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Unit 11: Writing skills - The Dissertationillustration of a pen

The dissertation should be an in-depth piece of work which will show that you have mastered your subject. The format for a dissertation can vary by school, so always check your module guide! (It is on GCULearn too).

How to structure a dissertation

These are just general notes on format, remember you should always check your department's guidelines!

  • Title. The title should accurately reflect the nature of the topic and be brief and to the point. A subtitle may further clarify the study.
  • Acknowledgements. These should also be brief. It is customary to acknowledge supervisors, internal and external support.
  • Contents. Should be clear. Maximum of two pages. The purpose is to guide the reader round the dissertation.
  • Abstract. The abstract gives a brief overview of the dissertation. The maximum word count should be 500 words. It should give a clear and coherent summary of aims, how the research was undertaken and main findings and or recommendations.
  • Introduction - approximately 10 per cent of dissertation. Briefly describes other work in the area. Outlines general ideas. Suggests theoretical basis for your own work. Outlines and discusses your research question and the hypothesis supporting the intended research. Alternatively it states the main aim and objectives of the study. Sets out main themes. You may wish to write this chapter last.
  • Review of the background literature - approximately 20 per cent of dissertation. This critically analyses the relevant theories, key arguments or perspectives and current research. This is a very important section which establishes your primary research aims.
  • Design and methodology of the research - approximately 10 per cent of dissertation. In this chapter, you should explain and justify the research methods you have chosen to meet your primary reseach aims.
    • The methodology is the overall approach that underpins your research. You need to briefly explain this, showing you understand the meaning of quantitative and qualitative approaches.
    • The methods are the tools of data collection, such as questionnaires or interviews. You should outline what the methods involve and explain why you have selected them.

More help is avialable from your Learning Development Centre. You can also look at this excellent flowchart on dissertation structure from Strathclyde University.

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SMILE by Imperial College, Loughborough University and the University of Worcester, modified by Marion Kelt Glasgow Caledonian University is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License