Lecture 10 guidence on writing your dissertation

Lecture 10: Guidance on
Writing your Dissertation
Kevin Standish

Learning Outcomes
1. Organisation of the dissertation
2. Writing the introductory chapter
3. Writing the review of the literature
4. Explaining the methodology
5. Mastering the academic style

1. How are dissertations organised?
2. Principles that govern chapter organisation
3. Making organisation of the dissertation clear to
the reader
4. Overall packaging of the dissertation
1. ORGANISATION OF THE
DISSERTATION

1.1. How are dissertations
organised?
1.Dissertations are organized in whatever way it enables you to
communicate your results clearly to the reader.
2.There is a general pattern used in most dissertations, widely used not just
due to tradition, but because it has its own internal logical structure.
3.It is a pattern that provides answers to 5 fundamental questions:
1. What is the problem that I studied? This is the concern of the
first chapter.
2. How does my study relate to previous work? This is the review of
the literature
3. What methods today used to study the problem? This is a
discussion of the methodology.
4. What results did I obtained? This is the reporting of the results.
This is not a discussion of the results
5. What does it all mean? This is the discussion and summary of the
results in relation to the literature.
There are many variations to this basic structure.

1.2. Principles that govern
chapter organisation
1. Each chapter must be seen to relate to the whole of the
dissertation.
2. The reader should have a feeling that are reading a unified
narrative, not a collection of individual pieces of work.
3. However each chapter should make sense by itself,
organised in a way that the reader can easily follow the line
of argument.
4. The parts of the chapter should clearly relate to each
other, conveying a sense of order and form.
5. Ensure that each chapter is correctly framed with a clear
introduction that opens chapter suggesting what is to come,
and a clear conclusion that draws the chapter to a close.

1.3.Making organisation of the
dissertation clear to the reader
A clear organization of the dissertation is important in order to
communicate with your reader what you have done.
You have an obligation to make your plan clear, to provide the
reader with a verbal roadmap so that the journey is made
without detours.
The broad structure is:
1. Statement of the problem
2. Review of the literature
3. The methodology of the study
4. The results of the study
5. The summary and discussion

1.3.Making organisation of the
dissertation clear to the reader

1.3.1. Statement of the problem
1.1 general background of the study
1.2. Problem statement
1.3 professional significance of the
problem
1.4 overview of the methodology
1.5 Delimitations of the study
1.6 definitions of key terms
1.7 organisation of the dissertation

1.3.2. Review of the literature
2.1 an overview of how the chapter
is organised
2.2 review of the theoretical and
empirical literature organised
according to one of certain patterns
2.3 a summary of what the previous
research seems to mean and how it
relates to the study

1.3.3. The methodology of the
study
3.1 a description of the general methodology
3.2 the research context
3.3 the subjects and participants
3.4 instruments and materials used in
collection
3.5 the procedures followed in collection of
data
3.6 the data analysis procedure
3.7 a summary statement of the methodology

1.3.4. The results of the study
4.1 an overview of the chapter
4.2 presentation of the results
organised in terms of the problem
statement was posed in the first
chapter
4.3 summary in general terms of the
results obtained

1.3.5. The summary and
discussion
5.1 a summary of the results
organised in terms of how the
problem statement was posed
5.2 a discussion of the findings
5.3 conclusion and future
research

1.6 General Comments
• Throughout your writing you need to ensure you have
linking statements that connect the various chapters
within each other, and links the chapters in meaningful
manner.
• You open each chapter by linking it with the previous
chapter and by indicating what will come.
• Use headings and subheadings as major divisions of
the chapter.
• Make use of transition paragraphs or sentences to link
the major sections of the paper. The first sentence
looks back at the previous section or division, the
second sentence looks ahead.
• For example: "in addition to this examination of the
types of questions used previously, researchers have
also studied the frequency of asking....".

