crafting a dissertation ronan fitzpatrick june 2007
Post on 18-Dec-2015
215 views
TRANSCRIPT
Overview Structure
of dissertation of individual chapters of chapter sections
Content of dissertation of individual chapters of chapter sections
Format
Life cycle
Incubation Proposal Research Contribution Validation
New Hypothesis
Dissertation
Dissemination Application
Presentation
Cover page (Title and Author details) Certificate of own work Abstract Acknowledgements Table of Contents List of Tables and Figures Abbreviations.
Structure of dissertation - 1
Structure of dissertation - 2 Introduction chapter Dissertation chapters 2, 3, …n Your contribution chapter Validation/evaluation chapter Conclusion chapter References Appendix.
Structure of chapter sections
A sentence or two to introduce the section
Write the section Make any arguments or draw any
conclusions at the end of the section.
Structure
Keep in mind: Handholding and signposting for your
readers Avoiding the ‘So What’ trap Building on each chapter deliverable
as your dissertation advances.
How big/small is a chapter? Is 3 pages too small?
If you have an Introduction and a Conclusion there won’t be much in between.
Is a 3-page chapter appropriate to an MSc? Is 50 pages too big?
Would it be better to have written two chapters?
Is 50 pages half a dissertation?
Structure of chapters
Overview of the dissertation Weave topics and keywords into an
overview No citations Limit to one page.
First thing to be read, last thing to be written.
Content - Abstract
Institute and any funding body Supervisors and Lecturers Academics, practitioners and world
experts Family, colleagues and friends.
Content - Acknowledgements
By chapter Use chapter number in table and
figure captions, e.g., Figure 7.4 is the fourth figure in Chapter 7.
Note spellings of chapter (use the big C to refer to a specific chapter).
Content – List of Tables and Figures
List all abbreviations with their full expression
Always use full expression first in the text.
Content - Abbreviations
This chapter explains what the dissertation is all about, why you are doing it, who would find the content interesting, how you went about things, when you did the work, where you did any special research, what you discovered, and how you’ve presented it in this dissertation document.
Content – Introduction chapter
Introduction Project background Project aim and objectives Project challenge (need, and
intellectual) Reader audience Methodology Research program Project deliverables Structure of this dissertation Chapter conclusion.
Content – Introduction chapter
Chapter 1 – Think about
What the dissertation is about? Why are you doing it? Who are you doing the dissertation for? What value will it have for them? What is the challenge (problem) of the
dissertation? How will your solution differ from existing
solutions? Who else will the dissertation be of interest to? What value will it have for them?
How do you plan to do it? What do you hope to deliver at the end of the
project? What will the timescale be? What you will gain from doing this
dissertation? Any experimental or prototype work you have
done Include the titles of your remaining chapters
State what your dissertation will NOT do.
Chapter 1 - Think about
Chapter Introduction W6h for the chapter Chapter signposting
Chapter topic explained Literature review of chapter topic … Argument & Critique
Deliverable Discussion (optional) Conclusion
Summarise and draw conclusions.
Content – Dissertation chapters 2, 3,
…n
Repeat to Chapter n
Building on chapter deliverables A synthesis of deliverables from each
chapter Framework, model, method, set of
guidelines, Critical Success Factors, checklist
Proof of concept by prototype implementation.
Content - Contribution chapter
Completing the circle Build a tool of criteria for evaluating
your contribution Manual or electronic
Return to Academic, practitioner or world expert for comment
Incorporate findings and feedback.
Content – Validation/evaluation chapter
Summary Summarise what you’ve done Restate Aim and objectives Emphasise your contribution State the benefits of your research State the difficulties you encountered
Conclusions Emphasise your findings and conclusions Critique the current state of the art Comment on your own work
Identify future work.
Content – Conclusion chapter
A full list of all sources that you have cited in the text
Alphabetical order Comply with the Institute standard
for citation and referencing. Remember, the objective it to support
future researchers who want to find your sources.
Content - References
Include as necessary Supplemental information Don’t hide valuable research in the
appendix.
Content - Appendix
Based on seminal sources (hierarchy)
Repeatable Dated/modern sources Depth & breadth Completeness of research Content balance Argument & critique - The ‘so what?’ factor.
Content – Scholarly & Authoritive coverage
Domain vocabulary – Evidence of having researched and understood the domain.
English language Colloquialisms
Dodgy suspect or suspicious or irregular
Fine/Great impressive or significant
One One does not use one in one’s papers or
one’s dissertation Etc. Gender-free.
Content – Scholarly & Authoritive coverage
Examples are key to good explaining
Include them regularly in order to clarify matters for your readers. If you don’t include them
will your readers understand the points you make?
is it because you don’t understand the points yourself?
Use relevant examples.
Chapter content - Examples
Content
At MSc level: Literature review
Must be accurate Must be complete
Ethical practice applies Must not be plagiarised Data must be accurate and true
(repeatable) Findings must be fully reported.
Page setup Font styles Heading styles and numbering Headers and footers Citations and references Lists, tables and figures Spelling and punctuation.
Format
Top margin: Bottom margin: Left margin: Right margin: Paper size A4
Line spacing: 1½ lines.
Format – Page setup
Times New Roman 24pt bold Chapter heading 5.1 Times New Roman 16pt bold first level heading - Numbered 5.1.1 Times New Roman 14pt bold second level heading – Numbered 5.1.1.1 Times New Roman 12pt bold third level heading – Numbered Times New Roman 12pt fourth level heading
Use word processor functionality for automatic numbering.
