Starting Your Dissertation [Intro]
This is a module will cover everything you need to know and provide you with tips and strategies to successfully write your dissertation introduction topic.
MODULE 2: STARTING YOUR DISSERTATION [INTRODUCTION]
Chapter 1: Dissertation Structure And Layout
By now, we believe you know what a dissertation or a thesis is; therefore, before you start crafting your dissertation or thesis, ensure that you understand its components and structural outlines. In this module, you will learn how to structure your dissertation or thesis properly.
While writing your dissertation, the first thing you ought to understand is its structure to craft a high-quality document. Do not worry if you are unfamiliar with the dissertation format; we will walk you through the general design and layout of a dissertation while briefly discussing each Chapter.
The typical dissertation or thesis structure and layout will be covered in this session, commonly used by universities in the United Kingdom, the United States, Europe, and Australia. On the other hand, some colleges have a different structure, preferring to add more chapters or even merge chapters in their publications. Therefore, before you start writing your dissertation, check with your university. However, if your institution does not provide any guidelines on the appropriate structure, you are free to use the structure we will discuss in this lesson.
Therefore, your dissertation should be properly structured to allow your reader to follow through with your dissertation without confusion.
Now that you have a glimpse of a dissertation structure let us dive into the chapters and discuss them briefly.
Title page
A title page is the first page that your examiner will come across. This page contains your name, department, institution, degree program, and other information that your institution would like you to add. However, a title is the most important part of this section of your dissertation/thesis.
While writing or choosing your title for your dissertation, ensure that:
- It is not too lengthy; instead, make it brief, concise, and precise
- Your title should be specific
- Your title should be linked to your research questions
Therefore, your research title should describe the broader area of research, your study’s specific focus, and the type of research design. An example of a properly formulated title is:
A quantitative investigation into smartphone addiction as a cause of deviant behaviour among children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder
This title has clearly stated the type of research design used in research, its broader area of focus and its specific focus, which will be children with ADHD.
Acknowledgement
This section is often optional, but it is mostly recommended in most universities. In this section, you are given a chance to thank everyone who supported you through your research. Of course, there are no specific people that the university will ask you to thank. Still, you will mostly regard your supervisor, professors, or academics who helped you through your research, family members and friends, and tutors and mentors.
This section does not need to be lengthy. Instead, it should be brief and go straight to the point by stating who you thank them for and what you thank them for.
Abstract (Executive Summary)
An abstract is a summary of what is in your research document. Your abstract should be short and brief, usually, 150-300 words long, but should contain the main points of your research. Your abstract should state and briefly describe the following:
- Your topic, aims and objectives of your research
- Methods used in your research
- Create a summary of the findings
- Discuss your conclusion
However, most students make the mistake of underestimating this section of a dissertation. Despite its length, this section is the part that most readers will read in your dissertation without necessarily reading your entire research document. Therefore, ensure that the main points of your dissertation are included in this part.
Table of contents
This section will list all the chapters in your research document matched with their page numbers. This section is vital as it ensures that readers easily locate the contents of your paper. In addition, this part of your dissertation is easy to create and makes it even easier; You can utilise the automatic table of contents generator in Microsoft Word.
After creating your table of contents, you will generate a list of figures and a list of tables, each on a new page.
Chapter 1: Introduction
An introduction is the first part of your core chapters. This is the section where you introduce your research. Before writing your introduction, you should clearly understand its components. In your introduction, ensure that you state:
- Your topic of investigation to let the reader know what your entire research is focusing on
- The significance of your research
- The aims and objectives of your research
- The scope of your research study
- The methods that are used in your research
- And a summary of each Chapter
Note that this section of your dissertation should not be lengthy because it introduces the body and not the body itself. Therefore, ensure that you discuss each of these aspects in summary. However, other universities may like to include additional requirements for an introduction; therefore, check with your supervisor or institution to be sure.
Your introduction must be clear as it determines the reader’s first impression of your research. In addition, an introduction sets a clear course for your dissertation; therefore, if written and discussed, a reader can understand what you are investigating in your research, why this research is important and how you will carry out your research.
