Dissertation Project Guidelines

Dissertation Project Guidelines

Table of Contents
Dissertation Proposal ......................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 2 1.2 Research Focus ............................................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Structure and Content................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Research Design .......................................................................................................................... 3 1.5 Assessment .................................................................................................................................. 4 1.6 Literature ..................................................................................................................................... 4 1.7 Dissertation Proposal Structure .................................................................................................... 4 2. The Dissertation ............................................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Literature Review (Theoretical Part) ............................................................................................ 5 2.3 Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 6 2.4 Research Results (Analytical Part) ............................................................................................... 6 2.5 Discussion and Conclusions (Integrative Part) .............................................................................. 6 Thinking Through and Organising the Dissertation ............................................................................ 8

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Dissertation Project Guidelines

Dissertation Proposal
The following sections discuss the content of the dissertation proposal.

1.1 Introduction
The Dissertation Proposal is not an obstacle for students to avoid. It is an integral part of the research process and should, in fact, be regarded as an embryonic form of the completed dissertation. The Dissertation Proposal is a clear indication of what each student will be researching. Once it has been approved, the student is committed to pursuing that topic and should continue to follow the research plan, as stated in their proposal.

1.2 Research Focus

The research undertaken by students must be of a reasonable quality. Also, students should recognise that what is being asked of them is very particular. The dissertation is not just another report or an essay. It is NOT a statement of the students opinions, nor is it a rambling discussion on everything the student has learned. Research has a very clear purpose and needs a very clear structure to work effectively. It is also a very important skill for the student to acquire as what it does is show that a student can approach a topic, ask questions or locate problems, undertake specific literature-based research, and produce purposeful conclusions. It is a rare opportunity for students to work on their own and allow their own interests to lead their studies. Students should seize this opportunity to show the extent of their potential in developing a specialism.

1.3 Structure and Content

Styles of research do vary, but, essentially, it is all structured in a similar kind of way. It is this structure which helps to keep the value of research alive. You will be required to tackle the dissertation using an appropriate research style and structure. The assessment at the end will reflect as much on how you did it as on what you did. There are many aspects of research that could be discussed and should be considered by the student prior to beginning their work. The Dissertation Proposal must conform to the required standard and format in order to be approved. It must contain: Title Page Abstract Introduction Research Problem Literature Review Research Questions Complete list of References The Abstract should be a kind of Executive Summary, providing a short but detailed account of the whole document, including what the Research Problem is, what the Research Questions are and what the main conclusions of the study are. The Introduction chapter should introduce the reader to the broad area of research and discuss what the background to the current issues is and why there is reason for further investigation. This will include the aims and objectives of the research.
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Dissertation Project Guidelines The purpose of the Research Problem is to identify some kind of focus for the literature study. This should set some real purpose for the analysis and should identify the parameters of the topic. The section shows what is to be researched and why. It is very important to be specific in order to facilitate detailed, focused research in the subsequent stages. The Literature Review that forms the main section of the Dissertation Proposal should be a very detailed chapter and should incorporate a complete analysis of the references used up to this point. The salient issues, gaps in knowledge, areas of ambiguity, interest or uncertainty being highlighted. This is a difficult and complex process to undertake and will require a lot of hard work, but a well-researched Literature Review for the Dissertation Proposal will form a very stable (and advanced) foundation for the Research Dissertation. When the Dissertation Proposal is submitted, it should include a detailed analysis of at least 15 secondary sources (i.e. written material). Remember that the purpose of research is to try to fill a gap in knowledge. Only by identifying where and what the gap is, can any further purposeful work take place. This implies that only by extensive reading and analysis of the literature the student can understand the relevant issues and locate a suitable area of study: a research focus or problem statement. Care should be taken in the selection of material. There is a generally accepted hierarchy of sources. This is: Articles selected from academic research journals Academic text books Official reports by governments, agencies, companies, etc. Ph.D. theses and Masters dissertations Articles from trade journals Articles from newspapers and magazines The Internet This hierarchy shows the relative value of different sources with 1 being the most valuable and 7 being of least value. (This hierarchy is based on the reliability of the sources origins). Students should be aware that the ultimate quality of their Dissertation is greatly influenced by the value (and number) of sources used. Thus, academic research journals should form the core of any Research Dissertation, the other sources being used only in support. The Research Questions are the product of the Literature Review. After demonstrating a detailed knowledge of the topic and the relationship between relevant literature, the student can then focus on what more still needs to be researched and what will be the specific focus of their own research. It is essential that students include a Complete List of References used in the Literature Review, and otherwise, to date. The system used for referencing must be as according to the stipulated Harvard style - http://www.neilstoolbox.com/index.htm

