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The words ‘ dissertation ’ and ‘thesis’ both refer to a large written research project undertaken to complete a degree, but they are used differently depending on the country:
The main difference is in terms of scale – a dissertation is usually much longer than the other essays you complete during your degree.
Another key difference is that you are given much more independence when working on a dissertation. You choose your own dissertation topic , and you have to conduct the research and write the dissertation yourself (with some assistance from your supervisor).
Dissertation word counts vary widely across different fields, institutions, and levels of education:
However, none of these are strict guidelines – your word count may be lower or higher than the numbers stated here. Always check the guidelines provided by your university to determine how long your own dissertation should be.
At the bachelor’s and master’s levels, the dissertation is usually the main focus of your final year. You might work on it (alongside other classes) for the entirety of the final year, or for the last six months. This includes formulating an idea, doing the research, and writing up.
A PhD thesis takes a longer time, as the thesis is the main focus of the degree. A PhD thesis might be being formulated and worked on for the whole four years of the degree program. The writing process alone can take around 18 months.
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Other students also liked, how to choose a dissertation topic | 8 steps to follow, how to write a dissertation proposal | a step-by-step guide, what is a literature review | guide, template, & examples.
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Qualitative & Quantitative data analysis
Date published July 11 2020 by Barbara Neil
During my last year of Master’s program, I heard from my professors and seniors’ dissertation is the most challenging assignment and risk if done wrong. After listening to these comments about the dissertation, I got too scared.
Something as simple as having 15000 words of dissertation wrong is the worst nightmare which can put your career and years of hard work in vain. So, I probably do not want this to happen. After hearing a lot about the dissertation, I finally settle down with a pen and paper.
How “Dissertation Proposal” Can Help You!
Our top dissertation writing experts are waiting 24/7 to assist you with your university project, from critical literature reviews to a complete masters dissertation.
Got myself work up with the internet, laptop and my fingers (for typing), dig all the stuff that can make up a perfect dissertation writing and can instantly impress my supervisor. Dealing with dissertation myself, I got to know many tips and tricks about how to complete full-length research writing.
The common question most of the undergraduate ask about dissertation is how many words is a dissertation.
I would say probably 12000-15000 words but the figure might change as per your University or supervisor is a concern.
Why do you need to know the word count of a dissertation? When I first started off my dissertation I wasn’t aware of how much to write in each heading and this mistake led me without words.
Each chapter has its own specific word count and it needs to be followed religiously so that you may not run out of words again.
Therefore, let’s divide each word count according to the chapters and their headings.
The first chapter starts with an introduction to your dissertation writing. The introductory section is subdivided into the scope of the research, research question etc. Though the 1000 words carried for an introduction may vary according to the title and how much essential background you have gathered.
A literature review is the heart of a dissertation, and it contains 30% of the weightage. The word count calculated might vary from 3000 words to 4000 words, you will have to address the conceptual framework and have to give a critical perspective. The literature review helps to support the existing knowledge relevant to the topic ideas you choose from.
Chapter 3 consist of the method at which all your research question and problem statement will get an answer. You must tell how the data will be gathered and what method is necessary to adopt while collecting answers to our research question. The word count may vary to 1500 to 2000 words or more if possible. There are multiple questions you must answer when writing your methodology, such as what alternative you could have taken, how you will select the samples etc.
Well, the finding and result section do not contain a lot of words and the weightage of the section is approximately 5% in the average dissertation words. The reason is, the findings and results cover half of the charts and graphs showing the summarized data. However, the findings and results are mostly divided into separate sections. Hence, the weightage of results IS 30% of the dissertation. The word count of the results section is calculated around 3000, you will have to write a complete overview of the summary of results conducted.
In some cases, the conclusion and recommendation may carry 1000-word however, it is most probably 2000 words each. In those words, you need to sum up all the important points and summarize the main idea. The conclusion should answer, does your research covers the problem stated in the first chapter and how did you overcome the problem.
When we ask about how much is the average dissertation length nobody knows the exact answer. Even when I was crafting my dissertation I did not know how long is the dissertation going to be, probably 149 pages or 150 or only 100. So, the answer to this question is, is that it depends upon what area you are writing your dissertation, for instance, the domain you choose appears to be different when writing the dissertation. Sometimes, what you see is not exactly what it looks like in a dissertation. It may look longer at first but when you write and construct fully you get to know the more area or pages are covered by References, appendix, tables of content, figures, page breaks or white spacing these all contribute to higher page length.
