how to write dissertation :Dissertation Guide:researching an
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DEPARTMENT OF MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION 2009/2010 University of Leicester 1. Introduction. 3 1. INTRODUCTION. The aim of this booklet is to guide you through the whole process of researching and writing your dissertation. You will find different sections of it useful at different stages of the process. Read it carefully as soon as possible and keep it handy for close reference as you work on your dissertation. Note that it will be helpful to read the details about the presentation of the dissertation at the initial research stage because it includes guidance on how to structure your work and incorporate source material. It is also important to be clear about the assessment criteria before you decide on a topic and your methodology/ies. This will give you a sense right from the start of the final product you should be aiming towards. We hope you will find the booklet of assistance. Please do tell us how it can be further improved. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN Please note the key deadlines: 1. Choose the topic area and if possible working title for your dissertation and e-mail to ([email protected]) as soon as possible and definitely no later than 9 December 2009. A dissertation tutor will then be assigned to you. You should then make an appointment to see him/her to discuss your ideas.#p#分页标题#e#
3. Two copies of your dissertation must be submitted for examination in soft spring binders. An electronic copy should also be submitted to Blackboard by 9 August 2010.
A dissertation is your opportunity to: • Choose a topic that interests you and research it in depth.PDP:A1, B2 • Identify a specific problem to address.PDP:B2, C5 • Select an appropriate methodology or methodologies in order to undertake this.PDP:A1, C2, C5 • Organize your research and write up your findings and conclusions in a clear and effective manner PDP: A3, B2, C1, C2, C4 • A clear focus on a specific topic and understanding of the literature relevant to it.PDP: C1, C2, C5 • Sound planning of all stages of the research and writing.PDP: B2, C1, C4 • Well-organized and accurate note-taking.PDP: A3, C2 • Allowing for thinking time to clarify findings and conclusions PDP: C1, C2, C5, C6 • Drafting material early enough for redrafting to be undertaken to improve the final presentation. PDP: B2, C4, C6 THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE IS: START EARLY AND PLAN PDP: B2, C1, C6 Remember that your dissertation counts for 60 credits so you should be working on it throughout much of the second half of the year. You need to plan ahead and plan early and not leave all the work until after the end of the teaching period of Semester 2. Do not make the mistake of feeling too relaxed about it because the deadline for submission is not until August. The whole point about a long piece of work of this nature is that it must be undertaken over an extended period of time and not in the space of just a few weeks right before deadline. Especially if you are choosing a challenging topic and methodology, which we hope you will of course, you will need time to identify sources and work through them and develop and arrange questionnaires or interviews, for example. Do not underestimate how early you must start planning for such things or how long it can take to arrange them at times. Please try to order inter-library loans as early as possible and avoid leaving this until after May. Allow yourself plenty of time to ensure that your research can be properly carried out. This will show in your results as will the weaknesses of a poorly planned, very limited or rushed research programme.
Every student is allocated to a dissertation tutor whose job is to help you. The more effectively you can work with your dissertation tutor, the easier and more enjoyable your dissertation will be and the better the final product. Your dissertation tutor is there to guide you through all aspects of this piece of work and to assist you in coping with any problems or difficulties you encounter.#p#分页标题#e# Remember that this is a rare opportunity to work closely with an academic and to benefit from their extensive research expertise and experience. For these reasons dissertation work can be extremely rewarding for both academics and students. How to get the best from your dissertation tutor’s time • Contact them regularly once you know who they are to talk through your progress. Tutors can be seen in person or contacted via email. Most dissertation tutor’s use both forms of communication. • Always be prepared for face-to-face sessions with your dissertation tutor and if applicable have some notes with you on the points you want to cover. •英国留学生论文Ensure that you identify relevant information sources as early as possible once you have chosen and agreed your topic. You should begin to allocate time to compiling your literature review before May. • Ask for their input and advice about the scope of your topic and methodology in the early stages. Don’t leave such issues to a late date when it will not be possible to benefit from such guidance. • Talk through methodological issues early on and work out a timetable for your work with your dissertation tutor’s advice. It is likely that you will undertake questionnaire, interview, participant observation work, etc. after April, but be sure to leave plenty of time for collation and analysis of these research findings. It is important to be confident that you will be able to obtain the data you need for your project as early as possible. Remember that the presentation of these findings is important. You may want to devise charts, graphs etc. and this takes time. • Be proactive about your project. Take ownership of it. Have your own ideas about how you would like to go about it and share these with the dissertation tutor. Listen carefully to her or his suggestions for improvement. • Let the tutor know how her or his guidance has been useful and try to be as clear as possible about where and how they can help further. • Realize that as you move through the dissertation work your understanding of the problem you are addressing should deepen. Communicate this to the tutor so that s/he can see how the project is developing and be able to offer any appropriate fresh suggestions for you to consider.
