The document is a guide by Dr. Nancy Agnes on writing a successful final-year PhD dissertation, focusing on selecting research topics based on security and privacy issues in engineering. It outlines essential steps such as problem definition, research objectives, theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and justification for the research. Emphasis is placed on the importance of clear research aims and proper formatting and referencing styles.

1. Writing an
Outstanding
Final-Year PhD
Dissertation
AN ACADEMIC PRESENTATION BY
DR. NANCY AGNES, HEAD, TECHNICAL OPERATIONS, PHDASSISTANCE
GROUP WWW.PHDASSISTANCE.COM
EMAIL: INFO@PHDASSISTANCE.COM

2. IN-BRIEF
You will find the best Dissertation Research Areas / Topics for future
researchers enrolled in Engineering/management.
In order to identify the future research topics, we have reviewed the
Engineering literature (recent peer-reviewed studies) on the security
and privacy issues in the network environment for efficient network
provisioning.
The key challenge that you might be confronted with while undertaking
a PhD dissertation would be the problem you intend to resolve through
your research.

3. INTRODUCTION
A dissertation is something that is a part and parcel of your PhD course
which would eventually pave the way for assessment of a course of
higher education.
The dissertation is aimed at commencing and involving a scholar in
the domain of academic research. The purpose of including a
dissertation is to encourage and instil a sense of curiosity within PhD
scholar that forms the crux for knowledge development. Through this
article, a guide to writing an excellent dissertation is presented.

4. STEPS TO BE
KEPT IN MIND
WHILE WRITING
AN PHD
DISSERTATION

6. A theme in this case would pertain to the topic that will be investigated
through the research. It is selected on the basis of your (scholar’s) lived
experience or knowledge derived from books.
In order to select an appropriate theme for a research, it would be
helpful if you make a note of what is it that you intend to achieve
through the research.
Nonetheless, it would make sense to indicate that you need to delimit
your research prior to getting your hands dirty on the field and thus
eliminating the scope of getting stranded mid-way.
IDENTIFYING A THEME

7. The key challenge that you might be confronted with while
undertaking a PhD dissertation would be the problem you
intend to resolve through your research.
Following the topic being selected, it is time for defining the
problem in research. Defining the problem of research will be
instrumental in justifying why there is a need to conduct this
research.
Once the research problem has been defined, you set forth to
outline the research objectives.
PROBLEM DEFINITION AND CREATING OBJECTIVES

8. The research objectives forms the crux, it makes up the
central axis on which the research pivots. But please note
that it is not the subject, but what in a usually vast domain
attracts the attention of a researcher.
In case you decide to proceed further with your dissertation
without first outlining the research objectives, it will lead to
confusion and ultimately be a waste of time.

9. The theoretical ground is the basic component that lends
support to any scientific research.
A theoretical framework enables the researcher to situate
their concerns or challenges in the scope of the area of
knowledge where it has been added.
The component of Theoretical Framework with in Academic
Research would comprise of a review of articles, texts, books
and every other pertinent material within the subject or
domain being investigated.
THEORETICAL GROUNDS

10. Research hypotheses are nothing but statements that
attempt to provide answers to the problem of research.
Such ideas would come to the fore right at the beginning or
during the course of the investigative procedures on the
basis of the knowledge that the scholar has on the subject.
Any hypothesis that is good would be one that can be
challenged, which means one that can be confronted with
actual data.
FRAMING THE HYPOTHESIS

11. The rationale for the research would present the reader with
a rational justification as to why this research is being
carried out.
The justification comprises of four key rules; a) why a theme
was selected? b) what is the purpose of the research? c)
who would be the target audience for the research? and d)
the base (source of information where you work is based).
RESEARCH RATIONALE

12. For your PhD dissertation, you need to write around 200 to
250 words to justify your rationale.
This provides a valid and believable argument for your
research.
However, the argument needs to be logical, clear and direct
as it is worth deciding the continuity within your research
idea.

13. The methodology adopted for research will describe your
research process, that is, the manner in which you intend to
conduct your research.
In order to present the methodology adopted for research,
you should take into account the kind of research – the
manner of research, which means; you need to outline
whether your research will be descriptive, explanatory or
exploratory.
METHODOLOGY

14. The Research Methodology is what will guide your research
to reach the intended destination.
The choice of methodology would depend upon the
objectives that you have framed and what you intend to
achieve through the research.

15. The results are essentially the findings that you derive while
conducting the research. The tools for extracting results
would depend on the methodology.
For instance, if your study utilizes a Qualitative
Methodology, you would depend on a thematic analysis to
arrive at results. In contrast, if your study involves a
quantitative methodology, statistical tools would be used to
derive results.
RESULTS

16. There are several referencing and formatting styles that are
available and the choice of referencing and formatting style
would depend upon your educational institution.
Each institution follows a fixed style. The most common style
of referencing and formatting is Harvard which is in practice
across a large number of educational institution
REFERENCES

17. CONCLUSION
These are some of the components
that need to be kept in mind when
writing a PhD dissertation.
Though we have not covered
literature review in this, which
does not mean that Literature
Review is not important.

18. However, the way you frame your objectives, methodology
and define the problem statement within your research is
what would ensure that you achieve the aim with which
you are conducting this research.

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