a manageable and enjoyable process. This book will be beneficial to all undergraduate criminology students who have to undertake either a library-based or empirical dissertation. The examples and activities in the book will also be useful for dissertation supervisors who can use them to support their dissertation students.　

Suzanne Young is an Associate Professor in Criminal Justice at the School of Law, University of Leeds, UK.

Critics' Reviews

" How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation in Criminology offers the essential guide to producing your dissertation. From the literature review to the methodology chapter, from finding data to finding your voice, it guides you step by step through the process using examples specific to criminology. As such, it gives you the best chance of excelling in your dissertation." Dr David Churchill , Associate Professor in Criminal Justice, University of Leeds " How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation in Criminology provides a helpful step by step guide to undertaking undergraduate research, complemented by a range of activities to encourage students to think about their dissertation research and writing in a manageable way. This text is also an excellent resource to support teaching and learning on dissertation modules with activities that academic staff can use in their teaching practice." Dr Helen Nichols , Associate Professor in Criminology, University of Lincoln "Academic writing is challenging, especially for students faced with writing a dissertation. What is needed is a practical, supportive, and user-friendly guide addressing all stages of the process from selecting a viable topic to producing a final edit. This is that guide. Authored by a leading expert in teaching and learning in criminology, all students will benefit from reading it and putting the advice into action." Professor Gavin Dingwall , Professor of Criminal Justice Policy, De Montfort University " How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation in Criminology will provide students with necessary skills and help them to work with their supervisors to plan and execute a research project. The book is well structured and covers everything students need to know to complete their dissertation. The design of the book is very engaging and encourages students to interact with the content through a series of exercises. As such, it provides an excellent learning resource." Debbie Jones , Associate Professor in Criminology, Swansea University 　 "This is an excellent, supportive, and engaging book for students embarking on their undergraduate dissertation in criminology. With activities and diagrams to guide decision-making, the book breaks down what can be a daunting task into a manageable – and even enjoyable – process. The practical takeaways make this an essential read for students navigating the dissertation journey." Dr Christine Haddow , Lecturer in Criminology, Edinburgh Napier University

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Library Guides

Dissertations 4: methodology: methods.

Introduction & Philosophy
Methodology

Primary & Secondary Sources, Primary & Secondary Data

When describing your research methods, you can start by stating what kind of secondary and, if applicable, primary sources you used in your research. Explain why you chose such sources, how well they served your research, and identify possible issues encountered using these sources.

Definitions

There is some confusion on the use of the terms primary and secondary sources, and primary and secondary data. The confusion is also due to disciplinary differences (Lombard 2010). Whilst you are advised to consult the research methods literature in your field, we can generalise as follows:

Secondary sources

Secondary sources normally include the literature (books and articles) with the experts' findings, analysis and discussions on a certain topic (Cottrell, 2014, p123). Secondary sources often interpret primary sources.

Primary sources

Primary sources are "first-hand" information such as raw data, statistics, interviews, surveys, law statutes and law cases. Even literary texts, pictures and films can be primary sources if they are the object of research (rather than, for example, documentaries reporting on something else, in which case they would be secondary sources). The distinction between primary and secondary sources sometimes lies on the use you make of them (Cottrell, 2014, p123).

Primary data

Primary data are data (primary sources) you directly obtained through your empirical work (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2015, p316).

Secondary data

Secondary data are data (primary sources) that were originally collected by someone else (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2015, p316).

Comparison between primary and secondary data

Primary data	Secondary data
Data collected directly	Data collected from previously done research, existing research is summarised and collated to enhance the overall effectiveness of the research.
Examples: Interviews (face-to-face or telephonic), Online surveys, Focus groups and Observations	Examples: data available via the internet, non-government and government agencies, public libraries, educational institutions, commercial/business information
Advantages: •Data collected is first hand and accurate. •Data collected can be controlled. No dilution of data. •Research method can be customized to suit personal requirements and needs of the research.	Advantages: •Information is readily available •Less expensive and less time-consuming •Quicker to conduct
Disadvantages: •Can be quite extensive to conduct, requiring a lot of time and resources •Sometimes one primary research method is not enough; therefore a mixed method is require, which can be even more time consuming.	Disadvantages: •It is necessary to check the credibility of the data •May not be as up to date •Success of your research depends on the quality of research previously conducted by others.

