英国格拉斯哥大学 (University of Glasgow)：如何为dissertation项目选择一个合适的主题及dissertation导师的分配

Choosing a Suitable Topic for the Project
为项目选择一个合适的主题

In  addition  to  the  guidance  you  receive  during  your  Research  Methods  courses, you will be asked to compose a research proposal of 1,500 words. 
除了你在收到您的研究方法课程的指导，你将被要求撰写1500字的研究建议。

Although not formally assessed, it will be reviewed by your allocated supervisor and form the basis of your early supervision meetings. You may incorporate into the proposal elements of coursework you have previously submitted for research methods units. However, we encourage you to develop your ideas where appropriate to ensure your proposal is aligned with your chosen dissertation topic.
虽然没有正式的评估，将分配给你的导师审阅，并形成初期督导会议的基础。您可能纳入课程您先前提交的研究方法单位的提议元素。然而，我们鼓励你发展你的想法，在适当的情况下，以确保您的建议与您选择的dissertation题目。
http://ukthesis.org/Thesis_Tips/Proposal

Your proposal should be submitted to the School of Management (the Reception or the Programme Support Office (Postgraduate Office) by 14.00 on 1st March 2010. You will also be sent instructions by you Programme Administrator on how to submit the proposal electronically to Jisc-TurnitinUk nearer the time. You must keep a hard copy of all your coursework.
你的提案应于2010年3月1日14点提交管理学院（接待处或规划支持办公室（研究生处）。你的指令计划管理员也会在较近的时间将指导你如何将电子提案提交TurnitinUk，你必须保持你所有课程的硬拷贝。

Please note, your supervisor may wish you to revise your proposal and you will not be permitted to progress to the dissertation until your supervisor has approved your work.

请注意，你的导师可能希望你修改你的建议，直到你的上司已经批准后，将不会允许你进展dissertation工作。

Allocation of Dissertation Supervisors
dissertation导师分配

To assist you with your research project over the summer months, a member of the academic staff will be allocated to you as a supervisor. 
协助您与您的研究项目，在夏季的几个月里，成员的教学人员将被分配到你作为一个主管。
To ensure we achieve as close a match as possible between your proposed topic and the research interests of individual academic staff we shall be inviting you to access and choose from a list of potential supervisors on your particular programme of study. The on-line list will be accessed through the Moodle Dissertation page for your Programme, and we expect this to be ready for you to make your choices during February. 
为了确保实现尽可能接近的配对之间的拟题目和个别学术人员的研究兴趣，我们将邀请您访问，并从列表中选择您的特定研究方案的潜在监事。上线名单将计划通过的Moodle的dissertation页面被访问，我们希望这个为您准备好能够在2月期间做好选择。#p#分页标题#e#
 
I should stress that the supervisor allocation program will not permit you to allocate your own supervisor – this is ultimately an academic decision - but it will invite you to state a preference.  
我要强调，导师分配方案不允许你分配你自己的导师 - 这是最终的学术决定 - 但它会邀请你表示一个优先权。
Once the list is available, you will have approximately two to three weeks to make your choices (and can update as many times as you wish within that period). It is important that you keep a print of your final choices for your own records. We shall require a further week to process the data. You will then be advised of your allocated supervisor so that you can make initial contact and discuss your dissertation ideas before the end of the Spring term. 
 
Each student should refine his or her project topic in consultation with the personal dissertation supervisor.  Note  that  the  choice  of  a topic  can  be  crucial  to  the success  of  a  dissertation  and  warrants  the  expenditure  of  both  time  and  energy. The key point is that the project must focus on a topic that is closely related to your Master’s degree programme; if in doubt, consult a member of teaching staff for your programme as early as possible).
每个学生都应该完善他或她的项目课题与个人dissertation导师协商。需要注意的是选择一个主题的dissertation及认股权证的时间和精力的支出是至关重要的成功。关键的一点是，该项目必须专注于一个主题，是密切相关的硕士学位课程，如有疑问，请咨询你的程序尽早）教学人员的成员。

If you have thought about the matter a great deal, but still cannot find a topic, try brainstorming. Remember the rules of brainstorming: capture  and list on paper or on  a  board  every  idea  (however  silly,  odd  or  way  out)  that  comes  to  you.  Do not stop to dissect or analyse your thoughts at this stage. When you have run out of ideas, read the list through; more ideas are likely to emerge. When you can think of no more ideas, go through the list grouping the thoughts together and testing them against the criteria outlined below.
 