There are several approaches to choosing a topic for a dissertation. You might like to pursue in more detail an area that you have touched on in current or earlier modules. You may have identified an issue in the media that relates directly to an area you have studied and which you would like to investigate in detail. You may have covered an area of theory that you would like to apply. In choosing a topic you are advised to: • Select an area which interests you and for which you can identify a body or bodies of relevant literature.#p#分页标题#e# • Remember to use course materials you have already covered to assist your thinking. • Prioritize the combination of primary and secondary sources in your research. Primary sources may include, for example, official documents, newspaper or magazine articles or websites as a basis for content analysis, interviews. Secondary sources will usually be academic books and articles but may include websites and other publications related to your topic. • Think about your methodology/ies at an early stage. It is most important that you choose appropriate methodological tools to test your hypothesis/es. A simple way of thinking about the hypothesis/es is as the specific question(s)/problem(s) you are investigating. Remember that you can always discuss possible topic areas with members of staff before you finally commit yourself to one particular topic.
Spend time in the initial stages planning your research and writing. Timing your appointments with your dissertation tutor is part of this process. You need to be as organized as possible to ensure that you make such appointments at times which will be helpful to you in addressing different stages of the research and writing process. It is your responsibility to make regular appointments with your tutor and to keep them. We estimate that you will need to see your tutor at least three times in Semester 2. Writing down your research and writing timetable, including the scheduling for primary research, is a good idea. If you have a written version, say on one sheet of paper, then it will be easy to see how you are progressing and to revise the timings if necessary. Make sure that you plan both your research work and your writing. Leave plenty of time for planning your chapter structure, drafting material, redrafting, rereading and rewording to aid clarity, and proofing for errors. It is advisable not to leave printing until the last moment because technical problems can occur. Some of these points are basic practical issues but they can make a great deal of difference to the standard of the final dissertation. Remember, presentation counts too.
All research projects, including those undertaken by students in the University, must ensure they adhere to certain basic principles of research ethics. This condition applies in particular to any research that involves the study of human subjects. Studies that obtain data from people, especially if research participants are required to disclose personal details about themselves or in which interventions are used to manipulate the environment in which people are being studied, are required to ensure that they participants have given their consent to be investigated in full knowledge of what they are required to do, that they have the opportunity to withdraw from the study at any point, and that appropriate observance of personal privacy and confidentiality is in place.#p#分页标题#e# Your supervisor will discuss the ethical implications of your research with you at your initial meeting. Where ethical approval is required – and this is not the position for all types of research – a standard form has been developed and has been made available by the Department on Blackboard. Obtaining ethics approval can take time and this process must be built into your dissertation work schedule.
In general we will be looking for: • An original, intelligent and knowledgeable approach to the topic. • The application of appropriate skills and effort. • Identification of an interesting problem and clear definition and contextualization of it. • Adoption of an appropriate theoretical approach, adequate methodology, and suitable application of them in a competent and effective manner. Recognition of their limitations and strengths. • Understanding, analysis and synthesis of your research findings to arrive at defensible conclusions derived from them. • An authoritative account of the project presented in clear and cogent terms. When marking projects lecturers will focus on the following: THE ARGUMENT 1. Is there a basic structure and coherence to the work as a whole? 2. Are the underlying issues identified and are specific problems and questions formulated clearly? 3. Has the research been located within a broader framework of enquiry, and have the appropriate sources been drawn upon? 4. Has the material presented been properly synthesized and evaluated? THE RESEARCH METHOD 1. How well has the problem been formulated and an appropriate methodology selected? 2. How well have the appropriate existing research literature and other sources been used? 3. Have the sources and evidence used been critically evaluated? 4. How well has empirical testing of evidence (as appropriate to the project) been carried out? PRESENTATION 1. Logical chapter structure indicating major themes and arguments of dissertation? 2. Overall clarity of exposition, and accuracy of expression? 3. Appropriate referencing and bibliography? 4. Appropriate use of graphs and tables within the body of the dissertation? 5. Appropriate appendices to indicate, for example, the nature of questionnaires used, summaries of research results, interview material. These are only indicative points to guide you on the kinds of issues, which are important in assessment procedures. As far as possible your own argument, assessment, understanding and conclusions should shape both the main body and structure of the dissertation.
