Dissertations & Major Project Writing

Week 1 of 5:

An introduction to writing dissertations & large projects

Robert Walsha, LDU City campus, Calcutta House, CM2-22

An LDU short course presentation

Dissertations & Major Project Writing week 1

This week’s 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

An introduction to writing dissertations

• So, how does it differ from essays, reports, etc.? Is there anything I can take that I’ve 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’

Focusing & formulating a topic

• pick a topic which will sustain your interest; • Ensure the project is manageable;• Don’t 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?;

Focusing & formulating a topic

• Don’t 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);

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

Focusing & formulating a topic

• Hypothesis vs. identifying an area of investigation;

• Identifying the most appropriate methodological approach(es);

• Thinking ‘quantitative’ versus ‘qualitative’ research;

• 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.

Developing & writing the proposal

• Perhaps a brief outline of

your 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 …

Developing & writing the proposal

• … certainly, you will

probably 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!

Developing & writing the proposal

• If relevant, a comment on

how 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).

Developing & writing the proposal

• You will almost certainly

have 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

Developing & writing the proposal

Time & project management

• An overall plan/schedule;

• Weekly goal-setting and performance monitoring? ~ are you keeping up?

• Don’t hesitate to commence work – don’t ‘get the coursework out of the way first‘!

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)

Time & project management

…F. Consult text books on survey research methods: 2 daysG. Produce preliminary draft of questionnaire: 2 daysH. Redraft questionnaire: 1 dayI. Pilot questionnaire & revise if necessary: 7 daysJ. Carry out 100 questionnaire-based interviews: 14 daysK. Transcribe quantitative data from interviews: 4 daysL. Collate qualitative data from interviews: 8 daysM. Analyse data, formulate findings & think about their

significance: 7 days…

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

– Create ‘to-do’ lists.

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;

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;

Working with your supervisor

• Keep a record of what is discussed/agreed at each meeting;

• When should I see my supervisor?

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

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.

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.

Adapted from Bell, 1993, pp. 22-3

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.

The planning stages

Adapted from Bell, 1993, pp. 22-3

Adapted from Bell, 1993, pp. 22-3

Begin in-depthreading

and research

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.

The planning stages

Don’t forget to consult your supervisor at stages 2, 5 &

7!