How To Write Your Research Dissertation

Abstract

This presentation describes the standard structure of your research dissertation and suggests a methodology for its successful production using modern word processing tools.

Introduction

How to write your research dissertation

The physical layout of the dissertation

The standard sections:

Abstract

Introduction

Theoretical development/Analysis

Design Materials and Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusions

Introduction (Content)

What’s in a dissertation

Types of dissertation

Writing a dissertation in MS Word

Signposting and captioning

References provided

Introduction (Contents)

Design, Materials and Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusions and suggestions for further work

References

Results

Discussion

References

Theory theory

Physical restrictions

Generic structure of a dissertation

Variations on the theme

The literature review section

Theory theory

A Dissertation is a kind of Technical Report

Technical reports have a standard structure

Technical reports may not be read “cover to cover”

Different readers have different needs.

(some) Repetition and signposting is good.

Section labelling, figure and table captioning, equations, references and citations are standardized.

[Bonet and Towers]

The Physical Layout

Physical constraints:

A4 paper

12 point serif font (Times New Roman or similar)

1” margin all round (1.25” for bound [left] side)

Template will be provided

Main body (from page 1 or chapter 1 to last page of references) 50 pages maximum.

Up to 10 pages of appendices allowed.

The Submission

Submitted to School reception by 4.30 pm, Monday 27 th April.

Must include:

Title page, front matter, body and appendices.

Plus 2 Page extended abstract (conference paper style, like the handout).

Plus unaltered copies of the project plan and the progress report.

May include additional, non-assessed materials but these should be clearly marked as such.

All bound together with ring binding

Deadlines are deadlines!

Zero tolerance policy

if the dissertation is not submitted by deadline, it will not be marked!

Generic Parts of a Dissertation

Abstract

Introduction

References

Appendices (optional)

The Abstract

Part of the “ front matter ” of the dissertation

Purpose, approach, main findings in brief ( ½ – 1 page)

Not a chapter!

Summarizing the abstract

The whole dissertation in 1 page or less

Chapter 1: Introduction

Is an introduction to the dissertation itself

Describes:

Purpose of study

Methodology

Results

Main findings & conclusions

Summary:

Introduce the dissertation as well as the subject of the dissertation.

Chapter 6: Conclusions

Conclusion of the dissertation

Contains

Reiteration of the purpose of study

Summary of the methodology and results

Defines the main findings & conclusions

Gives suggestions for further work

References

Not a Chapter

Part of the “ End Matter ” of the dissertation

All the sources used and cited in the body of the report.

Evidence of breadth of your reading and depth of your understanding.

Appendices

Supplementary or more detailed information that supports or expands the report (possibly for reference).

Formatted as optional extra chapters but using Appendix A, Appendix B, etc rather than Chapter 1, Chapter 2.

Front and End Matter

Give signposting information to the dissertation

Should be automatically generated whenever possible

Front matter is not included in page count

End matter is!

Front matter

Abstract

Table of Contents

Table of Figures

Table of Tables [if tables have been used]

[optional] List of Abbreviations, and/or Formulae and/or Glossary of terms used.

Should be provided if it will help the reader

Acknowledgments

End matter

References

Appendices

In published books there may be an index

Supplementary Materials

Additional material that you or your supervisor wants to have included in the dissertation

E.g.

Copies of datasheets

Code listings

Detailed design drawings

CD-Roms

Will not be assessed.

Variations on a Theme

Different types of dissertation will have different structures:

Experimental project

Literature review

Design and implementation project

Software development project

The extended abstract is a different format again.

Refer to references for general guidelines

Follow your publisher’s or institution’s guidelines for specific cases

Experimental Project

Generic parts +

Theory chapter

Method or experimental procedure chapter

Results chapter

Discussion of results chapter

Literature review

Generic parts +

Research method and sources

The literature review itself

Discussion and suggestions for further enquiry

Very detailed references with evidence of wide reading

Design and development project

Generic parts +

Background

Analysis

Design

Implementation

Testing

Software development project

Generic parts +

Background

Analysis

High-level design

Low level design

Implementation

Acceptance test results

Literature Review

Purpose is to define what was known about the subject covered in the report before the work was done

“ If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

[Newton, 1675]

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Assumptions

Basic “textbook” knowledge of the field

State of the art prior to the work

Detailed discussion of the available technical literature

text books

journal articles

conference proceedings

web sites

More on citing in the next briefing

Theory (Review)

Theory theory

Physical restrictions

Generic structure of a dissertation

Variations on the theme

The literature review section

Results

Discussion

References

Chapter 3: Design, Materials and Methods

Method of writing a report

Repetition is good!

How to repeat yourself

Signposting

Numbering

Using your word processor

Writing the “methods” chapter

Citations and references [next briefing]

How to write a dissertation

Start in the middle

You have done the work so you know what your approach was.

You have the results so you just have to write them up!

Ensure that you understand the background, write it up and use it to evaluate the results.

Gather your references and ensure that they are cited in the background sections and other sections as appropriate.

Write the conclusions and the introduction (in that order)

Write the summary

Summarise the whole dissertation in the extended abstract

Repetition is Good!

