Dissertation Components

Dissertation Components

Cover Page (The title and your student ID /Name)

Title Page (centred on the page – the main title in upper case. Any longer sub-title should be in lower case. Put your student number to the bottom right.

Acknowledgements (These are not essential)

Abstract (This is a brief statement of what the dissertation contains – a statement of what you set out to do, what you did, what you concluded and what you recommended)

Contents page (A table of contents showing the section titles and the subsections (indented) against page numbers. As in the text, the former can be underlined and in bold. )

Introduction: (contains your topic explanation and why it is important.

• Outlines the parameters of your dissertation, i.e. what areas you include, and what you are excluding.
• Briefly describe what is to come in the subsequent chapters.
• Allow approximately 800 words for this section.

Literature review: (Write a review of the main body of published work relating to your topic.)

• Set out your project in the context of existing knowledge.
• It is your main evidence of secondary research effort.
• Show how much theory you go into and from where your research questions or hypotheses were developed.
• Demonstratea broad range of references majoring on academic articles (journals) – recent/up-to-date knowledge.
• These sources may also be supported by textbooks, web references, newspapers and professional magazines.)
• Allow approximately 2000 – 3000 words for this section.

Research objectives or hypotheses (First indicate your overall or headline research question/topic.

– Then indicate a series of (perhaps 3-6) specific objectives.

• These objectives or hypotheses will focus on the detail behind the headline question. They will also constitute the conceptual focus for a questionnaire or interview guide. Allow approximately 400 words for this section.

Methodology (A short technical section, yet a very important one!) Describes exactly how you collected and analysed data.

• It may refer to a selection of secondary sources, and the treatment you have used (e.g. content analysis);
• Or, it may describe a sample survey, with sampling frame, sampling methods, questionnaire design, survey times and dates; or whatever you have done.
• Justify the approach(es) you have taken, ensuring you provide details. Allow approximately 500 – 1000

Findings (the results of your analysis). Relates to primary and secondary data! Both need analysing to make sense of data and/or generate new findings). Allow approximately 1500 words for this section.

Discussion (Interpret the data critically. Link findings to the literature review, the research objectives/hypotheses you set.

• Explain answers to the questions: how generalisable :

Are outcomes applicable to other organizations/populations?

What are the implications for business practice?

• Allow approximately 2500 words for this section.

Conclusion

– The conclusions come out of your findings (Summarise the relationships between findings and literature – show how the research objectives/hypotheses are met). Allow approximately 400 words for this section.

Implications for practice – include recommendations for practice: your own opinions; organisational direction or practical application. Allow approximately 300 words for this section.

References: in alphabetical order and follow the Harvard system of referencing (not included in the word count).

Appendices