The presentation of your dissertation is most important and the guidelines below must be followed.

The dissertation must be: word processed on A4 paper; double spaced. Margins should be consistent throughout the dissertation. A hard copy is not required. You should submit your dissertation online via turnitin and include all appendices in one Word document.

Pages should be numbered at the bottom of the page in a central position.

As the order of different sections of the dissertation may be changed, the final numbering of pages should be left until the entire dissertation is assembled.

Allow time for word processor/printer malfunction, proof reading, binding, etc. Extensions cannot be given for poor planning.

LENGTH OF DISSERTATION

6,000 Words:  this includes the number of words in the main text but excludes preliminary matters, abstract, notes, reference list, appendices and index.

NB:  there is a penalty for exceeding the word limit (see Teesside University Assessment Regulations).

DISSERTATION STRUCTURE

The style of writing is an important part of the whole research procedure and the acquisition of a consistent and appropriate style is vital.  Thorough and valuable research findings are of little use if they are not clearly and effectively communicated.  The main objectives are to present a clear, objective and logical piece of work that includes sharp analysis of the evidence.  Ambiguity in any form e.g. unsupported assertions, flaws in reasoning, unqualified assumptions etc., limits the dissertation and as a result the whole study may suffer.  The dissertation therefore is a logical ordering of a chain of ideas, data, analyses and interpretations.

A simple, straightforward style of writing is preferable, with unfamiliar terms being defined or used within a context that makes the meaning clear.  Tenses should be consistent throughout and in the main the dissertation is an account of past events so should be written in the past tense.  As the dissertation demands an academic, formal style of writing the normal format is to use the third person throughout, i.e. personal pronouns are not normally used.  Spelling mistakes are unacceptable in dissertations, as are grammatical errors and ‘text speak’.  A dictionary and ‘spellcheck’ when word processing should be used and a thesaurus can help to reduce repetition of phrases.

Comprehensive reference to relevant work of other authors is an essential part of research presentation.  Referencing within the dissertation and for the reference list should use the Harvard referencing system. Please make good use of the Bradford College Guidelines on Referencing in Academic Writing, which you will find on the module moodle page.  References are used as evidence relating to or supporting points, issues, and trends etc which have been identified by the writer.  They indicate the writer’s knowledge in the field in which the dissertation research has taken place and are used to provide a context for matters arising from the research.

PARTS OF THE DISSERTATION

Organising the Preliminary Content

Title Page​​Dissertations should have a front cover based on the
​​​template in Appendix 1 and should contain

​​​​The full title of the dissertation
​​​​The full name of the author
​​​​The award for which the work is submitted
​​​​The name of the institution
​​​​The date (month and year)

The following words should also appear :  “submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of BA (Hons) [insert title of award].

Devising the title: the title should be a concise, accurate description of the dissertation.

Abstract

This follows the title page and must be a concise (maximum 200 words) summary of the research and its findings. It gives a succinct description of the topic, structure, methods and main findings.  Comprehensiveness and succinctness are the characteristics of a good abstract.  You are advised to browse several abstracts of published articles to familiarise yourself with effective abstracts.

Acknowledgements

This gives the opportunity to thank participants and others who have offered their time and assistance.  Acknowledgements should be brief with an avoidance of flowery language, giving recognition without sentimentality.

Table of Contents

List all sections following the contents page, including preliminary matter, chapters, appendices, reference list and, if applicable, a list of illustrations.

Organising the Main Body of the Dissertation

Chapters are the main way of organising the whole content of a dissertation.  Each chapter represents the bringing together of ideas, data or other information relating to a central idea.  Although chapters vary in length, the main issues in each chapter should be clearly evident.

Material within a single chapter may lend itself to being sub-divided into cohesive units.  Sub-divisions of chapters, if used, should be given side headings of a consistent format that clearly describe the content.  These should be numbered using the decimal system of numbering e.g., 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.

In general, the main body of the dissertation follows the order given below.

Introduction (500 words)

This should provide a rationale and background for the study.

Literature Review (2000-2500 words)

Here you should develop the introduction and examine the main debates and/or issues relevant to the selected topic.  This places the dissertation in relation to its general topic and to other work on the subject.  It will develop from the introduction in the research proposal and include the aims and objectives of the dissertation, its relation to ideas and approaches in the literature and indicate the framework of the discussion and structure of the dissertation as a whole.  You should develop the introduction and examine the main debates and/or issues relevant to the selected topic. Rather than simply describing what the books say, you should select the key debates and strengths and weaknesses of relevant theoretical material. You may wish to identify limitations of previous research related to your study, and suggest how your project builds on this. The literature review should end with up to three research questions, arrived at via the writer’s consideration of the previous theory and research outlined within the literature review.

Methodology (1000-1500 words)

Here you should identify the approach and technique(s) you have chosen for your research and justify these selections.  You will outline and evaluate how a ‘good idea’ for a dissertation will be translated into a research project with clear aims, objectives and methods of enquiry appropriate to the study. The ways in which the main research problems or questions could be investigated should be explored, and the specific methods chosen should then be clearly outlined.  This chapter will build on, rather than repeat, the methodology section of the Dissertation Proposal.

You must make appropriate reference to the academic literature on research methods and demonstrate your understanding of the research process.  It is important that any further methodological considerations engage with academic literature and debates and that these are clearly related to the issues identified above as particularly relevant to your research study.  You should include relevant materials in your appendices (e.g. copies of questionnaires, observation categories, interview transcripts, diaries, etc.)

Findings and Analysis/Discussion (2000-2500 words)

The next chapter should selectively discuss and analyse the data generated by you in relation to the research questions outlined previously.  This is a very important part of the dissertation and should be very carefully drafted.  Presentation of this section will vary according to the way the data analysis is organised in addressing the research question.  Integration of your findings with secondary data is particularly important.  You must show that you are able to extract meaning from the data and to interpret this meaning in relation to the key issues identified in the literature review.  You should explain what considerations you have extracted from the data, e.g. recurring themes, exceptional points, implications etc. Please note that you may split this part of your dissertation into discrete Results/ Discussion chapters if this is more suitable for the type of data that you have collected. Please consult your tutor on this point.

Conclusions and/or Recommendations (500 words)

This brief final chapter should summarise and draw together the main conclusions reached from the data analysis in the previous chapters.  This chapter may also include recommendations you might wish to make for future practice related to the area of your research. Carefully follow on from your discussion into a set of logical proposals for practice. You should check when you start to draft your conclusion that you are creating a set of carefully reasoned points based on your findings and discussion, not an unrelated set or assertions or demands.  For this reason, you should not introduce new material in the conclusion.  You should also consider the limitations of your study, the extent to which it achieved its intended outcomes and how you might improve it if you were given the chance to do it again ‘knowing what you know now’.

References

Compile the reference list as you use the material.  Write down full details of any material consulted in the process of carrying out the research.  Remember page numbers.

The reference list must include all works referred to in the text. The references should be listed according to the Harvard system of referencing, in alphabetical order of first-named author. Please make good use of the Bradford College Guidelines on Referencing in Academic Writing, which you will find on the module moodle page.

Appendices

Only append material that would interrupt the flow of the main text e.g. lists, tables, copies of documents, interview schedules, research questionnaires, etc. Do not use appendices to extend the word limit- they are for a reader to seek further information, not to delve into for key points relating to discussions/ debates within the main text.