1.6 General Comments
• Use your paragraphing effectively as an aid to organising the sections
that you are writing. Paragraphs tend to be longer and you end a
paragraph when you have fully developed an idea. You begin a new
one when you're ready to move to a new idea. dissertations tend to
have longer paragraphs, suggesting seriousness, formality and depth.
A rule of thumb is 100 word minimum per paragraph. Shorter
paragraphs will seem superficial
• Make use of topic sentences to aid organisation which clearly state
the main idea of the paragraph. Topic sentences usually come first or
early in the paragraph and tie the rest of the paragraph together.
• Within paragraphs make appropriate use of transition devices in your
writing; which is an expression or verbal strategy helps the reader
make connections. Example using counting: firstly, secondly, next and
finally.
• In other words you need to make each paragraph have an appropriate
PEE WH: ….P: POINT E: EVIDENCE E: EXPLANATION
• W: What/why/How H: HOWEVER.. criticism and counter criticism.

1.6.Over all packaging of the
dissertation
There is a standard order in the presentation of a dissertation
that is generally expected. this order can be adjusted to meet
the appropriate structuring of your topic.
· Title page
· Abstract
· Acknowledgements page
· Contents page
· List of tables and figures
· The chapters presented in the order that is clearest.
· References/bibliography
· Appendices

The introductory chapter orientates the reader to the
overall structure focus and goal of the dissertation.
This makes it an important chapter to write, with clear
structure, focus and overview.
2. WRITING THE
INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER

2.Writing the introductory
chapter
The following general pattern that seems to work for most
dissertations:
1. Introduction to the chapter: This can be brief, as short as one
paragraph, or as long as is needed without boring the reader.
This orientates the reader to the overall study
2. Background of the study: this provides a context of your
study. This places study against a background in order to make
sense of why it is being done.
3. The problem statement: this a very brief section in which you
state the problem as clearly as possible. It is crucial the way
you state the problem as this will directly influence the way
you present and summarise the results.

• 4. The professional significance of the study:
your purpose here is simple: answer the
question "why did you bother to conduct the
study?". You need to be specific about the need
for the significance of this study.
• 5. A brief overview of the methodology: this is a
general statement of the methodology used, and
not a discussion of the methodology itself.
• 6. The delimitations of the study: describe the
boundaries of the study, and the ways in which
the findings may lack generalisability.
• 7. Definition of key terms.do not feel obligated to
define terms unless there are special terms
being used in the study that need clarification.

2.Writing the introductory
chapter
• The introductory chapter is not quite a
summary of the dissertation that reflects
the beginning point of the journey
highlighting some of the key elements the
reader will encounter in your dissertation.
• You should conclude the introduction
with the paragraph that looks ahead to the
rest of the dissertation, indicating to
readers what they may expect.

1. 4 patterns used in structuring
the literature review
2. Analyse the major
components and sort into
divisions and subdivisions
3. Writing the review
4. Checklist
3. WRITING THE REVIEW OF
THE LITERATURE

3.1. The 4 patterns used in
structuring the literature review
• The first step in outlining
involves identifying the major
components of your literature
review.
• Some reviews include an
explanation of search
processes that were used in
assembling the review
• Some reviews include a
discussion of the theoretical
literature
• Pattern 1:
• The search process
• The theoretical literature
• The empirical research
• Pattern 2:
• The search process
• Pattern 3
• The theoretical literature
• Pattern 4

3.2.Analyse the major
Once you have decided on an overall approach that is
suitable for your dissertation you now need to
determine the divisions and subdivisions.
You do this by reflecting on the question: "what the big
pieces of this component?"
This will have been made easier in the way have
structured your files and preliminary readings you
have done as these should have made logical
structuring.
You may want to divide complex divisions into
subdivisions that or important part of the discussion
processes and critical to the review of the literature.

3.2.Analyse the major
• Make use of a clear numbering system in order to clarify
divisions and subdivisions. Make sure you use the word
styles function when setting up these divisions and
subdivisions so that they appear in your contents
table.E.g. 1 title. 1.1 heading. 1.2 heading. 1.2.1
subheading
• By structuring your literature review using divisions and
subdivisions you should have an overview of the various
topics that need to go in each section and subsections.
• Four levels of headings should be sufficient for clarity
without getting to complex.
• The title of the chapter is considered level I; the main
divisions of the chapter level II; subdivisions level III; and
sub subdivisions level IV.