Use

Virtually all research will use secondary sources, at least as background information.

Often, especially at the postgraduate level, it will also use primary sources - secondary and/or primary data. The engagement with primary sources is generally appreciated, as less reliant on others' interpretations, and closer to 'facts'.

The use of primary data, as opposed to secondary data, demonstrates the researcher's effort to do empirical work and find evidence to answer her specific research question and fulfill her specific research objectives. Thus, primary data contribute to the originality of the research.

Ultimately, you should state in this section of the methodology:

What sources and data you are using and why (how are they going to help you answer the research question and/or test the hypothesis.

If using primary data, why you employed certain strategies to collect them.

What the advantages and disadvantages of your strategies to collect the data (also refer to the research in you field and research methods literature).

Quantitative, Qualitative & Mixed Methods

The methodology chapter should reference your use of quantitative research, qualitative research and/or mixed methods. The following is a description of each along with their advantages and disadvantages.

Quantitative research

Quantitative research uses numerical data (quantities) deriving, for example, from experiments, closed questions in surveys, questionnaires, structured interviews or published data sets (Cottrell, 2014, p93). It normally processes and analyses this data using quantitative analysis techniques like tables, graphs and statistics to explore, present and examine relationships and trends within the data (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2015, p496).

Advantages	Disadvantages
The study can be undertaken on a broader scale, generating large amounts of data that contribute to generalisation of results	Quantitative methods can be difficult, expensive and time consuming (especially if using primary data, rather than secondary data).
Suitable when the phenomenon is relatively simple, and can be analysed according to identified variables.	Not everything can be easily measured.
	Less suitable for complex social phenomena.
	Less suitable for why type questions.

Qualitative research 

Qualitative research is generally undertaken to study human behaviour and psyche. It uses methods like in-depth case studies, open-ended survey questions, unstructured interviews, focus groups, or unstructured observations (Cottrell, 2014, p93). The nature of the data is subjective, and also the analysis of the researcher involves a degree of subjective interpretation. Subjectivity can be controlled for in the research design, or has to be acknowledged as a feature of the research. Subject-specific books on (qualitative) research methods offer guidance on such research designs. 

Advantages	Disadvantages
Qualitative methods are good for in-depth analysis of individual people, businesses, organisations, events.	The findings can be accurate about the particular case, but not generally applicable.
Sample sizes don’t need to be large, so the studies can be cheaper and simpler.	More prone to subjectivity.

Mixed methods

Mixed-method approaches combine both qualitative and quantitative methods, and therefore combine the strengths of both types of research. Mixed methods have gained popularity in recent years. 

When undertaking mixed-methods research you can collect the qualitative and quantitative data either concurrently or sequentially. If sequentially, you can for example, start with a few semi-structured interviews, providing qualitative insights, and then design a questionnaire to obtain quantitative evidence that your qualitative findings can also apply to a wider population (Specht, 2019, p138).

Ultimately, your methodology chapter should state:

Whether you used quantitative research, qualitative research or mixed methods.

Why you chose such methods (and refer to research method sources).

Why you rejected other methods.

How well the method served your research.

The problems or limitations you encountered.

Doug Specht, Senior Lecturer at the Westminster School of Media and Communication, explains mixed methods research in the following video:

LinkedIn Learning Video on Academic Research Foundations: Quantitative

The video covers the characteristics of quantitative research, and explains how to approach different parts of the research process, such as creating a solid research question and developing a literature review. He goes over the elements of a study, explains how to collect and analyze data, and shows how to present your data in written and numeric form.

Link to quantitative research video

Some Types of Methods

There are several methods you can use to get primary data. To reiterate, the choice of the methods should depend on your research question/hypothesis.

