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Your Undergraduate Dissertation: The Essential Guide for Success (Student Success) Second Edition

This book takes you through each stage of your dissertation, answering questions including:

• How do I choose an appropriate topic for my dissertation?
• How do I write a research proposal?
• What′s a literature review, how do I conduct it and how do I write it up?
• How can I ensure I′m an ethical researcher?
• What methods of data collection are appropriate for my research question?
• Once I have collected my data, what do I do?
• What′s the best structure for my dissertation?

Full of examples from real student projects, interdisciplinary case studies and illustrated with cartoons to make you smile along the way, this book will tell you all you need to know to write a brilliant dissertation. Student Success  is a series of essential guides for students of all levels. From how to think critically and write great essays to boosting your employability and managing your wellbeing, the  Student Success  series helps you study smarter and get the best from your time at university. 

• ISBN-10 1446253198
• ISBN-13 978-1446253199
• Edition Second
• Publisher SAGE Publications Ltd
• Publication date September 3, 2013
• Part of series Student Success
• Language English
• Dimensions 6.69 x 0.69 x 9.53 inches
• Print length 304 pages
• See all details

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ SAGE Publications Ltd; Second edition (September 3, 2013)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1446253198
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1446253199
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.69 x 0.69 x 9.53 inches
• #9,939 in Study Skills (Books)
• #19,670 in Test Prep & Study Guides
• #70,643 in Writing Reference

About the author

Nicholas s. r. walliman.

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Your Undergraduate Dissertation The Essential Guide for Success

• Nicholas Walliman - Oxford Brookes University, UK
• Description

This book takes you through each stage of your dissertation, answering questions including:

• How do I choose an appropriate topic for my dissertation?
• How do I write a research proposal?
• What's a literature review, how do I conduct it and how do I write it up?
• How can I ensure I'm an ethical researcher?
• What methods of data collection are appropriate for my research question?
• Once I have collected my data, what do I do?
• What's the best structure for my dissertation?

Full of examples from real student projects, interdisciplinary case studies and illustrated with cartoons to make you smile along the way, this book will tell you all you need to know to write a brilliant dissertation. Student Success  is a series of essential guides for students of all levels. From how to think critically and write great essays to boosting your employability and managing your wellbeing, the  Student Success  series helps you study smarter and get the best from your time at university. 

See what’s new to this edition by selecting the Features tab on this page. Should you need additional information or have questions regarding the HEOA information provided for this title, including what is new to this edition, please email [email protected] . Please include your name, contact information, and the name of the title for which you would like more information. For information on the HEOA, please go to http://ed.gov/policy/highered/leg/hea08/index.html .

For assistance with your order: Please email us at [email protected] or connect with your SAGE representative.

SAGE 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 www.sagepub.com

Supplements

'This book is one of the most helpful I have seen in terms of helping undergraduate students understand the methods and principles involved in carrying out research for the final dissertation which many degree courses require. In essence it is a complete guide, covering every aspect of the process, outlining each step from selecting a theme to final writing and submission' - ESCalate

'This is a refreshing and inspiring book, of equal value to both the anxious and the ambitious student'

Your Undergraduate Dissertation: The Essential Guide for Success under the series of SAGE Study Skills is a really successful tool specifically designed to guide students in writing their dissertations...Overall, this is a comprehensive book that achieves its aims of guiding students in writing their dissertations successfully. It is 'full of lucid explanations, practical tips' and gives students the opportunity to implement what they have learnt. It is true that SAGE Study Skills help you get the best from your time at university. Thank you, Nicholas, for this special gift. It is indeed a great book!     

An excellent resource for any research project

Very useful for students undertaking their disseratation. A good section on the literature review and process of putting a disseertation together.

Solid text, well suited to help our undergraduation students in construction.

An excellent companion for final year undergraduates.

Recommended read which outlines both the practice and context of undergraduate dissertation projects.

an ideal guide for students completing their dissertation.

I highly recommend this book to other researchers. It gives you an opportunity to show how well informed you are, how well organised you can be and how you can make a clear presentation of your work for effective communication.

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Sample materials & chapters.

Your Undergraduate Dissertation: What's It All For?

Sage College Publishing

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Mastering Your Dissertation

The Answers to Your Questions on Bachelor´s, Master´s and Project Theses

• © 2023
• Sue Reeves   ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3017-0559 0 ,
• Bartek Buczkowski   ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4146-3664 1

University of Roehampton, London, UK

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK

• Essential reading for any student embarking on their first research project
• Clearly explains the different types of dissertations on offer
• Written by University Lecturers with more than 20 years of experience

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About this book

• Study skills
• Undergraduate Dissertation
• Writing skill
• Research project
• Dissertation
• Student question

Table of contents (15 chapters)

Front matter, what will this book cover.

• Sue Reeves, Bartek Buczkowski

How Can I Get Organised?

How do i choose a project type and title, what is the best way to work with my supervisor, do i need to complete an ethics form, how do i write an introduction and literature review, how do i write the methods chapter, how do i present the results, how do i write the discussion chapter, how do i write the conclusion, how do i reference, does my dissertation need an abstract, what else should i include in my dissertation, how do i prepare for a successful defence, other frequently asked questions, back matter, authors and affiliations.

Bartek Buczkowski

About the authors

Dr Sue Reeves is the Head of Teaching and Learning in the School of Life and Health Sciences at the University of Roehampton. She has taught nutrition for over 20 years, has won several teaching excellence awards, has been an external examiner, and is a Senior Fellow of Advance HE.  She is a Registered Nutritionist and a Fellow of the Association for Nutrition.  Her published research includes many aspects of nutrition including the role of diet in obesity, coeliac disease, and healthy and sustainable restaurants.  Sue is part of the international Toybox Malaysia team that has been awarded two Medical Research Council grants for projects to improve healthy behaviours among pre-schoolers in Malaysia and is an advisor on degree programmes in Malaysia and Singapore. Along with Dr Yvonne Jeanes, she is the co-author of the Study Skills Handbook for Nutritionists and Dietitians.