There are three main deadlines 1. Choose the topic area and if possible working title for your dissertation and e-mail to ([email protected] ) as soon as possible and definitely no later than 9 December 2009. A dissertation tutor will then be assigned to you. You should then make an appointment to see him/her to discuss your ideas.#p#分页标题#e# 3. Two copies of your dissertation must be submitted for examination in soft spring binders. An electronic copy should also be submitted to Blackboard by 9 August 2010. 9. PLAGIARISM Please see the general guidelines in the MA/MSc course documentation. Your thesis should be constructed from coherent arguments supported by appropriate evidence. Often this will mean that you will be using the work of other people, either their arguments or their evidence. This makes accurate referencing of the utmost importance in academic work. Plagiarism is the use of other people’s arguments or evidence without acknowledgement through failure to cite the author and source of the material in an appropriate manner. Credit should be given when you are paraphrasing the original text and relevant page numbers should always been included. If you use the exact words of another author you should mark this as a direct quotation and give the exact source. When you use diagrams, tables or graphs from another source these should be treated as direct quotations and sourced appropriately. There is another problem when you do acknowledge that your material is derived from another source but you are depending too heavily on the material. This could be because a single quotation is too long or because the overall proportion of quotations to your own arguments and explanations is too high. As a rough guide, quotations should not normally exceed 200-250 words in each case. Usually a quotation will be much shorter - 10-30 words. The total proportion of quoted material should not exceed 20% at most. It is essential to always be on your guard about plagiarism. It is no defence to say that you did not realize that you were in breach of this convention. It is your responsibility to understand its implications and to carry out your work appropriately at all times. If we do detect plagiarism your work will be penalised and is likely to fail. If you have any doubts about any aspect of plagiarism discuss these with your dissertation tutor. Remember, never represent anyone else’s work as your own. Reference your dissertation thoroughly and precisely.
Style The required style is formal and academic. Avoid journalistic devices in terms of expression and ‘implicit evaluation’. Aim for a clear and readable style including when using long, complex sentences. Include diagrams, tables, graphs and illustrations where these are appropriate and useful. You can either include them in the running text if suitable or on a separate, facing page. Do not put them in the appendix because this hinders easy reference. Structure #p#分页标题#e#Do not view your dissertation as ‘a long essay’. Think in terms of separate chapters, which come together to present the different aspects of your project as a coherent whole. An introduction setting out the background to the project, your hypothesis/es, and the grounds for your methodological approach/es is useful. Your literature review is likely to form the whole or a substantial part of the following chapter. The final chapter should be a conclusion rounding off your main arguments and points with some reflection on the limitations of the project, including from a methodological standpoint. The introduction can either be Chapter 1 or a section preceding Chapter 1; the Conclusion can either be your last numbered Chapter or follow that Chapter. It is helpful to divide chapters into sections with sub-headings. These should reflect logical steps in the argument. A section should not begin on a new page, but follow on below the end of the previous section. Each section will need its own sub-heading. Take care that headings do not appear alone, with no text below them, at the foot of a page. This can easily happen with word-processed texts. • Front cover featuring the title of the dissertation, your name, and the words ‘ submitted for the degree of MA Mass Communication/MA Globalisation and Communication/ MA New Media and Society/MA New Media, Governance and Democracy 2008/2009’. A model title page is given below: BODY HAIR : A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE TECHNOLOGIES OF REGULATION AND MANAGEMENT OF BODY-BOUNDARIES by John Smith Department of Media and Communication
2009/2010
