1. How to Write a First-Class
Dissertation
Vlad Mackevic
19th February 2013
Aston University

2. www.TheLectureRoom.co.uk

3. Objectives
 How to come up with a dissertation topic
 How to write a literature review
 How to be critical
 How to structure your dissertation
 How to research efficiently
 How to become a better writer

4. Dissertation
 A piece of independent research
 Contributes to the body of knowledge
 Something NEW:
 New methods with old theory
 New data with old methods
 New theory with the same dataset

5. What Earns You Points?
 Answering the
Question (!)
 Structure
 Style and language
 Research and
Analysis
 References
 Formatting and
Presentation

6. The Topic

7. Dissertation
Research-Based vs. Library-Based

8. The Question
1. The Object of the Study
2. The Context of the Study
3. The Method of the Study

9. Keep It Simple and Narrow
The rise of the Asian Tigers
(economic power in the East)

10. Taiwan Reasons
Impact Singapore
The rise of the Asian Tigers
(economic power in the East)
International relations Hong Kong
South Korea Consequences
Economic performance

11. What were the reasons for the
economic miracle of South Korea
in the second half of the twentieth
century?

12. What were the reasons for the
economic miracle of South Korea
in the second half of the twentieth
century?
• Not consequences

13. What were the reasons for the
economic miracle of South Korea
in the second half of the twentieth
century?
• Not consequences
• Not Taiwan, Singapore or Hong Kong

14. What were the reasons for the
economic miracle of South Korea
in the second half of the twentieth
century?
• Not consequences;
• Not Taiwan, Singapore or Hong Kong
• Not any other time

15. How national cultures affect
organisational cultures and the
impact of this on the performance
of businesses in different
countries?

16. Object
How national cultures affect
organisational cultures and the
impact of this on the performance
of businesses in different
countries?

17. Context
How national cultures affect
organisational cultures and the
impact of this on the performance
of businesses in different
countries?

18. Method
How national cultures affect
organisational cultures and the
impact of this on the performance
of businesses in different
countries?

19. How national cultures affect
organisational cultures and the
impact of this on the performance
of businesses in different
countries?
• Which countries do you mean?
• What companies will be used as examples?

20. Walter Scott and the carving of
brutishness: Nationalism and
regionalism within his novels.

21. The role of maternal diet in early
childhood obesity
• Focus group = participants? Sociological
profiling?
• Methods? observation, survey, etc
• Context = NOW!

22. Structure
Introduction (10-15%)
Main Body (70-80%)
Conclusion (10-15%)

23. Structure
1. Say what you’re going to say;
2. Say it;
3. Say what you’ve just said.

24. Set Topic vs. Free Topic
 Introduction  Introduction
 Main Body  Literature
 Conclusion Review
 References  Methodology
 Analysis and
Discussion
 Conclusion
 References

25. Abstract and Introduction

26. Abstract and Introduction
 Summarise your research
 Explain what you are writing
about
 Guide your reader
 Mention the Object, the Context
and the Method

27. Write Your
Introduction at the
End

28. Why?
 It’s hard
 You don’t have all the information yet
 Theory
 Applications of the theory
 Arguments of the essay
 Outline and structure
 Write about your most recent actions

29. Main Body
 Main arguments
 Evidence
 Reading/knowledge
 References

30. The Funnel and the Hourglass

31. Broad to Narrow

32. The Funnel Principle

33. Link all your
arguments back to the
assignment topic!

34. Broad to Narrow and Back to Broad

35. The
Hourglass
Principle

36. Copy from one, it’s plagiarism;
copy from two, it’s research.
Wilson Mizner
US screenwriter (1876 - 1933)

37. Research
Primary Secondary

38. Research
 Wikipedia (ONLY for general
knowledge)
 Not to be included in the list of
references
 References on Wikipedia

40. Research
 Textbooks and their chapters
(theory)
 Research articles and conference
papers (application of theory in
practice)

41. http://scholar.google.com

42. Research
 Websites
 Serious journalism
 Email correspondence

43. Research Tips
 Relevant – answer the question
 Research ethics
 Make notes while you’re reading
 Carefully note down full
references
 BACK IT UP!

