HOW TO WRITE A DISSERTATION
A dissertation is an academic argument in scholarly writing based on the research or data that a scholar gathers throughout their studying process. It brings together all the skills and knowledge the scholar has learned.
Length of a dissertation
The length of the dissertation depends on the level and country of study of the scholar.
Generally, a dissertation of masters of MBA level consists of 15,000- 25,000 words. For a PhD level, it consists of up to 50,000 words or more.
Format
Font and size
- A good dissertation should have a 10-12 point size
- Have a clear font such as Arial, Georgia, or Times New Roman.
Margins
- Left margins should be 1.5 inches for all pages
- Right margins should be 1.5 inches for all pages
- Top margin: For the acknowledgments, tables of contents, tables, list of figures, each chapter, bibliography, and appendices should be 2 inches. Other pages should be 1.25 inches.
- The bottom margin should be 1.25 inches for all pages.
Spacing
- The body, block quotations, footnotes, and bibliographies should be double spaced.
- List of tables, figures, or illustrations, long tables should be single-spaced.
Dissertation proposal
A dissertation proposal is an outline of the research the scholar has done. It helps in the drafting process of a project.
It should be 10-15 pages long, depending on the research.
Data collection analysis should not go beyond how they have been planned.
Proposal outline and length
Introduction
- It should contain an introduction and a summary of the significance of the research
- It should have been a recap of the research
- It should be 2-3 pages long.
Methodology
- Contains the plan and how the data were obtained
- How the analysis was conducted
- Resources, tools, and equipment and the time dedicated to the project.
- Should be 3-6 pages
Hypothesis
- Contains the objective of the research
- Should be 1-2 pages
Literature review
- Contains how the research was done
- Discussion of literature relating to the research topic
- Should be 6-10 pages
Research constraints
- Contains the disclaimer of the limits of the research
- It is essential as other people may try to approve or disapprove your work
- Should be 1-2 pages
Research timetable
- Gives an outline of the sections of the paper
- Should be 1 page
Note: the structure of the dissertation proposal depends on the specific requirements of the research project.
Dissertation outline
Title page
It is also known as the cover page. It consists of;
- Title
- Name
- Type of document
- Department and or institution
- Degree program
- Date of submission.
- Student number
- Name of the supervisor
Acknowledgment
This section contains those who have been helpful and supportive throughout your research. It includes both professional and personal acknowledgments.
Abstract
This is an overview and summary of the research. It should not be more than one page. It contains;
- Problem statement
- Research methods
- Main findings
- Main conclusions and recommendations
Tables of contents
It contains a list of all sections, headings, and subheadings along with their page numbers. It gives an overview of the structure.
List of figures and tables
Contains itemized figures and tables used in the dissertation
List of abbreviations
Alphabetically arranged abbreviations bused in the dissertations
Glossary
It contains alphabetically arranged specialized and unfamiliar terms used and their meanings.
Dissertation Introduction
- Established research topics
- Scope of the research
- The relevance of your work to the state of the existing research
- Objectives and research questions
- Overview of the research structure
Literature Review
- Selection of relevant sources of the research
- Evaluation and analysis of each source
- Analyzing connections between the sources
Methodology
- Approach and type of research
- Methods for collecting data
- Where, when and with whom the reach took place
- Methods of analyzing data
- Tools and materials used
- Challenges and justifications of the methods.
Results
This is the actual findings of the research. It can be structured around sub-questions, hypotheses, or topics. Tables, graphs, and charts of the results may be included in this section to visualize the results.
Discussion
This section contains the interpretation of results, meanings, and implications of the research. The discussions should reference other scholarly articles to justify your research.
Conclusion
This section contains a summary of what is discussed. It should reflect on what and how the proposed project was done.
Reference list
Details of all sources that were used alphabetically arranged inconsistent referencing style. It may be in the form of APA, MLA, CHICAGO, and OSCOLA.
Appendices
Appendices contain all documents that have extra information but do not fit in the main dissertation body. They include interview transcripts, questioners, and tables with full details.