How to write a winning Dissertation

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How to write a winning Dissertation

• Nothing is particularly hard when you divide it
  into small jobs
• Henry Ford

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What is a dissertation?

• A single study of a complex body of knowledge
• The opportunity to select your own area of study
  and to set your own aims and objectives
• A demonstration of analytical and problem solving
  skills in a project that may be work based or
  academic
• Involves evaluation of evidence and arguments
  derived from primary and/or secondary sources

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Personality types least likely to do well
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The aims of the dissertation

• To demonstrate an understanding of the area of
  study through a reflection on current thinking in
  the field
• To stimulate a critical view of information
  sources relevant to the chosen aspect
• To develop your ability to analyse and interpret
  published research findings and the results of
  your own investigation
• To develop your understanding of methodologies
  appropriate to research and problem solving

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Choosing a dissertation topic

• The topic you choose will have a great influence
  on how well you succeed
• The greater your interest in the topic the higher
  your motivational intensity
• Rewind the past what issues, topics, lectures,
  seminars, events in the business world have fired
  your interest?
• Brainstorm topics and rank them in order of
  interest

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How do I know its the right topic?

• Is the question capable of being researched?
• Is there a real problem to be solved, issue to be
  debated, question to be answered?
• Can you identify, design and implement an
  appropriate research approach?
• Are sufficient resources available?
• Look at past work if you are unsure

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Broad themes and dissertation topics
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Writing the proposal

• This is required to match your interests and
  needs with the most appropriate supervisor
• Ensures your research has aims and objectives
  that are achievable in the time/words allocated
• Ensures that you have a realistic idea of how to
  research your question
• Compels you to read relevant background material
  to orientate your thoughts
• Helps you to create a viable timetable for your
  work
• Helps you to create an outline structure for your
  work

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Practical tips for a successful proposal

• Do some background reading first get an
  up-to-date appreciation of topics and trends in
  the field
• Formulate a key hypothesis or idea to investigate
• Remember that its only a proposal and helps your
  supervisor to identify that have chosen a
  reasonable topic with a good chance of success
• Your supervisor can help refine and clarify but
  not set objectives for you

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Aims and objectives

• Aims are broad in nature and relate to overall
  outcome an evaluation of the role of emotional
  links with consumers in brand building
• Objectives are central to the success of the
  dissertation, are more specific in nature and
  relate to individual achievable outcomes
  identify the elements of emotional branding
  understand what constitutes an emotional link
  analyse organisational approaches to emotional
  branding.

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Choosing the research method

• What sort of data/information do you want?
• How much data do you need for your purpose
• What method will generate the right type and
  amount of data?
• How will you gather and store the data?
• Is there enough time to do this?
• Are you familiar with appropriate techniques for
  questionnaire design?
• Are you familiar with appropriate techniques for
  data analysis?

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Quantitative research

• Investigative approaches (surveys,
  questionnaires, experiments, measurements)
  resulting in numerical data
• Objective (arrives at an unprejudiced, detached
  viewpoint based on evidence)
• Can be analysed with statistical techniques to
  compare observations, to test hypotheses and to
  allocate probabilities of your conclusions being
  right or wrong
• Rarely leads to proof which implies 100
  certainty more often leads to indications of
  support

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Qualitative research

• Investigative approach that results in
  descriptive textual information
• Subjective viewpoints that take account of
  personal impressions, feelings and observations
• Includes case studies, interviews focus groups
• Observation and description of primary source
  material

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Dissertation classical structure

• Title page
• Acknowledgements (optional)
• Contents page
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Literature review
• Methodology
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• References
• Bibliography
• Appendices

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The abstract

• Very important
• Summarises main findings
• What you did, how you did it, what you found
• 200 words maximum

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Introduction

• Prepares the reader for later chapters
• Details the aims and objectives of the study a
  clear statement of aims and objectives is central
  to your work
• Outlines scope of study and what background
  material will be discussed