Whatever methods you will use, you will need to consider:

why did you choose one technique over another? What were the advantages and disadvantages of the technique you chose?

what was the size of your sample? Who made up your sample? How did you select your sample population? Why did you choose that particular sampling strategy?)

ethical considerations (see also tab...)

safety considerations

validity

feasibility

recording

procedure of the research (see box procedural method...).

Check Stella Cottrell's book Dissertations and Project Reports: A Step by Step Guide for some succinct yet comprehensive information on most methods (the following account draws mostly on her work). Check a research methods book in your discipline for more specific guidance.

Experiments

Experiments are useful to investigate cause and effect, when the variables can be tightly controlled. They can test a theory or hypothesis in controlled conditions. Experiments do not prove or disprove an hypothesis, instead they support or not support an hypothesis. When using the empirical and inductive method it is not possible to achieve conclusive results. The results may only be valid until falsified by other experiments and observations.

For more information on Scientific Method, click here .

Observations

Observational methods are useful for in-depth analyses of behaviours in people, animals, organisations, events or phenomena. They can test a theory or products in real life or simulated settings. They generally a qualitative research method.

Questionnaires and surveys

Questionnaires and surveys are useful to gain opinions, attitudes, preferences, understandings on certain matters. They can provide quantitative data that can be collated systematically; qualitative data, if they include opportunities for open-ended responses; or both qualitative and quantitative elements.

Interviews

Interviews are useful to gain rich, qualitative information about individuals' experiences, attitudes or perspectives. With interviews you can follow up immediately on responses for clarification or further details. There are three main types of interviews: structured (following a strict pattern of questions, which expect short answers), semi-structured (following a list of questions, with the opportunity to follow up the answers with improvised questions), and unstructured (following a short list of broad questions, where the respondent can lead more the conversation) (Specht, 2019, p142).

This short video on qualitative interviews discusses best practices and covers qualitative interview design, preparation and data collection methods.

Focus groups

In this case, a group of people (normally, 4-12) is gathered for an interview where the interviewer asks questions to such group of participants. Group interactions and discussions can be highly productive, but the researcher has to beware of the group effect, whereby certain participants and views dominate the interview (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2015, p419). The researcher can try to minimise this by encouraging involvement of all participants and promoting a multiplicity of views.

This video focuses on strategies for conducting research using focus groups.

Check out the guidance on online focus groups by Aliaksandr Herasimenka, which is attached at the bottom of this text box.

Case study

Case studies are often a convenient way to narrow the focus of your research by studying how a theory or literature fares with regard to a specific person, group, organisation, event or other type of entity or phenomenon you identify. Case studies can be researched using other methods, including those described in this section. Case studies give in-depth insights on the particular reality that has been examined, but may not be representative of what happens in general, they may not be generalisable, and may not be relevant to other contexts. These limitations have to be acknowledged by the researcher.

Content analysis

Content analysis consists in the study of words or images within a text. In its broad definition, texts include books, articles, essays, historical documents, speeches, conversations, advertising, interviews, social media posts, films, theatre, paintings or other visuals. Content analysis can be quantitative (e.g. word frequency) or qualitative (e.g. analysing intention and implications of the communication). It can detect propaganda, identify intentions of writers, and can see differences in types of communication (Specht, 2019, p146). Check this page on collecting, cleaning and visualising Twitter data.

Extra links and resources:

Research Methods

A clear and comprehensive overview of research methods by Emerald Publishing. It includes: crowdsourcing as a research tool; mixed methods research; case study; discourse analysis; ground theory; repertory grid; ethnographic method and participant observation; interviews; focus group; action research; analysis of qualitative data; survey design; questionnaires; statistics; experiments; empirical research; literature review; secondary data and archival materials; data collection.

Doing your dissertation during the COVID-19 pandemic

Resources providing guidance on doing dissertation research during the pandemic: Online research methods; Secondary data sources; Webinars, conferences and podcasts;

Virtual Focus Groups Guidance on managing virtual focus groups

5 Minute Methods Videos

The following are a series of useful videos that introduce research methods in five minutes. These resources have been produced by lecturers and students with the University of Westminster's School of Media and Communication.