Academic Level Undergraduate Masters PhD Others
As described above the ideal range of a dissertation depends upon the topic of research but also some other factors that contribute to the average dissertation length.
An average length of the thesis should be 15 to 25 pages, if you go beyond 25 that is considered a better as the material that will be presented should be appropriate but just remember credibility is important.
An average length of the dissertation in chapter 2 should be almost 8 to 10 pages long. The chapter 2 explores the existing research and previous studies to help support the methodology section in the next chapter.
The planning of your research should be 15 to 20 pages long, this is because you need to give an idea to the readers what you did and how you did it.
The readers in chapter 4 will understand and will get to know what you find out and all the results of your study is presented here. So, the chapter length should be approximately 6-7 pages long.
This chapter include all the summary of what you have already done for the past 15 months. And the it is submitted in only 6 to 8 pages after working hard.
View different varieties of dissertation topics and samples on multiple subjects for every educational level
Dissertation writing is not written in one sitting; you need to work for many months just to form a piece of research, crafting paragraph and coming to the conclusion. Just be calm, be patient and stay confident in your work. Only then you can achieve a successful dissertation despite its word limit.
How long is a dissertation.
Dissertation word counts vary widely across different fields, institutions, and levels of education:
However, none of these are strict guidelines – your word count may be lower or higher than the numbers stated here. Always check the guidelines provided by your university to determine how long your own dissertation should be.
A dissertation prospectus or proposal describes what or who you plan to research for your dissertation. It delves into why, when, where, and how you will do your research, as well as helps you choose a type of research to pursue. You should also determine whether you plan to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.
It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives , ready to be approved by your supervisor or committee.
Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.
A thesis is typically written by students finishing up a bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Some educational institutions, particularly in the liberal arts, have mandatory theses, but they are often not mandatory to graduate from bachelor’s degrees. It is more common for a thesis to be a graduation requirement from a Master’s degree.
Even if not mandatory, you may want to consider writing a thesis if you:
The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation should include the following:
The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5–7% of your overall word count.
For a stronger dissertation conclusion , avoid including:
Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.
While it may be tempting to present new arguments or evidence in your thesis or disseration conclusion , especially if you have a particularly striking argument you’d like to finish your analysis with, you shouldn’t. Theses and dissertations follow a more formal structure than this.
All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the discussion section and results section .) The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.
A theoretical framework can sometimes be integrated into a literature review chapter , but it can also be included as its own chapter or section in your dissertation . As a rule of thumb, if your research involves dealing with a lot of complex theories, it’s a good idea to include a separate theoretical framework chapter.
A literature review and a theoretical framework are not the same thing and cannot be used interchangeably. While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work, a literature review critically evaluates existing research relating to your topic. You’ll likely need both in your dissertation .
While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work based on existing research, a conceptual framework allows you to draw your own conclusions, mapping out the variables you may use in your study and the interplay between them.
A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.
Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:
When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation .
In most styles, the title page is used purely to provide information and doesn’t include any images. Ask your supervisor if you are allowed to include an image on the title page before doing so. If you do decide to include one, make sure to check whether you need permission from the creator of the image.
Include a note directly beneath the image acknowledging where it comes from, beginning with the word “ Note .” (italicized and followed by a period). Include a citation and copyright attribution . Don’t title, number, or label the image as a figure , since it doesn’t appear in your main text.
Definitional terms often fall into the category of common knowledge , meaning that they don’t necessarily have to be cited. This guidance can apply to your thesis or dissertation glossary as well.
However, if you’d prefer to cite your sources , you can follow guidance for citing dictionary entries in MLA or APA style for your glossary.
A glossary is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. In contrast, an index is a list of the contents of your work organized by page number.
The title page of your thesis or dissertation goes first, before all other content or lists that you may choose to include.
The title page of your thesis or dissertation should include your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date.
Glossaries are not mandatory, but if you use a lot of technical or field-specific terms, it may improve readability to add one to your thesis or dissertation. Your educational institution may also require them, so be sure to check their specific guidelines.
A glossary or “glossary of terms” is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. Your glossary only needs to include terms that your reader may not be familiar with, and is intended to enhance their understanding of your work.
A glossary is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. In contrast, dictionaries are more general collections of words.
An abbreviation is a shortened version of an existing word, such as Dr. for Doctor. In contrast, an acronym uses the first letter of each word to create a wholly new word, such as UNESCO (an acronym for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
As a rule of thumb, write the explanation in full the first time you use an acronym or abbreviation. You can then proceed with the shortened version. However, if the abbreviation is very common (like PC, USA, or DNA), then you can use the abbreviated version from the get-go.
