1. Dr Paul McElheron www.scba.dk
Researching & Writing a Dissertation
Dr Paul McElheron

3. Things you shouldn’t say at your dissertation defence

4. Differences – Dissertations & Assignments
The Dissertation differs from Assignments:
You need to demonstrate you can identify an appropriate research question
You have to demonstrate you know some thing about research methods
Requires a critical review of existing literature

5. The Dissertation at a Glance
About 15,000 words (+/- 10%)
Individual research into a management issue of your choice
In 2 parts – dissertation proposal (15% of the marks) and dissertation
Graded as assignments

6. Covered in this session:
Project proposal
The dissertation process
Getting started – choosing a topic
Research methods
Writing the dissertation
Referencing
Workshop / any questions

7. What the Dissertation is NOT
Not a purely work-based project
Not the “Last Word”
Not an extended essay
Not “Research First-Think Later”
Not statistics for the sake of statistics

8. What the Project Might be…
A “why” question that requires analysis
An emphasis upon problem solving research
The problem clearly defined
A method of solution discovered

9. You Are Being Asked to Do the Following
Identify & define a research question
Critically review existing literature
Design a piece of research
Analyse, present & discuss

10. Project Proposal 15% of the total project mark Minimum 2000 words
Project Tutors will advise on scope and feasibility

11. Project Proposal Framework
Use the University Dissertation Proposal Pro-Forma
Background and overview
Statement of issue and research objectives
Methodology
Analysis
Structure of final project
Time schedule
Can be submitted online

12. The Dissertation Process
Research Question
Literature Review
Research Design
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Conclusions
Implications

13. What is a Dissertation? A major piece of work 15,000 words
Chosen individually
Likely to include an empirical* element
Likely to be academic research
A “why” question – problem based
Difficult?
Knowledge based on experience & observation

14. Why you are asked to do a dissertation
Sharpen your information gathering, critical & analytical skills
Enhance your subject specific knowledge
Relate academic theories to real world problems
Develop transferable skills

15. Choosing a Topic (1) Personal interests & relevance
Further your knowledge & development
Of value to your organisation (possibly)
Durability/substance
Topic adequacy
A future/immediate career orientated choice
Access
Feasibility
Micro-politics
Resources

16. Choosing a Topic (2) Choose something manageable
Choose something interesting
Choose something which doesn’t overlap too much with other assessments you have submitted
Discuss your choice

17. The topic needs to be: Interesting to you Feasible Course-related
Academic
Analytical

18. Six stage process for choosing a topic
Identify broad topic & academic discipline
Determine the scope
Brainstorm issues, puzzles & questions
Map and structure the issues
Conduct a reconnaissance
Frame your research question

19. Consider Formulating the Title as a Question
Is an Academic Education the Best Preparation for a Career in the Senior Management?
How Far Can Western Management Training Practices be Used to Develop the Asia-Manager?

20. Planning your work When do you want to have each chapter completed?
How much time will you need for primary research?
When must all research work be completed?
How much time will you need for writing up?
Will you need your dissertation bound in any way?

21. How Long Does it Take? Organisation of ideas is the hard bit
You will find weaknesses/flaws only when you start to write up – state them
Allow 30% of time for writing up
4-6 months?

22. What is Research? Research is an Original Contribution to Knowledge
Your must show two (maybe three) things:
Identification of an unanswered question
Evidence of analysis
The Answer!

23. Fundamental concerns Four categories of information sought:
Attitudes or what people see/understand
Beliefs what people think is true, (stronger than attitudes)
Behaviour or what people do
Attributes or what people are
Validity – the degree to which we are measuring what we need to measure
Reliability

24. Research Terminology Methods & Methodology
Empirical research vs theoretical
Epistomology

25. Epistemology – what constitutes valid knowledge and how can we obtain it?
Positivism – social researcher as a scientist
Facts not values
Theory testing
Phenomenology – social researcher as a detective
Values play a significant part
Theory building

26. The Methodological Continuum
Phenomenology
Theory-Building
Qualitative
5 Depth face-to-face interviews
High response rates expected
More analytical
Positivism
Theory Testing
Quantitative
500 closed-ended postal questionnaires
Low response rate expected
More design / implementation work

27. Choice of Research Methods
Data search
Interviews
Questionnaires
Panels, including focus groups
Observation
Delphi technique

28. The Methodology Chapter
Need to show knowledge of methodological debates
Examiners look closely at this
Shows what you learned about the process of research itself

29. Research design – the University expects…
Awareness of different approaches
Clear justification of the approach taken
Description of approach, (sampling, collection, analysis & presentation
Critical presentation of the methodology
Demonstrates an understanding of the approach taken

30. Sources of Information
Academic journals – the gold standard
Working Papers – most peer reviewed
Books
Non-academic journals – standards vary
Consultancy reports – use for context only
Newspapers – use for context only
The internet

31. Selecting the Research Method
What information is needed?
How will it be collected?
How accurate will it be?
Will the methods get all the information?
Will the information appear credible?
Will the participants conform?
Who will administer the methods?
How can the information be analysed?

