dissertation cover page university of leeds

Dissertations and Projects

Your dissertation or research project is the culmination of your course, it is an important piece of work which allows you to focus your area of interest. This page will guide you through that process as well as signposting you to the resources and documents you will need.

If you need help choosing a topic, critical thinking or structuring your work, you can use Skills@Library's online resource Dissertations: The Final Chapter , which also includes best practice student case studies.

Write and submit

If you are unsure on how to format and present your Dissertation or Project our Dissertation format regulations will help.

You can also download your Dissertation Coversheet from Forms and Guidance.

For a step by step guide on how to submit your dissertation visit our submitting assignments page.

Exceptional circumstances

If you experience significantly disruptive or unexpected events which are beyond your control and affect your ability to work on your dissertation – please contact the Student Support Team.

More information on what to do if you are experiencing personal difficulties, can be found on our Student Support pages.

Information for Taught Postgraduates

Absenses during dissertation period, attending meetings.

Taught Postgraduate students should attend all arranged Dissertation Supervision meetings. Students should make contact with their supervisor at least once every three weeks.

These meetings will take place face to face by default. A maximum of two meetings can take place online if it is agreed between the supervisor and the student.

Absence from meetings

Supervisors record your attendance at Dissertation Supervision meetings. If you miss a meeting the LUBS Attendance Team will contact you to request an explanation. If you need further support the Team can offer this as required.

Repeated failure to attend supervision meetings could have implications for Student Visa holders.

Recording an absence

If you are unable to attend a supervision meeting, you should take the following actions:

1. Submit an absence request in Minerva using the normal process

2. Inform your Dissertation Supervisor that you cannot attend the meeting.

More information about absence from the University can be found on our Attendance pages .

Risk Assessment for Fieldwork and Research away from Leeds

Off-campus fieldwork.

All students should remain in Leeds to complete their dissertation.

Before conducting any off-campus fieldwork you must first complete this health and safety questionnaire . 

Risk ratings

The University’s Health and Safety Team will review your answers and assign a risk of low, medium or high.

Low risk - you will be informed by email that no further action is required, and you will be able to conduct your fieldwork as planned.

Medium or high risk - together with your Dissertation Supervisor will be asked by the Health and Safety Team to provide some additional information about the fieldwork. You may be required to complete a Fieldwork Risk Assessment, with guidance from the Health and Safety Team

Please note that a fieldwork questionnaire and/or risk assessment only approve a student to be away from Leeds for the sole purpose of fieldwork and for the specific time period required to conduct it.

Change of Location

By registering on a Masters programme, students agree to remain in Leeds for the full 12-months .

Under exceptional circumstances it may be possible to leave Leeds early. If this applies to you, please contact the Attendance Team at [email protected] for advice. You will be required to complete a change of location form , which must be signed and approved by your Dissertation Supervisor and the LUBS Student Education Service

Forms are only accepted after 11 August - please do not submit a form before this date

International Students

By leaving Leeds early, international students may have their sponsorship withdrawn. Please contact the International Student Advice Team for further information before completing the change of location form.

• Academic life
• Opportunities
• Support and wellbeing
• Study abroad
• International students
• Student Life
• The Leeds Partnership
• Laidlaw Leadership and Research Programme
• Undergraduate research opportunities
• Leadership programme

Thesis submission

There are key dates and events to keep in mind while supporting PGRs through the thesis submission process both in the lead up to submission and while submitting the thesis.

Preparing for submission

All candidates should aim to submit their thesis within the standard period of study for their programme. The thesis must be submitted for examination by no later than the end of their maximum period of study. Candidates and supervisors can view this date in GRAD. 

At least four months before the PGR intends to submit their thesis, PGRs and supervisors should start thinking about the examination entry process and identifying appropriate examiners for the thesis. Doctoral College Operations (DCO) needs to receive the examination entry workflow at least three months before the thesis is submitted. You can find further information about the examination entry process and appointment of examiners .

Thesis format regulations

The University has very specific requirements for the format and presentation of the thesis. The Guide to the thesis examination process for PGRs  includes detailed information on the University requirements for the format and presentation of the thesis and the examination process including: 

• entering for examination 
• the content and layout of the thesis
• the presentation of the title page (PDF) and the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and copyright statements which must be included in the thesis
• thesis length requirements, and what to do if there is a need to exceed them
• including work from any solely or jointly-authored publications in the thesis
• advice on what to expect before, during and after the viva
• advice on eThesis preparation and presentation
• advice on the presentation of a practice-led submission.

The University has approved an alternative format of thesis submission, which includes published material, for PGRs in the Faculties of Environment , Engineering, AHC, Biological Sciences and Medicine and Health only. PGRs and Supervisors should refer to the Faculty Protocol for further advice.  PGRs in these Faculties who wish to consider this route to submission are advised to discuss this with their Supervisory team in the first instance. This model of thesis can only be submitted where the supervisory team supports this format and is satisfied it is appropriate and meets the protocol in place for that Faculty. Please see the Faculty protocol for further advice.

It is recognised that this alternative style of doctoral thesis is not appropriate in all disciplines and that, in some cases and subject areas, the traditional, chapter style of thesis will remain the expected format for the thesis. In all other cases, any published material may be used to form a chapter of a thesis but must be rewritten and integrated within the thesis as a whole – in accordance with the policy on the use of  solely or jointly-authored publications

Submitting the thesis

Theses should be submitted via GRAD as a PDF; soft-bound copies are not required. The thesis can be submitted and assessed remotely.  Further advice on how to do this can be found in the Guide to the thesis examination process for PGRs  

Dispatch of the thesis to the examiners

DCO checks the format of the thesis and dispatches it to the examiners (usually within ten working days) - if the examination entry form has been approved by the Progression and Examinations Group. The internal examiner is then responsible for making the arrangements for the viva. 

Related Items

Examiners and independent chairs - criteria for appointment (research students).

The preferred level of experience for a research degree examiner is either experience of supporting a doctoral candidate through to successful completion or previous examination experience. 

• The Library
• Leeds University Union
• Terms & Conditions
• Accessibility
• Privacy and cookies
• Freedom of Information

© 2024 University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT

There are many ways to structure your research project. You may be given an exact structure to follow from your supervisor or you may have to decide on the structure that most suits your project. You should always consult your module handbook and your supervisor when deciding on the structure of your project .

In this section you will find some general advice about creating a coherent structure, some examples of common structures and some guidance to the type of content that is usually included in the different sections of a research project. You will not need to include all of the sections covered below; instead choose the parts relevant for your specific project.

Click below to see some example structures for different types of project:

Literature-based structure

If you are using a literature-based structure, you might look at:

Introduction

• Themed Chapters
• Reference List/Bibliography

Research report structure

If you are writing a research report, you might look at:

• Literature Review
• Methodology/Methods
• Findings/Results and Discussion

Business report structure

If you are writing a business report, you might look at:

• Executive Summary

Technical report structure

If you are writing a technical report, you might look at:

There are different chapter combinations depending on your type of project – consult your supervisor if you are unsure. There are more example structures within the advice about creating a coherent structure directly below.

• Creating a Coherent Structure

Creating a coherent structure

You will need to consider both the overall structure of your project and the structure within each chapter/section. It will be easier to understand and identify your key points if your work is organised in a logical and coherent manner. This means thinking about your reader; what do they need to know and in what order? You should have a clear idea of the questions you are answering and the argument(s) that will build throughout your project. Each chapter/section should link together with a common theme that underpins the whole of your work, and should lead towards a logical conclusion.

It can be useful to outline the overall structure as part of your introduction particularly if you are not using a prescriptive structure (i.e. intro, literature review, methodology, findings, discussion, conclusion). Explain briefly to the reader what will be in each chapter and why. Outline your key arguments and the order in which they will be presented. It can also be useful to include a short introduction and conclusion within each chapter.

Use meaningful headings and sub-headings to guide your reader through your written work. The examples below show tables of contents for different types of research project. You will notice that each project uses very specific headings to inform their reader of what to expect in that section. This will help the reader, but also helps you to plan your content and ensure it is in a logical order and directly relevant to your topic.

Video - What does a coherent structure look like? View video using Microsoft Stream (link opens in a new window, available for University members only).