Be sure to add each abbreviation in your list of abbreviations !
If you only used a few abbreviations in your thesis or dissertation , you don’t necessarily need to include a list of abbreviations .
If your abbreviations are numerous, or if you think they won’t be known to your audience, it’s never a bad idea to add one. They can also improve readability, minimizing confusion about abbreviations unfamiliar to your reader.
A list of abbreviations is a list of all the abbreviations that you used in your thesis or dissertation. It should appear at the beginning of your document, with items in alphabetical order, just after your table of contents .
Your list of tables and figures should go directly after your table of contents in your thesis or dissertation.
Lists of figures and tables are often not required, and aren’t particularly common. They specifically aren’t required for APA-Style, though you should be careful to follow their other guidelines for figures and tables .
If you have many figures and tables in your thesis or dissertation, include one may help you stay organized. Your educational institution may require them, so be sure to check their guidelines.
A list of figures and tables compiles all of the figures and tables that you used in your thesis or dissertation and displays them with the page number where they can be found.
The table of contents in a thesis or dissertation always goes between your abstract and your introduction .
You may acknowledge God in your dissertation acknowledgements , but be sure to follow academic convention by also thanking the members of academia, as well as family, colleagues, and friends who helped you.
A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .
An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a paper .
In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.
The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.
In the discussion , you explore the meaning and relevance of your research results , explaining how they fit with existing research and theory. Discuss:
The results chapter or section simply and objectively reports what you found, without speculating on why you found these results. The discussion interprets the meaning of the results, puts them in context, and explains why they matter.
In qualitative research , results and discussion are sometimes combined. But in quantitative research , it’s considered important to separate the objective results from your interpretation of them.
Results are usually written in the past tense , because they are describing the outcome of completed actions.
The results chapter of a thesis or dissertation presents your research results concisely and objectively.
In quantitative research , for each question or hypothesis , state:
In qualitative research , for each question or theme, describe:
Don’t interpret or speculate in the results chapter.
To automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:
Make sure to update your table of contents if you move text or change headings. To update, simply right click and select Update Field.
All level 1 and 2 headings should be included in your table of contents . That means the titles of your chapters and the main sections within them.
The contents should also include all appendices and the lists of tables and figures, if applicable, as well as your reference list .
Do not include the acknowledgements or abstract in the table of contents.
The abstract appears on its own page in the thesis or dissertation , after the title page and acknowledgements but before the table of contents .
An abstract for a thesis or dissertation is usually around 200–300 words. There’s often a strict word limit, so make sure to check your university’s requirements.
In a thesis or dissertation, the acknowledgements should usually be no longer than one page. There is no minimum length.
The acknowledgements are generally included at the very beginning of your thesis , directly after the title page and before the abstract .
Yes, it’s important to thank your supervisor(s) in the acknowledgements section of your thesis or dissertation .
Even if you feel your supervisor did not contribute greatly to the final product, you must acknowledge them, if only for a very brief thank you. If you do not include your supervisor, it may be seen as a snub.
In the acknowledgements of your thesis or dissertation, you should first thank those who helped you academically or professionally, such as your supervisor, funders, and other academics.
Then you can include personal thanks to friends, family members, or anyone else who supported you during the process.
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Dissertations 2: structure: standard.
A typical dissertation in the sciences or social sciences is structured in the following way:
Title page
Abstract
Table of contents
Introduction
Literature review
Methodology
Results/Findings
Discussion
Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendices
The table of contents should list all the items included in your dissertation.
It is a good idea to use the electronic table of contents feature in Word to automatically link it to your chapter headings and page numbers. Attempting to manually create a table of contents means that you will have to adjust your page numbers every time you edit your work before submission, which may waste valuable time!
This video will walk you through the formatting of longer documents using the electronic table of contents feature.
The introduction explains the how, what, where, when, why and who of the research. It introduces the reader to your dissertation and should act as a clear guide as to what it will cover.
The introduction may include the following content:
Introduce the topic of the dissertation
Identify the scope of your research
Indicate your approach
Normally, the introduction is roughly 10% of a dissertation word count.
The term “literature” in “literature review” comprises scholarly articles, books, and other sources (e.g. reports) relevant to a particular issue, area of research or theory. In a dissertation, the literature review illustrates what the literature already says on your research subject, providing summary and synthesis of such literature.