44. Literature Review

45. Literature Review
A critical summary of main
research you have found on the
subject

46. Why?
Done your reading
Know your topic
Aware of the weaknesses

47. ‘Passable’ Literature Review
 Main theories
 How they were applied
 Research methods used by
others
 Research design used by others

48. First-Class Literature Review
 Why did you choose these theories?
 How did others obtain their
results?
 Similarities/differences in study
design
 Predict your results
 An original contribution

49. Analysis and Discussion
 What has been found?
 Why such results?
 Differences between your
research and that of the others
 Different methods; different
participants

50. Limitations
In the beginner's mind there are
many possibilities, in the expert's
there are few.
Shunryu Suzuki

51. Acknowledge Your Limitations
 Your lecturer will like it
 All researchers do it
 No theory is perfect
 No dataset is perfect
 No research method is perfect

52. Conclusion
 Mention the topic again
 Describe methods, data analysed etc.
 Summarise the findings
 How your findings correspond to the
previous research
 Only write about your data and your
research.

53. Speak confidently about your
own results.
Do not make generalisations
about the world based on your
limited data sample.

54. Referencing

55. Why Reference?
 To avoid failing the module
 Because it’s fair
 To back up your claims
 Evidence of extensive reading

56. Referencing
 Who wrote it?
 What is the book/article called?
 Who published it?
 Where was it published?
 When was it published?

57. The Writing Process

58. No Perfect First Draft

59. Never Leave Your Sheet Blank

60. Good Writers Read

61. Always Carry a Notebook

62. Linking Words

63. Do Not Complicate Things

64. Paragraph

65. Speak to Your
Lecturers!

66. Graduate Employment
1930 2009

67. 2007

68. Unfilled vacancies?
Students lack skills that employers are
looking for
http://lifehacker.com/infographic/

69. Job Skills
1. Communication (Written and Spoken)
2. Analytical and Research
3. Teamwork
4. Self-motivation
5. Organisational Skills
6. IT Skills
7. Leadership

70. Communication Skills
Written Spoken
Sources: http://www.sytelco.com and www.nightingale.norfolk.sch.uk

71. Communication Skills
Written Spoken
 Writing
essays, research
reports and
dissertations
 Email
communication

72. Communication Skills
Written Spoken
 Writing  Giving
essays, research presentations
reports and  Participating in
dissertations discussions in
 Email lectures and
communication seminars
 Being a good
listener

73. Analytical and Research Skills
Source: www.actbucks.org.uk

74. Analytical and Research Skills
Academic writing is all about research
and analysis:
 Looking for information online and in the
library
 Determining which information is relevant
to your assignment question
 Collecting and analysing data
 Acknowledging its limitations

75. Teamwork Skills
 Group
assignments
 Establish a study
group – or join one
 Group work in
lectures and
seminars
 Participations in
group discussions
Source: www.destructoid.com

76. Self-motivation
• Most of academic work
is made of independent
learning tasks
• Always deliver more:
take initiative to make
presentations, speak in
group discussions

77. Motivation

78. Organisational Skills
Academic work requires
top-class organisational
skills:
– Managing multiple
coursework deadlines
– Planning your time to
write your essays
– Planning your time in
exams
– Outlining and organising
your writing

79. IT Skills
IT skills at university:
– Word Processing
– Spreadsheets
– PowerPoint
presentations
– Internet-based research
– Professional social
media (Facebook and
LinkedIn)

80. Facebook Fails

81. Bank intern? Family emergency?
http://www.complex.com/tech/2012/05/25-facebook-posts-that-have-gotten-people-
fired/bank-intern-busted

82. Teacher Fired for Drinking on
Vacation
http://www.complex.com/tech/2012/05/25-facebook-posts-that-have-gotten-people-
fired/paynestaking

83. “LBG's new CEO gets £4,000 an hour.
I get £7. That's fair.”
http://www.complex.com/tech/2012/05/25-facebook-posts-that-have-gotten-people-
fired/salary-leak

84. This Guy Worked for Apple!
Fail!
Fail!
Fail!
http://www.complex.com/tech/2012/05/25-facebook-posts-that-have-gotten-people-
fired/apple-employee

85. What about this Tweet?

86. Leadership

87. Leadership
Who is a leader?
– A good communicator
– A team player
– A good researcher
– Able to analyse situations
– Motivated and ready to
motivate others
– Organised, with a respect
for deadlines

88. Facebook.com/thelectureroom1

89. Facebook.com/First.year.counts

91. Amazon Kindle Applications

93. first.year.counts@gmail.com

94. If you liked the event...
 Feel free to talk about it
 Write me a review

95. Thank you!