How to write a dissertation for Students of M.tech/PhD other....

1. How to write a dissertation
LinkedIn:
sarveshmeena1994@gmail.com
Submitted By:
Sarvesh Kumar Meena
M.Tech-CSE

2. Contents
How to produce a good dissertation
Structure of dissertation - 1
Structure of dissertation - 2
Content and Style
Content and Style
What is a Postgraduate Dissertation ?
Justifying your Efforts
Referencing

4. How to produce a good dissertation
Start thinking early on about what you would like to
write about. Consult as soon as possible with your
supervisor for advice on the expected scope of your
dissertation. Remember that you will not simply be
writing about “IT in Primary Education”, but instead
will be focusing on specific aspects, perhaps trying to
solve a problem, querying currently held beliefs, or
arguing a particular case or “thesis”.

5. Structure of dissertation - 1
1. Title page :- Title, your name, course name, date,
name of supervisor
2. Abstract:- One paragraph summarizing the whole
dissertation
3. Acknowledgements:- Thanks to those who have
assisted you
4. Table of contents:- Chapters and/or sections &
sub-sections with page numbers
5. Table of figures:- If appropriate

6. Structure of dissertation -2
• Introduction
A presentation of your question/problem/thesis, with a brief outline
of the structure of your work
• Main body/discussion
The facts, evidence, analysis, evaluation and discussion. All very
well structured: arts/social sciences tending towards paragraphs;
sciences/engineering towards sections; business a mixture of the
two.
• Conclusion/findings
• Bibliography
• Appendices

7. Content and Style
• Your dissertation is a piece of academic work; an
intellectual achievement. You are not expected to produce
something completely original, but instead, to should show
understanding of key issues and theories; evidence of
thought and insight; critical analysis and evaluation, and a
demonstration that you have been able to research a topic
within your professional domain and present your findings
appropriately. Simple description is not enough, and will
result in a low mark.
• You should write in an appropriate academic style, avoiding
colloquialisms, contractions, phrasal verbs and vagueness.
You do not need, however, to use long, over-formal
vocabulary: you should aim at all times for clear and
concise expression.

8. • You should normally avoid too much personal language
(“I”, “my” etc), although opinions on this vary. As a rule of
thumb, only use it when you are describing what you
actually did and when you are expressing personal opinions,
probably in your conclusion. Don’t refer to yourself as “we”
unless you are describing some sort of group work, and
don’t refer to yourself as “the author”: it’s pompous and
confusing.
• Avoid using “he/she”, “her/his” etc. The best way to avoid
this and still be non-sexist is to make the subject plural
whenever possible. (For example, “Teachers should always
be in control of their class”.)

9. What is a Postgraduate Dissertation?
• Useful contribution to knowledge
• Readers will ask
 what is the question here ?
 is it a good question ?
 is it adequately answered ?
 is there a contribution to previous knowledge?

10. Justifying your Efforts
• Clearly state the question
• Originality proven by ?
 thorough review of topic and closely related topics
 reference review to demonstrate that
question not previously answered
it is worth answering

11. Referencing
 Acknowledgement of your sources is a vital and integral
part of the academic process. If you do not do this,
particularly at dissertation/postgraduate level, you could
be accused of plagiarism.
 By the time you do your dissertation you should be very
clear on how to do this. If not, check with course tutors or
in course literature what the preferred method is
(normally at Birmingham City University it is the
“Harvard Method”) and make sure you know how to use
it. It can be a complicated area, but there are many guides
and staff to help you (us, for example).