It is generally structured by topic, starting from general background and concepts, and then addressing what can be found - and cannot be found - on the specific focus of your dissertation. Indeed, the literature review should identify gaps in the literature, that your research aims to fill. This requires you to engage critically with the literature, not merely reproduce the critical understanding of others.
In sum, literature reviews should demonstrate how your research question can be located in a wider field of inquiry. Therefore, a literature review needs to address the connections between your work and the work of others by highlighting links between them. In doing so, you will demonstrate the foundations of your project and show how you are taking the line of inquiry forwards.
By the end of your literature review, your reader should be able to see:
The gap in knowledge and understanding which you say exists in the field.
How your research question will work within that gap.
The work other researchers have carried out and the issues debated in the field.
That you have a good understanding of the field and that you are critically engaged with the debates (Burnett, 2009).
For more detailed guidance on how to write literature reviews, check out the Literature Review Guide.
The methodology chapter needs to show how the research design specifically addresses the research question.
Overall, it should set out:
The reasons for your choice of methods
The how, what, why, when, who, where of your research
The limitations of your approach
For more detailed information on writing the methodology chapter, see the Methodology Guide.
Use a dedicated Results chapter especially if undertaking a scientific dissertation and/or you are using quantitative research.
In this chapter you describe what your research has discovered. Follow some tips for an effective Results chapter:
Identify the key findings. You don't need to show everything you have collected or calculated.
Be truthful and honest. Present the data you found - not what you wish you had found! Remember that misrepresenting data has ethical implications .
Be objective. You will have plenty of opportunity to discuss and interpret the data in the Discussion chapter.
Be clear and concise. Include tables, graphs or illustrations to make it easier for the reader to understand the data.
Quantitative Results
In this section you present the data you have found and say if the data support, or not, your hypothesis.
Quantitative analysis techniques
Raw numerical data need to be processed and analysed to make them meaningful. Quantitative analysis techniques include tables, graphs and statistics (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2015, p496).
Establish patterns and relationships
The way you present your data will help identify patterns and relationships in your research. These can be (depending on the field/subject) (Cottrell, 2014, p173):
Trends and developmental patterns over time (are there any patterns in the data? Does the data rise, fall, plateau? Where/when? How - gently or sharply?)
Correlations and relationships between sets of data (do they sets of data move in a similar way? Or do they move in an opposite way? Or do they have no relation at all?)
Relationships between events
Cause and effect (can you spot any causality?)
Graphs and Charts with Excel
Watch this Introduction to Charts and Graphs Linkedin Learning video to find out how to make the most of this feature in Excel.
Confidence with Numbers MacMillan Module
Need to brush up on your maths and statistics? This online course will help you overcome your obstacles in working with numbers and will give you the confidence to interpret and understand numerical data.
Qualitative Results
In qualitative research, meanings are derived from words and images - not numbers, as in quantitative research. Words and images can have multiple meanings, and need to be interpreted with care (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2015, p568). For more information about qualitative data see the Methodology Guide.
How to undertake qualitative data analysis:
Group the data in themes to make sense of them (summarise, condense, code the data).
Link these themes and categories in a way that can help you answer your research question.
Reflect on whether the data support your original argument. If yes, make sure that when you present your data you emphasise how the data support your argument. If not, you should revise your original argument!
Approaches to analysing qualitative data
Qualitative data analysis can take place using specific methods such as (there are many more, depending on your field!) thematic analysis, content analysis, grounded theory, narrative analysis, discourse analysis. The most generic approach to qualitative data analysis is thematic analysis with the aim to identify patterns in qualitative data (interviews, observations, documents etc.) (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2015, p579). For more information on qualitative analysis, check out this informative video.
Slides on methodology by Queen's University, Belfast.
The comprehensive lecture includes bullet points and references on the following qualitative data analysis methods: thematic analysis, content analysis, grounded theory, narrative analysis, discourse analysis.
This chapter should explore the meaning of your results and argue for their importance and relevance. In the discussion you could do the following:
Group your findings into themes (synthesise your findings).
Interpret the findings. What patterns do they reveal? Do they shed new light on the subject?
If using a research question state explicitly how your research has answered the research question. Reiterate your argument.
If using a hypothesis state explicitly if your findings support or do not support your research hypothesis.
Present a critique of your research in terms of methodology, limitations etc. If the hypothesis was not supported, consider reasons why this was the case (Cottrell, 2014, p192).