3.3. Writing the review
Using the different sections and subsections that you have
identified in your overall structure you now need to write the
details involved.
A brief introductory paragraph at the beginning of the chapter
provides an overview of the chapter elements.
In writing each section of the review the following pattern is used
to structure the section:
1. Provide an overview:
2. Generalise:
3. Specify:
Conclude the chapter with a summary that reviews the content of
the chapter and brings together the conclusions of all the
empirical research.
When you have finished writing the chapter put it aside for awhile.
Then revise it using aids such as spellcheck, grammar checker
and style checkers.

1. Provide an overview:
• Provide a brief overview of the section
which helps the reader understand how
the section is organised and what its
main divisions are.
• It is a brief introduction to the section

2. Generalise:
• write the main developmental paragraphs of
that section. You should begin the
developmental paragraphs with one or two
sentences that generalise what the studies
show.
• You have an obligation to the reader to make
coherent sense of the literature rather than
simply describing.
• It is more than simply naming the conclusions
of the study but rather bringing these together
into a meaningful analysis.

3. Specify:
• with a generalisation made, you then provide the
specific evidence, citing and discussing each study
relating to that generalisation.
• How much space you devote to each study depends
upon its importance.
• The more important to study and central to your
dissertation the greater the discussion required.
• This important studies may be simply noted and
discussed more briefly in a paragraph or two.
• The length of treatment corresponds to importance.

3.4.Checklist
When you revise your chapter you need to answer the following in
relation to the review.
Is the review...
1. Comprehensive, including all major works relating to your topic?
2. In-depth, providing the reader depth of knowledge about the prior
research?
3. Current, including works published recently?
4. Selective, discriminating between major and this important
studies?
5. Unbiased, without the writer skewing the prior research to suit his
or her point of view?
6. Clearly organised, so that the reader can easily follow the plan and
flow of the chapter?
7. Coherent, making sense of the studies, not simply describing
them?
8. Effectively written in an academic style?
If you are unable to tick off each of these questions you need to
consider rewriting the literature review.

1. Outline the chapter
and use headings
appropriately
2. Overview of
methodology
headings
3. Explaining how data is
to be analysed
4. EXPLAINING THE
METHODOLOGY

• Most students tend to skimp in their writing of the
methodology which is a serious shortfall in the
dissertation.
• The methodology provides the reader a clear
understanding of your research design and methods
used.
• They should be written in a manner that allows
reader to be able to follow the steps taken in
gathering the data if the research was to be repeated
• Objectivity is especially important in this chapter.
Avoid making unsupported statements and
sweeping generalisations. Provide specific data and
descriptions.

• Most descriptions of the methodology
chapter cover the following content:
• 1.The general research perspective and
research type
• 2. The research context, including
specifics of time and place as needed
• 3. The researcher participants
• 4. The method and instruments used in
data collection
• 5. The way the data will be analysed

4.1. Outline the chapter and use
headings appropriately
When you have decided on the content you should then determine
the overall organisational pattern of the chapter
There are 4 patterns used in dissertations:
1. Logical order: most chapters use a logical order, organising the
content in terms of the relationships of the concepts. You reflect
on the processes you used and determine how best to group them
2. Chronological order: some researchers using a qualitative or
action research approach prefer to follow chronological order,
discussing the steps in the order in which there were taken. This
pattern is especially useful when the sequence of steps is
important to the result
3. Research – question order: explain the methodology in relation
to the research questions answered.
4. Research – methods order: organise chapter in relation to the
research methods used

4.1. Outline the chapter and use
headings appropriately
• Common elements: regardless of the
organisational pattern used to initial
elements common to most
dissertations
• 1. The general perspective
• 2. The research context
• You need to discuss both of these as
part of your structuring