• Abstract/Executive Summary

Abstract or executive summary

Presented at the start of your research project after the title page, the abstract provides a brief summary of your whole project and should be written at the end of the process. It should include:

• The purpose of the research project and the question you are attempting to answer
• The methods you used to conduct your research
• The main findings and conclusions

If you are writing a business report you may be expected to include an executive summary instead of an abstract. Written last, it will be presented after the title page and will provide a summary of the report. It will usually be longer than a research abstract (approx. 2 paragraphs), and will:

• Outline the key problem
• Identify the scope and objectives
• Emphasise the main findings and conclusions
• Highlight the crucial recommendations

The Introduction

This is where you will set the scene for the rest of your project. There is not one way to write it, but asking yourself these questions can help you to present a clear and well-structured introduction:

What are you doing?

Why are you doing, how are you going to do it.

If you are not incorporating a separate literature review or background chapter you might include a review of relevant current literature in your introduction.

The use of themed chapters is common in arts and humanities, or if you are undertaking a literature-based project. These chapters are where you will present and build your arguments. Each chapter should deal with a major aspect of your subject but link together. Remember you are constructing an argument, not just reporting your research or the research of others. You should analyse and evaluate the primary evidence, arguments ideas and conclusions presented.

Give your chapter clear titles, not just chapter 1, chapter 2 etc. Your title should accurately reflect the content and should be consistent in terms of tone and writing style.

Literature review

You will probably find that you have a lot of material to read through for your research project, and that can feel overwhelming. There are different strategies that you can use to help make your reading more efficient and to decide which sources are relevant to your project.

Video - What is a literature review and why is it an important part of a research project? View video using Microsoft Stream (link opens in a new window, available for University members only).

A literature review IS NOT :

• A descriptive list or summary of sources, such as books and journals
• An exhaustive bibliography on everything ever written on the topic - you need to make decision about what to include

A literature review SHOULD :

• Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of your topic area, including key concepts, controversies or debates, significant authors, terminology, theories and definitions
• Identify what research has been conducted and identify any gaps or limitations in the research to help you formulate your own research question
• Identify the main research methodologies in your subject area
• Provide a context and justification for your own work

Video - What did you find most difficult about doing your literature review? View video using Microsoft Stream (link opens in a new window, available for University members only).

Structure of a literature review

Every literature review is different; how you structure your review will depend on the type of final year project you are writing and what subject you are studying. It is a good idea to seek guidance from your supervisor.

Below are some common structures that could be considered, and it may be appropriate to combine these approaches. You may want to check with your supervisor about which structure(s) would be most appropriate for you.

Thematically

Chronologically, methodologically/theoretically.

Once you have decided on the structure of your review, you can develop headings and subheadings.

When deciding on the structure of your literature review, you may want to think about the degree of depth that you need to go into when discussing previous research. You could structure your review by starting off with general references to the literature in the topic area, then move closer to the literature that is directly relevant to your study. This is sometimes referred to as a funnel structure.

Medium Shots

Funnel model adapted from Succeeding with your doctorate by Wellington et al., 2005.

Longs shots and close ups adapted from Surviving your dissertation by Rudestam, 2007.

Introduction to a literature review

The introduction to your literature review may include:

• Why the topic you are looking at is important - is it an area of current interest?
• Has the topic been widely researched or not?
• Any significant gaps in the research
• Any debates of controversy about the topic, or whether there is a consensus?
• The scope of the review - what aspects of the topic are you going to cover in your review?
• How is the review organised, e.g. chronologically, thematically or methodologically?

Checklist adapted from Writing a Literature Review session, delivered by Dr Hazel Kent and Jane Sharp, Bishop Grosseteste University College, Lincoln, 2011.

Writing critically in the literature review

When you start to write your literature review, you need to draw on the critiques you have developed during the critical reading stage . You should be writing critically about the literature which can include:

• Comparing and contrasting different theories, concepts etc., and indicating the position you are taking for your own work
• Showing how limitations in others’ work creates a research gap for you
• Strategic and selective referencing to support the underpinning arguments which form the basis of your research
• Synthesising and reformulating arguments from various sources to create a new/more developed point of view
• Agreeing with/defending a point of view or finding
• Accepting that current viewpoints have some strengths, but qualifying your position by highlighting weaknesses
• Rejecting a point of view with reasons (e.g. lack of evidence)
• Making connections between sources

List adapted from Ridley, D. 2008. The literature review: A step-by-step guide for students. London: SAGE .

The Conclusion of a literature review

Conclude your literature review with a statement that summarises your review and links this to your own research/current issues.

Reviewing your literature review

This checklist will help you assess your literature review. Writing a literature review is an iterative process, so be prepared to re-visit it if you feel you haven’t addressed all of these questions:

• Does your review show a clear understanding of the topic?
• Have all key landmark studies been cited and most of them discussed?
• Is there a suitable structure and logical development to the review?
• Does the review state clear conclusions about previous research, using appropriate evidence?
• Does the review show the variety of definitions and approaches to the topic?
• Does the review reach sound recommendations, using a coherent argument that is based on evidence?
• Is the text written in a clear style, free of spelling and grammatical errors and with complete references?
• Does the review show a gap in existing knowledge?

Anticipate readers’ questions, do not leave your work open to questions such as:

• “What is your point here?”
• “What makes you think so?”
• “What is your evidence?”

Methodology / Methods

The methods section would usually appear after your literature review. For more information about what goes into this section, please see Researching Your Topic .

Findings / results and discussion

You might combine your findings and discussion into one chapter, or you might present them in two separate chapters.

Findings/results

You should provide an objective description of the key findings that help you to answer your research question(s). Even if your findings/results section is separate from your discussion, it is usually appropriate to highlight any significant results, indicating whether they confirm, partially support, are inconclusive, or contradict your hypothesis or previous research.

You need to consider the best way to organise your results, such as under the headings that reflect your research questions or by importance; consult your supervisor if you are unsure.

You should consider using headings and sub-headings to help your reader navigate your results.

Where appropriate, use tables, graphs or other visual aids to help your reader understand your results. Make sure they are clearly labelled and that you explain them in your text. You don’t need to present all of your data/results in this section, just highlight the key trends and use your appendix to provide the rest of the data.

You need to interpret and critically analyse your results and explain to what extent and in what way they answer your research questions. You need to set your findings within the context of existing research that you will have discussed earlier in your project, usually in the literature review. It might be helpful to consider the following questions:

• Do your findings reflect, contradict or build on existing knowledge?
• Do they confirm, partially support, are inconclusive or contradict your hypothesis?
• Are there any anomalies?
• Were your findings unexpected and why that might be?
• What are the implications of your findings?

Here you can return your writing to the context of the wider academic debates. This should draw everything together and reiterate your main argument(s). Don’t bring in any new ideas/theories into your conclusion; anything you write about here should already have been discussed in the main body.

• What have you found? Remind the reader of your research problem, including your aims and objectives and research questions
• Synthesise your main findings. This will involve highlighting the main themes and showing how they fit together (rather than repeating all of your points). What is your overall conclusion?
• How does your work correspond with, or differ from, other studies or theories?
• What has your research added to the academic debate in this area? Do you have any recommendations for future research, or implications for the real world?

Reference list / bibliography

You need to include a list of all the material you have cited throughout your project. Check with your school which referencing style you should use. For more information on referencing see Writing Up Your Project .

This is supplementary material that the reader may want to see, but does not fit into the main body of your project e.g. example questionnaire, consent forms, complete raw data. Clearly label your appendices (e.g Appendix A, Appendix B etc.) and use these labels when referring to your appendices in your project, e.g. "Appendix A shows…". Appendices are usually not included in your word count but make sure you check this with your supervisor.

Coherent structure in chapters Example

The following is from a School of Languages, Cultures and Societies master's dissertation entitled 'Antoinette's construction of the Self in Wide Sargasso Sea'.

Click to view and print this example .

Intro to Chapter 2

The second chapter of my research project focuses on the identity of the controversial character Antoinette in the 1966 - postcolonial novel Wide Sargasso Sea. While investigating the reasons that make Rhys’ masterpiece a rewriting of the canonical novel of Jane Eyre, I will also examine the intertextual relationship between Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea in order to explain how the Caribbean author managed to comply with her intention of restoring Antoinette’s identity; in fact, ‘remaining faithful to Brontë's plot line, Rhys exhibits the differences between the two sides of the Atlantic, the differences across the Sargasso Sea.