Critically analyse the findings by linking them to the background research. Are the findings consistent with existing research, theories, established practices? Do they present anything unusual?
Assess the importance of your study and how it has filled a gap in your field.
Identify possible implications of your findings for your area and other areas of study.
Recommend future research.
The conclusion is the final chapter of your dissertation. It should flow logically from the previously presented text; therefore, you should avoid introducing new ideas, new data, or a new direction.
Ideally, the conclusion should leave the reader with a clear understanding of the discovery or argument you have advanced.
This can be done by:
Summarising and synthesising your main findings and how they relate to your research question or hypotheses
Demonstrating the relevance and importance of your work in the wider context of your field. For example, what recommendations would you make for future research? What do we know now that we didn’t know before?
Link your conclusion to your introduction as both frame your dissertation.
A conclusion is roughly five to ten percent of the word count of the dissertation.
Avoid excessive detail. Decide what your reader needs to know.
Don’t introduce any new information such as theories, data or ideas.
Sum up the main points of your research.
While writing your dissertation, you would have referred to the works and research of many different authors and editors in your field of study. These works should be acknowledged in the bibliography where you will list writers alphabetically by surname.
For example:
Poloian, L.R. (2013). Retailing principles: global, multichannel, and managerial viewpoints. New York: Fairchild. Biggs, J. and Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for quality learning at university. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Ramsay, P., Maier, P. and Price, G. (2010). Study skills for business and management students . Harlow: Longman.
Unless otherwise specified by your module leader, the University uses the Harvard (author-date) style of citing and referencing. For more guidance and support on how to reference effectively check out the Referencing Guide . You can also book an appointment with an Academic Engagement Librarian for extra help with referencing.
While the main results of your study should be placed in the body of your dissertation, any extra information can be placed in the appendices chapter. This supplementary information, for instance, can consist of graphs, charts, or tables that demonstrate less significant results or interview transcripts that would disrupt the flow of the main text if they were included within it.
You can create one long appendix section or divide it into smaller sections to make it easier to navigate. For example, you might want to have an appendix for images, an appendix for transcripts, and an appendix for graphs. Each appendix (each graph or chart, etc.) should have its own number and title. Further, the sources for all appendices should be acknowledged through referencing and listed in the bibliography.
Don’t forget to mention each appendix at least once during your dissertation! This can be done using brackets in the following way: (see appendix 1).
Burnett, J. (2009). Doing your social sciences dissertation . England: Sage Publications Ltd.
Cottrell, S. (2014). Dissertation and project reports. A step by step guide. England: Red Globe Press.
Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2015). Research methods for business students . England: Pearson.
Dissertations.
Dissertations are a part of many degree programmes, completed in the final year of undergraduate studies or the final months of a taught masters-level degree.
What is a dissertation.
A dissertation is usually a long-term project to produce a long-form piece of writing; think of it a little like an extended, structured assignment. In some subjects (typically the sciences), it might be called a project instead.
Work on an undergraduate dissertation is often spread out over the final year. For a masters dissertation, you'll start thinking about it early in your course and work on it throughout the year.
You might carry out your own original research, or base your dissertation on existing research literature or data sources - there are many possibilities.
The main thing that sets a dissertation apart from your previous work is that it's an almost entirely independent project. You'll have some support from a supervisor, but you will spend a lot more time working on your own.
You'll also be working on your own topic that's different to your coursemate; you'll all produce a dissertation, but on different topics and, potentially, in very different ways.
Dissertations are also longer than a regular assignment, both in word count and the time that they take to complete. You'll usually have most of an academic year to work on one, and be required to produce thousands of words; that might seem like a lot, but both time and word count will disappear very quickly once you get started!
Find out more:
Digital tools.
There are lots of tools, software and apps that can help you get through the dissertation process. Before you start, make sure you collect the key tools ready to:
Here's an overview of some useful tools:
Digital tools for your dissertation [Google Slides]
Formatting and how you set up your document is also very important for a long piece of work like a dissertation, research project or thesis. Find tips and advice on our text processing guide:
If you are a University of York student, you can access a selection of digitised undergraduate dissertations for certain subjects:
The Library also has digitised Masters dissertations for the following subjects:
Many dissertations are structured into four key sections:
There are many different types of dissertation, which don't all use this structure, so make sure you check your dissertation guidance. However, elements of these sections are common in all dissertation types.