Dr Bartek Buczkowski is the Department Education Lead in the Department of Health Professions at Manchester Metropolitan University and Senior Lecturer in Nutrition. He is a Higher Education lecturer with 13 years’ experience, Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA), nominated for numerous teaching awards and winner of Teacher of the Year in 2019 Manchester Met Student Union Teaching Awards. Bartek has a long track of supervision of students at BSc, MSc and PhD levels. Bartek is a Registered Nutritionist and is active in the Association for Nutrition (AfN). He was elected to AfN Council in December 2022, and appointed Chair of the Accreditation Committee in January 2023.

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : Mastering Your Dissertation

Book Subtitle : The Answers to Your Questions on Bachelor´s, Master´s and Project Theses

Authors : Sue Reeves, Bartek Buczkowski

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41911-9

Publisher : Springer Cham

eBook Packages : Biomedical and Life Sciences , Biomedical and Life Sciences (R0)

Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023

Softcover ISBN : 978-3-031-41910-2 Published: 19 October 2023

eBook ISBN : 978-3-031-41911-9 Published: 18 October 2023

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XVII, 165

Number of Illustrations : 13 b/w illustrations, 2 illustrations in colour

Topics : Life Sciences, general , Medicine/Public Health, general , Thesis and Dissertation , Writing Skills , Research Skills

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How to write an undergraduate university dissertation

Writing a dissertation is a daunting task, but these tips will help you prepare for all the common challenges students face before deadline day.

Grace McCabe

Writing a dissertation is one of the most challenging aspects of university. However, it is the chance for students to demonstrate what they have learned during their degree and to explore a topic in depth.

In this article, we look at 10 top tips for writing a successful dissertation and break down how to write each section of a dissertation in detail.

10 tips for writing an undergraduate dissertation

1. Select an engaging topic Choose a subject that aligns with your interests and allows you to showcase the skills and knowledge you have acquired through your degree.

2. Research your supervisor Undergraduate students will often be assigned a supervisor based on their research specialisms. Do some research on your supervisor and make sure that they align with your dissertation goals.

3. Understand the dissertation structure Familiarise yourself with the structure (introduction, review of existing research, methodology, findings, results and conclusion). This will vary based on your subject.

4. Write a schedule As soon as you have finalised your topic and looked over the deadline, create a rough plan of how much work you have to do and create mini-deadlines along the way to make sure don’t find yourself having to write your entire dissertation in the final few weeks.

5. Determine requirements Ensure that you know which format your dissertation should be presented in. Check the word count and the referencing style.

6. Organise references from the beginning Maintain an alphabetically arranged reference list or bibliography in the designated style as you do your reading. This will make it a lot easier to finalise your references at the end.

7. Create a detailed plan Once you have done your initial research and have an idea of the shape your dissertation will take, write a detailed essay plan outlining your research questions, SMART objectives and dissertation structure.

8. Keep a dissertation journal Track your progress, record your research and your reading, and document challenges. This will be helpful as you discuss your work with your supervisor and organise your notes.

9. Schedule regular check-ins with your supervisor Make sure you stay in touch with your supervisor throughout the process, scheduling regular meetings and keeping good notes so you can update them on your progress.

10. Employ effective proofreading techniques Ask friends and family to help you proofread your work or use different fonts to help make the text look different. This will help you check for missing sections, grammatical mistakes and typos.

What is a dissertation?

A dissertation is a long piece of academic writing or a research project that you have to write as part of your undergraduate university degree.

It’s usually a long essay in which you explore your chosen topic, present your ideas and show that you understand and can apply what you’ve learned during your studies. Informally, the terms “dissertation” and “thesis” are often used interchangeably.

How do I select a dissertation topic?

First, choose a topic that you find interesting. You will be working on your dissertation for several months, so finding a research topic that you are passionate about and that demonstrates your strength in your subject is best. You want your topic to show all the skills you have developed during your degree. It would be a bonus if you can link your work to your chosen career path, but it’s not necessary.

Second, begin by exploring relevant literature in your field, including academic journals, books and articles. This will help you identify gaps in existing knowledge and areas that may need further exploration. You may not be able to think of a truly original piece of research, but it’s always good to know what has already been written about your chosen topic.

Consider the practical aspects of your chosen topic, ensuring that it is possible within the time frame and available resources. Assess the availability of data, research materials and the overall practicality of conducting the research.

When picking a dissertation topic, you also want to try to choose something that adds new ideas or perspectives to what’s already known in your field. As you narrow your focus, remember that a more targeted approach usually leads to a dissertation that’s easier to manage and has a bigger impact. Be ready to change your plans based on feedback and new information you discover during your research.

How to work with your dissertation supervisor?

Your supervisor is there to provide guidance on your chosen topic, direct your research efforts, and offer assistance and suggestions when you have queries. It’s crucial to establish a comfortable and open line of communication with them throughout the process. Their knowledge can greatly benefit your work. Keep them informed about your progress, seek their advice, and don’t hesitate to ask questions.

1. Keep them updated Regularly tell your supervisor how your work is going and if you’re having any problems. You can do this through emails, meetings or progress reports.

2. Plan meetings Schedule regular meetings with your supervisor. These can be in person or online. These are your time to discuss your progress and ask for help.

3. Share your writing Give your supervisor parts of your writing or an outline. This helps them see what you’re thinking so they can advise you on how to develop it.

5. Ask specific questions When you need help, ask specific questions instead of general ones. This makes it easier for your supervisor to help you.

6. Listen to feedback Be open to what your supervisor says. If they suggest changes, try to make them. It makes your dissertation better and shows you can work together.

7. Talk about problems If something is hard or you’re worried, talk to your supervisor about it. They can give you advice or tell you where to find help.

