An undergraduate dissertation, also known as a bachelor's dissertation, is a research paper that is typically completed as part of the requirements for earning a bachelor's degree. The purpose of an undergraduate dissertation is to demonstrate the student's ability to independently conduct research and to present their findings in a clear and organized manner.
The structure of an undergraduate dissertation will vary depending on the specific guidelines of the institution and the subject area being studied. However, there are some common elements that are typically included in an undergraduate dissertation. These include:
Title page: This page should include the title of the dissertation, the name of the author (the student), and the degree for which the dissertation is being submitted.
Abstract: The abstract is a brief summary of the entire dissertation. It should be no more than 250 words and should provide an overview of the research question, the methodology used, the main findings, and the conclusions reached.
Table of contents: The table of contents should list the different sections and sub-sections of the dissertation, along with the page numbers on which they can be found.
Introduction: The introduction should provide background information on the research topic and clearly state the research question being addressed. It should also outline the purpose and significance of the research, as well as the main aims and objectives.
Literature review: The literature review is an overview of the existing research on the topic being studied. It should critically evaluate and synthesize the current state of knowledge on the topic, and identify gaps or areas in need of further research.
Methodology: The methodology section should describe the research design and methods used to collect and analyze data. This should include details on the sample population, data collection techniques, and any statistical analyses performed.
Results: The results section should present the findings of the research in a clear and organized manner. This may include tables, graphs, and other visual aids to help illustrate the findings.
Discussion: The discussion should interpret the results in the context of the research question and the existing literature. It should also consider any limitations of the study and suggest areas for future research.
Conclusion: The conclusion should summarize the main findings of the research and restate the research question. It should also provide a brief overview of the implications of the findings and any recommendations for future research.
References: The references section should list all the sources cited in the dissertation, in a standardized citation format (such as APA or MLA).
Appendices: The appendices may include additional materials such as survey instruments, data sets, or other supporting information.
In conclusion, the structure of an undergraduate dissertation is important in helping to organize and present the research in a clear and logical manner. By following a standard structure, the reader can easily navigate the dissertation and understand the main points being made.
A Complete Guide Writing An Undergraduate Dissertation
This can be easily fixed by making sure you are very careful to format quotes appropriately! In a similar way, you can adjust the word count for your undergraduate dissertation. The first step is to determine the academic style required for your dissertation. The introduction should close with a paragraph leading smoothly into the main body of the dissertation. Selecting a Winning Dissertation Topic Choosing a research topic is perhaps the most important decision any student takes when getting started on the dissertation. However, some institutions may not require you to write one, and need to Contents The dissertation is typically divided into thematic chapters. The process takes a long time, so your ideas will naturally develop and change over time, and your final product should reflect that and show how knowledgeable you have become on your chosen subject. If we could provide a single recommendation on how to write your dissertation, we would suggest that you should thoroughly plan it from the onset.
Therefore, the first tip to get an idea about the word count of a dissertation is to read out the requirements and guidelines of your advisor. Along with descriptiveness, the by-article structure is what most tutors disapprove of strongly. Firstly, you will present the synopsis of your findings, methods, and theoretical and practical contributions. They are now being published for a wider audience, thanks to generous funding from the Irish Accountancy Educational Trust. There is nothing worse than working hard on a piece of writing only to lose it all if your computer breaks! It is an important task, but can be challenging. The main thing is for you to be reading and analysing the literature, as this is the only way to decide what will be useful and what will not! You start with a well-designed and unique topic that is supported by realistic and measurable objectives that can be addressed with convenient and reliable methodological instruments. Choose something you will enjoy studying, even if it's not quite what you first had in mind - some of the best dissertations were not the student's first choice! Just make sure that you will find enough data and evidence if your research direction is very exotic.
How to Write a Successful Undergraduate Dissertation
What else it contains can vary by discipline and level. However, no one is perfect and there is no study without flaws. You can also mix your anticipated topic with these recent developments to get an interesting angle on your research topic. If you would like additional assistance with choosing a dissertation topic, see our Research, research, research! This will give you the opportunity to present your work to your committee and to your audience. If you don't, it can be easy to mix up results with analysis, for instance. The students should try to add footnotes at the bottom of the page.
(PDF) SAMPLE STRUCTURE OF A CONTEMPORARY UNDERGRADUATE DISSERTATION
Indirect Plagiarism This is more difficult to spot. Remember that the devil is in the detail and what may seem trivial at first sight can have a strong impact on the overall quality of your dissertation in the end. The thesis can, in this case, be a collection of papers that have been written or co-authored by the student. Supporting documents, such as interview transcripts, surveys, or survey questions, can be included as appendices to It is also important to make sure you divide your dissertation into smaller sections. The abstract is a short overview of the whole dissertation which provides the very gist of the research and its main outcomes. It will also help you avoid common mistakes that many undergraduates make. Thesis Introduction The introduction is one of the most important dissertation chapters.
It is advisable to check your dissertation when it is finished, to make sure that no cited items are missing from the bibliography. You should make this section as interesting and engaging as possible. . Top Tips for Your Undergraduate Dissertation While the previous section suggested a way to quickly improve the standard of your already completed work, the best way to correct any mistake is to not make it in the first place. Explain how these findings help you answer your research question and what they teach you about your topic. This two-year British Academy-funded project resulted in the first comprehensive bibliography of British fiction spanning the reign of William IV. After you have finished the literature review, move on to the main body of the dissertation.
Although it may seem irrelevant at this stage, you should also think of appropriate methods. A: There is no set sentence structure that you have to follow. In reality, this may only be applicable to your aim, objectives, and structure. The formatting style of a dissertation depends upon the requirements of your advisor. The timeline should include all the different elements of the dissertation, from the introduction to the conclusion.
For example, if we are going to write an undergraduate dissertation of 10,000 words, then our introduction will consist of 1000 words, our literature review will consist of 3000 words, the word count for the research methodology will be 1500, the word count for the findings and results will be 500, the word count for the discussing chapter will be 3000 words and the word counts for conclusions and recommendations will be 1000. It's also a good idea to write a short plan for each chapter before you begin writing, so you have a solid starting point. After the title page, the abstract should follow. Anyhow, there are also some advisors who can demand more than 15,000 words of dissertation. Regardless of the length of the dissertation, the title page must have a margin of 1. It is basically an overview of the entire paper. Each academic writing style MLA, Chicago, APA, etc.
The author gratefully acknowledges the generous support received from The Irish Accountancy Educational Trust in respect of this publication. After selecting a topic to write a dissertation, it is required to explore it in-depth. Some, but not all authors, write the introduction after the substantive chapters are written. Official university guidelines usually define introduction as a section outlining your dissertation rationale, background, aim and objectives, and structure. Use plenty of references Universally accepted rules include 1 reference per 100 words of your thesis. After the topic is selected, take your time deciding whether it is important enough to tackle and what will be the focus of your research. Bibliography The bibliography should begin to be compiled the day you begin to research your dissertation and should never be left until the last minute.
To find out how UKDiss can help you with your studies, visit our academic writing services section: Dissertation Help. This is a huge project which you will spend a lot of time working on, so you really want it to be something you are interested in. In these guidelines, there comes the word count of a dissertation. You may want to revise it after completing the dissertation to make it more specific and enticing to the readers. The way you format your academic paper is very important. Each appendix should discuss a separate topic and should be listed separately. It is a good idea to save your work onto a USB stick or memory card that you can carry with you.