Case Study Research

Research Ethics

Quantitative Content Analysis

Sequential Analysis

Qualitative Content Analysis

Thematic Analysis

Social Media Research

Mixed Method Research

Procedural Method

In this part, provide an accurate, detailed account of the methods and procedures that were used in the study or the experiment (if applicable!).

Include specifics about participants, sample, materials, design and methods.

If the research involves human subjects, then include a detailed description of who and how many participated along with how the participants were selected.

Describe all materials used for the study, including equipment, written materials and testing instruments.

Identify the study's design and any variables or controls employed.

Write out the steps in the order that they were completed.

Indicate what participants were asked to do, how measurements were taken and any calculations made to raw data collected.

Specify statistical techniques applied to the data to reach your conclusions.

Provide evidence that you incorporated rigor into your research. This is the quality of being thorough and accurate and considers the logic behind your research design.

Highlight any drawbacks that may have limited your ability to conduct your research thoroughly.

You have to provide details to allow others to replicate the experiment and/or verify the data, to test the validity of the research.

Bibliography

Cottrell, S. (2014). Dissertations and project reports: a step by step guide. Hampshire, England: Palgrave Macmillan.

Lombard, E. (2010). Primary and secondary sources. The Journal of Academic Librarianship , 36(3), 250-253

Saunders, M.N.K., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2015). Research Methods for Business Students. New York: Pearson Education.

Specht, D. (2019). The Media And Communications Study Skills Student Guide . London: University of Westminster Press.

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Last Updated: Sep 14, 2022 12:58 PM
URL: https://libguides.westminster.ac.uk/methodology-for-dissertations

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Dissertation examples

Listed below are some of the best examples of research projects and dissertations from undergraduate and taught postgraduate students at the University of Leeds We have not been able to gather examples from all schools. The module requirements for research projects may have changed since these examples were written. Refer to your module guidelines to make sure that you address all of the current assessment criteria. Some of the examples below are only available to access on campus.

Undergraduate examples
Taught Masters examples


These dissertations achieved a mark of 80 or higher:
The following two examples have been annotated with academic comments. This is to help you understand why they achieved a good 2:1 mark but also, more importantly, how the marks could have been improved. Please read to help you make the most of the two examples. (Mark 68) (Mark 66) These final year projects achieved a mark of a high first: For students undertaking a New Venture Creation (NVC) approach, please see the following Masters level examples:


Projects which attained grades of over 70 or between 60 and 69 are indicated on the lists (accessible only by students and staff registered with School of Computer Science, when on campus).
These are good quality reports but they are not perfect. You may be able to identify areas for improvement (for example, structure, content, clarity, standard of written English, referencing or presentation quality).

The following examples have their marks and feedback included at the end of of each document. The following examples have their feedback provided in a separate document.

School of Media and Communication .

The following outstanding dissertation example PDFs have their marks denoted in brackets. (Mark 78) (Mark 72) (Mark 75) (Mark 91) (Mark 85) (Mark 85) (Mark 85) (Mark 91) (Mark 85) (Mark 75)
This dissertation achieved a mark of 84: .

These dissertations achieved a mark of 80 or higher:

The following two examples have been annotated with academic comments. This is to help you understand why they achieved a good 2:1 mark but also, more importantly, how the marks could have been improved.

Please read to help you make the most of the two examples.

(Mark 68)

(Mark 66)

These final year projects achieved a mark of a high first:

For students undertaking a New Venture Creation (NVC) approach, please see the following Masters level examples:

Projects which attained grades of over 70 or between 60 and 69 are indicated on the lists (accessible only by students and staff registered with School of Computer Science, when on campus).

These are good quality reports but they are not perfect. You may be able to identify areas for improvement (for example, structure, content, clarity, standard of written English, referencing or presentation quality).

The following examples have their marks and feedback included at the end of of each document.

The following examples have their feedback provided in a separate document.

School of Media and Communication .

The following outstanding dissertation example PDFs have their marks denoted in brackets.