Furthermore, aided by Spivak’s and Lacan’s theorisations of the Other in relation to the Self, I will delve into the challenging task of comprehending the affirmation of an in-between identity such as that of Antoinette. This unit will, thus, lay the foundation for the analysis of subjectivity in letters which will be presented in the third chapter of this dissertation.

Conclusion to Chapter 2

The second chapter of the present research has offered an unusual interpretation of the construction of Antoinette’s identity in contrast to the latest critics of the impossible affirmation of the mad woman’s Self over the Other. Drawing on James’s and Sarup’s theorisations of the identity together with the Hegelian contribution to the subject, this chapter has demonstrated how Rhys has successfully accomplished her original aim of giving a life and an identity to Antoinette through the deconstruction of the oppressed character of Jane Eyre’s Bertha. The final chapter of this piece of research will attempt to prove the same through the analysis of the primary resource of Wide Sargasso Sea.

Intro to Chapter 3

If the second chapter of my piece of research tried to defend Rhys against her fierce critics who maintain that her attempt of Antoinette’s identity construction in the post- colonial novel of Wide Sargasso Sea is unsuccessful, the third one will aim to outlining the literary devices used by the author to construct Antoinette’s identity. While bearing in mind Lacan’s and Hegel’s approaches to the Self/ Other couplet, introduced in the previous chapter, this unit will analyse the relationship of power between Antoinette and Rochester in the heroine’s appropriation of the Self and it will give proof of Antoinette’s construction of subjectivity through the linguistic analysis of letters in Wide Sargasso Sea.

Click below to highlight areas of this introduction commented on by a tutor:

• The student provides a short introduction to this chapter by referring back to themes they have introduced in the previous chapter, and then then detailing how these will be explored more specifically in this chapter
• At the end of the chapter the student provides a brief conclusion which provides a recap on the main themes covered and then links forward to the next chapter
• Here the student makes a very clear connection for the reader between the previous chapter and current chapter. They provide an explanation of how the ideas connect, and what the reader can expect from reading this chapter

Table of Contents Example 1

The following table of contents is from a School of Law undergraduate dissertation entitled 'The potential effects of reduced street lighting on crime: an empirical study of the 'selective part-night street lighting' scheme in Leeds'.

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1: background.

• Leeds City Council’s ‘selective part-night street lighting’ scheme
• Selective part-night street lighting’s potential impacts on crime
• Reductions in street lighting and crime displacement

Chapter 2: Empirical study

• Preliminary concerns
• Research methods

Chapter 3: Summary of results

• Primary data: street level crime trends
• Secondary data: ward level crime trends

Chapter 4: Discussion

• Research limitations
• Appendix 1: Supplementary evidence
• Appendix 2: Raw primary research data
• Appendix 3: SPNSL site maps
• Appendix 4: Raw secondary research data

Table of Contents Example 2

The following table of contents is from a School of Mathematics undergraduate project entitled 'The dynamics of accretion discs'.

General introduction

Physical preliminaries.

• Position, velocity and acceleration
• Cylindrical polar coordinates
• Newton's laws of motion
• Linear and angular moment
• Newton’s law of gravity and gravitational field
• Equations of envy

The motion of particles in space

• Two body problem
• Reduction to a one body problem
• Minimum energy state

Further dissipation of energy

• Angular momentum transportation
• Mass transportation
• Summary of discrete particle analysis

Astrophysical fluid dynamics equations

• Introduction to a fluid element
• Lagrangian description of fluids
• Conservation of mass
• Forces on a fluid
• Equation of a motion
• Conservation of mass analysis
• Equation of motion analysis
• Derivation of the surface density diffusion equation
• Analysis of the diffusion equation
• Discussion of solution and steady state disc
• Keplerian assumption validation
• Accretion rates and luminosities of a steady disc
• Confrontation with observations

Magnetohydrodynamics equations

• Introduction to MHD
• The induction equation
• Ideal MHD equation of motion
• Summary of ideal MHD equation

Magnetised accretion disc

• Linear perturbation analysis
• MHD Waves and the origin of instability
• Discussion of linear stability analysis

Conclusion of the dynamics of accretion discs

Expressions in cylindrical coordinates, vector calculus identites, table of contents example 3.

The following table of contents is from a School of History undergraduate dissertation entitled 'Celebrities of an Age of War, 1739-1815'.

Chapter 1: The Martial Hero as a Celebrity

Chapter 2: structuralism and celebrity in eighteenth-century britain, chapter 3: context, character, and the importance of the public image, table of contents example 4.

The following table of contents is from a School of Civil Engineering undergraduate research project entitled 'The Effects of Cement Prehydration on Engineering Properties'.

• Prehydration of Cement
• Manufacture of Cement
• Hydration of Ordinary Portland Cement
• Hydration of C3S/C2S
• Hydration of C3A
• Hydration of C4AF
• Mechanism of Hydration
• Carbonation
• Properties of Fresh Cement
• Properties of Hardened Cement

Laboratory work

• Specimen preparation
• Thermogravimetric Analysis
• Conduction Calorimetry
• Compressive Strength Test
• X-Ray Diffraction
• Fourier Transform Infrared - Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR)
• Scanning Electron Microscope
• VICAT Penetration Test
• Standard Consistency
• Setting Time
• Flow Table Test

Results and Discussion

Abstract example 1.

The following abstract is from a School of Politics and International Studies student journal entitled 'Does corruption create additional challenges for Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in their partnership work with the Cambodian government (in education)?'.

Both ‘corruption in education’ and ‘partnership work’ have been given increased attention in international development sector over the last 20 years. This dissertation brings these issues together with a focus on the impact of corruption on NGO-government partnership work in Cambodia. This paper outlines challenges to NGO-government partnerships work under four key themes - definition, authority and legitimacy, advocacy and identity, and effectiveness. Cambodia is then put forward as a case study as it suffers from widespread systematic corruption in the education sector. The country has also had significant input to rebuild its education system through outside organisations, including significant support from NGOs. This dissertation draws on academic work, grey literature and eight interviews with NGOs manages to discuss “Does corruption create additional challenges for Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in their partnership work with the Cambodian government (in education)?”. It concludes that numerous additional challenges can be identified when looking at NGO-government partnerships through the ‘lens of corruption’ and partnership may not be the most appropriate model for addressing issues of corruption in education.

Abstract Example 2

The following abstract is from a School of Physics and Astronomy undergraduate dissertation entitled 'Quantum effects in biology'.

Recently, there has been a growing interest and controversy about the role that quantum effects might play in some biological processes. Here, two heavily studied examples of such effects are discussed: The impact of quantum coherence in the efficiency of energy transport in photosynthesis and the radical pair mechanism in the magnetic compass of birds. In this study, a review of theoretical and experimental work that has aided understanding these effects, provides the ground for discussion regarding their biological relevance. The findings of this work suggest that quantum coherence might be crucial for the efficiency of energy transfer in photosynthetic systems, whereas more evidence are needed to support the idea of a magnetic compass based on the radical pair mechanism. In addition, gaps in the current research in these two fields are identified and recommendations for further work are made.

Abstract Example 3

The following abstract is from a School of Languages, Cultures and Societies master's dissertation entitled 'An Investigation into Language and Cultural Planning in the Basque Country'.

This dissertation explores the efficacy of language and cultural policy in the Basque Country. It explores how Catalonia succeeded in reviving the Catalan language and culture after decades of oppression under General Franco’s dictatorship and whether a similar framework would be suitable for the Basque Country. The weaknesses in the administrative departments of the Basque government are exposed in addition to the inconsistencies of legislation in different Basque Provinces. The central issue concerns a lack of ideological agreement among political parties and members of the community which has hindered progress in increasing the number of speakers of the Basque language and encouraging interest in the Basque culture. The models of language and cultural policy used in Quebec and Wales are used as further comparisons to the Basque Country in order to establish whether it would be appropriate to explore policy outside of the Spanish context. Finally, the conclusion discusses how several separate problems have slowed the development of adequate policy in the Basque Country.

Executive Summary Example

The following executive summary is from a Leeds University Business School undergraduate report.

