How to write dissertations & project reports

300 Pages·2007·2.93 MB·English

by  Kathleen McMillan

HHooww ttoo wwrriittee HH HHooww ttoo wwrriittee
oo
DDiisssseerrttaattiioonnss ww
to to DDiisssseerrttaattiioonnss
&& PPrroojjeecctt RReeppoorrttss w w
rr
itit
ee && PPrroojjeecctt
Kathleen McMillan and Jonathan Weyers
DD
ii
ss
Is there a secret to successful study? ss
ee RReeppoorrttss
The answer is no! But there are some essential skills and smart rr
tt
strategies that will help you to improve your results at university. aa
tt
ii
oo
This easy-to-use guide identifies and addresses the areas where most nn
students need help with exam preparation and performance, and provides ss
straightforward, practical tips and solutions that will enable you to assess & &
and then improve your performance and get better results - and better
PP
grades!
rr
oo
How to write Dissertations & Project Reports provides all of the jeje
tips, tools and techniques that you need to choose, research, write cc
tt
and present successful dissertations and research projects, including:
RR
ee
• How to choose a winning topic or question and get started
pp
• How to structure and plan your writing proposal oo
• How to undertake experimental work and field research rr
tt
• How to read, analyse and understand information and take notes ss
effectively
• How to interpret, analyse and present numerical and research data
• How to improve your academic writing style and use of conventions M
and vocabulary c
M
• How to cite references and avoid plagiarism
i
• How to review, proof-read and present your dissertation or project l
l
a
for maximum impact and results n

a
C
Instant answers to your most pressing study skills problems. OV n
ER d
ILLU W
S
TR e
AT y
ION e
J r
UL s
E
S
M
A
N
N
, B
E
A
T
£8.99 www.pearson-books.com BU
G Kathleen McMillan and Jonathan Weyers
9780273713586_COVER.indd 1 2/7/07 10:07:28
WRID_A01.qxd 7/11/07 13:12 Page i
Smarter Study Guides
HHooww ttoo wwrriittee
DDiisssseerrttaattiioonnss &&
PPrroojjeecctt RReeppoorrttss
Kathleen McMillan and
Jonathan Weyers
WRID_A01.qxd 7/18/07 11:35 Page ii
Pearson Education Limited
Edinburgh Gate
Harlow
Essex CM20 2JE
England
and Associated Companies throughout the world
Visit us on the World Wide Web at:
www.pearsoned.co.uk
First published 2007
© Pearson Education Limited 2007
The rights of Kathleen McMillan and Jonathan Weyers to be identified as
authors of this work have been asserted by them in accordance with the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without either the prior
written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying
in the United Kingdom issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd,
Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS.
ISBN: 978-0-273-71358-6
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
10 09 08 07
Typeset in 9.5/13pt Interstate by 35
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Henry Ling Ltd, Dorchester, Dorset
The Publisher's policy is to use paper manufactured from sustainable forests.
WRID_A01.qxd 7/11/07 13:12 Page iii
Smarter Study Guides
Instant answers to your most pressing university skills
problems.
Are there any secrets to successful study?
The simple answer is no – but there are some essential skills, tips and
techniques that can help you to improve your performance and
success in all areas of your university studies.
These handy, easy-to-use guides to the most common areas where
most students need help (even if you don’t realise it!) provide
accessible, straightforward practical tips and instant solutions that
provide you with the tools and techniques that will enable you to
improve your performance and get better results – and better grades.
Each book in the series allows you to assess and address a particular
set of skills and strategies, in crucial areas such as exam preparation
and performance, researching and writing dissertations and research
projects, and planning and crafting academic essays. Each book then
delivers practical no-nonsense tips, techniques and strategies that will
enable you to significantly improve your abilities and performance in
time to make a difference.
The books in the series are
l How to succeed in Exams and Assessments
l How to write Essays and Assignments
l How to write Di ssertations and Project Reports
Or for a complete handbook covering all of the study skills that you
will need throughout your years at university:
l The Smarter Student: Study Skills and Strategies for Success at
University
Get smart, get a head start!
The Smarter Student series is available at all good bookshops or online
at www.pearson-books.co.uk/studyskills.
iii
WRID_A01.qxd 7/11/07 13:12 Page iv
WRID_A01.qxd 7/11/07 13:12 Page v
Contents
Preface and acknowledgements ix
How to use this book xi
Introduction
1 Tackling a dissertation or project report– how to
make the best possible start 3
2 Choosing a dissertation or research topic– how to
decide on a theme for your investigation 10
Planning your research
3 Writing a proposal– how to structure a successful
dissertation or research proposal 21
4 Time management– how to write your dissertation or
project while balancing family, work and leisure 29
5 Planning for dissertations – how to begin your research
and evolve a model for your writing 40
6 Planning for experimental projects– how to organise
your efforts effectively 51
Finding and filtering information
7 Information literacy– how to make best use of the
library resources 61