(Mark 78)
(Mark 72)
(Mark 75)

(Mark 91)
(Mark 85)
(Mark 85)
(Mark 85)
(Mark 91)

(Mark 85)
(Mark 75)

This dissertation achieved a mark of 84:


LUBS5530 Enterprise
MSc Sustainability


.
The following outstanding dissertation example PDFs have their marks denoted in brackets. (Mark 70) (Mark 78)

LUBS5530 Enterprise

MSc Sustainability

The following outstanding dissertation example PDFs have their marks denoted in brackets.

(Mark 70)

(Mark 78)

IMAGES

Library Based Dissertation Explained by Experts with Writing Tips
Writing a library based dissertation sample
Library Based Dissertation Explained by Experts with Writing Tips
5 tips to writing a great library based dissertation
😊 Library based dissertation. Library Based Dissertation Example With
Writing a library based dissertation sample

VIDEO

What is library dissertation
Empirical Research Based LL.M. Dissertation and Ph.D. (Law) Thesis Writing
Analysing your data for your dissertation
How To Find Bibliographies on Your Topic in Dissertations and Theses
GET PhD Thesis Writing on LIBRARY SCIENCE #libraryscience #phd #thesiswritingservices #phdthesis
Research Methodologies

COMMENTS

Literature-based projects
The structure of a literature-based dissertation is usually thematic, but make sure to check with your supervisor to make sure you are abiding by your department's project specifications. A typical literature-based dissertation will be broken up into the following sections: Use this basic structure as your document plan.
Library Based Dissertation Explained by Experts with Writing Tips
A Library-based dissertation should always include all the important questions of research that can make a material difference to the outcome of the study. After carrying out a balanced study on the subject, the existing work on a subject is then placed under the scrutinizing eye of traditional research methods. In a library-based dissertation ...
What's the deal with literature based dissertations?
It can be hard to know what to do! Because literature-based dissertations are a whole different thing! In this blogpost, I address three of the most common questions around literature-based dissertations. (1) How is it different from a research dissertation? In a literature-based dissertation, your entire dissertation is a literature review.
Advantages of a library based dissertation proposal
A library-based or theoretical study isn't necessarily 'easier' than an empirical study, indeed, this can be harder. Keep in mind that theoretical studies, like data-based studies, must have their research design typed from the beginning. But even when your dissertation is much more empirically focused, it might be entirely literature-based.
What Is a Dissertation?
Revised on 5 May 2022. A dissertation is a large research project undertaken at the end of a degree. It involves in-depth consideration of a problem or question chosen by the student. It is usually the largest (and final) piece of written work produced during a degree. The length and structure of a dissertation vary widely depending on the ...
How to Write a Dissertation
A dissertation or thesis is a long piece of academic writing based on original research, submitted as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. The structure of a dissertation depends on your field, but it is usually divided into at least four or five chapters (including an introduction and conclusion chapter). ...
Theses and Dissertations
A thesis is a long-term, large project that involves both research and writing; it is easy to lose focus, motivation, and momentum. Here are suggestions for achieving the result you want in the time you have. Timelines. The dissertation is probably the largest project you have undertaken, and a lot of the work is self-directed.
What Is a Dissertation?
A dissertation is a long-form piece of academic writing based on original research conducted by you. It is usually submitted as the final step in order to finish a PhD program. Your dissertation is probably the longest piece of writing you've ever completed. It requires solid research, writing, and analysis skills, and it can be intimidating ...
Dissertation
The structure of a literature based dissertation is usually based on themes but it is important to check that you are structuring your dissertation according to the specifications and rules that your department abides by. Typical literature based dissertations are broken up into the following sections that are explored in subsequent pages: Title
Learning and Teaching: Dissertations: Choosing a topic
Consider the feasibility of your research topic and ensure it is manageable within the constraints of your project (e.g. time to complete your dissertation). Limited access to data or resources: Choosing a topic without considering the availability of data or resources needed for your research can pose significant challenges.
Literature Based Dissertation
Chapter 1 - Introduction. Begin your literature-based dissertation with a compelling introduction that sets the context for your research. Clearly state the purpose and significance of your study, along with your research objectives and research questions. Emphasise the gap or problem your dissertation aims to address and explain how a thorough ...
PDF Structure of a literature-based dissertation