Form of technical report has developed to allow different classes of readers to make use of the materials in different ways:

Only summary may be read by a researcher looking for information or a manager seeking an “executive summary”.

Only conclusions or introduction may be read by someone interested in the subject but only wanting to adopt the main findings.

The whole document may be read by someone wishing to follow-up on the work published.

It is important that each part tells the same story at the appropriate level of detail.

Repetition and signposts help the reader who is not reading the document sequentially.

How to Repeat Yourself

Say what you will say ( in brief ) in the Abstract

Say what you will say ( in more detail ) in the introduction

Say what you have to say ( in full in the body ) with signposting

Say what you have said ( in the conclusions )

Emphasise the good bits in the extended abstract

How to Signpost

Open each section with a statement of context:

In the [last section] we ….

In [this section] we now …

Close each section with a statement of context:

In this [section] we ….

In the [next section] we will …

Provide cross references

As we saw in [a previous section] …

As we will show in [a later section] …

Numbering

Numbering important parts of the report helps with signposting

“ Figure 2 shows” …. is better than “the figure on page 3 shows”

Things that should usually be numbered

Parts, Chapters, Sections, Subsections, Appendices

Pages

Figures and Tables

Equations

Things that can be numbered

Citations

Things that aren’t usually numbered

Sub-sub-sections

1.1.2.3 is ugly

rearrange to avoid deep nesting of sections

Front and end matter sections (exception appendices)

Note appendices normally numbered A, B, C rather than 1, 2, 3

Number Sections

It is easier to use signposting if you label your sections and subsections.

Dissertation or larger document

Chapter 1.

1.1

1.1.1

Extended abstract

1

1.1

1.1.1

Local rules often override general guidelines

Page Numbering

Front matter use Roman: i, ii, iii, iv

Main body use Arabic: 1, 2, 3, 4

Continue page numbering in end matter

Note page limits.

Start on page one of the main body (that is Chapter 1)

End on last page of appendices.

Use Your Word Processor (WP)

Use the outliner to define and manipulate the structure of your document.

Use style settings to make section numbering automatic

Use the cross-referencing tools for signposting.

Let your word processor do the numbering for you!

Use section breaks in your word processor to change numbering style

Most WPs provide these features. Learn how to use them!

Figures

Give all figures a numbered caption

Refer to figure in text. “Figure 1 shows a document.”

WP tip: Use auto-captioning and cross-referencing.

Figure 1: A Document

Tables

Give all tables a caption.

Caption goes above table.

Table 1: Fee fie fo fum

Refer to table in text. “Table 1 enumerates useful words beginning with ‘f.’”

WP tip: Use auto-captioning and cross-referencing.

Fee Fie Fo Fum

Equations

Give all equations a label

Refer to equation in text. “Equation (1) shows the formula for a quadratic.”

Use your WP’s equation editor to get auto-captioning and cross-referencing.

(1)

Writing the “Design, Materials and Methods” chapter

Simply report what you did!

How you:

Designed an experiment, carried out the measurements, recorded the results.

Chose a research methodology, performed your literature search, selected your sources, summarised your findings.

Analysed the problem, designed a solution, implemented the solution, tested the solution.

As you are reporting what you did use the past tense!

Passive Voice?

Some publishers prefer an objective tone and “passive voice”

“ Measurements were taken of x and the results were recorded in a lab book”

You and your readers may find this a bit awkward.

But use it if you have to.

Design, Materials and Methods (Review)

Method of writing a report

Repetition is good!

Numbering

Using your word processor

Writing the “methods” chapter

Citations and references [next briefing ]

Results

Discussion

References

Chapter 4: Results

Results section presents your findings.

Use tables, figures and equations as appropriate.

Textual commentary is needed to tie results to method.

Provide explanation if necessary.

Usually easiest section to write (if you recorded the results carefully!)

Results

Discussion

References

Chapter 5: Discussion

Compare results to expected results

Account for any differences

Experimental procedure wrong

Accuracy of measurements

Limitations of your implementation approach or tools

Differences may point to inaccuracies in the background section and may point to future work.

“ This result can be explained by experimental error” is not an explanation as you should be able to quantify the experimental error!

Be honest, a result that does not match the expected outcome is itself a useful result!

Results

Discussion

References

Chapter 6: Conclusions etc.

Remind the reader of what you were trying to achieve.

Outline the theory, method, results and discussion

Attempt to tie together the theory, results and discussion.

Highlight the places where the theory was correct

Highlight the places where the theory was incorrect

Make suggestions for further work.

Ensure that the conclusions stands alone because it may be the only part to be read!

Conclusions and further work

In this presentation we have:

Described the structure of a dissertation

Presented the main sections of a dissertation

Provided a methodology for approaching the writing of a dissertation

Given guidelines on topics such as numbering, sign posting, and use of the word processor.

In the next briefing we will cover referencing, quoting and citing.

Theory

Method

Results

Discussion of Results

Conclusions

References

References

Bonet, J. and M.S. Towers, Layout and Structure of an Honours Project Thesis , School of Engineering, Swansea University. Available on the Blackboard module site.

Newton, Sir Isaac, 1675. Letter to Robert Hooke, February 5. As quoted online at URL: http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Isaac_Newton/ (The Quotationspage.com)