1.4 Research Design

Perhaps the most important aspect for many students is considering the kind of data to include in their dissertation. Quantitative data is what is easily measurable and is often expressed in numbers. Qualitative data is less easy to measure as it includes things like peoples opinions, attitudes and feelings. Students should consider what type of data would be most appropriate for their study. Many students choose to use a combination of the two and, therefore, have added strength in reaching their conclusions with data of different types.
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Dissertation Project Guidelines 1.4.1 Do-Ability As well as being personally stimulating, projects should also be realistic. Students should consider at an early stage the practical implications of the study they hope to follow. It must be do-able in terms of time, money, skills, geography, etc. Think of where the information is available, of what travelling might be required, and of the availability of contacts. 1.4.2 Time-Scheduling Assuming that the topic is considered to be do-able, students must begin planning the project at an early stage, taking special care of time. Think of how long it will take for contacts/respondents to reply and the time needed for writing up, producing diagrams, Research Project Guidelines 18 etc. prior to submission. Set time schedules for each stage of the work.

1.5 Assessment
The Dissertation Proposal should be between 2000 and 3000 words in length. (Remember that you will be building upon this framework during the Dissertation, so the more you have and the better it is done at the Dissertation Proposal stage, the easier it will be during the later stages). Under no circumstances attempt the production of an entire proposal or dissertation without reference to the supervisor. Agree appropriate targets and staging points for the work. Drafts of the report should be written in double line spacing on one side of A4 paper. This greatly assists editing, which is a necessary aspect of writing-up. Edit, and edit again!!!! The Dissertation Proposal shall be considered by the supervisor who will provide critical comments as to the scope and feasibility of the investigation and its appropriateness to the undergraduate degree level. Throughout the entire process, students should adhere to three basic points: BREVITY: Dont waffle. Say what needs to be said efficiently CLARITY: Say what you mean OBJECTIVITY: Students must remain objective in their views, analysis, and expression

1.6 Literature
The recommended text for the Research Dissertation is: Veal, A.J. (1997) Research Methods for Leisure and Tourism. A Practical Guide, (2nd Ed.) Pearson Education Ltd., Harlow, UK.

1.7 Dissertation Proposal Structure

When you complete your Dissertation Proposal, make sure that it reflects a similar structure as that given below. PROBLEM DEFINITION
Determine a suitable Problem Statement and a limited number of relevant questions, which will form the core of the research. Should relate to the aims and objectives. Must be clear and specific.

LITERATURE REVIEW
A detailed, critical analysis of the relevant literature. Add plenty of discussion and draw out the most important points to develop a

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Dissertation Project Guidelines

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
No less than 3 and no more than 12 specific, unambiguously formulated and uni-dimensional research questions should be presented as being the logical outcome of the literature review and towards satisfying the Problem Statement

INTRODUCTION
Introduce the topic, why it is worth researching, the main topic areas relevant to the research, state the aims and objectives of the research and the structure of the proposal.

PROPOSED METHODOLOGY
This section does not have to be too detailed but should provide some indication of how the research questions will be tackled, some proposed methods, analysis techniques and planning of research activity.

REFERENCES
A complete list of all references used in the Dissertation Proposal, including all required details.

2. The Dissertation
2.1 Introduction
The Introduction is a comprehensive chapter in which the reader is introduced to all that is required to be known before being led through the research. It should provide a background to the main topics, issues and concepts that are at the heart of the research theme. It should explicitly state the rationale for the research, why this topic is worth studying, who should be interested in this, how original is the study? It should explicitly state the aims and objectives of the research: what is it you intend to achieve, what do you want to test? It should provide a statement on the structure of the Dissertation. What will the reader experience in the various chapters and sections, how will the readers understanding of the topic develop accordingly?