8. Take charge Be responsible for your work. Let your supervisor know if your plans change, and don’t wait if you need help urgently.

Remember, talking openly with your supervisor helps you both understand each other better, improves your dissertation and ensures that you get the support you need.

How to write a successful research piece at university How to choose a topic for your dissertation Tips for writing a convincing thesis

How do I plan my dissertation?

It’s important to start with a detailed plan that will serve as your road map throughout the entire process of writing your dissertation. As Jumana Labib, a master’s student at the University of Manchester  studying digital media, culture and society, suggests: “Pace yourself – definitely don’t leave the entire thing for the last few days or weeks.”

Decide what your research question or questions will be for your chosen topic.

Break that down into smaller SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) objectives.

Speak to your supervisor about any overlooked areas.

Create a breakdown of chapters using the structure listed below (for example, a methodology chapter).

Define objectives, key points and evidence for each chapter.

Define your research approach (qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods).

Outline your research methods and analysis techniques.

Develop a timeline with regular moments for review and feedback.

Allocate time for revision, editing and breaks.

Consider any ethical considerations related to your research.

Stay organised and add to your references and bibliography throughout the process.

Remain flexible to possible reviews or changes as you go along.

A well thought-out plan not only makes the writing process more manageable but also increases the likelihood of producing a high-quality piece of research.

How to structure a dissertation?

The structure can depend on your field of study, but this is a rough outline for science and social science dissertations:

Introduce your topic.

Complete a source or literature review.

Describe your research methodology (including the methods for gathering and filtering information, analysis techniques, materials, tools or resources used, limitations of your method, and any considerations of reliability).

Summarise your findings.

Discuss the results and what they mean.

Conclude your point and explain how your work contributes to your field.

On the other hand, humanities and arts dissertations often take the form of an extended essay. This involves constructing an argument or exploring a particular theory or analysis through the analysis of primary and secondary sources. Your essay will be structured through chapters arranged around themes or case studies.

All dissertations include a title page, an abstract and a reference list. Some may also need a table of contents at the beginning. Always check with your university department for its dissertation guidelines, and check with your supervisor as you begin to plan your structure to ensure that you have the right layout.

How long is an undergraduate dissertation?

The length of an undergraduate dissertation can vary depending on the specific guidelines provided by your university and your subject department. However, in many cases, undergraduate dissertations are typically about 8,000 to 12,000 words in length.

“Eat away at it; try to write for at least 30 minutes every day, even if it feels relatively unproductive to you in the moment,” Jumana advises.

How do I add references to my dissertation?

References are the section of your dissertation where you acknowledge the sources you have quoted or referred to in your writing. It’s a way of supporting your ideas, evidencing what research you have used and avoiding plagiarism (claiming someone else’s work as your own), and giving credit to the original authors.

Referencing typically includes in-text citations and a reference list or bibliography with full source details. Different referencing styles exist, such as Harvard, APA and MLA, each favoured in specific fields. Your university will tell you the preferred style.

Using tools and guides provided by universities can make the referencing process more manageable, but be sure they are approved by your university before using any.

How do I write a bibliography or list my references for my dissertation?

The requirement of a bibliography depends on the style of referencing you need to use. Styles such as OSCOLA or Chicago may not require a separate bibliography. In these styles, full source information is often incorporated into footnotes throughout the piece, doing away with the need for a separate bibliography section.

Typically, reference lists or bibliographies are organised alphabetically based on the author’s last name. They usually include essential details about each source, providing a quick overview for readers who want more information. Some styles ask that you include references that you didn’t use in your final piece as they were still a part of the overall research.

It is important to maintain this list as soon as you start your research. As you complete your research, you can add more sources to your bibliography to ensure that you have a comprehensive list throughout the dissertation process.

How to proofread an undergraduate dissertation?

Throughout your dissertation writing, attention to detail will be your greatest asset. The best way to avoid making mistakes is to continuously proofread and edit your work.

Proofreading is a great way to catch any missing sections, grammatical errors or typos. There are many tips to help you proofread:

Ask someone to read your piece and highlight any mistakes they find.

Change the font so you notice any mistakes.

Format your piece as you go, headings and sections will make it easier to spot any problems.

Separate editing and proofreading. Editing is your chance to rewrite sections, add more detail or change any points. Proofreading should be where you get into the final touches, really polish what you have and make sure it’s ready to be submitted.

Stick to your citation style and make sure every resource listed in your dissertation is cited in the reference list or bibliography.

How to write a conclusion for my dissertation?

Writing a dissertation conclusion is your chance to leave the reader impressed by your work.

Start by summarising your findings, highlighting your key points and the outcome of your research. Refer back to the original research question or hypotheses to provide context to your conclusion.

You can then delve into whether you achieved the goals you set at the beginning and reflect on whether your research addressed the topic as expected. Make sure you link your findings to existing literature or sources you have included throughout your work and how your own research could contribute to your field.

Be honest about any limitations or issues you faced during your research and consider any questions that went unanswered that you would consider in the future. Make sure that your conclusion is clear and concise, and sum up the overall impact and importance of your work.

Remember, keep the tone confident and authoritative, avoiding the introduction of new information. This should simply be a summary of everything you have already said throughout the dissertation.

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Writing Your Dissertation: The bestselling guide to planning, preparing and presenting first-class work Paperback – 1 April 2000

• Print length 132 pages
• Language English
• Publisher How To Books
• Publication date 1 April 2000
• Dimensions 13.59 x 0.84 x 21.51 cm
• ISBN-10 185703662X
• ISBN-13 978-1857036626
• See all details

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Customers find the book very well written, easy to comprehend, and a great resource to support planning and executing a coherent plan. They also describe the content as extremely helpful with an easy step-by-step guide.

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Customers find the book extremely helpful, perfect for dissertations, and well written. They also say the examples are excellent and promising.