Dissertations that are an extended literature review do not involve data collection, thus do not have a methods or result section. Instead they have chapters that explore concepts/theories and result in a conclusion section. Check your dissertation module handbook and all information given to see what your dissertation involves.
The Introduction and Literature Review give the context for your dissertation:
Sometimes these are two separate sections, and sometimes the Literature Review is integrated into the Introduction. Check your guidelines to find out what you need to do.
Literature Review Top Tips [YouTube] | Literature Review Top Tips transcript [Google Doc]
The Method section tells the reader what you did and why.
Methodology Top Tips [YouTube] | Methodology Top Tips transcript [Google Doc]
More resources to help you plan and write the methodology:
The Results tells us what you found out .
It's an objective presentation of your research findings. Don’t explain the results in detail here - you’ll do that in the discussion section.
Results Top Tips [YouTube] | Results Top Tips transcript [Google Doc]
The Discussion is where you explain and interpret your results - what do your findings mean?
This section involves a lot of critical analysis. You're not just presenting your findings, but putting them together with findings from other research to build your argument about what the findings mean.
Discussion Top Tips [YouTube] | Discussion Top Tips transcript [Google Doc]
Conclusions are a part of many dissertations and/or research projects. Check your module information to see if you are required to write one. Some dissertations/projects have concluding remarks in their discussion section. See the slides below for more information on writing conclusions in dissertations.
Conclusions in dissertations [Google Slides]
The abstract is a short summary of the whole dissertation that goes at the start of the document. It gives an overview of your research and helps readers decide if it’s relevant to their needs.
Even though it appears at the start of the document, write the abstract last. It summarises the whole dissertation, so you need to finish the main body before you can summarise it in the abstract.
Usually the abstract follows a very similar structure to the dissertation, with one or two sentences each to show the aims, methods, key results and conclusions drawn. Some subjects use headings within the abstract. Even if you don’t use these in your final abstract, headings can help you to plan a clear structure.
Abstract Top Tips [YouTube] | Abstract Top Tips transcript [Google Doc]
Watch all of our Dissertation Top Tips videos in one handy playlist:
Research reports, that are often found in science subjects, follow the same structure, so the tips in this tutorial also apply to dissertations:
Online resources.
The general writing pages of this site offer guidance that can be applied to all types of writing, including dissertations. Also check your department guidance and VLE sites for tailored resources.
Other useful resources for dissertation writing:
There is a lot of support available in departments for dissertation production, which includes your dissertation supervisor, academic supervisor and, when appropriate, staff teaching in the research methods modules.
You can also access central writing and skills support:
Search SkillsYouNeed:
Learning Skills:
Writing Your Dissertation or Thesis eBook
Part of the Skills You Need Guide for Students .
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The introduction to your dissertation or thesis may well be the last part that you complete, excepting perhaps the abstract. However, it should not be the last part that you think about.
You should write a draft of your introduction very early on, perhaps as early as when you submit your research proposal , to set out a broad outline of your ideas, why you want to study this area, and what you hope to explore and/or establish.
You can, and should, update your introduction several times as your ideas develop. Keeping the introduction in mind will help you to ensure that your research stays on track.
The introduction provides the rationale for your dissertation, thesis or other research project: what you are trying to answer and why it is important to do this research.
Your introduction should contain a clear statement of the research question and the aims of the research (closely related to the question).
It should also introduce and briefly review the literature on your topic to show what is already known and explain the theoretical framework. If there are theoretical debates in the literature, then the introduction is a good place for the researcher to give his or her own perspective in conjunction with the literature review section of the dissertation.
The introduction should also indicate how your piece of research will contribute to the theoretical understanding of the topic.
The introduction to your dissertation or thesis will probably draw heavily on your research proposal.
If you haven't already written a research proposal see our page Writing a Research Proposal for some ideas.
The introduction needs to set the scene for the later work and give a broad idea of the arguments and/or research that preceded yours. It should give some idea of why you chose to study this area, giving a flavour of the literature, and what you hoped to find out.
Don’t include too many citations in your introduction: this is your summary of why you want to study this area, and what questions you hope to address. Any citations are only to set the context, and you should leave the bulk of the literature for a later section.
Unlike your research proposal, however, you have now completed the work. This means that your introduction can be much clearer about what exactly you chose to investigate and the precise scope of your work.
Remember , whenever you actually write it, that, for the reader, the introduction is the start of the journey through your work. Although you can give a flavour of the outcomes of your research, you should not include any detailed results or conclusions.