Chapter 2: Literature review
With a clear direction in your introduction chapter, you can move forward to the next Chapter. A literature review involves analysing existing literature that is relevant to your research. Literature could come in many forms, including; academic journals, peer-reviewed articles, industry publications etc. literature review involves three major steps:
- Checking relevant sources
- Rigorously evaluating and analysing them
- Drawing connections between them and your work to make a general argument
In your literature review section, do not create a summary of existing studies; instead, make a coherent argument that establishes a basis or rationale for your research.
A literature review is essential as it enables you to understand and not the gaps in your area of study. These gaps allow you to expound on or restructure your topic, ensuring that you cover something new. Most importantly, a literature review should enable you to find as much supporting evidence as possible to reference your research.
Chapter 3: Methodology
This chapter of your dissertation describes how you conducted your research by stating and explaining the methods used. When dealing with this part, you must answer two crucial questions: How you will carry out your research and why you have chosen these methods.
This Chapter requires that you state and describe these methods in detail, so don’t hold back on the specifics. This section should include the following:
- Data collection and analysis methods
- A description of where, when and who will be involved in your research
- The research methodology used is e.g., qualitative, quantitative or mixed.
- Materials and tools that will be used to complete your research
- Justification of these methods
Therefore, ensure that these details match your research study when writing your methodology. Then, your report is clear and accurate to convince the reader that what you chose was the best approach to help you answer your research questions.
Chapter 4: Results
This is the most critical part of your research as it is where you carry out your original research and state your findings. You can structure this section either in the form of themes, sub-questions or hypotheses. This section is merged with the discussion section in some institutions, especially when using qualitative research methods. Therefore, before getting deeper into your result findings, ensure that you confirm with your institution on the preferred structure.
However, your results section and discussion should come in a separate chapter if you are using quantitative research methods. This section will include tables and figures or diagrams to demonstrate your findings in a statistical form.
Chapter 5: Discussion
The discussion section is where you describe your findings in detail. This section gives a deeper interpretation of your results. While discussing your findings, ensure that these raw findings are relevant to your research questions. Moreover, when talking about your findings, ensure that you answer three critical questions:
- The meaning of your results
- The significance of these results
- What your results could not achieve.
This section helps you understand the limitations you had in your research and how these limitations affected your research project. This section also allows you to suggest further research. Finally, by stating what your breakdown could not achieve, you encourage others to include aspects of your research that were missing to make their research successful.
It is important to note that most readers will skip your entire document to this section to get the information they need. Therefore, when writing your discussion section, ensure that you restate your research questions at the beginning of the paragraph to keep them notified.
Chapter 6: Conclusion
This is the part where you wrap up your research. This section should answer your research question to enable your reader clearly understand the main arguments in your research
for some people; this section may be similar to the discussion chapter. Finally, however, this section will conclude your stance concerning your research questions.
Ensure that you discuss the implications of your research study, describing the course of action given these new findings.
Lastly, state the limitations of your research and the direction that future research should take. Most students may not express the limitations of their study; however, no research is perfect; therefore, ensure that you clearly state the limitations of your research study so that future research may take a different course with no fail.
The conclusion section marks the end of your core chapters.
Reference list
This section is straightforward. A reference list should contain a list of well-cited sources that you used to support your research. a proper format for your dissertation paper could be in APA, MLA, Chicago or Harvard styles, among many others. There is software that will help you manage your references. However, do not try to reference your sources manually because they may cause errors. Therefore, check out Mendeley and Zotero to help you navigate around this section easily.
You may be required to include a bibliography section rather than a reference list, depending on your university. It’s important to note that these two concepts are not interchangeable. A bibliography is a list of references comparable to a reference list. You must include a list of sources that influenced your thought but were not included as citations in your texts; consequently, check with your institution to ensure you’re using the correct one.
Appendix
This is the last section of your dissertation. In this section, you will include supporting evidence that you used in your research. in addition, your appendices section should provide other information that adds depth to your study; this information doesn’t necessarily have to be connected to your analysis. However, ensure that you don’t add valuable information that should have been in your research in this section because it won’t save your marks.