32. Sampling Plan Sampling unit – who will be surveyed?
Sample size – how many shall be surveyed?
Sampling procedure – how should respondents be chosen?

33. Approaches to the main research methods
Unstructured
Structured
Interviews
In-depth, open
Keep to script, answer options
Panels
Focus groups
Delphi
Questionnaire
Research diary
Tick boxes
Observation
Observation schedule, Activity sampling
Data search
Search engine
Primary/secondary

34. Interviewing Several types, arranged, intercept, structured
Very versatile
Can record additional observations
Expensive
Susceptible to interviewer bias

35. Questionnaires - advantages
Relatively inexpensive
Can reach people at long distance
Avoids interviewer bias
Anonymity possible
Response quality may be better, (respondents may gather & consult sources)

36. Questionnaires - disadvantages
Low response rates
Difficult to develop rapport
No opportunity to probe or clarify
Strong tendency to give answers that are socially, desirable, make the respondent look good, please the researcher
Can the respondent provide a meaningful answer?
Biased response?
Easy to critique

37. Focus Group Research
A gathering of 6-10 people invited to spend a few hours with a skilled moderator to discuss a product, service, organisation or marketing entity.
Start with a broad question, encourage free & easy discussion, hoping that group dynamics will reveal deep feelings and thoughts.

38. Focus Groups - advantages
Use homogenous groups, similar needs & interests
Good for ascertaining interest or acceptance
Suited to motivational research, attitudes, perceptions
Used as a prelude to more sophisticated techniques

39. Focus Groups - disadvantages
Is it real research?
Biased participation?
Nature and direction of discussion led by the most articulate or aggressive
Conclusions have to be inferred by reading the discussion
Results cannot be quantified, (small sample)

40. Observational Research
Fresh data can be gathered by observing
Can obtain findings not accessible by other methods

41. Common errors made in Research
Selective observation
Inaccurate observation
Over-generalisation
Made-up information
Ex post facto hypothesising
Illogical reasoning
Ego involvement in understanding
Premature closure of inquiry
Mystification

42. Delphi Technique A forecasting method
A group decision making tool – reaps the benefit of group decision making while insulating the process from group decision making
Aids decision making in a political of emotional environment
Useful where decisions affect strong factions with opposing views, conflicting goals
Works formally or informally

43. Common errors made in research
I found a juicy data set and accidentally found that serial killers all had telephone numbers with the number 13 in them. I then decided that fear of the number 13 makes people into serial killers, wrote a book about my findings and became famous.
What error of human enquiry is NOT present in this scenario?
Ex post facto hypothesizing
Illogical reasoning
Made-up information
Inaccurate observation

44. Standard format of a dissertation: 6 chapters
Executive summary
Contents
Introduction ( )
Theory/Literature review ( )
Research methods ( )
Data description, presentation of findings ( )
Analysis & interpretation of findings ( )
Conclusions, recommendations, reflections ( )
References

45. Writing the Dissertation
The marker will be less knowledgeable on detail than you
Explain motivations, goals, methodology, make no assumptions, apart from basics
Get feedback, (supervisors, friends, fellow students – give feedback too).

46. Ideas for the Introduction
A clear statement of your subject
An explanation of why the research is worthwhile
An outline of the methods used
An indication of the limitations of the study
A summary of the chapters to follow
Thanks to any person or agency who gave you special help

47. Ideas for the Chapters Each one should answer a major question
Each chapter should contain lots of answers to smaller questions
Use sub-headings to guide the reader
Develop points carefully, step by step
Each chapter should make sense if read on its own
Give chapters introductions and conclusions as well

48. Writing Style Revisited
A review of good practice…

49. A Well Written Dissertation..
Has an appropriate structure – it flows
Has headings and sub-headings
Includes research methods & background information
Demonstrates evidence of a wide range of information sources
Includes reference to relevant theory, correctly referenced
Uses both qualitative and quantitative sources of information
Is “analytical” rather than descriptive
Uses tables, figures and models to support the narrative
Makes appropriate recommendations and conclusions