8 Effective academic reading– how to read efficiently
and with understanding 71
9 Analysing and evaluating source material– how to
filter and select relevant material as part of the
research process 85
10 Note-making from source material– how to create
effective notes to support your dissertation and project
research 94
v
WRID_A01.qxd 7/11/07 13:12 Page vi
Applying research techniques
11 Principles of quantitative research– how to obtain and
analyse numerical information 109
12 Principles of qualitative research– how to obtain and
analyse descriptive information 123
13 Experimental research and field visits– how to develop
and apply your skills 135
14 Thinking critically– how to develop a logical approach
to analysis and problem-solving 143
Working with data and numbers
15 Number crunching– how to solve problems in
arithmetic and algebra 157
16 Interpreting and presenting data– how to understand
and produce graphs, tables and basic statistics 170
Addressing issues of plagiarism, referencing and ethics
17 Plagiarism and copyright infringement– how to avoid
being accused of ‘stealing’ the ideas and work of others 185
18 Citing and listing references– how to refer appropriately
to the work of others 194
19 Ethics in researching and reporting– how to follow
good research practice 211
Writing a first draft
20 Structuring a dissertation– how to organise your
writing within a standard framework 221
21 Structuring a project report– how to select and shape
your content appropriately 227
22 Academic writing style– how to adopt the appropriate
language conventions 235
Editing, revising and presenting
23 Reviewing, editing and proof-reading– how to make
sure your writing is concise and correct 249
vi Contents
WRID_A01.qxd 7/11/07 13:12 Page vii
24 Exploiting feedback– how to understand and learn
from what your supervisor writes on your work 258
25 Presentation of dissertations and reports– how to
follow the appropriate academic conventions 264
References and further reading 277
Glossary 278

Contents vii
WRID_A01.qxd 7/11/07 13:12 Page viii
WRID_A01.qxd 7/11/07 13:12 Page ix
Preface and acknowledgements
Welcome to How to Write Dissertations and Project Reports.
We’re pleased to you have chosen this book and hope it will help you
compose and present high-quality work that reveals your academic
skills in the best possible light. Our aim has been to provide practical
tips to guide you from planning to submission, so that your work is
well developed and meets academic requirements. We’ve tried to
remain faithful to the philosophy of our earlier book, The Smarter
Student, by creating a quickly accessible resource that you can dip
into in time of need. We had many kinds of students in mind when we
decided to write this text and we hope that it will meet your personal
needs – regardless of your experience and background.
We would like to offer sincere thanks to many people who have
influenced us and contributed to the development and production of
this book. Countless students over the years have helped us to test
our ideas, especially those whose writing we have supervised or guided.
We are grateful to following colleagues and collaborators who have
helped us directly or indirectly: Margaret Adamson, John Berridge,
Margaret Forrest, Alan Grant, Neale Laker, Fiona O’Donnell, Neil Paterson
and Anne Scott. Also, we acknowledge those at other universities who
have helped frame our thoughts, particularly our good friends Rob
Reed, Nicki Hedge and Esther Daborn. We owe a special debt to the
senior colleagues who encouraged various projects that contributed to
this book, and who allowed us the freedom to pursue this avenue of
scholarship, especially Robin Adamson, Ian Francis, Rod Herbert and
David Swinfen. At Pearson Education, we have had excellent advice
and support from Steve Temblett, Georgina Clark-Mazo and Joan Dale
Lace. Finally, we would like to say thanks to our long-suffering but
nevertheless enthusiastic families: Derek, Keith and Fiona; and Mary,
Paul and James, all of whom helped in various capacities.
We’d be delighted to hear your opinion of the book and receive any
suggestions you have for additions and improvements.
Kathleen McMillan and Jonathan Weyers
University of Dundee
April 2007
ix