With recent budget concerns in the health service, the need to assess performance and accountability in regional hospitals has become even more important. This report was commissioned to assess whether a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) approach to performance management could be used in Eastham Hospital. The BSC tool was seen to be appropriate as it provides an overview of the risks and benefits of strategic and operational decisions. The information gathered from scorecard results will provide a means of accountability and support the health planning process. Based on the willingness of the board and employee attitude, it was also concluded that the BSC could be successfully used if the following recommendations are met:

• strengthening communication between senior management and hospital ward teams
• ensuring management are committed to the use of the BSC
• coordinating a target setting and reward system for staff

Introduction Example

The following introduction is from a School of History undergraduate research project entitled '“Uganda’s children are being sodomised left and right!”: change and continuity in perceptions of homosexuality in uganda, 1876-2014'.

On the 24th February 2014, President Yoweri Museveni signed The Anti - Homosexuality Act, an act prohibiting the occurrence, recognition or promotion of same-sex relations in Uganda. This is the apex of a state-driven, religion-endorsed homophobia which, since the Anglican Communion’s Lambeth Conference, 1998, has swept across the nation and embedded itself within public consciousness. Taxi drivers decorate their bumpers with stickers proudly proclaiming diatribes instructing people to ‘Say No 2 Sodomy’ whilst leading clergy implore citizens to ‘stand firm’ in their opposition to homosexuality. Across the rest of Africa these messages are the norm, not the exception; thirty-seven other African countries have anti-homosexuality laws. In 1995, two weeks after refusing to allow the organisation Gay and Lesbian Zimbabwe (GALZ) from taking part in a book fair, Robert Mugabe declared that homosexuality was ‘sub-human behaviour’, ‘worse than [that of] dogs and pigs’. More recently, in Zambia, Bishop Joshua Banda has claimed that same-sex couples ‘are doing it the wrong way’. With Museveni pronouncing that the Act was incited by ‘arrogant [...] Western groups [...] coming into our schools and recruiting young children’, it is clear that there are three major tropes within African perceptions of homosexuality; that it is (i) unnatural; (ii) un-Christian; and (iii) un-African.

Homosexuality has been presented as foreign to the African continent, since the late eighteenth century. However, it was not until the arrival of Christian missionaries in Buganda in the late 1870s, that this perception became cemented with their condemnation of Kabaka Mwanga’s homosexual relations. The Christian anthropologist, John Roscoe, had soon defined the sexuality of both the Banyoro and the Baganda as exclusively heterosexual. For the rest of the twentieth century, this presumption went largely unchallenged by anthropologists, and when homosexuality was mentioned, it was passed over swiftly or clarified as an anomaly. This continuing silence was punctuated only by the accounts of historians, who whilst writing about the pre-colonial Buganda, left the foreign assumptions of the missionaries unchallenged. Although the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) had been seen as a homosexual pandemic in the West, it was, and still is, seen as exclusively heterosexual in Africa. This silence was finally broken by T. Dunbar Moodie in 1994, who revealed that homosexual mine marriages were an integral part of a distinctly patriarchal microcosm in South Africa’s gold mines in the 1970s. This neatly coincided with the African National Congress including ‘sexual orientation’ in the equality clause of their new constitution.

With this barrier now broken, scholarship has been primarily focused on refuting the alienating claims of the increasingly homophobic rhetoric of African leaders. Marc Epprecht has been at the forefront of this research, perceiving homophobia, not homosexuality, as un-African. Recently, scholars have focused on trying to explain why virulent homophobia has emerged now; pointing their proverbial fingers at a multitude of factors ranging from fears of neo-imperialism, to the influence of the US evangelical Christian Right, and perceived threats to patriarchal heteronormative norms. While scholars may have answered the question of why now, they have been guilty of not delving deep enough into the past to explain why, a society they contend as traditionally having rather fluid notions of sexuality, has now unified behind homophobic principles.

Apart from being dismissed as the source of ‘un-African’ perceptions, little has been done to show how the Christian morality instilled by the European missionaries in pre-colonial Uganda is connected with the anti-homosexual sentiment of today. This is likely resulting from the fact that there is a distinct lack of African “voices” discussing homosexuality in the pre-colonial period. Outside of the unreliable quotes included in the plentiful accounts of the missionaries, the earliest mention of homosexuality by Baganda sources is within two histories written in the early 1900s. Although, they were written by two prominent converts, and as such repeat the moral language of the missionaries, by looking at their silences and using them alongside Luganda proverbs, we are able to explore how Christian mores transposed traditional notions of sexuality. Like anthropological research, colonial records are mostly devoid of reference to irregular sexualities. However, records relating to a series of disturbances at King’s College, Budo in 1942, reveal that homosexuality was prevalent amongst the students. Again, while authentic African opinion is limited, perceptions can be ascertained through careful analysis of the correspondence and reports of colonial officials. In direct contrast, the explosion of social media in recent years means that today’s “voices” are now easily accessible. Nevertheless, must remember that with homosexuality now a rather controversial topic, much of what Uganda’s leaders say deliberately creates or upholds certain perceptions.

With this in mind, it is important to define what ‘homosexuality’ means in this essay to avoid any confusion. Whilst Epprecht sees the term ‘homosexuality’ as embodying a wide variety of sexualities, it is defined by The Anti-Homosexuality Act as ‘same gender or same sex sexual acts’. However, it is clearly understood within Ugandan society as male-male relations, with current rhetoric distinguishing it from ‘lesbianism’. Therefore, although the male ‘homosexual’ relations discussed by the missionaries were not described as such, the term has been used throughout the essay in the interests of continuity.

This dissertation will attempt to provide a new insight into why perceptions of homosexuality are so adverse in Uganda today. In doing so, it will highlight how these perceptions have been marked by continuity and change over the past one hundred and forty years. We begin by exploring how the Baganda reacted to the Christian morality of the missionaries. Even though their narratives are limited, it is clear that this morality created an inflexible mesh of sexual virtues. This led to homosexuality becoming identified as a dangerous foreign immorality. Chapter II traces how, by the 1940s, this identity had developed, becoming associated with criminality and focuses on a period of disturbances which occurred within the grounds of the prestigious boarding school, King’s College, Budo. The final chapter explores how this multifaceted perception of abnormality forms a significant basis for the homophobic torrent espoused by Uganda’s leaders today.

• The student draws on legislation, journal articles, published reports and websites to set the context of the dissertation. They go straight into explaining relevant background about Uganda so it is clear to the reader why the student has focused on Uganda when researching this topic
• They also include relevant historic background about the recognition of homosexuality in Africa
• The student discusses and refers to current scholarship and where research is currently focussed. They reveal the gaps and weaknesses in this research
• The student continues to analyse in more depth the gaps in the current scholarly debates in this area
• The student uses the literature to provide a definition for homosexuality that will be used throughout the dissertation
• In the last paragraph the writer summarises how they are attempting to fill this research gap, outlining clearly the structure for the rest of the dissertation

Themed Chapters Example

The following is from a School of History undergraduate research project entitled '“Uganda’s children are being sodomised left and right!”: change and continuity in perceptions of homosexuality in uganda, 1876-2014'.

By characterising homosexual Ugandans as ‘mercenaries’, they become an embodiment of Western sexual immorality, prostituting themselves for a ‘gay agenda’.

With homosexuality foreign to cultural values, there is an assumption that NGOs are recruiting their “army” financially; Martin Ssempa has claimed that over $48 million had been invested into the ‘homosexual agenda’ over the past year. Although characteristically hyperbolic, Sssempa’s claim reflects a long-standing assumption within Ugandan society which connects homosexuality with financial transactions.

In 2003, after publicly defending homosexuality, a Ugandan academic received a text message from a friend congratulating her, stating that she was now ‘on [her] way to becoming a millionaire’ with all the money she was going to receive from the West.

One woman from Kumi District congratulated Museveni for having ‘served our people of’ Uganda, whilst signs at an organised celebratory event thanked the Government whilst declaring ‘Museveni, we the children thank you for saving our future’. This does nothing but enhance the perception that homosexuality is foreign, as with homosexuals now forced to go underground to survive, focus has begun to shift to the fight against ‘Obama, [...] the American Ambassador [and] Ban Ki-Moon’.