However, as mentioned earlier, some universities may add to their structure; therefore, ensure to confirm your university’s requirements so that you can create a good quality dissertation without fail. The major goal of your dissertation’s structure is to convey the flow of your research process from start to finish, beginning with the introduction and ending with the conclusion.
Your core chapters should reflect your research process to wrap this section up. These chapters should be systematic so that your reader can follow through with your discussion without confusion. Ensure that every argument you make revolves around your research question when focusing on these chapters.
From this discussion, I hope you have learned that you now know the structure and layout of a traditional dissertation or thesis. In case of any questions, clarifications, or comments, reach out to us through our comment section or call us, and we will be happy to help. Contact us for more more information!
Chapter 2: Introduction Chapter 101
How to Write a Dissertation Introduction Chapter
Writing the introduction chapter of your dissertation could be a tough start for many students. If you have problems writing your introduction chapter, this section will help you navigate smoothly around your introduction chapter. There are seven important ways of formulating a strong dissertation or thesis introduction chapter, and they include:
- Formulate an engaging opening section
- Briefly and clearly describe the background of your study
- Define the research problem
- Identify and briefly discuss your research questions, aims, and objectives
- Describe the significance of your research study
- Identify and discuss the limitations of your research
- Give an outline of your dissertation and thesis
When writing your introduction chapter, it is vital to ensure that you clearly understand what this section should achieve. In simple words, what is the purpose of your introduction? Therefore, your introduction section should introduce your reader to your research to enable them to understand what your fundamental study is all about. In addition, there are four important questions that you should answer when writing your introduction;
- What you will be investigating in your research
- The importance of your study
- The scope of your research
- The limitations of your research
Note that your introduction should not cover your whole research paper because it is not the body of your research. Therefore, ensure that your introduction provides an overview of your analysis and a clear justification of your research.
Now that you have an idea of what your introduction should achieve, we can dive into the details of your introduction. Of course, the details of an introduction may vary from one university to another. However, there are seven essential components that most universities require.
- Opening section
Your introduction should have a capturing introduction or opening section that will engage your reader into covering your entire research. A dissertation introduction should start with a brief overview of your study like every other introduction. This section needs to be interesting, with clear and concise language easily understandable for your reader. If your reader struggles to read your introduction section, they may lose interest, making it harder for you to earn good points.
- Background of the study
This section of your introduction should discuss the overview of your research in detail. When writing your background, ensure that it covers all current contextual factors in your research. In addition, your background section should include a brief history of your research topic and other content that you feel is relevant to add to your introduction. A background section in your introduction chapter aims to create a foundation for your readers’ understanding of your research area.
Therefore, your background sections should start with:
- An overview of existing knowledge in your research.
- A discussion of how modern-day knowledge has created a new challenge for traditional skill development.
It is important to write this section in simple language, considering that your reader may not be an expert in your research area. In simple terms, this section should include a brief discussion of the history of your research topic.
- The research problem
After creating an overview of your research topic, you need to state the research problems your research aims to solve. Your research problem seeks to narrow down your focus and focus on a specific problem in your research area.
Most students go on to write their research problem without necessarily having to understand what a research problem is, which may reduce their probability of creating well-articulated and understandable research.
So, what is a research problem?
A research problem is a problem within your research area that has not already been well-established or solved. Such issues are often found in existing research. Therefore, a research problem exists where gaps in the existing literature need to be filled or when there are conflicting arguments r inconsistencies in the current literature.
When writing your research problem section, ensure to focus on the following elements:
- The current state of knowledge in your research area
- The gaps in your research area that needs to be filled
- The significance of focusing on these gaps
When stating your research problem, ensure that it is unique, precise and relevant to your research study.
- Research aims, objectives and questions
After stating your research problems, you need to discuss what you will do about your research problem. When focusing on this section, the first thing to do is state your research aims clearly. The aims of your study are an important part of your introduction section as it allows your readers to understand why you are carrying out your research and which goals you are going to fulfil by the end of your study. Therefore, your research aims should be a high-level statement of what your analysis should achieve.
