Dissertations

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Dissertations Major Project Writing

• Week 1 of 5
• An introduction to writing dissertations large
  projects

Robert Walsha, LDU City campus, Calcutta House,
CM2-22
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Dissertations Major Project Writing week 1

• This weeks topics
• An introduction to writing dissertations large
  projects (including overview of importance of
  critical analytical thinking, comparing
  contrasting building sustaining argument)
• focusing formulating the topic
• developing writing the proposal
• time project management
• working with your supervisor

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An introduction to writing dissertations

• So, how does it differ from essays, reports,
  etc.? Is there anything I can take that Ive
  learnt from my academic studies, i.e., on smaller
  written assignments so far?
• critical analytical thinking
• comparing contrasting
• engaging with the debate
• looking for similarities differences in the
  literature/knowledge base
• building sustaining argument

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Focusing formulating a topic

• pick a topic which will sustain your interest
• Ensure the project is manageable
• Dont pick too general a topic
• Instead narrow down within a general topic
• Try to identify areas worthy of investigation,
  areas where there is worthwhile debate does
  your initial reading throw up interesting
  questions?

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Focusing formulating a topic

• Dont go too narrow is there some discussion
  out there, even if not academic?
• think about what kind of research you will have
  to undertake, to do justice to the project is
  it feasible (time), is it realistic (attainable)
  

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Focusing formulating a topic

• Seeking initial advice
• Be as thorough as you can in your initial survey
  of the literature
• Begin to develop a realistic work plan

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Focusing formulating a topic

• Hypothesis vs. identifying an area of
  investigation
• Identifying the most appropriate methodological
  approach(es)
• Thinking quantitative versus qualitative
  research

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Developing writing the proposal

• Your name the easy bit (!)
• Working / proposed title.
• Brief overall aims of the project.
• Identification of the key issues you think you
  will have to address.
• Brief comment on why the subject is of interest
  
• and perhaps even why you are interested in it.

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Developing writing the proposal

• Perhaps a brief outline ofyour initial thoughts
  based upon your preliminary investigation of the
  literature where do you think the project is
  going?
• You may have to produce a short preliminary
  literature review, outlining key published
  sources that are likely to be useful and why

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Developing writing the proposal

• certainly, you willprobably have to include
  an indicative bibliography (listing of key
  published sources located so far).
• You will probably be expected (and would
  certainly be wise) to make some comment about the
  research methods you intend to employ and why!

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Developing writing the proposal

• If relevant, a comment onhow your research
  intersects with existing research on the subject.
• Comment on any research difficulties you think
  you are likely to encounter, and how you will
  attempt to get around these problems.
• It is also possible that you will have to
  comment briefly on the anticipated research
  outcome(s).

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Developing writing the proposal

• You will almost certainlyhave to provide some
  idea of the main section/chapter breakdown (as
  you are thinking of it at present you will not
  be bound by this, and will able to adjust it if
  necessary later).
• You may have to provide a plan of action,
  i.e., the time you are allowing for each stage of
  the project from start to finish

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Time project management

• An overall plan/schedule
• Weekly goal-setting and performance monitoring?
  are you keeping up?
• Dont hesitate to commence work dont get the
  coursework out of the way first!

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Time project management

• Peter Levin (Excellent Dissertations!, 2005),
  suggests 3-tiered approach
• Create a dissertation calendar
• Set a comfort deadline

(Excerpt from Levin, 2005, pp.64-65)
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Time project management

• Create to-do lists.

• Consult text books on survey research methods 2
  days
• Produce preliminary draft of questionnaire 2
  days
• Redraft questionnaire 1 day
• Pilot questionnaire revise if necessary 7
  days
• Carry out 100 questionnaire-based interviews 14
  days
• Transcribe quantitative data from interviews 4
  days
• Collate qualitative data from interviews 8
  days
• Analyse data, formulate findings think about
  their significance 7 days

(Excerpt from Levin, 2005, pp.64-65)
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Working with your supervisor

• The importance of establishing an effective
  working relationship
• What the supervisor can offer
• Sympathy encouragement?
• Expertise in the field e.g., good knowledge of
  the literature
• General advice e.g., on methodology, planning
• Acting as a sounding-board for your thinking

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Working with your supervisor

• Problems that typically occur
• Meetings seem of little value / unproductive
  and how to motivate your supervisor
• Supervisor impossible to track down

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Working with your supervisor

• Keep a record of what is discussed/agreed at each
  meeting
• When should I see my supervisor?

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The planning stages
2. Select a topic for investigation. Discuss
possible outcomes with your supervisor and decide
what the emphasis of your study is to be.
1. Draw up a shortlist of topics. Consult library
catalogues, past lecture notes, 2 or 3 core
texts.
Adapted from Bell, 1993, pp. 22-3
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The planning stages
4. Decide on the aims and objectives of the study
or formulate a hypothesis. Think carefully about
what is and what is not worth investigating.
3. Establish the precise focus of the study. Draw
up first thoughts list of questions and subject
each to rigorous examination.
2. Select a topic for investigation. Discuss
possible outcomes with your supervisor and decide
what the emphasis of your study is to be.
Adapted from Bell, 1993, pp. 22-3
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The planning stages
6. Read enough to enable you to decide whether
you are on the right lines. The initial reading
may give you ideas about approach and methods and
how information might be classified.
5. Draw up an initial project outline. List aims
and/or objectives, questions to be investigated,
possible methods of investigation and literature
to be consulted. Consult your supervisor.
4. Decide on the aims and objectives of the study
or formulate a hypothesis. Think carefully about
what is and what is not worth investigating.
Adapted from Bell, 1993, pp. 22-3
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The planning stages
7. Devise a timetable to enable you to check that
all stages will be covered and time allowed for
writing. It is easy to take too long over one
stage and so have insufficient time to carry out
essential tasks in the next stage. Consult your
supervisor over the viability of your timetable.
6. Read enough to enable you to decide whether
you are on the right lines. The initial reading
may give you ideas about approach and methods and
how information might be classified.
Begin in-depth reading and research
Dont forget to consult your supervisor at stages
2, 5 7!
Adapted from Bell, 1993, pp. 22-3