2.2 Literature Review (Theoretical Part)

15 or so articles are enough for the Proposal and may provide a good foundation for the study, but they are not enough for the final Dissertation. The Literature Review needs to expand significantly (perhaps to 3 or 4 times the number of sources). It should constitute a detailed, rigorous analysis of as much of the literature that relates to the topic as can be obtained. The Internet, newspapers and magazines may be used, but the balance between such sources as these and academic books and, in particular, the academic research journals must be maintained. The Literature Review should discuss the main topics, issues and applications through the theory and examples provided in the sources. Constantly, the student needs to draw out the relevance and significance of what the sources have provided. It is no use expecting the reader to locate the relevance or significance themselves. The student must demonstrate this. The student must demonstrate critical analysis and appropriate discussion, not merely describing the literature. At the end of the chapter it is customary to provide a concluding section that
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Dissertation Project Guidelines draws together the main points in a theoretical framework. Here, the student should prime the reader to understand the platform of previous knowledge that he or she has built in the Literature Review, from which the original primary research then takes off.

2.3 Methodology
It is difficult to provide too much detail in this section. It should be as open, honest and clear as possible, in describing the entire process undertaken during the primary research process. The chapter will first introduce the problem statement / research focus, and the research questions that stem from this. It may be necessary to explain the rationale behind the selected questions. The chapter will then explain the planning of the primary research process, justifying why particular methods were employed and explaining how they were to be completed. It will then account for the process that actually occurred, admitting mistakes, problems, obstacles, delays, etc, but also discussing the extent to which the value of the research was regained through appropriate counter-efforts. Each element of the research process should be explained in detail, including the secondary research process. E.g. first the desk research, then the questionnaire survey (explaining the questions, etc) and then the interview survey, etc. An objective evaluation of the research process should be provided indicating where the main deficiencies exist, but also what is strong.

2.4 Research Results (Analytical Part)

The results of the different aspects of the research should be presented with some commentary. Initially, the data should appear in a relatively raw from showing aggregate totals and listing responses. Tables can be presented either in the text or in an appendix. In subsequent sections, these can then be analyzed and the results of this represented, with comparisons being identified and interesting findings being drawn out. The extent to which this chapter develops is dependent on the type of research done and the data collected.

2.5 Discussion and Conclusions (Integrative Part)

The conclusions section is very important and should not be approached without a sense of detail and explanation. The main points that were identified earlier in the body of the text or at the end of chapter can be revived and brought together in an integrative manner. The concluding discussion at the end of the Literature Review can now be compared with what the new research findings have identified. Much discussion on what is important, what is new, what is confirmation of what was known can be included here. Additional sections that are also required include: Limitations of the Research: objectively reconsider the whole process. Where are
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Dissertation Project Guidelines the faults, what went wrong, what wouldnt be a good idea to do again, how much of the data is accurate, how strong are the research results? Contribution of the Research: objectively review what has been achieved despite the limitations. What more has been found out, what new ideas or examples have been worked out? Recommendations: who can benefit from your research? What has been shown that could be changed or improved, how could it be done, what could be done differently. Do not accept that what is being done is always the best way. How could things change in the future? Suggestions for Further Research: Given what has been achieved, what would be an appropriate way for the project to develop? Research the other point of view, research deeper into new findings, and replicate the study for somewhere else for comparative purposes. If you had to spend another year on this research, what more could you do? If someone else was to pick up where you left off, where should they go with it?

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Dissertation Project Guidelines

Thinking Through and Organising the Dissertation

1. Ask yourself the following questions. 2. Is the problem clearly stated? 3. (where relevant) Are the hypotheses clear and testable? 4. Are the dissertation objectives clearly stated? 5. Are the research questions clear and unambiguous? 6. Do I have a clear focus? 7. How much time do I need to complete the research? 8. Is the dissertation trying to do too much? Too little? 9. Can the data be collected from available sources? 10. Will I have access to these sources? 11. What primary data do I need? 12. How do I gather what I need? By questionnaire, survey, interview, policy 13. Documents, or experiment. 14. What do I do if my data collection methods fails? 15. How can the data be displayed? (graphs, charts, tables) 16. How do I analyse my data? 17. What depth is expected of the dissertation? Hence, what analysis will support the 18. Topic, not be trivial, and increase the possibility of success and acceptance? 19. Will the analyses be sufficient to accept/reject the hypotheses? 20. Are sample data analyses sufficient for non-trivial conclusions? 21. What statistical tests are possible with the results? 22. What can I do with inconclusive results? 23. How much time do I need to write-up my research? 24. What happens if I fail to collect sufficient data (but have some)? 25. What can I potentially explain? (forecast conclusions specifically) 26. What has my research achieved?: evidence and arguments? 27. Who will be interested in the results? 28. Why will they be interested in the results?

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