After stating the aim of your research, identify your research objectives. These objectives should focus on more practical activities, such as what you will be doing to achieve the aims of your study.
The last part of this section is to state your research questions. These questions should be relevant to your research topic because it is what your research aims to answer. These questions should be very specific and precise such that they are easier for your readers to understand. When wrapping up your research, these questions are often answered in your conclusion chapter.
Note that it is vital that you clearly state the scope of your study in this section, for example, what will be in your research and what information will be excluded. Therefore, ensure that your research aims and objectives are simple and not too broad. Therefore, ensure that your research question is limited to a specific area, time, or country.
- Significance of the research study
In this section, you will need to discuss the significance of your research study. You probably have a glimpse of the importance of your research study, but you have not explicitly described how your research would benefit the world. Discussing your research significance allows you to clearly state how your research will help your industry or the world at large.
This section of your dissertation doesn’t need to be lengthy; instead, ensure that your statements are clear, concise and convincing because it carries the value of your entire research. Therefore, ensure that you spend enough time thinking about how your research would make unique contributions to the world.
- Limitations
Now that you have well-created the best parts of your dissertation and convinced your reader that your research is worth following through, you need to discuss the potential limitations of your study briefly. Many of you may think that your dissertation should not have limitations and that you should create a perfect dissertation or thesis. However, there is no definitive research work; there are imperfections, especially for research with a low budget and a limited time to carry out and formulate a good research document. Therefore, ensure that you identify these limitations, and become completely honest about them, so that future researchers may find better ways to avoid such limitations. An example of limitations in your research could be:
- For example, in your resources, you had limited time, money, or research experience
- Methodology, for example, if your using quantitative research methods, methods could have been criticised for over-simplifying the situation
- Your scope, for example, your focus was too broad or very narrow
- Generalisability of your research findings, for example, the results of one study area, could not be used to generalise findings from other regions or industries
Ensure that you clearly state the potential limitations of your study in this section. This will allow your examiners to understand that you are aware of the limitations.
- Structural outline
A structural outline is a brief and straightforward demonstration of what your entire dissertation or thesis chapters will look like. This section is essential as it gives your reader an idea of the direction your research document is taking in terms of your dissertation or thesis structure. This section will summarise each of the chapters, including their purpose and contents. Also, include a brief description of the activities in each Chapter. Don’t provide too many details in this section, as it is an outline and not a summary of your entire dissertation/thesis chapters. The above-discussed ingredients of your dissertation should be able to guide you through creating an engaging introduction chapter that acts as a rock-solid foundation for your entire research.
In some circumstances, your university may add on some components or requirements in your introduction; therefore, ensure to double-check.
I am sure you have grasped enough knowledge to get you going on your dissertation introduction chapter. In case of any questions or comments, please comment on our web page comment section or call us. Also, you can contact us more assistance in writing your dissertation/thesis introduction.
Chapter 3: Common Mistakes In The Introduction Chapter
Your dissertation or thesis introduction chapter is essential to your paper because it lets the reader know your study’s “what, why and how”. As the title sounds, the introduction section is a starting point of your dissertation or thesis and acts as an orientation to the reader about your study. The introduction chapter of your dissertation or thesis is also essential because it acts as a guide throughout your work, so if you get it wrong, your entire chapter may look messy.
In this post, we will discuss ten common mistakes most students make in the introduction chapters of their dissertations.
Overview: 10 common introduction mistakes
- Not providing sufficient context for the study
- Not presenting a solid justification for the research topic
- Having a research topic that’s too broad
- Having poorly defined research aims, objectives and research questions
- Having misaligned research aims, objectives and research questions
- Not having well-defined and justified scope
- Not providing a clear structural outline of the document
- Providing too much background/literature/theory
- Including content that belongs in the acknowledgements or preface
- Not providing enough background/literature/theory
Let us get right to it!