4.2.Overview of methodology
headings
• Structure your chapter that makes
meaningful sense using the
previously described organisational
ideas.
• The following is the most common
way of structuring the methodology
chapter:
• The research methodology is normally
chapter 3 so its layout would look
something like this:

3. Methodology: Brief overview of the chapter
3.1. The general perspective: Discuss the general
overview in a little more detail
3.2. The research context: Describe the context in
which the study took place
3.3. The research participants: Define the research
participants and recruitment thereof
3.4. Instruments used in the data collection: What
instruments questionnaires and recording devices et
cetera were used for data collection
3.5. Procedures used.: What procedures were used in
the process of data collection
3.6. Data analysis: What strategies will you use to
analyse the data
3.7. Summary of the methodology: Summarise the
methodology as a whole.

4.3. Explaining how data is to be
analysed
All studies result in a mass of raw data. Thus a key component of
the methodology is explaining to the reader how you will handle
this data.
Data analysis usually includes three procedures:
1. You explain how you reduced the data to meaningful
information. When you reduce the data, to group the raw data in
order to make initial sense of them.
For example, In analysing interview data, these steps were taken
in reducing the data:
1. Transcribing interviews.
2. Reading the transcripts to identify categories of responses.
3. Testing the tentative categories by classifying responses in the
first hour of the interviews
4. Using final categories to code all responses
5. Tallying coded responses

4.3. Explaining how data is to be
analysed
• 2. Explain how you decided to report and displayed the
raw data. You have several methods of reporting raw
data: percentages, mean, medium, standardise scores.
You have several methods for displaying data: narrative
text, matrixes, tables, graphs, and any other figures that
are relevant
• 3. Explain how you will analyse this data to determine
what they mean: in quantitative studies you report to
statistical tests and procedures to be used: t-test, chi
squared etc. In qualitative studies you explain how
interpret the data: thematic analysis, IPA, grounded
theory, constant comparison method.

http://writeitright.uelconnect.org.u
k/pages/redrafting_and_finishing/1
16/checking_your_academic_style.
html
1. The writing process
2. Write with an efficient process
5. MASTERING THE
ACADEMIC STYLE

• The most common error in
dissertations that result in low marks
and failures is poor academic style. In
writing your dissertation you need to
meet the minimum academic standards
required at level VI.
• Whilst this may be obvious it is
important to state the following are the
common errors encountered in
dissertations and writing style:

common errors
• 1. Grammar errors
• 2. Spelling errors
• 3. Punctuation errors
• 4. Poor sentence construction
• 5. Poor paragraph construction
• 6. Inadequate,and incorrectly formatted citations
• 7. Incorrectly formatted bibliography.
• 8. Citations not appearing in the bibliography
• There appear to be 2 errors in writing:
• 1. out of a fear of plagiarism students are over-paraphrasing the
literature to the point that it becomes meaningless. You cannot
paraphrase key concepts words or ideas. Use the authors words and
ensure you use correct citations.
• 2. In an attempt to appear academic, attempts at complex writing is
made that does not make sense or add up. Do not be complex for
complex sake. Present ideas clearly in the first place and only later
add any other element to that idea.

5.1. The writing process
Developing an effective approach to writing is an
important component of a successful dissertation.
The standard process model of writing a dissertation is
the following: plan; write draft; edit; proof read.
Ensure you fully understand and use all the computer-based
technology to assist you in the writing of the
dissertation. If you have make use of Zotero, or Docear,
and the minimum you do need to make use of areas the
referencing function in word, and the styles function in
word.
Develop a writing schedule that will help you write
systematically and effectively. If you have planned a
program and deadlines you will be on track to
complete your dissertation well before the hand in
date.

5.1. The writing process
• You need to schedule longer blocks of
uninterrupted time in order to write a section
successfully.
• Most people need at least a three hour block
of time to get some good writing done.
• This follows a process of a slow warmup
period in which you struggle to get going,
you then hit your stride and find the flow of
the topic, and any interruption at this point
you lose the momentum.
• Your writing time should be free of
distractions and interruptions.