Homophobia thus forms part of a political discourse proliferated by both state and religious leaders in an attempt to assert the moral authority of Uganda’s postcolonial identity over a neo-imperialistic West.

The present incumbent, Rev. Simon Lokodo and his predecessor, James Buturo, have appeared frequently in mass media over the past decade, always presenting homosexuality as a foreign, aggressive malevolence within society. These public denouncements have become common place in a number of media outlets helping to construct a heavily sexualised ‘moral panic’ within Ugandan society.

Click below to highlight areas of this example commented on by a tutor:

• The student uses primary evidence (legislation) to put forward their argument that legislation led to homosexuality being perceived as a western concept and that financial gain and homosexual activity were inextricably linked
• Here the student is using primary evidence (appearance on a TV show) to expand upon this argument further. She does not just summarise what Ssempa had said but analyses it to reveal the significance of what he said
• The student then uses an example from a secondary source to illustrate their point further (an article from a journal article)
• Overall, in this paragraph the student has synthesised primary evidence and secondary literature to provide an analysis of their argument. This makes they have shown why they think what they think. They haven’t just presented the thoughts of others
• The student then evaluates this argument in more detail. Using literature (journal article) to show the significance of the argument being made in the previous paragraph
• The student ends by again drawing from the secondary literature to move their argument forward

Literature Review - Subheadings Example

The following is from a School of Geography undergraduate research project entitled 'Second homes: Investigating local perceptions and impact on communities in Cornwall'.

Literature Review (Chapter 2)

2.1 introduction, 2.2 the growth of second homes, 2.3 the emergence of british second homes in literature, 2.4 defining second homes, 2.5 the impacts of second-home ownership, 2.5.1 housing demand and local housing markets, 2.5.2 local services, employment and economic demand, 2.5.3 community interactions, 2.6 conclusion and gaps for further study, literature review - introduction example 1.

The following is an introduction to a literature review from a research project entitled 'An area based or a people based approach to measuring social deprivation within a national park? The case of Copeland'.

This review will examine the literature available on the main approaches towards measuring rural deprivation, with the view that literature overemphasises material deprivation at the expense of social deprivation. The review is comprised of two parts. The first focuses on the conceptualisation of rural deprivation, assuming that in order for it to be measured it first needs to be understood in terms of its absence from policy. The second focuses on ways of measuring rural deprivation and has three sections. Firstly, indicators of deprivation will be summarised and criticised in terms of their overrepresentation of the urban. Secondly two methodological approaches in measuring rural deprivation are reviewed; conventional area based approaches against recent people based approaches. Finally the policy implications of the two differing approaches towards measuring deprivation are examined with relation to a current inclusion of social capital in policy.

Click below to highlight the different areas of this introduction:

• Gaps in research
• Scope of the review
• Structure of the review

Literature Review - Introduction Example 2

The following is an introduction to a literature review from a research project entitled 'Life changes and experiences of international postgraduate student dependents: a feminist perspective'.

There has been very little academic or governmental re-search concerning female dependents of international students. Scholarship on migrant dependents concentrates on women with low human capital (Fechter, 2010; George, 2005; Yeoh & Willis, 2005) or the partners of elite migrants, including ex-pats and global businessmen (Walsh, 2006). The highly skilled, educated women who pause their careers to migrate as dependents rarely appear in the highly skilled migration field. (Purkayastha, 2005). Thus, this review will draw upon literature concerning a diverse range of migrant women who shaped my ideas of the issues a female international student dependent may negotiate.

Literature Review - Introduction Example 3

The following is an introduction to a literature review from a research project entitled 'BMI and Health: a u-shaped relationship?'.

More difficult to find is literature relating low BMI to health i.e. underweight and the health problems that are associated with underweight. This literature review aims to evaluate the information that is available regarding the u-shaped relationship between BMI and health, looking at both ends of the BMI scale. It also aims to discuss the use of BMI as an indicator of health and debate whether or not it deserves the high regard by which it is held by both national and international health organisations In order to overcome the lack of information about the relationship between BMI and health, this literature review will not limit itself by simply investigating studies that have linked BMI and health. It will explore research that has looked at the factors that influence BMI as well as factors (including BMI) that influence health.

Literature Review - Conclusion Example

Three principal inadequacies have been identified, illustrating the need for further investigation. Firstly, the amount of literature on second homes is very limited; widely neglected as a focus by a number of academics. The varied and dispersed nature of second-home literature means that it has not been able to develop as a mature literary realm (Haldrup, 2009; Hogart, 2001; McIntyre et al. 2006).

Secondly, research on the second-home impacts is widely based on assumption. Hypotheses are one-dimensional, assuming a simplistic relationship between second homes and host communities that can be summarised in a universal theory. The need for context and studies on individual communities is extensive; “actual impacts...should be seen as an empirical question rather than assumed to result from a standard cause-effect relationship” (Paris, 2009, p.306). Thirdly, second homes are often blamed entirely for negative impacts; in reality there are other factors that come into play. These include retirement migration, globalisation, inadequate housing, internet shopping and supermarkets, low wages, and the decline of ‘traditional’ industries (CRC, 2010; Gallent et al., 2001; 2005; Oram et al., 2003; Shucksmith, 2000).

The content of many previous studies can also be identified as insufficient: a number of academics still focus too heavily on profiling second-home owners, mapping distributions, and finding universal trends (Thornton, 1996). Field research on the impacts of second homes on host communities is almost non-existent. Local knowledge is very important to understand the complexities of such a phenomenon, but many researchers have not used this as a resource. The studies that do look at host communities have tended to aggregate ‘locals’ and ‘second-homers’ into categories regardless of their interests or opinions (Paris, 2009). Others ignore assessing the attitudes of second-home owners all together (Girard and Gartner, 1993).

Although a number of contemporary studies attempt to develop new theories about the implications of second-home ownership, there does not seem to be much progression away from ‘traditional’ studies discussed in Section 2.3. Many realms remain unexplored and questions go unanswered; this provides an agenda for my own research.

Findings / Results and Discussion Example 1

The following is a School of Psychology master's dissertation entitled 'An Investigation into the Representation of Muslims in The Sun Newspaper and its Effects'.

Findings / Results and Discussion Example 2

The following is a School of Media and Communication undergraduate project entitled 'An Investigation into the Relationship between Early Exposure and Brand Loyalty'.

Conclusion Example 1

The following is from a Leeds University Business School undergraduate research project entitled 'Dressed to Disrupt: Motivations Behind Millennial Women Consuming Feminist Fashion'.

This thesis answers the research question set out at the beginning: to understand the underlying values that are driving the surge in millennials consuming feminist fashion. Using laddered interviews, this research extracted eight value chains that revealed seven underlying values, fulfilling Research Objective 4 (R.O.4). These underlying values have been used as a basis to identifying consumer segments within the feminist fashion market.

The most dominant underlying value (based on the sum of direct and indirect links) is ‘Educating others/Raising awareness’ of feminism, suggesting an opportunity for successful marketing campaigns targeting educators. This finding achieves Research Objective 3.

Respondents noted their preferences for social media platforms with a more accepting cohort of users (such as Instagram), thus addressing Research Objective 2 (R.O.2). Despite literature debate that millennials are paying virtual lip-service to feminism (Schuster, 2013), this research finds that these young women are actually driven by their underlying value of educating others and raising awareness of feminism, through their visible (and sometimes costly) fashion consumption choices. Previously researched prosocial behaviours (Kristofferson et al., 2014) were found to be driven by the desire to present a positive image to others and to remain consistent with one’s values. This research extends Kristofferson et al.’s (2014) framework to include the fact that the consumption of feminist fashion is also driven by the underlying desire to disrupt the status quo.

• Here the student reminds the reader of the research problem and the research they carried out.
• The student emphasises the main finding from their research.
• The student highlights how their conclusions links with existing literature and frameworks. They could have also included some recommendations for future research to further understanding of this area.

Conclusion Example 2

The following is from a Leeds University Business School undergraduate research project entitled 'Exploring Social Perceptions of Women Leaders at Work: How does the Double Bind of Appearance and Personality Impact Women's Opportunities to make it to the Top?'.