"...to have to support planning and executing a coherent and well structured essay ." Read more

"...degree and knowledge of academic writing, I found this book incredibly useful ...." Read more

"...Has been a really great help in providing advice for general planning & organisation, as well as pointing in the right direction for methods/..." Read more

"...On my last lap to complete my law dissertation. Gives good pointers ...." Read more

Customers find the book easy to comprehend, methodical, and clear. They say it's a step-by-step guide to planning, researching, and writing a well-balanced dissertation. Readers also mention it'll help them organize and prepare for their dissertation.

"...sections, easy to follow and understand, and is a great resource to have to support planning and executing a coherent and well structured essay." Read more

"... It is methodical , used everyday language and explains clearly what to do and why.Definitely recommend." Read more

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• Dissertation

How to Write a Dissertation | A Guide to Structure & Content

A dissertation or thesis is a long piece of academic writing based on original research, submitted as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

The structure of a dissertation depends on your field, but it is usually divided into at least four or five chapters (including an introduction and conclusion chapter).

The most common dissertation structure in the sciences and social sciences includes:

• An introduction to your topic
• A literature review that surveys relevant sources
• An explanation of your methodology
• An overview of the results of your research
• A discussion of the results and their implications
• A conclusion that shows what your research has contributed

Dissertations in the humanities are often structured more like a long essay , building an argument by analysing primary and secondary sources . Instead of the standard structure outlined here, you might organise your chapters around different themes or case studies.

Other important elements of the dissertation include the title page , abstract , and reference list . If in doubt about how your dissertation should be structured, always check your department’s guidelines and consult with your supervisor.

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Table of contents

Acknowledgements, table of contents, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review / theoretical framework, methodology, reference list.

The very first page of your document contains your dissertation’s title, your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date. Sometimes it also includes your student number, your supervisor’s name, and the university’s logo. Many programs have strict requirements for formatting the dissertation title page .

The title page is often used as cover when printing and binding your dissertation .

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The acknowledgements section is usually optional, and gives space for you to thank everyone who helped you in writing your dissertation. This might include your supervisors, participants in your research, and friends or family who supported you.

The abstract is a short summary of your dissertation, usually about 150-300 words long. You should write it at the very end, when you’ve completed the rest of the dissertation. In the abstract, make sure to:

• State the main topic and aims of your research
• Describe the methods you used
• Summarise the main results
• State your conclusions

Although the abstract is very short, it’s the first part (and sometimes the only part) of your dissertation that people will read, so it’s important that you get it right. If you’re struggling to write a strong abstract, read our guide on how to write an abstract .

In the table of contents, list all of your chapters and subheadings and their page numbers. The dissertation contents page gives the reader an overview of your structure and helps easily navigate the document.

All parts of your dissertation should be included in the table of contents, including the appendices. You can generate a table of contents automatically in Word.

If you have used a lot of tables and figures in your dissertation, you should itemise them in a numbered list . You can automatically generate this list using the Insert Caption feature in Word.

If you have used a lot of abbreviations in your dissertation, you can include them in an alphabetised list of abbreviations so that the reader can easily look up their meanings.

If you have used a lot of highly specialised terms that will not be familiar to your reader, it might be a good idea to include a glossary . List the terms alphabetically and explain each term with a brief description or definition.

In the introduction, you set up your dissertation’s topic, purpose, and relevance, and tell the reader what to expect in the rest of the dissertation. The introduction should:

• Establish your research topic , giving necessary background information to contextualise your work
• Narrow down the focus and define the scope of the research
• Discuss the state of existing research on the topic, showing your work’s relevance to a broader problem or debate
• Clearly state your objectives and research questions , and indicate how you will answer them
• Give an overview of your dissertation’s structure

Everything in the introduction should be clear, engaging, and relevant to your research. By the end, the reader should understand the what , why and how of your research. Not sure how? Read our guide on how to write a dissertation introduction .

Before you start on your research, you should have conducted a literature review to gain a thorough understanding of the academic work that already exists on your topic. This means:

• Collecting sources (e.g. books and journal articles) and selecting the most relevant ones
• Critically evaluating and analysing each source
• Drawing connections between them (e.g. themes, patterns, conflicts, gaps) to make an overall point

In the dissertation literature review chapter or section, you shouldn’t just summarise existing studies, but develop a coherent structure and argument that leads to a clear basis or justification for your own research. For example, it might aim to show how your research:

• Addresses a gap in the literature
• Takes a new theoretical or methodological approach to the topic
• Proposes a solution to an unresolved problem
• Advances a theoretical debate
• Builds on and strengthens existing knowledge with new data

The literature review often becomes the basis for a theoretical framework , in which you define and analyse the key theories, concepts and models that frame your research. In this section you can answer descriptive research questions about the relationship between concepts or variables.

The methodology chapter or section describes how you conducted your research, allowing your reader to assess its validity. You should generally include:

• The overall approach and type of research (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, experimental, ethnographic)
• Your methods of collecting data (e.g. interviews, surveys, archives)
• Details of where, when, and with whom the research took place
• Your methods of analysing data (e.g. statistical analysis, discourse analysis)
• Tools and materials you used (e.g. computer programs, lab equipment)
• A discussion of any obstacles you faced in conducting the research and how you overcame them
• An evaluation or justification of your methods

Your aim in the methodology is to accurately report what you did, as well as convincing the reader that this was the best approach to answering your research questions or objectives.

Next, you report the results of your research . You can structure this section around sub-questions, hypotheses, or topics. Only report results that are relevant to your objectives and research questions. In some disciplines, the results section is strictly separated from the discussion, while in others the two are combined.

For example, for qualitative methods like in-depth interviews, the presentation of the data will often be woven together with discussion and analysis, while in quantitative and experimental research, the results should be presented separately before you discuss their meaning. If you’re unsure, consult with your supervisor and look at sample dissertations to find out the best structure for your research.