Some good ideas for making your introduction strong include:
Your introduction is the reader’s ‘door’ into your thesis or dissertation. It therefore needs to make sense to the non-expert. Ask a friend to read it for you, and see if they can understand it easily.
At the end of the introduction, it is also usual to set out an outline of the rest of the dissertation.
This can be as simple as ‘ Chapter 2 discusses my chosen methodology, Chapter 3 sets out my results, and Chapter 4 discusses the results and draws conclusions ’.
However, if your thesis is ordered by themes, then a more complex outline may be necessary.
As with any other piece of writing, redrafting and editing will improve your text.
This is especially important for the introduction because it needs to hold your reader’s attention and lead them into your research.
The best way to ensure that you can do this is to give yourself enough time to write a really good introduction, including several redrafts.
Do not view the introduction as a last minute job.
Continue to: Writing a Literature Review Writing the Methodology
See also: Dissertation: Results and Discussion Dissertation: Conclusions and Extra Sections Academic Referencing | Research Methods
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During the academic career, a student to complete lots of academic papers. In these academic papers, there comes an essay, assignment, coursework, thesis and dissertation. The structure and format of these academic papers are different from each other.
Therefore, before commencing the dissertation writing task, we should get an idea about the structure and words breakdown of different chapters of the dissertation. For this reason, you can also get help from the requirements and guidelines that your advisor have provided to write the dissertation.
Here, we will discuss the 20,000 words dissertation structure and words breakdown.
The first main chapter of a dissertation is known as an introduction. The introductory section of a dissertation should be clear, engaging and relevant to your research. After reading the introductory section of your dissertation, the readers will get the answers to the questions what, why and how you will provide answers to the research questions.
The length of the introductory section of a dissertation is 10% of the whole length of the dissertation
In 20,000 words dissertation, the word count for the introductory section of the dissertation should be 2000 words. In these 2000 words, it is necessary for the students to establish the research questions and to provide enough background information.
It is also necessary for you to clearly state the research questions and research objectives in the introductory section of the dissertation.
Before commencing research on your topic, it is necessary for you to get a thorough understanding of the content that exists on your topic. You have to provide an overview of the existing literature in the form of the literature review.
The length of the literature review chapter of the dissertation is 30% of the whole length of the dissertation.
If you are going to write a dissertation of 20,000 words, it means that the literature review chapter of the dissertation should be 6000 words.
In the literature review chapter of the dissertation, you will have to address the gap in the existing literature and you have to strengthen the existing literature with the help of new data.
To write a dissertation, you will have to gather data from different resources. In order to gather the data for your dissertation, you have to adopt a specific research methodology. In the research methodology chapter of the dissertation, you will have to provide a complete overview of this research methodology that you have adopted to gather the data for your dissertation.
The length of the research methodology chapter of the dissertation is 15%. It means that if you are going to write a dissertation of 20,000 words, your research methodology chapter should consist of 3000 words.
In this essential chapter of the dissertation, it is necessary for you to provide the results of the research questions. While presenting results in this essential section of the dissertation, it is necessary for you to make sure that these results should be relevant to the objectives and research questions of the dissertation.
The length of the results section of the dissertation is only 5%. It means that if you are going to write a dissertation of 20,000 words, results section of your dissertation should have at least 1000 words.
If you are not able to explain the results of your dissertation in a declarative form, you can also present these results in the form of charts, graphs and tables.
In the discussion chapter of the dissertation, it is necessary for you to explore the meanings and implications of the research questions. While writing the discussion chapter of the dissertation, you should try to interpret these results in detail and it is also necessary for you to elaborate on the framework of all the chapters of the dissertation.
The length of the discussion chapter of the dissertation should be 30%. It means that if you are going to write a dissertation of 20,000 words, discussion chapter of your dissertation should consist of 6000 words.
The conclusion is the last chapter of the dissertation. In the concluding chapter of the dissertation, it is necessary for you to provide answers to the research questions concisely. With the help of the concluding section of the dissertation, it is necessary for you to leave the readers with a clear understanding of the central arguments.
The length of the concluding section of the dissertation should be 10% of the whole length of the dissertation.
It means that if you are going to write a dissertation of 20,000 words, length of the concluding section of the dissertation should not exceed from 2000 words.
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Overview of the structure. To help guide your reader, end your introduction with an outline of the structure of the thesis or dissertation to follow. Share a brief summary of each chapter, clearly showing how each contributes to your central aims. However, be careful to keep this overview concise: 1-2 sentences should be enough.