- Not providing enough context for the study
One common mistake students make in the introduction chapter is not providing enough context for the study. The introduction should provide a brief overview of the research question, the objectives of the study, and the significance of the issue being investigated. Additionally, the introduction should orient the reader to the general topic of the study and the specific research question under investigation. Without this contextual information, the reader may be left confused about the study’s purpose and why it is essential.
On top of it all, it is also essential that the reader gets from your introduction information about where your research is situated within the existing literature.
Your introduction section should not only discuss the novelty of your study; instead, it should add the theoretical and practical importance of finding the answers to your research questions.
The introduction section should include your research’s “what, why, where and who”. To be precise, What is your research focus, Why is it essential, Where the research is situated, and Who will benefit from your research.
- Insufficient justification for the research topic
Another common mistake is insufficient justification for the research topic. This mistake can be made in several ways. For example, a student may choose a topic that is too narrow in scope and then fail to provide adequate justification for why the topic is necessary or relevant. Alternatively, a student may choose a topic that is too broad and then fail to provide a clear and concise justification for why the topic should be narrowed down to a specific area of focus.
Another common mistake is to provide too much background information in the introduction. This can be a problem because it can make the introduction seem like a history lesson rather than a justification for the research that is to come. It is important to remember that the introduction should be used to set the stage for the research, not to provide an exhaustive overview of everything that has been done on the topic.
Finally, another common mistake is to include too many details about the research methods used in the dissertation. This can be confusing for readers and make it difficult for them to understand the purpose of the research. It is important to remember that the introduction is not the place to provide a detailed description of the research methods; that information should be saved for the methods section.
To avoid these mistakes, students must ensure they provide a thorough justification for their chosen topic. This justification should include a discussion of the topic’s significance and how it relates to the broader field of study. Additionally, students should provide a rationale for why they are the best person to conduct this research. By providing a well-reasoned justification for the research topic, students can avoid this common mistake.
- Having a research topic that’s too broad
A research topic that’s too broad is a common mistake in the introduction section of a dissertation. When a research topic is too broad, it can be challenging to narrow it down to a specific research question. The topic of a dissertation should be specific and focused on facilitating a detailed and comprehensive research project. However, some students make the mistake of choosing a topic that is too broad for their study. This can result in their research becoming scattered and unfocused, ultimately leading to a less than a satisfactory dissertation.
Broad research topics can be challenging to narrow down, and as a result, many students struggle to identify the main points of their work. This can often lead to frustration and discouragement, as it can be challenging to see the progress being made. In addition, a broad topic can also make it more difficult to find relevant literature and resources, which can further hamper the research process.
Ultimately, a dissertation that is too broad in scope is likely to be less successful than one that is more focused. However, if you struggle to narrow down your topic, it may be helpful to consult with your supervisor or other committee members. They can offer guidance and suggestions on how to focus your research and help you identify a topic that is both achievable and relevant to your field.
To avoid this mistake, it’s essential to spend some time brainstorming and developing a specific research question to focus on. Once you have a question in mind, you can then narrow down your research topic and find the specific literature you need to answer your question.
4. Having poorly defined research aims, objectives and research questions
In the introduction section, the researcher must provide an overview of the research topic, including a description of the problem, the objectives of the research, and the research questions, as its purpose is to orient the reader. However, a poorly defined research aim, objective, or question can lead to several problems.
- First, if the research aim is poorly defined, it may be challenging to determine the overall direction of the research and the specific steps that need to be taken to achieve the aim.
- Second, if the objectives are poorly defined, it may be challenging to determine whether or not the research has been successful.
- Finally, suppose the research questions are poorly defined. In that case, it may be challenging to identify the essential data pieces and determine how they fit together to answer the research question.
A poorly defined research aim, objective, or question can also lead to problems with the research design. For example, if the researcher does not clearly understand what they are trying to accomplish, it may be challenging to develop an appropriate research design. Additionally, if the objectives are poorly defined, selecting the most appropriate research methods may be challenging. In short, poorly defined research aims, objectives, and questions can lead to several problems, including difficulties with the research design, data collection, and data analysis.