Broadly,  there  are  three  criteria  against  which  you  should  test  your  ideas  for  a topic:
从广义上讲，有三个标准，对您应该测试你的想法的话题：
 
a) Is it a substantial problem or opportunity?
这是一个实际问题或机会？
b) Is it realistic given the time and resources available?
是否现实给定的时间和资源可用？
c)  Is it intellectually challenging?
    是智力挑战吗？#p#分页标题#e#

The project should have both theoretical and practical elements; a project weighed too heavily on either side is inappropriate. Your project must be framed in such a way  that  you  can  cover  it  adequately  in  the  time  available  and  report  on  it  fully within the word limit imposed. Most projects err initially on the side of being far too expansive.  One  of  the  first  tasks  your  supervisor  will  usually  set  is  to  ask  you  to define your topic more tightly and precisely. This must be done at the beginning of the project if you are going to use your time effectively.
 
Research on previously unexplored areas can be exciting.  However, one reason why  a  topic  has  been  left  untouched  may  be  that  the  data  simply  do  not  exist  to undertake any  significant  research.  In  certain  cases  you  may,  in  a  small  way,  be able  to  fill  such  a  gap.  Nevertheless, there are considerable advantages in selecting a topic on which there is plenty of information available.
以前未开发的地区研究是令人兴奋的。然而，可能是原因之一不变的话题已经离开的数据根本不存在承担任何重大的研究。在一条小路上，在某些情况下，您可能能够填补这种差距。不过，也有相当大的优势，在选择一个主题上有大量的信息。

Note  that  although  copious  information  may  exist  about  a  topic,  this  information may  not  be  accessible:  access  may  be  too  costly,  or  it  may  be  restricted.  For instance,  if  your  project  depends  on  information  only  available  within  a  particular company,  you  need  the  permission  of  that  organisation  to  access  and  use  this information.  Before  you  proceed  with  a  project,  check  that  you  can  obtain  the information you need.
 
In  order  to  undertake  some  projects  you  may  need  to  have  particular  areas  of knowledge  and  skill.  For example, you may need advanced statistical skills or knowledge of decision theory to complete a particular project. Check that you have such  knowledge  and  skills,  or  the  time  and  ability to  acquire  them,  before commencing your research.
 
During  your  Master’s  degree  studies  you  will  have  had  many  demands  on  your time  and  learned  how  to  manage  them.  Occasionally your dissertation/project will seem burdensome and you may also be bored with it, and it is then that those time management skills will be most needed.  When your commitment to the research project  is  tested  in  this  manner,  what  will  help  you  proceed  (apart  from determination)  is  your  interest  in  the  topic;  therefore,  a  topic  should  inspire enthusiasm and be motivating when you choose it.#p#分页标题#e#
硕士学位期间研究中，你将有很多时间上的要求，并学会如何管理它们。你的dissertation/项目偶尔会显得累赘，你也可能厌倦了，它是那么这些时间管理技巧将最需要的。当你的承诺的研究项目，以这种方式进行测试，有什么会帮助你进行（除确定）是你感兴趣的话题，因此，当你选择了它，主题应该振奋精神，激励。
 
Here are some reasons for NOT choosing a topic:
这有一些不能选择主题的原因：
 
a) ‘Because I can't think of anything else.’
“因为我不能想别的。
b) ‘Because my company told me to do it.’
“因为我的公司告诉我这样做。”
c) ‘Because it looks easy.’
因为它看起来很容易。
d) ‘Because I've undertaken a similar project previously.’
因为我已经开展了以前类似的项目
e)  ‘Because I left it too late to do anything else!’
 “因为我离开了，来不及做别的！”
Finally, here is a helpful checklist for the selection of a research project/dissertation topic:
最后一个研究项目/dissertation主题的选择，这里是一个有用的清单：

a) Is  this  a  topic  closely  related  to  my  Master’s  programme  and  with  an academic orientation?
这是密切相关的话题，我的硕士课程和学术取向？
b) Does it have both empirical and theoretical elements?
该行为的实证研究和理论要素？
c) Is it the right size – neither too broad nor too narrow?
为正确的大小 - 既不太宽，也不太窄？
d) Is there enough information available?
是否有足够可用的信息吗？
e) Can I get ac cess to that information?
我能否得到这些信息的访问？
f) Do I have the necessary knowledge and skills?
我是否具备必要的知识和技能？
g)  Is the topic sufficiently interesting to motivate me?
是否有足够有趣的话题激励我？
 
You should be able to answer “yes” to each question.  If not, go back and think again about that aspect of the project.
你应该能够对每个问题回答“是”。如果没有，回去重新思考这方面的项目。

The dissertation topic will finally be approved by your supervisor.
 dissertation题目最终会由你的导师批准。