The methods employed to facilitate this research have generated a deeper understanding of how the ‘double bind’ impacts women’s opportunities to make it to the top. Not only this, but enabled an exploration of the social perceptions of women leaders. Findings have indicated that authentic leadership, which is growing in popularity amongst organisations, may help women’s career progression.

The first aspect of the ‘double bind’, personality, was confirmed as women who adopted ‘masculine’ leadership styles such as: assertiveness and confidence were valued in executive positions. This supported existing theory that feminine styles of leadership are undesirable in organisations. However, this may change as women leaders reported the growing popularity of ‘authentic leadership.’ It appears that authentic leadership may improve women’s representation in executive positions, as organisations become more educated about its benefits.

The objective of comparing and contrasting viewpoints of women was also established during interviews. Both groups indicated a desire for authentic leadership. Despite this, massive contrasts between the two emerged, as many women at the lower end of the organisation held negative opinions on women leaders. This was due to leaders adhering to stereotypical forms of masculine leadership, which caused resentment. However, women leaders who adhered to stereotypical feminine forms of leadership were positively perceived by other women.

Establishment of barriers beyond the ‘double bind’ were also discussed. Motherhood and a lack of ‘real models’ in organisations contributed as barriers. Without the ‘double bind’, the above barriers would still hinder women’s progression, thus equality for parental rights and rewarding more working mothers would be an adequate response to this problem.

The research has mainly proven existing theory that the ‘double bind’ exists in organisations. However, this is statement is extremely difficult to generalise to all organisations, in particular industries. Although this research has contributed in identifying existing barriers to career progression, as well as a more covert form of the ‘double bind’, industries and sectors must be analysed separately to understand whether the perceptions of the ‘double bind’ are equally applicable to all industries.

• The student reminds the reader of their research area, and the main finding from their research.
• Here the student highlights their findings, and explains how these relate to the literature.
• The student highlights how their research has contributed to the academic debate in this area, and makes suggestions for further research to be carried out.

Want to Get your Dissertation Accepted?

Discover how we've helped doctoral students complete their dissertations and advance their academic careers!

Join 200+ Graduated Students

Get Your Dissertation Accepted On Your Next Submission

Get customized coaching for:.

• Crafting your proposal,
• Collecting and analyzing your data, or
• Preparing your defense.

Trapped in dissertation revisions?

Sample dissertation cover page + how to, published by steve tippins on may 26, 2020 may 26, 2020.

Last Updated on: 6th June 2024, 02:20 am

If you’re wondering about making your dissertation cover page, chances are you’re nearing the final stretch of your doctoral journey. Congratulations!

Luckily, making your title page is one of the simplest tasks you’ll have to complete. Generally speaking, there’s a template your institution will use and you just have to fill in your information.

What Should a Dissertation Cover Page Include?

The inner artist in you might want to make your dissertation cover page beautiful: printed in color, maybe with pictures, or with an interesting font or design. However, you’re going to be limited by your university. 

Pretty much every university that I’ve come across has a template and guidelines that you must follow for your dissertation cover page. You may just be filling in things like your title, name, your university’s name, maybe your committee members’ names, and not much more. You won’t have much (if any) creative license.

The advantage of this is, by the time you get to that stage, you may be tired of writing and it will be easier to follow directions than to come up with something creative. Your dissertation cover page doesn’t need to be a work of art. It just needs to convey what the dissertation is about.

Dissertation Cover Page: The Title

The aspect of your dissertation cover page that you have the most control over is the title . It’s also the most important to get right. 

The main thing to remember is, keep the title simple . It should simply tell a person what they’re going to read in the document. Don’t try to intrigue people or be too clever, just tell them directly. Having a straightforward title helps your committee approve your dissertation more quickly.

Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations.

Your title should include relevant information that gives the reader a complete picture of what your study was about. Generally speaking, you’ll want to cover a few specific areas.

Quantitative Title Requirements

• Type of relationship between variables.
• Key variables (independent and dependent).
• Population.

Qualitative Title Requirements

• Central conceptual issue investigated.
• Qualitative tradition applied.
• Participant group.

See this article for a more in-depth discussion of choosing your dissertation’s title .

Sample Dissertation Cover Page

Your dissertation cover page should look something like this:

While each university has slightly different requirements, generally speaking, a dissertation cover page looks something like this, above. The required sections are as follows:

A Dissertation

Submitted to XXXXX University

Graduate Faculty of the School of XXXXXXXX

in Partial Fulfillment of the 

Requirements for the Degree of 

DOCTOR OF XXXXXXXXXX

City, State (of the university)

Final Thoughts

While your dissertation title page doesn’t have to be fancy, it’s important that it aligns with your university’s requirements. Take a look at their rubric and, if needed, look at completed dissertations’ title pages as well. If all else fails, ask your mentor for help.

Once you’ve finished this, pat yourself on the back. You’re almost done!

PS. Need support getting through the final stages of your dissertation, or moving into the world of your career? As a dissertation coach and career coach , I’ve helped countless students achieve their dreams. Let’s achieve yours. Book a free 30-minute consultation today.

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

Related Posts

Dissertation

Dissertation memes.

Sometimes you can’t dissertate anymore and you just need to meme. Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Here are some of my favorite dissertation memes that I’ve seen lately. My Favorite Dissertation Memes For when you Read more…

Surviving Post Dissertation Stress Disorder

The process of earning a doctorate can be long and stressful – and for some people, it can even be traumatic. This may be hard for those who haven’t been through a doctoral program to Read more…

PhD by Publication

PhD by publication, also known as “PhD by portfolio” or “PhD by published works,” is a relatively new route to completing your dissertation requirements for your doctoral degree. In the traditional dissertation route, you have Read more…

Welcome to White Rose eTheses Online

White rose etheses online.

Welcome to White Rose eTheses Online, a shared repository of electronic theses from the University of Leeds, the University of Sheffield and the University of York.

Student from the University of Leeds, Sheffield or York? Need to upload your thesis? Start by creating an account , or login to your account

If you are unsure if this is the right place for you, check the FAQs .

Recent additions for Leeds , Sheffield , York or all recent additions .

What is White Rose eTheses Online?

This repository gives access to theses awarded by the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York. The available repository content can be accessed for free, without the need to log on or create an account, as per the instructions of the depositing author. We also make the content available through aggregator sites via harvesting mechanisms.

Dissertations and major projects

• Planning your dissertation
• Researching your dissertation
• Managing your data
• Introduction

Managing your time

Structuring your dissertation, keeping going, finishing off and checking through, useful links for dissertations and major projects.

• Study Advice Helping students to achieve study success with guides, video tutorials, seminars and appointments.
• Maths Support A guide to Maths Support resources which may help if you're finding any mathematical or statistical topic difficult during the transition to University study.
• Academic writing LibGuide Expert guidance on punctuation, grammar, writing style and proof-reading.
• Guide to citing references Includes guidance on why, when and how to use references correctly in your academic writing.
• The Final Chapter An excellent guide from the University of Leeds on all aspects of research projects
• Royal Literary Fund: Writing a Literature Review A guide to writing literature reviews from the Royal Literary Fund
• Academic Phrasebank Use this site for examples of linking phrases and ways to refer to sources.

Writing up your dissertation makes it sound like this is the last big step that you do, but it is a good idea to start writing as you go along, as the writing process will help clarify your thinking. It is also reassuring to have some words down on the page. You may have other coursework due so it is important to protect your dissertation writing time.

The guidance on this page takes you through the whole writing process from managing your time to those crucial mark-gaining final checks.

Plan an overall work schedule

Break down your dissertation into stages and  plan backwards from your deadline  to fit them all in.

• Start with your literature review
• Think about your methodology
• Identify primary sources
• Identify secondary sources, if appropriate
• Write as you go along
• Organise and analyse your material
• Redraft / check / proofread

Do a little bit on a regular basis

• Decide in advance when you're going to work on your dissertation – set aside time each week or have a particular day to work on it
• Give yourself a specific task to do in that time
• Do difficult tasks at the times of day you work best
• Do easy tasks when you're tired / less motivated

• Managing time for your dissertation (video) Watch this brief video tutorial for more on the topic.
• Managing time for your dissertation (transcript) Read the transcript.

It's a good idea to  write an overall plan  outlining what you need to cover in each chapter.

