A 5 Step Guide To Structuring Your Dissertation Effectively.

Introduction

To beholder of a specific degree, the student must have complete a final project of the research study. The final project is known as the dissertation. The dissertation is a thought-provoking document that requires the time, knowledge, and resources of the student involved. The dissertation aims to depict that the student has gained suitable knowledge and skills in doing an effective research study. Furthermore, the student produces independent work to fill the relevant domain's flaws in previous research studies. Hence, the researcher showcases the ability to discover the topic comprehensively by using the most suitable tools of the research.

This article aims to provide five comprehensive guidelines in the structuring of a dissertation effectively. All these guidelines will be followed step-by-step in structuring the dissertation. The guide from how to introducing the research topic to how to conclude the research by providing implications and recommendations.

Step 1: Introduction Of The Topic Of The Study

In this step, the student has to introduce the topic of the study briefly. The topic must be introduced in such a manner that grasp the reader’s attention. To make the introduction more impactful, statistics and figures should be used. The background of the study must be incorporated in the introduction section of the study. The dissertation writing services for student must identify the aim, research objectives, and questions in this section. The rationale or significance of the study in respect to academia, society, and as well as for the community must be interpreted here. The scope of the study, what is covering in this study, and what is not, must be discussed in this section. The research approach that will be adopted in the study must be outlined. At the end of this section, the appropriate structure of the dissertation that will be followed in the study is presented, covering the chapters, and a brief introduction of the conducting them will be discussed.

Step 2: Assessing Relevant Existing Studies On The Topic Of The Study

In this step, the student has to assess all the relevant existing studies on the topic of the study. Both the literature within and outside the country’s jurisdiction must be reviewed by the student. The student must rely on credible sources for reviewing the literature. The credible sources from which the literature will be reviewed include peer-reviewed journals, published and evidence-based articles, reports, publications, dissertations, and websites. Nothing is perfect in the world. The existing studies in the relevant domain comprise many flaws and gaps. The gaps may be in the form of the knowledge, theoretical, methodological, population, empirical, or evidence gap. The student has to identify various flaws and gaps in the relevant studies by reviewing the existing studies. The student aims to fill these gaps in his/her study at the end of the literature. The student must provide the significance or contribution of his/her study for academia, society, and as well as for the community.

Step 3: A Comprehensively Providing Roadmap To The Research Study

In this step, the student has to provide a comprehensive roadmap for conducting the research study along with “why” in the study. The dissertation proposal writing service student must identify the hypothesis, research questions, or possible independent and dependent variables of the study. Generally, there are three types of research methods. These methods are quantitative (numeric), qualitative (non-numeric), or mixed design (comprises of both quantitative and qualitative). Next, the student must adopt the appropriate methodology relevant to the study and research questions. The appropriateness of the research method leads to identify the suitable data collection method. For exploring the study, primary data (first-hand data) is most suitable. For descriptive studies, secondary data (already gathered data) is most suitable. Suitable selection and appropriate choice of the methodology ensure the research study's efficacy, validity, and reliability. Inappropriate selection of the research methodology reduces the effectiveness of the whole study. Hence, research methodology must be selected with carefulness and by consultation with the supervisor.

Step 4: Interpreting The Findings And Then Discussing These In The Study

In this step, the student has to interpret the findings derived from the study conducting by him/her. The student can use appropriate techniques depending upon the research method. For the quantitative data (questionnaires), SPSS is used to interpret the research study's findings. For qualitative data analysis (interviews), narrative, interpretive phenomenological, discourse, qualitative content, thematic, and grounded theory analysis is used. After the findings, the student has to discuss these findings according to the research questions or hypothesis of the study. Next, the student has to interpret the papers from the literature review. The reasons for the support or not support must be provided to the key points outlined in the literature. After the reasons in favor or against the key points highlighted in the literature, the conclusion of the discussion is to be made. The discussion concluded by relating them with the research questions or hypothesis of the study. Statistics can be made to make the argument strong in favour or against.

Step 5: Extensively Concluding The Study, Implications And Then Providing Recommendations For Future Studies

In this step, the student has to conclude the overall research study. A summary of each section of the dissertation must be provided in the conclusion chapter. Next, the dissertation must be concluded in the way of the research questions. The student must discuss the results briefly and explicitly the answers to the hypothesis or research questions of the study. The contribution of the study to academia, society, and as well as for the community must be provided in this chapter. Finally, the student has to provide implications of the study. At the end of the dissertation, recommendations for conducting future research studies must be provided. These recommendations must be provided based on the gaps in this study. The gaps may be in the form of the knowledge, theoretical, methodological, population, empirical, or evidence gap. Future research studies may overcome these gaps to contribute to the literature, academia, society, and as well as for the community.

References

Miles, D.A., 2017, August. A taxonomy of research gaps: Identifying and defining the seven research gaps. In Doctoral Student Workshop: Finding Research Gaps-Research Methods and Strategies, Dallas, Texas.