Planning Your Dissertation

Kate Williams set up the Upgrade Study Advice Service at Oxford Brookes University, UK. She is Series Editor of the Pocket Study Skills series and author of Getting Critical, Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism and Time Management.Michelle Reid is a Learning Development Tutor at Oxford Brookes University, UK. She is the author of Report Writing and Time Management.

• AcknowledgementsIntroductionPart 1: Getting started1 Getting strategic 2 Exploring ideas3 Working with your supervisorPart 2: Planning your research4 Starting your reading5 Focussing your research question6 Time planning a longer project7 Your research plan8 Research proposals 9 The supervisor’s perspectivePart 3: Planning your literature review 10 Think: what are you looking for?11 Finding it12 Reading it13 Making sense of it14 Planning itPart 4: Thinking about methodology15 Aim and objectives16 Using theory 17 Make sure your methods match your aims!18 The ‘systematic’ approach: literature review as methodologyPart 5: Dissertation libraryPart 6: Writing and argument19 Writing paragraphs20 The language of argument21 Writing style: using ‘I’Part 7: Planning your endgame22 Be clear about what you are aiming for23 The conclusion and introduction24 First impressions and last thoughts25 Journey’s end?ReferencesIndex