In the results section it can often be helpful to include tables, graphs and charts. Think carefully about how best to present your data, and don’t include tables or figures that just repeat what you have written  –  they should provide extra information or usefully visualise the results in a way that adds value to your text.

Full versions of your data (such as interview transcripts) can be included as an appendix .

The discussion  is where you explore the meaning and implications of your results in relation to your research questions. Here you should interpret the results in detail, discussing whether they met your expectations and how well they fit with the framework that you built in earlier chapters. If any of the results were unexpected, offer explanations for why this might be. It’s a good idea to consider alternative interpretations of your data and discuss any limitations that might have influenced the results.

The discussion should reference other scholarly work to show how your results fit with existing knowledge. You can also make recommendations for future research or practical action.

The dissertation conclusion should concisely answer the main research question, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of your central argument. Wrap up your dissertation with a final reflection on what you did and how you did it. The conclusion often also includes recommendations for research or practice.

In this section, it’s important to show how your findings contribute to knowledge in the field and why your research matters. What have you added to what was already known?

You must include full details of all sources that you have cited in a reference list (sometimes also called a works cited list or bibliography). It’s important to follow a consistent reference style . Each style has strict and specific requirements for how to format your sources in the reference list.

The most common styles used in UK universities are Harvard referencing and Vancouver referencing . Your department will often specify which referencing style you should use – for example, psychology students tend to use APA style , humanities students often use MHRA , and law students always use OSCOLA . M ake sure to check the requirements, and ask your supervisor if you’re unsure.

To save time creating the reference list and make sure your citations are correctly and consistently formatted, you can use our free APA Citation Generator .

Your dissertation itself should contain only essential information that directly contributes to answering your research question. Documents you have used that do not fit into the main body of your dissertation (such as interview transcripts, survey questions or tables with full figures) can be added as appendices .

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A Guide to Thesis Writing That Is a Guide to Life

“How to Write a Thesis,” by Umberto Eco, first appeared on Italian bookshelves in 1977. For Eco, the playful philosopher and novelist best known for his work on semiotics, there was a practical reason for writing it. Up until 1999, a thesis of original research was required of every student pursuing the Italian equivalent of a bachelor’s degree. Collecting his thoughts on the thesis process would save him the trouble of reciting the same advice to students each year. Since its publication, “How to Write a Thesis” has gone through twenty-three editions in Italy and has been translated into at least seventeen languages. Its first English edition is only now available, in a translation by Caterina Mongiat Farina and Geoff Farina.

We in the English-speaking world have survived thirty-seven years without “How to Write a Thesis.” Why bother with it now? After all, Eco wrote his thesis-writing manual before the advent of widespread word processing and the Internet. There are long passages devoted to quaint technologies such as note cards and address books, careful strategies for how to overcome the limitations of your local library. But the book’s enduring appeal—the reason it might interest someone whose life no longer demands the writing of anything longer than an e-mail—has little to do with the rigors of undergraduate honors requirements. Instead, it’s about what, in Eco’s rhapsodic and often funny book, the thesis represents: a magical process of self-realization, a kind of careful, curious engagement with the world that need not end in one’s early twenties. “Your thesis,” Eco foretells, “is like your first love: it will be difficult to forget.” By mastering the demands and protocols of the fusty old thesis, Eco passionately demonstrates, we become equipped for a world outside ourselves—a world of ideas, philosophies, and debates.

Eco’s career has been defined by a desire to share the rarefied concerns of academia with a broader reading public. He wrote a novel that enacted literary theory (“The Name of the Rose”) and a children’s book about atoms conscientiously objecting to their fate as war machines (“The Bomb and the General”). “How to Write a Thesis” is sparked by the wish to give any student with the desire and a respect for the process the tools for producing a rigorous and meaningful piece of writing. “A more just society,” Eco writes at the book’s outset, would be one where anyone with “true aspirations” would be supported by the state, regardless of their background or resources. Our society does not quite work that way. It is the students of privilege, the beneficiaries of the best training available, who tend to initiate and then breeze through the thesis process.

Eco walks students through the craft and rewards of sustained research, the nuances of outlining, different systems for collating one’s research notes, what to do if—per Eco’s invocation of thesis-as-first-love—you fear that someone’s made all these moves before. There are broad strategies for laying out the project’s “center” and “periphery” as well as philosophical asides about originality and attribution. “Work on a contemporary author as if he were ancient, and an ancient one as if he were contemporary,” Eco wisely advises. “You will have more fun and write a better thesis.” Other suggestions may strike the modern student as anachronistic, such as the novel idea of using an address book to keep a log of one’s sources.

But there are also old-fashioned approaches that seem more useful than ever: he recommends, for instance, a system of sortable index cards to explore a project’s potential trajectories. Moments like these make “How to Write a Thesis” feel like an instruction manual for finding one’s center in a dizzying era of information overload. Consider Eco’s caution against “the alibi of photocopies”: “A student makes hundreds of pages of photocopies and takes them home, and the manual labor he exercises in doing so gives him the impression that he possesses the work. Owning the photocopies exempts the student from actually reading them. This sort of vertigo of accumulation, a neocapitalism of information, happens to many.” Many of us suffer from an accelerated version of this nowadays, as we effortlessly bookmark links or save articles to Instapaper, satisfied with our aspiration to hoard all this new information, unsure if we will ever get around to actually dealing with it. (Eco’s not-entirely-helpful solution: read everything as soon as possible.)

But the most alluring aspect of Eco’s book is the way he imagines the community that results from any honest intellectual endeavor—the conversations you enter into across time and space, across age or hierarchy, in the spirit of free-flowing, democratic conversation. He cautions students against losing themselves down a narcissistic rabbit hole: you are not a “defrauded genius” simply because someone else has happened upon the same set of research questions. “You must overcome any shyness and have a conversation with the librarian,” he writes, “because he can offer you reliable advice that will save you much time. You must consider that the librarian (if not overworked or neurotic) is happy when he can demonstrate two things: the quality of his memory and erudition and the richness of his library, especially if it is small. The more isolated and disregarded the library, the more the librarian is consumed with sorrow for its underestimation.”