- Having misaligned research aims, objectives, and research questions
One of the most common mistakes made in a dissertation’s introduction section is misaligned research aims, objectives and questions. This can happen when the researcher has not taken the time to carefully consider what they want to achieve with their research and how this aligns with the overall aims and objectives of the dissertation.
This misalignment can lead to several problems, including:
- First, the research objectives and questions are too narrowly focused, which can lead to the research being unable to address the broader research aims.
- The research objectives and questions are too broadly focused, which can lead to the research being unable to generate specific and valuable results.
- The research objectives and questions are incompatible, which can lead to the research being unable to achieve its objectives.
- The research objectives and questions are poorly formulated, which can lead to the research being unable to achieve its objectives or produce valuable results.
In some cases, it may also be that the research aims and objectives are not achievable within the timeframe or budget available, leading to the research being either incomplete or unsuccessful.
When writing up your introduction chapter, ensure that your objectives are aligned with your research aims and that you are on topic. In addition, ensure that your research questions are the specific questions you want to answer in your study.
6. Having a poorly defined and justified scope
It is not uncommon for students to make errors in the introduction section of their dissertations. A common mistake is to have a poorly defined and justified scope. The scope of a dissertation defines the boundaries of the research, and it is essential that it is well-defined to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding. However, a poorly defined scope can lead to problems with the research and the interpretation of the results. Therefore, the scope is clearly stated and justified in the introduction.
There are several ways in which a scope can be poorly defined. For example:
- It may be too narrow, and as a result, the research may not be comprehensive enough. Alternatively, it may be too broad, making the research seem unfocused.
- Another common mistake is not defining the scope, which can lead to confusion and ambiguity.
- It is also important to justify the scope in the introduction. This means providing a rationale for the boundaries that have been set. Without justification, the scope may seem arbitrary, which can undermine the research’s credibility. There are several ways to justify the scope, and selecting the most appropriate one for the particular research project is crucial.
Overall, the scope of the dissertation must be well-defined and justified. A poorly defined scope can lead to problems with the research itself and the interpretation of the results.
To avoid this mistake, taking the time to carefully consider the scope of your study before beginning the research process is essential. It would be best if you asked yourself questions such as:
- What area of study am I interested in?
- What research question do I want to answer?
- What are the specific goals of my study?
Once you have answers to these questions, you can then begin to narrow down the scope of your study to be more focused and manageable. Additionally, it is vital to justify the scope of your study in the introduction section of your dissertation so that readers understand why you have chosen to focus on a specific area of research.
7. Not providing a clear structural outline
A strong outline helps the reader get more familiar with the text by giving them a clear idea of what to anticipate and where to search for any specific information they may be seeking.
Practically speaking, your outline should come towards the conclusion of your introduction chapter because it sets up the rest of your paper for the reader. Without a structural outline, our introductory chapter will finish suddenly and disparately.
It is not necessary to have a lengthy plan. For each chapter, one or two lines should be sufficient. The writing itself may be pretty formulaic, which only summarises what each chapter discusses.
Creating a flow or having a consistent theme across a lengthy work like a thesis or dissertation might be challenging. A robust structural outline, on the other hand, helps bring everything together since it informs the reader of your research study’s tale and prepares them for what’s to follow.
- Providing too much background/literature/theory
Most students would want to commit to their work without giving time to how they write up the introduction section. They then get buried in the excitement and want to include all the information in the introduction section. They then make the mistake of providing too much background information and literature. This can make the introduction seem like a literature review and be very off-putting to the reader.
It is important to remember that the introduction is meant to be a brief overview of your research, not a detailed account. Therefore, you should only provide enough information to allow the reader to understand your argument’s main points and see how your research fits into the existing body of knowledge. If you find yourself including too much background or literature, try to focus on the most critical points and leave out anything that is not essential.
- Including material that should be in the preface or acknowledgements
One of the most common mistakes in the introduction section of a dissertation is including material that should be in the preface or acknowledgements. Unfortunately, this is a common mistake doctoral candidates make when writing dissertations. Many times, candidates will include material in the preface or acknowledgements that should be included in the introduction section.
