PREPARATION FOR YOUR

DISSERTATION
DEC 2015
PRESENTED BY BUI THI THUY QUYEN (MA., MBA.)
UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS AND FINANCE, HCMC
(ADAPTED FROM PROF. ROSS THOMPSONS GUIDE - UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTON)

CONTENTS

1. Topic selection
2. Proposal
3. Dissertation layout
4. Tips for writing

TOPIC SELECTION
1. The topic you like;
2. The topic you can access relevant information;
3. The topic that is relevant to your profession;
4. The topic must be something academic (e.g. motivation,
leadership, performance management, relationship marketing, job
satisfaction, etc.);
5. The topic must be narrow and manageable.
Note:
Bad topic bad proposal bad literature review bad

methodology bad dissertation

TIPS
FOR
TOPIC
SELECTION
List 8 modules you have studied;
Read and try to narrow down the list of modules;
Choose the areas of each module you like most;
Talk to your tutors for help, take your ideas to

them, and ask for their advice;

Dont be too ambitious;
Look at some existing hot topics;
Look for enough sources of academic literature
for the chosen topic.

FOR EXAMPLE:
MODULE: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Job satisfaction
Teachers satisfaction
Teachers satisfaction at a private

university
Teachers satisfaction at a newlyestablished private university in Vietnam

THE PROPOSAL (1-2K WORDS)

1. Introducing the topic, context, rationale/

problem, tentative research questions &

objectives;
2. Illustrating the importance of the study &
how it relates to existing academic debates
& theory;
3. Reviewing some of the leading literature on
the topic (mini review) & producing a
theoretical framework;

THE PROPOSAL (1-2K WORDS)

(CONTD)
4. Stating details of your literature search
strategy;
5. Stating details of the methodological
approach;
6. Making some initial comments on the types
of debates to be produced;
7. Producing a timeline for the stages of your
dissertation.

FOR EXAMPLE:

A TYPICAL DISSERTATION LAYOUT +

WORD LENGTHS
Abstract
Acknowledgement
1. Introduction: 1,000
2. Literature review: 6,000 7,000
3. Methodology:

1,500 2,000

4. Findings: 1,500 2,000

5. Discussion: 5,000 6,000
6. Conclusion & Recommendations: 1,000 2,000

Total: 16,000 20,000 words

References
Appendices

SETTING A RESEARCH QUESTION(S)

The research question (what you are trying to find out)

must be:
1. Clear/ unambiguous;
2. Highlighted early on in the introduction;
3. Achievable;
4. Between 2-5 questions.

Note:
In the early stages: questions should be tentative
After doing the Literature Review: questions should be

rephrased

FOR EXAMPLE:
TOPIC: TEACHERS SATISFACTION AT A NEWLY-ESTABLISHED PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN VIETNAM

Research Questions

What is the teachers overall level of job satisfaction at UEF?

What factors make them satisfied or dissatisfied while working at

UEF?
What recommendations are suggested for UEF to draw and

retain instructors?

I. THE INTRODUCTION

Provide a clear summary of the topic and

context;
Identify the problem and/ or rationale;
State the objectives & research question(s);
Explain why the research question is
exciting, relevant, and important; and how it
fits into ongoing academic debate, theory and
thought.

THE literature;
LITERATURE
1.II.
Evaluate

REVIEW

2. Unpack and deconstruct the findings (reflect on

what was said);

3. Compare & contrast the different contributions/

authors;
4. Identify the gaps in the literature/ criticize the

literature;
5. Put your literature together into groups

(synthesis);
6. Divide your review into sections and each should

II. THE LITERATURE REVIEW

(CONT'D)
7. Work from universal to specific;
8. Provide an introductory and a concluding
section;
9. Examine the implications for your own study.
Tips: when scanning the literature, ask yourself
the question: what are the implications (possible
future effect/ result) for your own research
question(s)?

The most common mistake in this

section is to produce a literature
report rather than a review. This is
when the student simply summarizes
the work of others. You need to do
much more than that.

NOTE:
A GOOD LITERATURE REVIEW LEADS TO
A THEORETICAL/ CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK OR FOUNDATION
The theoretical/ conceptual framework or foundation is
a group of theories/ findings that will guide and bound
your own research.

SEARCHING
1. Identify some leading and up-to-date articles on your
topics
2. Search the bibliographies of these papers for relevant

papers
3. Search the bibliographies of these newly found papers

until you have enough material.

Note: Material is an academic piece of work: 80% of
sources are from peer reviewed academic journals or quality
texts; 20% from quality websites or industry reports.

TIPS FOR SEARCHING

Reading up-to-date textbooks in your topic

area
finding some key references
establishing a system for recording
literature material
recording the relevant information from
each source (manually or electronically)
sorting the literature into schools by key
words: similar studies, methods, etc.