• Acknowledgements (optional). You may wish to acknowledge special help and support you feel you have been given during your dissertation work. • Contents page with the chapter headings and sub-headings and their first page numbers. List of any illustrations (figures, photographs, plates) by number, e.g. Fig. 1, Fig. 2, with their page numbers. • The whole of the dissertation should be paginated starting with the contents page and including any diagrams, appendices etc. Start each chapter on a new page. • References. A list of all the sources you have cited in the text in alphabetical order as a bibliography. • Appendices. Relevant supplementary material you wish to include. You do not need to include raw data but summaries of it may be useful, as are copies of questionnaires used, supporting documents, interview transcripts, etc. Items which clarify your research process/findings and which the reader will find of assistance should be included. However, appendices, where applicable, should not be too lengthy. If in doubt about what to include ask your tutor. Keep your data and have it ready to discuss with examiners if necessary.#p#分页标题#e# Content The main body of the dissertation should be 15,000 – 18,000 words in length. This word count does not include diagrams, tables, graphs and appendices. The dissertation must be word-processed/typed, double-spaced (1.5 or 2 line gaps). It should be presented on A4 paper with adequate margins on both the bound and unbound edges (approx. 20mm is recommended for the unbound edge and 40mm for the bound edge). You must submit two copies of the dissertation. These should be bound in hard or soft folder. Please contact the dissertation tutor if you are uncertain about what form of binding is appropriate. Make a third copy for yourself. When word-processing make sure you save your work frequently and make back-up copies (preferably kept in different locations) in case of technical problems. Computer malfunctions are a fact of life and not a legitimate excuse for missed deadlines. Allow plenty of time at the end for the preparation of graphs and tables, and for printing. Make sure that you proof the final version, ensuring that everything is in the correct order. Careless errors detract from the quality of your work. All spelling and typographical errors are your responsibility and you should ensure they are removed from the final version. You must ensure that the contents are complete. Anything missing cannot be assessed as part of the project. Referencing Use the style of the International Communication Association publications. Two examples are Human Communication Research and the Communication Yearbooks. These can be consulted in the library. Do this before you begin your project so that you have a clear sense of the conventions. Make photocopies for reference. References must always be cited by name, date, and usually page number(s) at appropriate points in the text and in full in the bibliography. If you have a number of works by the same author published in the same year then use letters after the year 1999a, 1999b etc. and list them in alphabetical order according to title of the article or book. Quotations If you cite the words of another person always include these in single quote marks and give the precise reference including page number(s). Substantial quotes (say over 40 words or 2 or more sentences) should be indented in the text, again with the precise reference following in brackets. When indenting quotes there is no need to use quote marks. Paraphrasing sources Following the cited information give the name of the author, date and page number(s). Remember that any directly quoted material must be in quote marks, including specific phrases, words or terminology distinctive to the author’s work. Bibliography List all your sources at the end in alphabetical order according to the author’s surname, then by date, and if necessary letter. The reference should give: Giddens, A. (1991). The Consequences of Modernity.. Cambridge: Polity. For journal articles: Author(s) surname, then initials. Date in brackets. Title of the article. Title of the journal (in italic or underlined). Volume and part number (part number in brackets). Page numbers. For chapters in books: Author(s) (surname, then initials). Date in brackets. Title of chapter in Author(s) of book (surname, then initials). Ed. or Eds where appropriate. Title of the book (in italics or underlined). Edition or Volume number (if relevant). Place of publication: Publisher. Example: With works which have more than two authors you can use the abbreviation of ‘Smith et al.’ on second and subsequent references. On the first citation use all names.