Eco captures a basic set of experiences and anxieties familiar to anyone who has written a thesis, from finding a mentor (“How to Avoid Being Exploited By Your Advisor”) to fighting through episodes of self-doubt. Ultimately, it’s the process and struggle that make a thesis a formative experience. When everything else you learned in college is marooned in the past—when you happen upon an old notebook and wonder what you spent all your time doing, since you have no recollection whatsoever of a senior-year postmodernism seminar—it is the thesis that remains, providing the once-mastered scholarly foundation that continues to authorize, decades-later, barroom observations about the late-career works of William Faulker or the Hotelling effect. (Full disclosure: I doubt that anyone on Earth can rival my mastery of John Travolta’s White Man’s Burden, owing to an idyllic Berkeley spring spent studying awful movies about race.)

In his foreword to Eco’s book, the scholar Francesco Erspamer contends that “How to Write a Thesis” continues to resonate with readers because it gets at “the very essence of the humanities.” There are certainly reasons to believe that the current crisis of the humanities owes partly to the poor job they do of explaining and justifying themselves. As critics continue to assail the prohibitive cost and possible uselessness of college—and at a time when anything that takes more than a few minutes to skim is called a “longread”—it’s understandable that devoting a small chunk of one’s frisky twenties to writing a thesis can seem a waste of time, outlandishly quaint, maybe even selfish. And, as higher education continues to bend to the logic of consumption and marketable skills, platitudes about pursuing knowledge for its own sake can seem certifiably bananas. Even from the perspective of the collegiate bureaucracy, the thesis is useful primarily as another mode of assessment, a benchmark of student achievement that’s legible and quantifiable. It’s also a great parting reminder to parents that your senior learned and achieved something.

But “How to Write a Thesis” is ultimately about much more than the leisurely pursuits of college students. Writing and research manuals such as “The Elements of Style,” “The Craft of Research,” and Turabian offer a vision of our best selves. They are exacting and exhaustive, full of protocols and standards that might seem pretentious, even strange. Acknowledging these rules, Eco would argue, allows the average person entry into a veritable universe of argument and discussion. “How to Write a Thesis,” then, isn’t just about fulfilling a degree requirement. It’s also about engaging difference and attempting a project that is seemingly impossible, humbly reckoning with “the knowledge that anyone can teach us something.” It models a kind of self-actualization, a belief in the integrity of one’s own voice.

A thesis represents an investment with an uncertain return, mostly because its life-changing aspects have to do with process. Maybe it’s the last time your most harebrained ideas will be taken seriously. Everyone deserves to feel this way. This is especially true given the stories from many college campuses about the comparatively lower number of women, first-generation students, and students of color who pursue optional thesis work. For these students, part of the challenge involves taking oneself seriously enough to ask for an unfamiliar and potentially path-altering kind of mentorship.

It’s worth thinking through Eco’s evocation of a “just society.” We might even think of the thesis, as Eco envisions it, as a formal version of the open-mindedness, care, rigor, and gusto with which we should greet every new day. It’s about committing oneself to a task that seems big and impossible. In the end, you won’t remember much beyond those final all-nighters, the gauche inside joke that sullies an acknowledgments page that only four human beings will ever read, the awkward photograph with your advisor at graduation. All that remains might be the sensation of handing your thesis to someone in the departmental office and then walking into a possibility-rich, almost-summer afternoon. It will be difficult to forget.

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Prize-Winning Thesis and Dissertation Examples

Published on September 9, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on July 18, 2023.

It can be difficult to know where to start when writing your thesis or dissertation . One way to come up with some ideas or maybe even combat writer’s block is to check out previous work done by other students on a similar thesis or dissertation topic to yours.

This article collects a list of undergraduate, master’s, and PhD theses and dissertations that have won prizes for their high-quality research.

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Award-winning undergraduate theses, award-winning master’s theses, award-winning ph.d. dissertations, other interesting articles.

University : University of Pennsylvania Faculty : History Author : Suchait Kahlon Award : 2021 Hilary Conroy Prize for Best Honors Thesis in World History Title : “Abolition, Africans, and Abstraction: the Influence of the “Noble Savage” on British and French Antislavery Thought, 1787-1807”

University : Columbia University Faculty : History Author : Julien Saint Reiman Award : 2018 Charles A. Beard Senior Thesis Prize Title : “A Starving Man Helping Another Starving Man”: UNRRA, India, and the Genesis of Global Relief, 1943-1947

University: University College London Faculty: Geography Author: Anna Knowles-Smith Award:  2017 Royal Geographical Society Undergraduate Dissertation Prize Title:  Refugees and theatre: an exploration of the basis of self-representation

University: University of Washington Faculty:  Computer Science & Engineering Author: Nick J. Martindell Award: 2014 Best Senior Thesis Award Title:  DCDN: Distributed content delivery for the modern web

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University:  University of Edinburgh Faculty:  Informatics Author:  Christopher Sipola Award:  2018 Social Responsibility & Sustainability Dissertation Prize Title:  Summarizing electricity usage with a neural network

University:  University of Ottawa Faculty:  Education Author:  Matthew Brillinger Award:  2017 Commission on Graduate Studies in the Humanities Prize Title:  Educational Park Planning in Berkeley, California, 1965-1968

University:  University of Ottawa Faculty: Social Sciences Author:  Heather Martin Award:  2015 Joseph De Koninck Prize Title:  An Analysis of Sexual Assault Support Services for Women who have a Developmental Disability

University : University of Ottawa Faculty : Physics Author : Guillaume Thekkadath Award : 2017 Commission on Graduate Studies in the Sciences Prize Title : Joint measurements of complementary properties of quantum systems