How long should a dissertation introduction be? The unofficial rule is 10 percent of the entire paper, so if your dissertation is 20,000 words, your introduction should be about 2,000 words. Keep in mind this is a rough estimate, as your introduction could vary. Literature review.
abstract, appendices, conclusion, discussion, essay title, introduction, literature review, method, references, results, structure. In this post, we look at the structural elements of a typical dissertation. Your department may wish you to include additional sections but the following covers all core elements you will need to work on when ...
Craft an enticing and engaging opening section. Provide a background and context to the study. Clearly define the research problem. State your research aims, objectives and questions. Explain the significance of your study. Identify the limitations of your research. Outline the structure of your dissertation or thesis.
It can range from 1000 to 2000 words for a master's dissertation, but for a higher-level dissertation, it mostly ranges from 8,000 to 10,000 words' introduction chapter. In the end, though, it depends on the guidelines provided to you by your department.
Writing a masters dissertation or thesis is a sizable task. It takes a considerable amount of research, studying and writing. Usually, students need to write around 10,000 to 15,000 words. It is completely normal to find the idea of writing a masters thesis or dissertation slightly daunting, even for students who have written one before at ...
5. Keep the Reader in Mind. Always keep the reader in mind when writing your introduction. Consider what they need to know to understand your research and why it is important. Aim to engage and inform your reader, making them interested in your study and eager to read the rest of your dissertation.
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.
25-30% of your total word count. The analysis or discussion chapter of a dissertation consists of 30% of the whole dissertation. In these words, you will have to provide a complete overview of the implications of the results which are relevant to the main theme of your dissertation. The main purpose of this chapter is to sort out where and how ...
2. Hook the reader and grab their attention. 3. Provide relevant background. 4. Give the reader a sense of what the paper is about. 5. Preview key points and lead into your thesis statement. Frequently Asked Questions about writing a good thesis introduction.
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.
Introduction. The introduction serves to set up your dissertation's topic, purpose, and relevance. It tells the reader what to expect in the rest of your dissertation. The introduction should: Establish your research topic, giving the background information needed to contextualize your work; Narrow down the focus and define the scope of your ...
A PhD thesis (or dissertation) is typically 60,000 to 120,000 words ( 100 to 300 pages in length) organised into chapters, divisions and subdivisions (with roughly 10,000 words per chapter) - from introduction (with clear aims and objectives) to conclusion. The structure of a dissertation will vary depending on discipline (humanities, social ...
10 tips for writing an undergraduate dissertation. 1. Select an engaging topic. Choose a subject that aligns with your interests and allows you to showcase the skills and knowledge you have acquired through your degree. 2. Research your supervisor. Undergraduate students will often be assigned a supervisor based on their research specialisms.
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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 ...
Your dissertation should include the following sections (if relevant to the project: some projects will have greater focus on different sections, there is no specific word limit for each section of the main content). • Title page: An example can be found below. • Abstract/summary (maximum 500 words or 1 page). • Introduction:
Start With 1000 words of introduction. The first chapter starts with an introduction to your dissertation writing. The introductory section is subdivided into the scope of the research, research question etc. Though the 1000 words carried for an introduction may vary according to the title and how much essential background you have gathered.
An undergraduate dissertation is typically 8,000-15,000 words. A master's dissertation is typically 12,000-50,000 words. A PhD thesis is typically book-length: 70,000-100,000 words. However, none of these are strict guidelines - your word count may be lower or higher than the numbers stated here. Always check the guidelines provided ...
Introduce your main argument (especially if you have a research question, rather than hypothesis). Mention your methods/research design. Outline the dissertation structure (introduce the main points that you will discuss in the order they will be presented). Normally, the introduction is roughly 10% of a dissertation word count.
A dissertation is usually a long-term project to produce a long-form piece of writing; think of it a little like an extended, structured assignment. In some subjects (typically the sciences), it might be called a project instead. Work on an undergraduate dissertation is often spread out over the final year. For a masters dissertation, you'll ...
The introduction provides the rationale for your dissertation, thesis or other research project: what you are trying to answer and why it is important to do this research. Your introduction should contain a clear statement of the research question and the aims of the research (closely related to the question).
The length of the results section of the dissertation is only 5%. It means that if you are going to write a dissertation of 20,000 words, results section of your dissertation should have at least 1000 words. If you are not able to explain the results of your dissertation in a declarative form, you can also present these results in the form of ...