This can often lead to confusion on the part of the reader, as they may not be sure what information is relevant to the dissertation and what is not.
One way to avoid this mistake is to carefully consider what information should be included in the introduction and what should be saved for the preface or acknowledgements. In general, the introduction should provide an overview of the dissertation, including its purpose, methodology, and findings.
On the other hand, the preface or acknowledgements are typically used to thank individuals who have helped with the dissertation, such as the candidate’s advisor or committee members. Therefore, it is essential to make sure that the information included in each section is appropriate and clearly defined.
Another way to avoid this mistake is to consult with a dissertation coach or editor. These individuals can help ensure that the introduction is clear and concise and that all relevant information is included. They can also offer guidance on what should be included in the preface or acknowledgements. Ultimately, by taking the time to edit and revise the introduction, doctoral candidates can ensure that their dissertations are clear, well-organized, and easy to follow.
- Not providing enough background/literature/theory
One of the most common mistakes students make in the introduction section of their dissertations is failing to provide enough background and literature. The introduction aims to provide the reader with a broad overview of the topic under investigation and to situate the research within the existing body of knowledge.
To do this effectively, students must ensure that they include a comprehensive review of the relevant literature. Without this, it can be difficult for the reader to understand the rationale for the research and how it fits within the existing body of work. Furthermore, without a strong foundation of existing literature, it can be challenging to develop a well-reasoned and persuasive argument for the significance of the research. In short, students must ensure that they provide a thorough overview of the literature in the introduction to set up the rest of the dissertation effectively.
Let us Recap:
In this section, we have discussed several mistakes that students make as they write the introduction chapter of their dissertation or thesis. Take note that these mistakes are avoidable, and as we discussed these mistakes above, we provided ways for you to ensure that you do not make the same mistakes over again.
The mistakes include:
- Not providing sufficient context for the study
- Not presenting a solid justification for the research topic
- Having a research topic that’s too broad
- Having poorly defined research aims, objectives and research questions
- Having misaligned research aims, objectives and research questions
- Not having well-defined and justified scope
- Not providing a clear structural outline of the document
- Providing too much background/literature/theory.
- Including content that belongs in the acknowledgements or preface.
- Not providing enough background/literature/theory.
We hope what we have discussed has been of great help to you. If you have any problems with your introduction chapter, be sure to contact us on to get help.
Chapter 4: Dissertation/Thesis Template
This template can help you structure your work for a formal academic research project, whether you’re writing an undergraduate, master’s, or doctorate dissertation or thesis. Whether you’re working on a dissertation, idea, or research project, our free dissertation template is a terrific place to start. Every element of the template is deconstructed step by step, with clear, straightforward explanations and examples. Our free dissertation and thesis template include everything you’ll need to write a special dissertation. The template’s foundation is based on a tried-and-true best-practice approach for formal academic research projects like dissertations and theses. The template’s structure corresponds to the whole research process, allowing for a smooth, logical transition from Chapter to Chapter in your dissertation or thesis.
The following essential components are included in the dissertation template:
- the title page/cover page
- the abstract (sometimes also called the executive summary)
- The contents page
- Tables/figures/figures/tables/figures/tables/figure
- Introduction (Chapter 1)
- 2nd Chapter: Review of the Literature
- 3rd chapter Methodology
- 4th Chapter: results/ findings
- 5th Chapter: analysis
- 6th Chapter: conclusion and recommendations
- A list of references
- Appendices
Each topic is explained in clear, straightforward language, followed by a summary of the key points that must be covered in each area. We’ve also included some real-life examples to help you understand what to anticipate in each section.
You may utilise the well-structured Word document, copy the contents to a new document, or convert it to LaTeX for your dissertation or thesis. In a few phrases, we’ll go through what each section is about and the most critical things you should accomplish there. We’ll also provide links to other videos and blog posts to confidently help you achieve each process.
GET TO THE FINISH LINE!
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