Other sources For other sources such as newspaper articles, films etc you must reference in the usual way this link will give you a guide on how to reference different types of sources: Also see section 10 of this booklet on research resources which also includes guidance on how to reference electronic sources. Tables, diagrams and graphs If you use these they should be numbered, Fig.1, Fig.2 etc, and listed in the contents page with their page numbers. This enables easy reference. They should be placed as close to the appropriate section of text as possible. Placing them on a facing page is suitable. Footnotes These should be avoided. As a general rule if the material is relevant it should be included in the text. If it is relevant but definitely cannot be fitted into the running text then it can be added as a footnote. These should either be collected at the end of each chapter or in a section at the end of all the chapters. Sexist Language The use of the generic ‘he’ and other sexist or prejudicial language should be avoided. 11. RESEARCH RESOURCES PDP: A4, B2, C2, Library This is your prime resource. It contains one of the most extensive, historical and up-to-date communications collections. As well as books, there are a range of journals featuring relevant material and extensive reference sources on relevant organisations. The librarians can assist you in relation to the facilities available and offer guidance about research strategies using the full range of library resources. • Use indexes and abstracts to identify articles relevant to your project. Use the library mass communications subject page to identify web sources. CIOS is one search system accessible via this means and some articles can be downloaded directly. A number of other relevant databases can also be accessed.#p#分页标题#e# • Use CD-Rom including for access to archives as well as information on publications. • Identify any specialist organizations relevant to your project. Library directories have details of addresses and telephone numbers. • Allow plenty of time for inter-library loans. • Always ask if you need assistance with a particular research problem.
This is a growing source of all kinds of information and is an increasingly important research tool particularly in the field of communications. The number of students wishing to pursue dissertations on Internet-related issues is increasing all the time too. It is relatively easy to surf the Net using the various search engines and to find a great deal of interesting and relevant material. There are a number of important points to bear in mind. • Do not use information from the web indiscriminately. Assess the sites and their relative authority as sources of information. By using the Harvard name and date style for online referencing you can cite the web sources in the text by name (e.g. author or organization) and date and include the full reference details in the bibliography in alphabetical order in the usual way. If the web source has page or paragraph numbers then include those in your references in the text and the bibliography as you would in the usual way. Give the date when you cite from the webpage. For further guidance on referencing electronic sources see, for example, http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/library/using/citing_references.html (guide to citing Internet sources). Also see the CMCR Teaching and Learning web pages, which provide a guide to referencing and information sources. You will also find advice on searching the Net via the University homepage. Navigational route: library/distance learning unit/ information skills support. If you are planning to cite key material from a website it is advisable to take a printout. In some cases you may want to include one or more of these excerpts as appendices. You must check that the website address you have supplied can be accessed directly. Do this by entering it and trying to access it. If access is denied then you need to delete the last part of the address up to the next slash and try again. Keep following this deleting procedure until you gain access. You must then use this website address as your reference and add to it the navigational route followed (e.g. documents/smith/) to reach the section of the website you have cited. Include these details in brackets immediately after the website address. Remember that websites are constantly being updated and it is possible that material you have cited may be removed. You can only address this problem by making sure you have printed copies of any material you quote from either directly or indirectly. For those of you who undertake any form of content analysis on the web and who need any other detailed guidance about referencing or other issues please refer questions to your dissertation tutor at an early stage.#p#分页标题#e# • Remember that the rules of plagiarism relate to the Net as to any other sources. All directly or indirectly quoted material must be referenced as detailed above. Never use material from a website without fully referencing it. If you quote directly then use the system for quotations outlined above. • We encourage you to make use of the Net but to do so with the academic research principles outlined above in mind at all times. It is an excellent way to track down sources, different kinds of information, contact details, background on governmental and non-governmental organisations, publications, and much more. Compared to many other research tools it can be incredibly efficient in terms of time. • Communications organisations, including the BBC and Office of Communications, have strong Net presences. Check them out. Final Words The dissertation is a challenge but it can be a very productive and rewarding experience for both students and tutors. It’s a chance to get really involved in a subject and to develop your own thinking about it, to test your research skills and methodological strategies. Go for it and enjoy the experience. Some readings Bell, J. (1987). Doing Your Research Project. Milton Keynes: Open University. PDP Skills List – see next page.
A. Generic
Please return this form by e-mail to your supervisor no later than 20 February 2009 Proposed Dissertation Title: Outline of Problems to be tackled. What is it you hope to find out or demonstrate? (Hypothesis) How are you going to do it? (Methodology) Major Resources Needed (and their availability). Name of Student: Date: (责任编辑：未知) |