Ma dissertation workshop

MA dissertation workshopDr. Carolina MatosLecturer in Media and CommunicationsDepartment of SociologyCity University London

Key points

• What makes a good dissertation?• Key deadlines to watch out for• Dissertation outline• Literature review, research methods and core empirical

chapters• Books to consult• Ethical Issues• Get yourself organised: timetable and masterplan• Bibliography• Any other issues• Student Research Discussions

•AIM:

▫ “To conduct an investigation of an issue relevant to the programme content under the supervision of a member of staff”

• An independent (and original) piece of research focusing on:

▫ the selection and contextualization of a topic (lit review)▫ design and execution of original research▫ analysis and presentation of research

• Empirically or theoretically focused

• Total: 15.000 words• Common format:

• 1) Abstract (300 words)• 2) Introduction• 3) Literature review, research questions and hypotheses • 4) Methodology• 5) Results and findings • 6) Conclusion• 7) Appendices• 8) References and Bibliography

Introduction

• This section raises the questions that inspired your research interest and sets them in context.

• It should be set in its broader conceptual context, and the contribution of the proposed research.

• Check Dissertation Archive up on Moodle for examples:

http://moodle.city.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=5533

Theoretical Chapter

• Relevant research literature should be critically reviewed, leading to a specification of the research questions or hypotheses.

• As we have been discussing in tutorials, a key thing here is to determine what is relevant to include, and what it not that relevant, as you need to examine particular topics in detail

• Should contain the conceptual framework and argument (i.e. the main aspects of the theoretical approach that you have used).

• This chapter should end with the insertion of your research and how it fits into the wider literature, with possible include of research questions here (which also can be in the methods) or objectives/aims of the research that lead to the Methods chapter afterwards

Research Design and Methodology

The research strategy should be outlined with a justification presented for the particular approach selected to investigate the stated research questions.

• I.e. Content and/or Critical Discourse Analysis• Survey or questionnaires • Qualitative or in depth interviewing

Assess the merits and limits of the method chosen. * On what criteria was the method used? Why were other

approaches rejected? * The particular methods and procedures adopted should be

summarised

Methods continued

• 1. The sampling or selection of data – On what basis was the sample selected and why? The issue of sampling, whether it is an experiment, a survey or a set of qualitative interviews, needs to be discussed in detail.

• 2. Design of research tools – Research tools refer to questionnaires, topic guides for interviews, and coding frames for content analysis.

• I.e. How were the interviews conducted…..? How was the coding done? How was the analysis undertaken?

Results and findings

• This can be divided into the core research chapters of your work • You do not need to write “Results and Interpretation” here, but

name your chapters, and all your sections, with appropriate titles and sub-titles, as if you were writing a thesis that would be included in a book

• You should explore and analyse your results and findings. This can be done in different ways – i.e. start with the results and then move to the interpretation (i.e. CA of newspapers; then discussion of smaller sample with DA)

• Ensure that you make it clear what you have found, what you have understood from your findings and how they relate to the hypotheses or questions that you set yourself in the earlier sections

Further considerations on research questions and conclusions

• Research questions: • Choose 3 or 4 key research questions. Think of “what” questions (that

attempt to discover and describe the characteristics); the “why” questions (concerned with the reasons or causes underlying the topic) and the “how” (which tend to focus on how things might be different).

• Explanations for surprising findings should be offered and reflective comments on the research design and methodology given

•Conclusion • This should comprise a short statement stressing the key insights and

implications (theoretical, methodological, empirical) of the dissertation, with an outline of the possibilities for further research.

• What are the conclusions that you can make from what you have studied?

• Remember also the acknowledgements, abstract (300 words), abbreviations, body of text (Introduction/Literature Review/Methods Chapter/Research Findings/Conclusions)

• Appendices and Bibliography • Presentation of material and bibliography is also important.

Do not leave the bibliography for the last minute – see “Guidelines for references and bibliographies”

• Avoid including too many footnotes and appendices – i.e. Appendices should include only supporting material, data, statistical tables or transcripts that are judged to be essential.

• Coding frames, code book, questionnaires and interview transcripts should be included.

Intellectual grasp of the topic; understand its significanceInvites a dialogue with the readerDevelop a debate which allows both exploration and

rejection of alternativesExamines the theory critically and engages well with the key

literature in the field in an intelligent and creative mannerMaintains links between theory, method and interpretation

Has a clear and strong argument throughout; a storylineHas a good structureMethodology is clearly establishedThesis is well-organised, well-written and “easy” to read Includes scholarly notes and uses academic conventions

Dissertation assessment criteria

• Presentation – Clarity of expression, a coherent and consistent structure

• Content – Quality and breadth of literature survey, the fit between your assessment of the literature and your choice of empirical research focus; the interpretation of your results in relation to the literature

• Critical Judgement – Depth of interpretation and theoretical sophistication, critical appraisal

• Plagiarism – Check the guidelines for this. • Turnitin- self-check your work using this system. Submission deadline: Thursday 25 September 2014 by 4pm

Recommended books • Bell, J. (2010) Doing Your Research Project: A Guide For

First-Time Researchers in Education and Social Science, Milton Keynes• Bryman, A. and Cramer, D. (1994) Quantitative Data

Analysis for Social Scientists, London: Routledge•Gilbert, N. (ed.) (2008) Researching Social Life, London:

Sage•May, T. (2003) Social Research: Issues, methods and

process, Buckingham: Open University Press• Seale, C. (2011) Researching Society and Culture, London:

Sage•Deacon, M., Pickering, P. Golding, G. Murdock (eds.)

(2007) Researching Communications: A Practical Guide to Methods in Media and Cultural Analysis, London: Arnold