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Activity Key Coloured square images represent notelet colours in i-menu. D = Discussion audio. K = Key Skills Online. M = Video interviews. R = Reflection exercise.

Collapse all folders  |  Expand all folders  Welcome  What a dissertation is M  Who this guide is for  What it aims to do for you  What it contains  Making the most of this guide  Using this guide  Help  Accessibility  List of browser shortcut keys as HTML  List of browser shortcut keys as plain text  Plug-ins used and where to find further information  Recommended browser and screen settings  Acknowledgements  Bibliography  Biographies  Glossary  Interactive menu  Colour notelets  Options drop-down menu  Search  Topics within this guide:  Preparing to succeed  Introduction  Your motivations for doing a dissertation M R  Changing motivation M  Re-motivating yourself M  Your concerns about post-graduate study M R  What is 'academic' research?  Are my ideas for the study acceptable? M  What resources will I need? M  What skills do I need? M  Do I need to use a formal research methodology? M  Where can I find useful information and ideas? M  What is an 'academic style'?  What are tutors looking for in a dissertation? M  How much time will it take? M  Skills you will need to use and develop M R  Managing your time D K M  Organising yourself D K M  Taking notes and keeping records K M  Working with other people K R  Gathering information K M  Taking responsibility and keeping going M  Reading K  Writing skills K M  Creative thinking  Reflecting K M  Technology skills K M  Critical analysis and evaluation K  Action planning K  Self-awareness/self-development K M  What is research?  Introduction  Ways of thinking about research  Definitions of research D M  Characteristics of research  Professional and ethical codes of practice  Metaphors D  What is academic research?  Differing research paradigms  The difference between an academic dissertation and a work project K M R  Academic criteria used to judge your dissertation D R  The rational for your study  Justifying your methodology  Developing tools / instruments M  Critical thinking D K  Developing your argument/discussion D K  Using the literature - the breadth and depth of the literature review D  Accuracy, data collection, analysis and interpretation  Showing originality M  Written English and academic conventions K  Presenting your work D K  Reflection K M  What is the process of doing your dissertation? R  Selecting a topic M  Defining the problem, identifying questions D M  Planning the work (and writing a proposal)  Reviewing literature D  Selecting appropriate methodology and tools D  Collecting data M  Analysing and interpreting data  Disseminating findings D  Keep a research diary M  Literature review  Introduction D R  Why do a literature review D M  How do you do a literature review D  Focus on your reading D K  Identify appropriate sources K M  Use search skills K M  Select appropriate materials K M  Record information K M  Use critical reading skills D K  A structured approach to critical reading  Writing up K  Choosing a topic  Introduction D  Why is it important?  What can influence your choice of topic?  Assessment criteria M  Motivation  Employment  Skills M  Support M  Resources R  Time M  Costs M  Requirements  Subject area M  Process of choosing your topic and focus  Identify several broad areas of enquiry  Sources of questions or problems M  Select one area M  Identify several questions or problems around the area  Formulate the specific problems or questions D  Questions to ask when generating possible research questions  Research methodology  Introduction  Main research perspectives - methodologies/paradigms  Reality is external to individuals  Reality is created and constructed by individuals  Common approaches and research strategies D  Case study M  Survey M  Action research  Experimental approach  Ethnography  Historical approach  The nature of your investigation - types of research  Common data collection methods  Questionnaires M  Observations M  Interviews M  Focus Groups/group interviews  Documents/artefacts M  Diaries, journals and narratives  Tests  Repertory Grids M  Data analysis - coding, sorting and interpreting M  Some principles  Organising and editing data  Coding and labelling data  Statistical procedures M  Clustering and identifying relationships M  Draw conclusions  Presenting data  Considerations M  Ethics M  Bias M  Response rate  Reliability  Validity  Triangulation M  Pilot  Recording M  Field notes  Audio/video tape, photographs  Schedules and structured formats  Tally chart examples  Using a computer M  Sampling and selecting  Random  Non-random  Working relationships and using feedback  Introduction D  Supervisor allocation  Roles and responsibilities K  Supervisor role D  Student role D  Meetings D K  Managing problems K M  Working with other students M  Learning Sets D  Informal peer groups D  Feedback K  Who might give you feedback D  What type of feedback might you get?  What should you do with feedback? K  How can you give helpful feedback to others? K M  Writing up  Introduction K  Preparing to write D  Starting early M  Audience, academic style K M  Meeting requirements D K  Using technology K  Structure and content of chapters M  First pages  Introductory chapter M  Literature review D  Methodology and methods M  Data findings/results and analysis  Conclusions/reflections K  Appendices  References and bibliography K  Presenting your work K

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