Think of a dissertation like a series of linked essays; each chapter is self-contained and has its own purpose, but they all connect together to contribute to the argument of your dissertation.

The chapters don't have to all be the same length – some can be longer because they are more detailed (like the literature review) and others can be shorter because they are summarising and finalising information (like the conclusion).

• Structuring your dissertation (video) Watch this brief video tutorial for more on the topic.
• Structuring your dissertation (transcript) Read the transcript.

Write up as you go along . It is much easier to keep track of how your ideas develop and writing helps clarify your thinking. It also saves having to churn out 1000s of words at the end.

You don't have to start with the introduction  – start at the chapter that seems the easiest to write – this could be the literature review or methodology, for example. Alternatively you may prefer to write the introduction first, so you can get your ideas straight. Decide what will suit your ways of working best - then do it.

Think of each chapter as an essay in itself  – it should have a clear introduction and conclusion. Use the conclusion to link back to the overall research question.

Think of the main argument of your dissertation as a river , and each chapter is a tributary feeding into this. The individual chapters will contain their own arguments, and go their own way, but they all contribute to the main flow.

Write a chapter, read it and do a redraft - then move on. This stops you from getting bogged down in one chapter.

Write your references properly  and in full from the beginning. Consider using a reference management tool such as EndNote or Mendeley to store the details of the materials you will want to use and to add them to your text.

Keep your word count in mind  – be ruthless and don't write anything that isn't relevant. It's often easier to add information, than have to cut down a long chapter that you've slaved over for hours.

Save your work!  Remember to save your work frequently to somewhere you can access it easily. It's a good idea to at least save a copy to a cloud-based service like Google Docs or Dropbox so that you can access it from any computer - if you only save to your own PC, laptop or tablet, you could lose everything if you lose or break your device.

• Writing up your dissertation (video) Watch this brief video tutorial for more on the topic.
• Writing up your dissertation (transcript) Read the transcript.
• Literature reviews LibGuide Expert guidance on researching and writing your literature review.
• Doing your literature review (video) Watch this brief video tutorial for more on the topic.
• Doing your literature review (transcript) Read the transcript.
• Managing references An overview of different systems for managing your references.

After the initial enthusiasm wears off, it can be hard to keep motivated – it's also natural to feel confused and overwhelmed at points throughout your dissertation; this is all part of sustaining a longer project. Here are some suggestions to keep you going:

Break down large, unappealing tasks  into smaller bearable ones. Molehills are always easier to climb than mountains!

Give yourself rewards  when you've completed tasks - these might range from a cup of coffee, to an exercise session, or a night out.

If you're not in a good thinking mood,  do more straightforward tasks  like compiling the bibliography or doing the title page.

If you're feeling confused about what you're doing,  try writing a short paragraph  summarising what your research is about. This can help you find a focus again.

If you're feeling overwhelmed,  try identifying the one thing that you need to do next ; often this will logically lead to further steps, and you'll be able to get started again.

Talk to friends or your supervisor about what you're doing ; explaining where you are in your project and how it's going can help clarify your thinking.

General principles are:

• Double-space your writing, do not have narrow margins, and print on one side of the page only.
• Use a font that is legible and looks professional (Comic Sans is not appropriate!).
• Check what should be included in cover pages and headers and footers (e.g. page numbers).
• Have a clear Table of Contents to help your reader, and a separate List of Illustrations or tables if appropriate.
• Consider what information should be put in Appendices and check that you have referred to the appropriate appendix in your text.

If you're trying to track down that missing reference for your bibliography, you can always ask your Academic Liaison Librarian  for help finding it.

Undergraduate dissertations are usually 'soft bound'. This means having a soft card cover, with the pages joined together with comb, spiral, or thermal binding. You can get this done at many print shops, often while you wait.

If you choose to get your work hard bound, it can take a few days (more at busy times), so check with the printers / stationers beforehand.

• Finishing your dissertation (video) Watch this brief video tutorial for more on the topic.
• Finishing your dissertation (transcript) Read the transcript.
• << Previous: Managing your data
• Last Updated: Jul 23, 2024 2:41 PM
• URL: https://libguides.reading.ac.uk/dissertations

Templates — University of Leeds

Templates tagged University of Leeds

Show all Templates

Related Tags

Get in touch.

Have you checked our knowledge base ?

Message sent! Our team will review it and reply by email.

Email: 

• Academic life
• Registration
• Module Enrolment
• Discovery Modules
• Creating Sustainable Futures
• Enterprise and Innovation
• Ethics, Religion and Law
• Exploring the Sciences
• Languages and Intercultural understanding
• Media, Culture and Creativity
• Mind and Body
• Personal and Professional Development
• Power and Conflict
• Technology and its Impacts
• Making changes
• Attendance and Absences
• Academic Dates and Deadlines
• Study Support
• Leeds for Life
• Plus Programme
• Higher and Degree Apprenticeships
• School of Medicine
• Lifelong learning centre
• Online learning support
• Navigating online learning systems
• Key dates and locations
• Preparing for your assessments
• Online assessments
• On-campus assessments
• I need help during the assessment period
• What happens after the assessment period?
• Classification
• Academic Integrity
• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• Postgraduate research
• Starting your research
• During your research
• Thesis Submission and the Viva
• Postgraduate researcher policies and procedures
• Funding for postgraduate researchers
• The Doctoral College
• Research practice
• If your research is disrupted
• Prepare for your graduation ceremony
• Leaving the university
• Official documentation and regulations
• Feedback and complaints
• Responding to your feedback
• Research student policies and procedures
• Taught student policies and procedures
• Paying fees and charges
• University scholarships and funds
• Leeds Bursary
• University Financial Assistance Fund
• External funding
• Student loans
• American and Canadian student funding
• Funding for medics and dentists
• NHS Learning Support Fund
• Study abroad and work placements
• Finding work
• Opportunities
• Languages for All
• The Turing Scheme
• Leadership programmes
• Support and wellbeing
• Counselling and wellbeing
• Groups and workshops
• Togetherall, resources and self help
• Your emotional wellbeing
• Healthy relationships with yourself and others
• Dealing with academic challenges and life stress
• Academic stress and challenges
• Life stress and challenges
• Support for our diverse students
• Disabled student support
• Who we support
• Setting up your support
• Funding for disabled students
• Support for disabled students
• Your safety
• Fraud, phishing, scams; don't lose your money
• Safety at home
• Your personal safety
• Bereavement
• Medical services and what to do if you're ill
• Harassment and misconduct
• Sexual Violence
• Your campus experience and life in Leeds
• Study abroad
• Where can I go?
• Prepare to apply
• Get ready to go
• Study Abroad funding and costs
• During your Study Abroad year
• Returning to Leeds
• Summer abroad
• International students
• Prepare for Leeds
• Your first weeks at Leeds
• International orientation
• Complete start-up processes
• Opening a bank account
• Settle into life at Leeds
• Global Community
• Intercultural work and volunteering
• Intercultural experiences
• Explore Languages and Cultures
• Living in the UK
• International families
• Work volunteering and your visa
• Student Life
• Your time in Leeds
• Finding Your Way Around
• Children and Family
• Staying Safe
• Health and wellbeing
• The Leeds Partnership
• Laidlaw Leadership and Research Programme
• Undergraduate research opportunities
• Applications and interviews
• Career options
• Starting your own business (SPARK)
• Jobs and work experience
• Discover your future
• Final year support
• Leadership programme

Referral and resubmission for research degrees

If the examiners recommend that your thesis is referred for resubmission, then you'll be required to revise the thesis, which may include further research, and then resubmit it for re-examination.  

Please see the Guide for candidates referred for resubmission on the Policies and procedures page of the SES website for more information on the processes explained on this webpage.    

Referral 

If the examiners recommend referral for resubmission, you will be required to revise the thesis, which may entail further research or any other activity required by the examiners, and then resubmit this to the University for re-examination. You may be required to attend a second viva. 

Notes for guidance  

Alongside the report on the examination, the examiners are required to prepare ‘Notes for Guidance’ which outlines the changes which are required. The Notes for Guidance will set out the sections or aspects of the thesis which need improvement and information about what work is required to enable you to revise the thesis for resubmission to meet the standard required for award.  