50. Style of the Dissertation
Use a title page and number the pages
Put in a ”contents” list
Do what you say you will do in the introduction
Footnotes not recommended
Use quotes from opposing views
Quotes and paraphrasing work well together
Avoid excessive use of “bullet points”
Plagiarism – don’t do it

51. Writing Style Personal Academic
Information comes from the writer’s experience
Personal feelings and views
Recounts, tells a personal story
Non-technical vocabulary
“I” at the centre
Academic
Information comes from a range of sources
Evidence & argument, citing & referencing others work
Comments, evaluates, analyses
Subject specific vocabulary
“I” as observer & commentator

52. Language to Avoid Obviously Research shows.. It is true that..
This proves..
Where does this lead us?
It’s a well known fact
“I”, “we”, “you”
I think
I feel
Good, bad, normal
Contractions
Jargon

53. Language to use “this suggests..” “it is plausible..”
This argument appears reasonable \ unreasonable because..
Use the terminology!

54. A Word about Word Count
Approximately 15,000 words – stick to the format
The word count starts after the contents page and ends before the references
Words in the appendix don’t count
Words in models don’t count

55. Literature Review The University will expect…
Normally credible references
Harvard system referencing throughout
Use of original sources where possible
Avoid the Heathrow library!

56. References Closely tied to the review done early in the dissertation
Markers usually check out this section early on and will form preliminary assessment notions early
References must appear in the main body

57. Requirements for Referencing
Assertions or statements of fact
Theories views or arguments
Where information came from
Who created the information
Who collated the information

58. When to Reference Brahm’s wrote four symphonies
Brahm’s compositions were driven by unrequited love
Harry Potter was a wizard
The Harry Potter books constitute a danger to the moral fabric of youth

59. Types of Referencing
Quotations
Paraphrasing
Using your own words

60. Examples
QUOTATION: “… to which the automatic human reaction is helpless discouragement. But for the successful leader failure is the beginning, the springboard of hope.” (Bennis and Nanus, 1985, p.71).
PARAPHRASE: Failure is finality, a dead feeling of helpless discouragement. For the successful leader, failure can be the springboard to a new beginning, (Bennis & Nanus, 1985).
OWN WORDS: Bennis and Nanus (1985) point out that effective leaders react to failure differently than other people. Rather than becoming de-motivated and discouraged as most people do, leaders see failure as a challenge which rousers them to greater efforts and stimulates hope for a brighter future.
REFERENCE: Bennis, W., and Nanus, B. (1985). Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge New York: Harper & Row, p.71.

61. An Ideal List of References
Sources from the recommended reading
Recognised leaders in the field
Some up-to-date sources
Something the marker has not yet read
Contextualised information

62. Conclusions
Short concise statements of inferences made as a result of work done (numbered subsections ?)
Must be directly related to the research question/problems raised
Markers will scrutinise this section
Future research – useful to people following in your tracks

63. Recommendations Suggest ways of solving the problems
How the recommendations link to the aims of the dissertation
Timescale and ressource allocation
Should flow logically from the conclusions

64. Reflections Analysis & evaluation of the research process
Strengths & weaknesses of the dissertation
Problems or constraints encountered

65. Think of the Marker Make no unreasonable assumptions about the marker
Don’t bore the marker
Markers hate to work hard on trivia, (to understand poorly named sections, organise themselves from your work, wade through bad grammar).
Create a good impression
Refer to QAA Assessment criteria for M Level

66. Appendices
Designed to let you include material not fitted easily into any chapter
Important material referred to in more than one chapter
Does not count against word count
Material which casts light on work done but would impede the clear delivery of ideas
Mathematical proofs unless prime focus
Huge tables of data
Lengthy company profiles

67. Support - Blackboard Announcements ULMC staff
Project guidelines / support materials
Library / external links
Discussion boards
Study skills
Example dissertations

68. The Pub Bore Test
Write an interesting account of your dissertation, in a few sentences, that you could use when someone in the pub asks, “What is your research about?” It has to be something to catch the listeners attention.

69. Why writing a dissertation is harder than having a baby
Conceiving a baby is way more fun that conceiving a topic
You know exactly how long pregnancy takes
Everyone will admire your baby
No one will complain that your baby is too similar to another one
You can borrow other peoples stuff without it being called plagiarism

70. You’re Almost There…