University:  London School of Economics Faculty: International Development Author: Lajos Kossuth Award:  2016 Winner of the Prize for Best Overall Performance Title:  Shiny Happy People: A study of the effects income relative to a reference group exerts on life satisfaction

University : Stanford University Faculty : English Author : Nathan Wainstein Award : 2021 Alden Prize Title : “Unformed Art: Bad Writing in the Modernist Novel”

University : University of Massachusetts at Amherst Faculty : Molecular and Cellular Biology Author : Nils Pilotte Award : 2021 Byron Prize for Best Ph.D. Dissertation Title : “Improved Molecular Diagnostics for Soil-Transmitted Molecular Diagnostics for Soil-Transmitted Helminths”

University:  Utrecht University Faculty:  Linguistics Author:  Hans Rutger Bosker Award: 2014 AVT/Anéla Dissertation Prize Title:  The processing and evaluation of fluency in native and non-native speech

University: California Institute of Technology Faculty: Physics Author: Michael P. Mendenhall Award: 2015 Dissertation Award in Nuclear Physics Title: Measurement of the neutron beta decay asymmetry using ultracold neutrons

University:  Stanford University Faculty: Management Science and Engineering Author:  Shayan O. Gharan Award:  Doctoral Dissertation Award 2013 Title:   New Rounding Techniques for the Design and Analysis of Approximation Algorithms

University: University of Minnesota Faculty: Chemical Engineering Author: Eric A. Vandre Award:  2014 Andreas Acrivos Dissertation Award in Fluid Dynamics Title: Onset of Dynamics Wetting Failure: The Mechanics of High-speed Fluid Displacement

University: Erasmus University Rotterdam Faculty: Marketing Author: Ezgi Akpinar Award: McKinsey Marketing Dissertation Award 2014 Title: Consumer Information Sharing: Understanding Psychological Drivers of Social Transmission

University: University of Washington Faculty: Computer Science & Engineering Author: Keith N. Snavely Award:  2009 Doctoral Dissertation Award Title: Scene Reconstruction and Visualization from Internet Photo Collections

University:  University of Ottawa Faculty:  Social Work Author:  Susannah Taylor Award: 2018 Joseph De Koninck Prize Title:  Effacing and Obscuring Autonomy: the Effects of Structural Violence on the Transition to Adulthood of Street Involved Youth

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How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation in Criminology

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This book provides a guide for undergraduate criminology and criminal justice students undertaking their final-year dissertation. It speaks to the specific challenges for criminology students who may wish to research closed institutions (such as prisons, courts, or the police) or vulnerable populations (such as people with convictions, victims of crime, or young people), and offers guidance on how to undertake research on these topics whilet avoiding many of the access and ethical obstacles.

It takes students through each phase of the dissertation, from designing and planning the research to writing up and presenting the completed work. The complexities of undertaking research on sensitive topics and with criminal justice institutions are discussed throughout, offering an insight into some of the challenges that students may be faced with and suggestions to overcome obstacles. It offers practical guidance for empirical and library-based projects and provides students with suggested resources for accessing primary and secondary data. It utilises a mixture of worked examples, top tips, practical strategies, and student activities to ensure the dissertation is a manageable and enjoyable process.

This book will be beneficial to all undergraduate criminology students who have to undertake either a library-based or empirical dissertation. The examples and activities in the book will also be useful for dissertation supervisors who can use them to support their dissertation students.　

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter | 2  pages, introduction, chapter chapter 1 | 13  pages, what is a dissertation, chapter chapter 2 | 15  pages, designing your criminology dissertation, chapter chapter 3 | 11  pages, access and ethical issues in criminology dissertations, chapter chapter 4 | 17  pages, literature reviews, chapter chapter 5 | 16  pages, utilising secondary data, chapter chapter 6 | 13  pages, collecting primary data, chapter chapter 7 | 10  pages, writing a methodology chapter, chapter chapter 8 | 13  pages, findings and discussion, chapter chapter 9 | 13  pages, writing up and presenting your dissertation.

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1st Edition

How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation in Criminology

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This book provides a guide for undergraduate criminology and criminal justice students undertaking their final-year dissertation. It speaks to the specific challenges for criminology students who may wish to research closed institutions (such as prisons, courts, or the police) or vulnerable populations (such as people with convictions, victims of crime, or young people), and offers guidance on how to undertake research on these topics whilet avoiding many of the access and ethical obstacles. It takes students through each phase of the dissertation, from designing and planning the research to writing up and presenting the completed work. The complexities of undertaking research on sensitive topics and with criminal justice institutions are discussed throughout, offering an insight into some of the challenges that students may be faced with and suggestions to overcome obstacles. It offers practical guidance for empirical and library-based projects and provides students with suggested resources for accessing primary and secondary data. It utilises a mixture of worked examples, top tips, practical strategies, and student activities to ensure the dissertation is a manageable and enjoyable process. This book will be beneficial to all undergraduate criminology students who have to undertake either a library-based or empirical dissertation. The examples and activities in the book will also be useful for dissertation supervisors who can use them to support their dissertation students.　

Table of Contents

Suzanne Young is an Associate Professor in Criminal Justice at the School of Law, University of Leeds, UK.