You will not receive your Notes for Guidance directly from your examiners after your viva. The Notes for Guidance must be submitted with the examiners’ report to Doctoral College Operations (DCO) for scrutiny by the Graduate Board’s Progression and Examinations Group. The examiners’ report and Notes for Guidance will be issued to you by DCO after approval by the Group with information describing how to resubmit for re-examination. DCO aim to send you your approved report and Notes for Guidance within a period of six weeks from receipt of the report and Notes for Guidance. This will be uploaded to GRAD and a notification sent to your University email address.  If for any reason it will not be possible to meet this timescale you will be kept informed.  

Supervision during the referral period 

To keep the resubmission on course before the maximum time limit, it is expected that supervisory contact and support will continue during the referral period.  Supervisors are asked to provide up to six supervision meetings a year during the referral period. Whilst the precise nature, pattern and timing of supervisions will vary depending on the stage of the resubmission, and the extent and nature of the work required for resubmission, recommended best practice is that meetings will be held at regular intervals during the referral period (until resubmission) and include at least: 

• An early meeting (or equivalent), normally within one month of receipt of the examiners’ report and notes for guidance; and 
• A meeting (or equivalent) around the mid-point of the referral period (eg around nine to 12 month point for doctoral PGRs) if the thesis has not been resubmitted. 

Supervisions should continue to be recorded in GRAD and may take place in a variety of forms (for example in face-to-face meetings when the PGR is in the UK or by other means such as video conferencing where appropriate). For PGRs in the referral period the University appreciates that supervision may take the form of reading and commenting on draft chapters of the thesis prior to resubmission.  PGRs must ensure that they provide their supervisor with re-drafts of work for comment within a reasonable timescale. PGRs should take the advice of their supervisor whether or not to resubmit their work for examination. PGRs are strongly recommended not to resubmit against their supervisor’s advice. However, PGRs are solely responsible for the decision to resubmit their work for resubmission. 

Additional information for PGRs holding a student visa

If you hold a current Student Visa and you wish to remain in the UK during the referral period, DCO will contact your School to establish that there is academic need for you to study at the University. The University can only continue to sponsor you during the referral period if there is a genuine academic need for you to remain in the UK during the referral period to use University facilities. You should be studying full time in the UK and there is an expectation that supervision meetings will take place on campus/in-person. If you do not need to use University facilities in person or could re-draft your thesis from outside the UK, then the University cannot continue to sponsor during the referral period.

If you have an active CAS and don’t need to remain in the UK, your sponsorship will be withdrawn. You will be notified of this once your referral has been confirmed, and you should take advice from the Student Visa Advice team .

If it is confirmed that there is an academic need for you to remain in the UK during the referral period, the School must implement regular supervision meetings and contacts in order to monitor attendance and maintain sponsor duties. In these cases the normal attendance monitoring arrangements must apply (a minimum of 10 supervision meetings a year, with gaps of no more than 8 weeks) with attendance/supervision meetings recorded and attendance and progress monitored as set out in the Attendance and Engagement Monitoring Policy. 

Examination entry 

A minimum of three months before the thesis is resubmitted for examination, you must enter for re-examination by completing the examination entry process. Normally the same team of examiners will act for the resubmission, except in exceptional circumstances.  

• You will have a ‘task’ in GRAD to complete the examination entry workflow again for your resubmission 
• The workflow will be automatically populated with the information from your first submission eg your thesis title, ethical review and publication information. You can check this and amend (if necessary) for your resubmission 
• When you submit the workflow, it will move to your supervisor so they can confirm the team of examiners for your resubmitted thesis. 
• You can track the process of the workflow via the status box in GRAD 

Resubmission 

The referral period begins from the date the Report and Notes for Guidance are issued following approval by the Progression and Examinations Group and the deadline will be included in the GRAD notification from DCO which is sent with your Report and Notes for Guidance. This is the maximum time limit for resubmission and you may resubmit at any point in the referral period, once the amendments have been made and your thesis is ready for resubmission. The thesis must be resubmitted for examination to GRAD. Your resubmission must not be sent directly to your examiners. 

If circumstances arise which may prevent you from resubmitting your thesis by your resubmission deadline you must talk to your Graduate School as soon as possible for advice. Please see the Taking time out from your research page of the For Students website for advice on suspensions and extensions as well as the Policy on Suspensions and Extensions to the correction/referral period on the Policies and Procedures page of the Student Education Service (SES) website . 

You must upload to GRAD, alongside your resubmitted thesis, a summary of how your revised thesis has responded to changes listed by your examiners in the Notes for Guidance. This will assist the examiners when considering your resubmitted thesis.   

Once your resubmitted thesis is sent for examination, the appropriate fee will be charged. 

Resubmission fee

Once your resubmitted thesis is sent for examination the appropriate re-examination fee will be charged. Student Finance (Fees) will contact you about this. The fee is subject to an increase each academic year and you should contact Student Finance (Fees) at the appropriate time for details of the fee levels beyond the current year. 

Fees for 2023/24: Doctoral resubmissions (eg PhD, MD, EdD, DClinPsychol, DPaedDent) £555 MPhil resubmission £405 Masters by Research resubmission £325  

Examination 

The resubmitted thesis is subject to the same process as the first examination, with both the internal and external examiners required to examine the resubmitted thesis. The examiners may hold a second viva if they deem it appropriate. Your examiners will confirm whether or not a second viva is needed after they have considered your resubmitted thesis.  

Appealing 

Please see the Outcome of the viva page on the For Students website for more information about appealing the outcome of your viva. 

• The Library
• Leeds University Union
• Terms & Conditions
• Accessibility
• Privacy and cookies
• Freedom of Information

© 2024 University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT

Skills for Learning : IT & Digital Skills

Tools in Microsoft Word can help with your dissertation formatting. They will allow you to work on your document in the most efficient way. Using these tools will also give your dissertation a professional look.

We run interactive workshops to help you develop your academic IT skills. Find out more on the Skills for Learning Workshops page.

Our Dissertations & Literature Reviews pages contain information about planning and writing your dissertation or major project.

We have online academic skills modules within MyBeckett for all levels of university study. These modules will help your academic development and support your success at LBU. You can work through the modules at your own pace, revisiting them as required. Find out more from our FAQ What academic skills modules are available?

Guide to formatting your dissertation in Word

This guide explains how to format your dissertation document using Word. It includes: setting margins; line spacing; heading styles; and inserting images and tables. Click on the link below.

• Word dissertation guide
• Wait until the end to create your table of contents. Do not do this manually.  Word has a tool that does this automatically.
• Word will also create your table of figures, tables, and equations, or you can create your own label.
• Do not create headings manually using bold/indenting. Use Heading Styles. This allows you to use the Table of Contents tool later.
• Use the Section Break tool in Word. It allows you to control where page numbers appear and in what format.
• Use Ctrl + Enter to insert new pages.  If you just hit the Enter key, your formatting may become distorted.
• If you type in capitals by mistake, you don't need to start again - Word has a tool that will change the case for you.
• For guidance on accessibility, click on Creating accessible Word documents .

Dissertation template

This Word document is a template which you can download and use to build your finished dissertation document. Click on the link below.

• Leeds Beckett Dissertation Template
• Download the file and save it with a suitable file name.
• Type your own text into the different sections – the page numbering will automatically adjust. Delete the instructional text.
• Add any additional sections or subsections as required.
• Delete any sections or subsections you do not require.
• Use the ‘References – Table of Contents’ function to update the table of contents as required.
• Dissertation formatting checklist

This checklist takes you through the main formatting steps for a structured dissertation document. Click on the link below.

There are variations in practice across different subjects and courses. Check course documentation or any other guidance you are given on formatting requirements.

• Academic Honesty (Integrity) Module in MyBeckett
• Assignment Calculator
• Building on Feedback
• Disability Advice
• Essay X-ray tool
• International Students' Academic Introduction
• Manchester Academic Phrasebank
• Quote, Unquote
• Skills and Subject Suppor t
• Turnitin Grammar Checker

{{You can add more boxes below for links specific to this page [this note will not appear on user pages] }}

Skills for Learning workshops  and events are mixture of live sessions and on demand recordings.

Skills for Learning FAQs

0113 812 1000

• Service Alerts
• Tell Us What You Think

• University Disclaimer
• Accessibility