Format – Heading styles and numbering
Correct font style for computer code in a text document
Format – Font styles
<!-- Access skip content //--><div class="alt"> <a href="#nav" title="Skip to main navigation menu"
accesskey="n">Skip to menu</a> <a href="#content" title="Skip to main body content"
accesskey="c">Skip to body content</a></div><!-- End access skip content //-->
Use italic font and quotation marks to illustrate verbatim reporting, for example,
Use a new line and indent.
Format – Font styles
"That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind."
Armstrong, 1969
Different first page 1.25 from header edge 1.25 from footer edge Header
Chapter title - Times New Roman 10pt italics
Footer Page number 12pt.
Format – Headers and footers
Citing research sources - 1
You MUST cite your sources Should you cite sources every time
you make a statement? Should you cite sources at the end of
a paragraph? Let your reader know that this is
honest research and not plagiarism Don’t rely on just one source.
Example 1 There are numerous definitions of the term
'Data Mining' but the core concept behind them is the same, that data mining is the exploration and analysis of large quantities of data in order to discover meaningful patterns and rules (Berry, 2004).
Citing research sources - 2
Alternative to example 1 There are numerous definitions of the term
'Data Mining' (Berry & LinHoff, 1997; Han & Kamber, 2000; Ng & Han, 2002; ISO/IEC 13249-6, 2006 p12). However, Berry (2004) argues that the core concept behind them is the same, that is, data mining is the exploration and analysis of large quantities of data in order to discover meaningful patterns and rules.
Citing research sources - 3
One problem THE seminal publication is missing
i.e., Fayyad, U., Piatetsky-Shapiro, G. and Smyth, P. (1996)
So, researchers need to accurately identify seminal sources and supervisors need to be very attentive to what’s written.
Citing research sources - 4
(DeMarco, 1982; p3)
(Schneidewind, 1992; Shepperd & Ince, 1993; Churcher & Shepperd, 1995; Fenton & Pfleeger, 1996)
(Bevan, 1995; Ivory et al., 2001; ISO 9126, 2001).
Format – Citations
DeMarco, T. (1982) Controlling Software Projects: Management, Measurement & Estimation, Yourdon Press, New York, USA, p3
Fenton, N.E. and Pfleeger, S.L. (1996) Software Metrics: A Rigorous and Practical Approach, International Thomson Computer Press, London, UK
Ivory, M.Y., Sinha, R.R. and Hearst, M. (2001) Empirically Validated Web Page Design Metrics, in Proceedings of the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI Letters 3(1), p53-60
Format – References
Format – References
Start a Reference file on the day you write your project proposal.
Author surname, Initial(s), (Year) Title, Publication, Publisher, City, Country, Vol(Issue), Page numbers
Use same format for Internet publications but add the date you access it.
Format – Lists, figures and tables
Bullet or number list? Capital letter and full stop
Research the topic Write the chapter Create a deliverable Draw conclusions.
1. Topic research2. Write the chapter3. Deliverable
creation4. Conclusions.
Figure – a diagram or illustration Caption below figure Consistent format for fonts, e.g.,
Figure 5.1 – This is the caption of Figure 5.1. Include chapter number in figure
number Include the source of your
illustration.
Format – Lists, figures and tables
Table - contains data that can be processed mathematically ????
Caption above table Consistent format for fonts, e.g.,
Table 5.1 – This is the caption of Table 5.1. Include chapter number in table
number.
Format – Lists, figures and tables
Including tables and figures Must be referenced in the text (reference
first, followed by the table or figure) Position the table or figure as close as
possible to where it is first mentioned in the text
Must be explained Don’t allow your reader to misinterpret your
tables or figures or to remain ignorant about their content. You should explain them in full.
Format – Lists, tables and figures
ExampleFitzpatrick (2007) presents a life cycle for progressing MSc research as illustrated in Figure 2.1.
Figure 2.1 – MSc Life cycle. (Fitzpatrick 2007)
The Life cycle consists of ten elements …
Incubation Proposal Research Contribution Validation
New Hypothesis
Dissertation
Dissemination Application
Presentation
Consistent spelling, especially new technical words
Apostrophe of possession Apostrophe of omission (avoid) Sentence length Question mark Quotation marks Full stop.
Format – Spelling and punctuation
Do Write in the passive voice (e.g., the research was
completed) Write gender-free text (try the plural) Include examples in order to clarify topics for your
readers Use a consistent layout for bulleted lists, numbered
lists, figure and table captions Use consistent spelling for new technical words
For example, end-user, e-Commerce, Internet Keep your sentences to under twenty-two words Proof-read your work for typing errors Re-read your work for structure, meaning and clarity.
Don’t use the words, etc., one or one’s, basically or essentially
Don’t write “this chapter will attempt to…” (Write “this chapter will”)
Don’t write “As already stated...” (Write in “Section X.Y it was explained”)
Don’t confuse it’s with its, or there with their or they’re Don’t rely only on a spellchecker Don’t use dialogue – avoid,
Welcome to this report” "In a few moments I will explain"
Don’t include clipart unless it is significant to your research
Don’t be accused of plagiarising some one else’s research.
Don’t
Make it easy for yourself
Your supervisor has been through this process and has successfully produced a dissertation. That might be a good starting point for structure and content headings.
Do yourself justice
Your dissertation will be available off the library shelf for many years to come, so, polish it and present it in its best light
Avoid submitting a bag of unpolished diamonds.
Readings Truss, Lynne (2003) Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The
zero tolerance approach to punctuation, Profile Books Ltd, London, England
Fitzpatrick, R. and O'Donnell, K. (2003) Crafting a research paper www.comp.dit.ie/rfitzpatrick/Papers & Publications
Conclusion Some thoughts on
Structure of dissertation of individual chapters of chapter sections
Content of dissertation of individual chapters of chapter sections
Format