Critics' Reviews

" How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation in Criminology offers the essential guide to producing your dissertation. From the literature review to the methodology chapter, from finding data to finding your voice, it guides you step by step through the process using examples specific to criminology. As such, it gives you the best chance of excelling in your dissertation." Dr David Churchill , Associate Professor in Criminal Justice, University of Leeds " How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation in Criminology provides a helpful step by step guide to undertaking undergraduate research, complemented by a range of activities to encourage students to think about their dissertation research and writing in a manageable way. This text is also an excellent resource to support teaching and learning on dissertation modules with activities that academic staff can use in their teaching practice." Dr Helen Nichols , Associate Professor in Criminology, University of Lincoln "Academic writing is challenging, especially for students faced with writing a dissertation. What is needed is a practical, supportive, and user-friendly guide addressing all stages of the process from selecting a viable topic to producing a final edit. This is that guide. Authored by a leading expert in teaching and learning in criminology, all students will benefit from reading it and putting the advice into action." Professor Gavin Dingwall , Professor of Criminal Justice Policy, De Montfort University " How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation in Criminology will provide students with necessary skills and help them to work with their supervisors to plan and execute a research project. The book is well structured and covers everything students need to know to complete their dissertation. The design of the book is very engaging and encourages students to interact with the content through a series of exercises. As such, it provides an excellent learning resource." Debbie Jones , Associate Professor in Criminology, Swansea University 　 "This is an excellent, supportive, and engaging book for students embarking on their undergraduate dissertation in criminology. With activities and diagrams to guide decision-making, the book breaks down what can be a daunting task into a manageable – and even enjoyable – process. The practical takeaways make this an essential read for students navigating the dissertation journey." Dr Christine Haddow , Lecturer in Criminology, Edinburgh Napier University

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HISTORY 495S/496S: Honors Thesis Seminar 2024/25

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A year of record-setting milestones across key indicators at Purdue University

As the new academic year begins, Purdue University’s execution for excellence at scale in the areas of learning, research and engagement has led to new records in almost all dimensions during the fiscal year that ran from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.

Financials and physical facilities

Purdue’s trend of breaking key institutionwide records during fiscal year 2024 extended across the philanthropic sector. The university set records for new gift commitments and philanthropic cash in 2024. New gift commitments reached $632.3 million, which broke the record of $610.3 million set a year ago. The philanthropic cash total of $349.8 million broke the 2022 record of $245.3 million. These efforts were propelled by continued growth in the number of donors, which rose to 85,421, a record for total annual donors outside a major campaign. The university’s endowment climbed to $4.1 billion, reflecting an 11.6% return. And $1.5 billion worth of construction and major renovations on 28 campus projects were started, with an industry-high 87-88% of them on time and on budget.

Research awards and national center wins

Purdue’s sponsored program awards climbed to a record $757.5 million from $622.4 million the previous fiscal year. Research awards from external sources reached a record $647.7 million, up from $613.3 million a year ago, a figure considered a high benchmark for a university without a medical school. Purdue also signed nine new master research agreements with industry partners, including one as part of the landmark announcement by South Korea-based SK hynix to invest nearly $4 billion to build an advanced packaging fabrication and R&D facility for artificial intelligence semiconductor products in the Purdue Research Park. Additionally, Purdue was the only university in the U.S. as a leading university partner in winning all three national hub competitions last year — Heartland BioWorks, Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen, and Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Commons — focused on ensuring the U.S. remains globally competitive in key national security areas.

Patents and startups

A barometer of Purdue’s thriving entrepreneurship culture, intellectual property disclosures surged to a record 466 from 400 in fiscal 2023, the Office of Technology Commercialization reported. Additionally, 290 patents were issued, while the number of patent licenses skyrocketed to a record 224. This ecosystem helped establish 16 startup companies based on Purdue research.

Faculty awards, citations and books

The number of research publication citations by Purdue faculty rose nearly 13% to 435,087, while the number of books published by faculty jumped nearly 40% to 60. Meanwhile, 40 faculty members received prestigious awards, up 11% from the number recognized last year.

Undergraduate applications and admissions

Purdue welcomed its most selective class of undergraduate students for the 2024-25 academic year. This fall’s projected class of undergraduate Boilermakers starting in West Lafayette and the new urban campus Indianapolis was selected at a 49.8% admission rate from a record-setting pool of 78,522 applicants, with a post-summer-melt yield rate at a record 30%, significantly higher than all historical data. Their average SAT score was a record 1329, up 10 points from last year.

Graduation rates and earnings-to-debt ratio

The number of Boilermakers graduating in four years rose to 67%, the highest in recent record, and the six-year graduation rate remained at 84%, vs. 74% in 2008. Another positive pocketbook trend: The number of Boilermakers graduating without debt was up 3 percentage points to 64%, while the earnings-to-debt ratio increased further to 6.7.

Graduate applications and admissions

As goes the undergraduate student trend, so goes the demand for advanced degrees. Sparked by progress in achieving excellence at scale academically, graduate student applications reached another record level. PhD candidate applications hit 11,677, while master’s student applications climbed to 14,403, both new records in recent memory.

Online enrollment

Purdue’s ongoing commitment to growing its online offerings is drawing increased interest and activity. Enrollment in Purdue’s online master’s degree programs rose 23% to a record 5,245 students. The number of students taking online post-bachelor certificate classes surged 56% to 15,955. Total number of Purdue University’s online students exceeded 20,000 for the first time, in addition to almost 13,000 residential undergraduates taking at least one course online.

Excitement at Purdue wasn’t confined to classrooms and research labs. Athletics had a banner year, as the men’s basketball team registered its winningest season in program history, with 34 victories. Led by the first ever two-time unanimous National Player of the Year Zach Edey, the Boilermakers appeared in their first national championship game since 1969 as March Madness captivated Boiler nation. At the same time, the six-year graduation rate for our student-athletes hit a record 90%, their average GPA was 3.2 and career placement was 100%.

Reputation and visibility

In both QS and Times Higher Ed worldwide rankings, Purdue is ranked among top 10 American public universities. Purdue has enjoyed six straight years as a top 10 Most Innovative university as designated by U.S. News & World Report, and 13 undergraduate programs were ranked in the top 10 in the nation in its 2024 survey. Overall, Purdue ranked No. 43 among 435 U.S. universities, up eight spots from 2023 and rising to the highest position in school history.

Earned media placements jumped 34% to a record 119,345, while social media impressions skyrocketed to 160 million. Listeners to the “This Is Purdue” podcast reached 2.2 million, ranking tops in Apple podcasts’ education category. Visits to purdue.edu topped 15.8 million, up 9%.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at  https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives .

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