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Literature review/survey

• Puts your investigation into context
• Review of focal theory (what is known/is written
  about the topic)
• Moves from general background/standard
  theoretical works to recent work/research
  relevant to your topic
• Presents a balanced review of positions not
  just those you agree with
• Links your work to existing research
  findings/theories

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Methodology

• Explains approach taken to research and why
  methods and techniques were used
• Describe procedures (quantitative/qualitative
  approach, primary/secondary sources, sampling
  methodology, questionnaire design
• Mention shortcomings/deficiencies

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Results

• Describe key findings
• Present findings clearly (statistical analysis,
  tables, charts, diagrams)
• Highlight significant aspects of findings
• Avoid interpretation at this stage

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Discussion

• Interpret your findings
• Construct a logical, consistent argument based on
  findings and relate to objectives of study

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Conclusion

• Summarise main points
• What conclusions can be drawn?
• What are the practical implications?
• What recommendations can you make?
• What future research directions are identified?

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References, Bibliography and Appendices

• References list the sources you have referred to
  in your dissertation (Harvard Referencing System)
• Bibliography a list of resources used in
  preparation, background reading, but not referred
  to directly
• Appendices blank questionnaire, transcript of
  interviews, extended case studies
• No marks can be earned for items included here

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How to reference

• Sana, L., 2002. Textbook of Research Ethics
  Theory and Practice. New York Kluwer Academic.
• In text Sana (2002 pg 17)
• University of Dundee, 2005. Code of Practice on
  Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty (online).
  Available from http//www.somis.dundee.ac.uk/acad
  emic/plagiarism.htm. Last accessed 22/06/07
• In text University of Dundee (2005)

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Time management

• A failure to plan on your part does not
  constitute an emergency for your supervisor
• See your supervisor as soon as he/she is notified
  to you
• Your supervisor will see you for 2 hours each
  semester
• Do not expect your supervisor to fit 4 hours of
  contact into next semester because you dont
  start your dissertation until then.

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Suggested supervision sequence

• Meet Supervisor, agree objectives and research
  approach
• Discuss literature review and finalise research
  methodology
• First draft of literature review
• Agree final research methods (questionnaire etc)
• Discuss research findings
• Discuss presentation/analysis of findings
• Discuss first draft
• Discuss final draft

• Week 5-6 semester 1
• Week 8 10 semester 1
• Week 10 - 12 sem1
• Week 1 2 sem 2
• Week 2 3 sem 2
• Week 4 5 sem 2
• Week 5 7 sem 2
• Week 7 8 sem 2
• Hand in

8 x 30 minute dissertation tutorials
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Characteristics of a poor dissertation

• Introduction objectives are unclear, unstated or
  unattainable. No initiative or clear focus
• Literature review uncritical acceptance of
  limited range of sources, poor and incomplete
  review of sources.
• Methodology inappropriate, poorly devised and
  implemented
• Research and analysis poor presentation, little
  evidence of analysis of data, no clear findings
  emerge from study
• Conclusions and Recommendations fails to draw on
  earlier themes, little understanding of
  implications, little or no evidence that
  objectives have been attained

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Characteristics of an excellent dissertation

• Introduction Gripping and highly articulate,
  objectives clearly stated, initiative and
  originality
• Literature review comprehensive survey of area,
  well argued from range of sources, extensive
  reference to established models/theories
• Methodology appropriate to investigation, well
  designed, managed and implemented, limitations
  considered
• Research and analysis findings well presented
  and logically analysed, discussion logically
  developed
• Conclusions/Recommendations clear understanding
  of applications, clear links to theoretical
  perspectives, clear evidence of attainment of
  objectives

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Important dates and events

• Hand in deadline for dissertation proposal 15th
  October
• Hand in deadline for dissertation April 24th 2009
• Forthcoming dissertation lectures
• Designing Questionnaires (Tim Froggett)
• Progressing your dissertation (Stuart Wall)
• Bringing it all together (Stuart Wall)