5.1. Using an Editor
• To assist you in your writing please ensure you have
somebody who can proof read and help edit your
dissertation.
• Editors function is to read carefully your good drafts and
make suggestions or improvements in organisation and
style.
• This is not the task of your supervisor!
• The editor does not write for you, this is dishonest and
and ethical.
• The editor's task is to suggest how the chapter might be
reorganised what paragraphs need for the development
and indicate how some sentences can be rewritten.
• The editor helps with the proof reading of your
assignment to identify the errors that you cannot see.
• You know what you mean in your writing, but is this what
you have written?

5.2.Write with an efficient
process
You have to experiment to find the process that works best
for you.
You should find the following process useful:
1. Begin by systematising your knowledge: read and reflect
and think about what you have read, gathered and analysed
in your results. Called to mind what you know and start to
think about a systematic way of ordering that knowledge.
2. Plan your chapter: structure your chapter according to
the previous discussions so they make logical sense
3. Reduce your plan to a written topical outline: have
somebody review your overall chapter outline before you
begin writing it as you are to close your material to be a
reliable judge of the structure sometimes.giving somebody
a bullet point form of your chapter or help them see whether
it is logical or not

process
• 4. Begin to write: follow your outline in your writing
and ensure you state within the broad structure.
• If you encounter writers block, the best way is to
just continue writing whatever comes into your head
in relation to the topic even if it seems bad.
• Too many students attempt to write the final
dissertation in a single sitting or as a single draft.
• You need to write your dissertation at least three
times. If you get completely stuck Skip section and
go on to the next idea.
• Come back to the missed section and review what is
causing the blockage: lack of understanding, lack of
information, confusion over topic, or simple
tiredness.

process
Revise as you write. Write a paragraph. Stop and
read what was just written. Revise a paragraph.
Write the next paragraph And stop the cycle all
over again.
Or find a style that works for you... Some do a
quick draft without devising anything and then
polish the entire draft....
Whenever you have finished a draft put it aside
for a few hours and reread it with a fresh eye.

5.3. Mastering the academic
style
The key element of writing the dissertation is that you are learning
to write like a scholar. This formal posh style of academic writing
is essential to successful dissertation
There are a number of elements that need attention in order to
meet the standard overall. The following is a short summary of
some of the key elements:
1.Third person persona: write in the third person throughout your
dissertation; an attempt is draft clarity, project maturity and a
sense of formality throughout your writing with an appropriate
balance between confidence in your findings yet sufficiently
tentative.
2. Document assertions: the right to provide evidence for
statements that might be reasonably challenged. Good
paraphrasing and the use of citations is vital throughout your
dissertation

style
• 3. Vary the way you identify sources: there are
several ways to cite sources. Do not just rely on
having a single citation at the end of a paragraph.
This is not sufficient. Vary the way you cite your
resources to avoid excessive repetition. For
example: according to Walker (1998), ....or Walker
(1998) concluded that...
• 4. Use appropriate paragraphing: each paragraph
should be about one main idea. Paragraphs tend
to move from general to specific. Is.the paragraph
with a general statement and then provide the
specifics to develop and support the general
statement.

style
• 5. Write complex sentences by combining shorter sentences
to form more complex ideas. However do not make
excessive use of and to convey various ideas. This involves
better sentence construction
• 6. Word choice and form: be careful in your use of jargon
keeping it to a minimum and avoid terms that are outdated
or used to often. avoid colloquial expressions that are
vague and in accurate example a lot of; check up on..;avoid
the sexist use of the masculine pronoun e.g. "man is a wise
figure in..." when the appropriate term may be his/her or
they..;
• 7. Use tables to present complex data and in the text itself
refer to the table commenting on the highlights without
repeating what is included in the table.

Lecture 10 guidence on writing your dissertation

Lecture 10 guidence on writing your dissertation

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Lecture 10 guidence on writing your dissertation