Producing a dissertation has become a major requirement of most
university courses, both undergraduate and Masters. It’s likely to
be the largest single piece of work you’ll have to submit – and
also the hardest!
Writing a Dissertation For Dummies walks you through all
the practical and theoretical aspects of writing a dissertation to
help you produce a first-class work. This guide is ideal for any
student in the broad range of the social sciences, from
anthropology to law, psychology to media studies. From choosing a
topic, to researching the literature, utilising your supervisor,
managing your time, and structuring and writing your dissertation,
you’ll be able to avoid all the common mistakes and stay on top of
your workload throughout the process. You’ll also find tips on the
best way to reference your work, and expert advice on presentation
and binding. This is a must if you want to maximise your marks on
your university dissertation.
Writing a Dissertation For Dummies covers:
Part I: What is a Dissertation?
Chapter 1: So You Have to Write a Dissertation
Chapter 2: Thinking About a Research Question
Part II: Getting Set Up for Your Dissertation
Chapter 3: The Structure of Your Dissertation
Chapter 4: Getting Started
Chapter 5: Finalising Your Research Question, Dissertation ‘Type’
And Considering Ethics
Chapter 6: Reading Efficiently and Taking Useful Notes
Part III: Getting On With Your Research
Chapter 7: Researching in Libraries and the Using the
Internet
Chapter 8: Creating Your Own Empirical Data
Chapter 9: Analysing Data And Drawing Conclusions
Chapter 10: Staying on Track
Part IV: Writing and Polishing
Chapter 11: Managing Your Argument: ‘Writing Up’ Your
Non-Empirical Dissertation
Chapter 12: Writing Up Your Empirical Dissertation
Chapter 13: Writing Effectively
Chapter 14: References, Bibliographies and Appendices
Chapter 15: Sorting Out The Presentation of Your Dissertation
Part V: Managing The Overall Experience
Chapter 16: Your Work Habits
Chapter 17: Looking After Yourself Physically and Emotionally
Chapter 18: Ten Common Dissertation Pitfalls to Avoid
Chapter 19: Ten Essential Tips For Completing Your
Dissertation
Chapter 20: Ten Items For Your Very Final Checklist
Daftar Isi
Introduction 1
Part I: Understanding What a Dissertation Is 7
Chapter 1: Sorting Out the Basics of a Dissertation 9
Chapter 2: Thinking About a Research Question 23
Part II: Getting Set Up for Your Dissertation 41
Chapter 3: Structuring Your Dissertation 43
Chapter 4: Getting Started 55
Chapter 5: Finalising Your Research Question and Considering Ethics 75
Chapter 6: Reading and Note-Taking Efficiently 97
Part III: Getting On with Your Research 115
Chapter 7: Collecting Information and Researching 117
Chapter 8: Generating Your Own Empirical Data 135
Chapter 9: Analysing Data and Drawing Conclusions 165
Chapter 10: Staying on Track 187
Part IV: Writing and Polishing Your Work 203
Chapter 11: Managing Your Argument: Writing Up Your Non-Empirical Dissertation 205
Chapter 12: Writing Up Your Empirical Dissertation 217
Chapter 13: Writing Effectively 229
Chapter 14: References, Bibliographies and Appendixes 247
Chapter 15: Presenting Your Dissertation 259
Part V: Managing the Overall Experience 271
Chapter 16: Organising Your Work Habits 273
Chapter 17: Looking After Yourself 285
Part VI: The Part of Tens 303
Chapter 18: Ten Pitfalls to Avoid 305
Chapter 19: Ten Top Tips for Finishing Your Dissertation Successfully 311
Chapter 20: Ten Things to Check Before You Bind Your Dissertation 317
Index 321
Tentang Penulis
Dr Carrie Winstanley is a Principal Lecturer in Education at Roehampton University, London, where she works with both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Carrie was recently named one of the Top 50 university teachers in the UK by the Higher Education Academy, for which she was awarded a national
teaching fellowship.