TIPS FOR SEARCHING

(CONT'D)

Remember key things:

1. Bibliographical information (names of
authors, journals, etc.)
2. Method
3. Findings
4. Implications for your study
5. Links to other authors

III. METHODOLOGY: TYPICALLY YOU ARE ASKED TO DETAIL:

1.

Your subject of study

2.

Paradigm (A model/ example that shows how your dissertation works/ is produced)

3.

Approach

4.

A discussion of methodological interventions narrowing to your chosen method (the

way you access & collect your primary data)

5.

A justification of your own method (why is your method suitable)?

6.

Detail any weaknesses in your chosen method

7.

An outline of how you will analyze and present your findings

8.

Ethical considerations

9.

Likely problems

10. Your research question(s) dictating if you require a quantitative or qualitative

method

QUALITATIVE OR
QUANTITATIVE

Qualitative: interviews; concentrating

to analyze all interview data

(transcripts must usually be written
up and provided as an appendix);
suitable for questions seeking to
measure, predict or judge something;
being exploratory; adding depth over
width; doing with smaller sample sizes

QUANTITATIVE

Quantitative: questionnaires; doing

statistical analysis both descriptive and

inferential; suitable for exploratory
studies requiring in-depth analysis;
adding width rather than depth; focusing
on precise questions (measuring
outcomes, modelling change &
quantifying variables; requiring large
sample sizes

TIPS: IF YOU USE BOTH QUANTITATIVES

AND QUALITATIVES, JUSTIFY WHY YOU
USE THIS MIXED METHOD
Quants/ quals: a questionnaire followed by interviews with subjects to add

some depth;

Quals/ quants: interviews to discover the key issues used to design a

questionnaire;

Be aware of the strengths and limitations of each approach

Notes:
Use an existing validated instrument rather than designing the questionnaire

yourself.
Design the questionnaire yourself involving testing questions, piloting,

revising and re-piloting.

IV. FINDINGS
All findings are clear and published in tables or graphs (not the most

colorful piece of work)

All tables/ graphs are titled and numbered

Limit the use colors and different fonts
Make sure you label and set out graphs correctly
Be careful with pie charts especially for only a few categories
Dont simply cut and paste tables from SPSS or excel take what you need

and put in your own format; explain each graph/ table fully

Use a qualitative method to make sure that you use enough quotations

from sources (respondents, interviews)

Check that what you have presented actually answers your research

questions.

V. DISCUSSION
This must be done with equal regard/attention for the identified literature

and your own findings section. To produce a good discussion you need to ask
yourself the following questions:

1.

How do my findings compare and contrast with the past published work/
literature?

2.

If I combine some of my findings with the literature, what new points can I
raise? (synthesis)

3.

Whether or not my findings are different to the past published work why?

4.

What are the implications of your findings? For the context? For business?
For management? For academic people? For the broader environment if
applicable?

5.

Are there things you would have done differently? Criticisms of your
approach?

VI. CONCLUSION AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusion

Not just simply sum up what you found out

Divide your points raised into themes or groups, and

summarize them
Synthesize them by writing your discussion points on
notes and see if you can re-group them or identify new
themes
Show that you have answered the research questions
Deliver a verdict/ judgment on your research questions

RECOMMENDATIONS
Put forward your justified views on

recommendations for:
The company
Industry
Future research in academic field

APPENDICES

Appendices do not gain you extra marks. They are

there to:
Allow you to provide evidence of research
conducted, e.g., interview transcripts,
questionnaire templates, etc.;
Provide background data for the reader that is
not vital but may be useful, e.g. corporate data,
reports, etc.

REFERENCES

Follow Harvard standard

References should be from past published

academic journals:

80% are academic

20% are from other sources such as quality

web sources
Avoid unreliable references such as Wikipedia,
blogs, etc.

MANAGING YOUR SUPERVISOR

Contact them as you make progress and want feedback
Come to them with some questions or work to review
Do not simply as for their ideas or ask them to check work
Treat them as guides and coaches, not to pre-mark work
Remember this is a repetitive process: come with some work

get feedback you act come back with the next step get
feedback you act again, etc.

Email them for your progress to date before coming to see

them

Try to give them the whole draft dissertation before deadline

for revisions before the submission

Allow time to make any revisions needed.

WRITING TIPS
Write in clear unambiguous English
Avoid jargon, colloquialisms
Be precise and develop a tight writing style
Pay attention to grammar and spelling
Use connective text between sentences, passages, chapters; ensure that the

last sentence of a passage or chapter introduces the new passage/ chapter (but
impossible to always to this); reinforce your main point

Use a topic sentence to introduce the theme of a paragraph

Fully develop and explore your points and go for depth in your writing
Avoid dramatic statements (e.g., this is extremely improbable or this is a

laughable account.)

Be wise in your findings and conclusions and be careful with suggesting

certainty

Make your dissertation professional by paying attention to layout, etc.

GOOD LUCK!