Dissertation Workshop

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Dissertation Workshop

• Using Sources of Information to
• Focus The Dissertation

Dr Brent Ritchie School of Service
Management University of Brighton e-mail
b.ritchie_at_bton.ac.uk
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Outline

• Introduction
• Objectives
• Recap
• Secondary Sources of Information (HO)
• Using Sources of Information to Focus Research
  Topic (Classifications and Strategies)
• Issues Concerning The Use of Secondary
  Information/Data
• Conclusion

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Introduction

• Introduction
• Objectives
• To provide you with information on where to find
  and access sources relevant to your research
  field
• To examine available techniques to focus your
  topic and assess its feasibility
• To discuss some key issues concerning the use of
  secondary data and information
• To highlight dissertation types and those that
  use more secondary data or primary data, which
  will influence your reliance on sources of
  information

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Recap

• Key Points
• Conduct a literature review first
• It can help you conceptualise and understand
  where your topic fits with broader issues
• Focus your topic for a better dissertation but
  you dont have to reinvent the wheel!
• Be careful to avoid unintentional plagiarism.
  Implement measures for recording quotes
• Start good bibliographic/referencing practice
  early and be consistent!
• Be critical of what you read and question
  literature

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Secondary Sources of Information

• Knowing the Literature
• Sources of Literature Include
• Library Sources
• Government Sources
• Private Sector and Industry Sources
• Use Silver Service and online databases
• silver.bton.ac.uk
• See Handout for sources of information related to
  your field

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Focussing Through Info. Sources

• Adopt a Framework to Help Focus Topic
• Jankowicz (199132) suggests area-field-aspect
  approach
• AREA
• broad field of study (could coincide with a
  discipline) (e.g. economics, sociology,
  management, marketing, finance, tourism,
  hospitality, retail, travel)
• FIELD
• component element of the AREA of study (could be
  recognised sub-discipline) (e.g. macroeconomics,
  social psychology, tourism planning, retail
  marketing)
• OR could be major intellectual focus within the
  AREA (e.g. food and beverage operations, heritage
  management, terminals management, organisational
  culture, cust retention)

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Focussing Through Info. Sources

• ASPECT
• One part (ASPECT) of a field
• Then consider your TOPIC related to that ASPECT
• Helpful to focus your topic area BUT you need
  information sources/reading to help you identify
  your FIELD, ASPECT and specific topic
• Importance on finding sources, reading and
  focussing topic and ideas
• Is your topic an ASPECT or still in the FIELD or
  AREA phase???

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Focussing Strategies

• Examine literature/sources to evaluate potential
  topics (feasibility)
• Consider (according to Clark et al. 199826-29)
• Assessing complexity and difficulty of topic
• Too much literature and difficult to grasp
  theories, ideas, concepts within the timeframe
  for dissertation
• Not enough literature or theory as field or topic
  is under researched
• Avoid this through reviewing sources or consider
  changing dissertation type (conceptual or limited
  dissertation)
• Access
• Can you obtain the data to make this research
  feasible?
• Consider both secondary and primary data
  collection

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Focussing Strategies

• Is access to obtain data actually guaranteed?
• Facilities and resources
• What will the costs be to obtain this data?
• Who will be paying or supporting this research?
• Can you afford to complete this type of research
  project?
• Expertise
• What skills or training do you need to complete
  this? (research technique skills, data analysis
  skills, interpretive skills)
• Can you acquire these skills within the time
  allocated to complete your dissertation?

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Secondary Information/Data Probs.

• Nature of Secondary Data
• Problems Associated With Secondary Data and
  Information Sources
• Conclusion
• Use silver service and go beyond text books
• Consult and consider available literature/informat
  ion and decide
• Dissertation topic (from AREA, FIELD, ASPECT and
  focusing/feasbility strategies)
• Dissertation type (standard, conceptual, limited)
• Consider usefulness of secondary data and
  problems
• Read Clark et al. (1998) pp. 7-71 (chpt 2-7)