The key to a good dissertation is structure, which needs to be logical and coherent. The reader needs to be able to follow your argument throughout. A generic layout for a literature-based dissertation is given below; each section has particular content you are expected to include. Individual courses may require a specific structure, for ...
Dissertations
Dissertations are extended projects in which you choose, research and write about a specific topic. They provide an opportunity to explore an aspect of your subject in detail. You are responsible for managing your dissertation, though you will be assigned a supervisor. Dissertations are typically empirical (based on your own research) or ...
Dissertation Structure & Layout 101 (+ Examples)
Time to recap…. And there you have it - the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows: Title page. Acknowledgments page. Abstract (or executive summary) Table of contents, list of figures and tables.
Research Guides: Managing the Dissertation Writing Process: Home
Based on Sandra Kostere and Kim Kostere's experiences of serving on dissertation committees, this book aims to demystify both the nuances and the procedures of qualitative research, with the aim of empowering students to conduct meaningful dissertation research and present findings that are rigorous, credible, and trustworthy.
Library Research Methods
When you start looking for sources, you'll find more than you can use, so you must quickly evaluate their usefulness; use two criteria: relevance and reliability. 5.4.1 Evaluating Sources for Relevance. If your source is a book, do this: Skim its index for your key words, then skim the pages on which those words occur.
Literature Review
Personal: To familiarize yourself with a new area of research, to get an overview of a topic, so you don't want to miss something important, etc. Required writing for a journal article, thesis or dissertation, grant application, etc. Literature reviews vary; there are many ways to write a literature review based on discipline, material type ...
Overview of the Library Submission Process
The library submission process has multiple steps. In order to meet all deadlines for conferral of graduate degrees, the entire process (including submission to Chapman University Digital Commons and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, as applicable) must be completed on the following dates as per the deadlines set by the Office of the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education:
Library-Based Dissertation Examples
A library-based dissertation, mostly known as a literature review or secondary research, is a genre of academic dissertation that forgoes empirical research or experimentation. Instead, it involves an extensive and discerning analysis of existing literature and research on a particular topic.
How to Write a Literature-Based Dissertation?
A literature-based dissertation is an academically rigorous work that requires students to use their research, analysis, and writing skills. It is an important part of a student's academic career and demonstrates their ability to analyze existing research and draw meaningful conclusions from the data they have gathered.
How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation in Criminology
It utilises a mixture of worked examples, top tips, practical strategies, and student activities to ensure the dissertation is a manageable and enjoyable process. This book will be beneficial to all undergraduate criminology students who have to undertake either a library-based or empirical dissertation.
Dissertations 4: Methodology: Methods
Mixed-method approaches combine both qualitative and quantitative methods, and therefore combine the strengths of both types of research. Mixed methods have gained popularity in recent years. When undertaking mixed-methods research you can collect the qualitative and quantitative data either concurrently or sequentially.
Dissertation examples
Dissertation examples. Listed below are some of the best examples of research projects and dissertations from undergraduate and taught postgraduate students at the University of Leeds We have not been able to gather examples from all schools. The module requirements for research projects may have changed since these examples were written.

Dissertations & projects: Literature-based projects

On these pages:

How to structure a literature-based project

Abstract or summary

Should you have a separate literature review chapter?

Ensuring your themed chapters flow

Reference list

How to Write a Library-Based Dissertation?

Author : Jacob

The distinguishing features of a library dissertation

What are the important steps in conducting a Library-Based Study?

How Should a Scholar do the Research for a Library-Based Study?

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Advantages of a library based dissertation proposal

Methodologies1

What approach can one take – qualitative or quantitative?

Can my dissertation be entirely literature-based?

What’s situation study research?

What’s an empirical study?

What’s secondary analysis?

Are you going to i have found existing research data?

Collecting you’ve data – primary research

Will my research be inductive or deductive?

What’s all of this about research design?

Key Questions

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