Writing a Dissertation: A Step-by-Step Guide

A dissertation is a document written by a doctoral student in partial fulfillment of an academic degree that demonstrates the author's original research and findings. It typically comprises five major chapters: The introduction, literature review, methods, results, and discussion. If you are searching for dissertation writing assistance, our services have a team of qualified authors who compose top-quality documents and offer custom dissertation writing help in any area of study, including but not limited to, topic development, conducting data analysis using advanced statistical software, and offering guidance on the type of data to collect based on your study. In this article, we offer a guide to what a dissertation is, illustrating its classifications based on methodology, its structure, the writing process, and how to compose a dissertation proposal.

What is a Dissertation?

A dissertation is a scholarly document written in partial fulfillment of a doctoral degree that demonstrates the ability to conduct research and make an original contribution to theory/ practice. The researcher should introduce a fresh perspective to the field, formulate a new hypothesis, or develop a new innovative method that makes the project a distinctive contribution. A dissertation varies in format based on the writing style used, the field of study, or the university guidelines. Still, typically, the researcher develops a research question, conducts a comprehensive literature review, selects a methodology, collects data and analyzes it, and presents the results. In case you would like to get professional dissertation writers, we are available 24/7 to help you write a compelling dissertation for your academic success.

Types of Dissertations

Dissertations are classified based on the type of methodology and are categorized into qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods.

Quantitative Dissertations

A quantitative dissertation involves the application of statistical techniques and procedures to analyze numerical data aiming to formulate or test a new hypothesis and measure variables. Primary methods of data collection include surveys and experiments. Major characteristics of quantitative dissertations include:

• The dissertation applies statistical techniques to examine the data collected.
• The researcher evaluates the quality of findings based on reliability, internal and external validity, and construct validity.
• In most studies, the researcher uses probability sampling techniques with the goal of making generalizations from the sample under study.

Qualitative Dissertations

Qualitative dissertations involve the collection and analysis of non-numerical data to understand ideas, opinions, and experiences. It employs a qualitative approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of social phenomena in natural environments. Common methods of data collection include interviews, focus groups, observation, and document analysis.

Mixed Methods Dissertations

Mixed methods dissertations employ both a qualitative and quantitative research approach to collect and analyze data. Applying both approaches to the dissertation illustrates a more comprehensive view of the research topic and the potential to discover different aspects of a phenomenon by evaluating it through different methodological approaches. Integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches can occur at the design, methods, or reporting level.

Dissertation Structure

(1). Title Page

The title page contains the title of the dissertation, name of the author, affiliation of the author, course number and name, the instructor's name, and the submission date. The title gives a concise description of the research topic and the scope of the study.

(2). Abstract

The abstract is a summary of the key areas of the dissertation. Begin with stating the research problem based on the existing literature. Illustrate the aims and objectives of conducting the study. Also, include the methodology, design, and data collection procedures, followed by the main findings and the conclusions from the dissertation.

(3). Introduction

The introduction is the first chapter of the dissertation where the author gives a background of the research, explains what will be studied, the significance of the project, and questions that will guide the research. Begin by explaining the background of the research topic and the purpose statement. State the research questions/ hypothesis being tested, illustrate why the study is important to conduct, give a definition of terms, and an outline of the dissertation.

(4). Literature review

The literature review chapter is where the researcher provides the reader with a comprehensive review of literature that serves as the foundation for the research. Illustrate the content gaps in existing literature and the issues related to methodology research. Justify how the current study has addressed a gap in the literature.

(5). Methodology

The methodology chapter is where the author presents the reader with a detailed description of the data collection and analysis procedures used in the study. It helps other researchers to replicate or conduct similar studies. This chapter typically consists of: A justification of the research approach chosen and the design, the research setting, research population, sample, and data sources, data collection and analysis procedures, ethical considerations for a qualitative dissertation, potential weaknesses and scope of the study.

(6). Results

The results section presents the findings of the analysis that was described in the data analysis section in the methods chapter. The author restates the research questions and hypotheses presented in the introduction chapter. The results of quantitative analysis are presented using tables and figures. In qualitative dissertations, the results are presented in themes and supported by extracts from data collection.

(7). Discussion

The discussion chapter illustrates the findings of the research. In this chapter, the author demonstrates the relevance of the results to the existing theoretical body of knowledge of the research topic and the field in general. The discussion chapter begins by highlighting the results and placing them into the context of the literature review. Additionally, the author illustrates the study's practical implications and limitations faced while conducting research and proposes areas for future research in the discussion section.

(8). Conclusion

The conclusion section is where the author presents the key elements of the dissertation. It illustrates the conclusions made from the study. Also included in this part are practical implications for practice and recommendations for future research.

(9). References

The references section is a systematic list, usually arranged based on the writing style followed, containing all the sources used to conduct the research. It should be formatted correctly, adhering to the writing style rules. Common styles used by institutions are such as the American Psychological Association [APA], Modern Language Association [MLA], and Chicago.

(10). Appendices

An appendix is information that is usually relevant but too detailed to be written within the dissertation. Such information is essential for other researchers who plan to extend or replicate the research. Items that can be included are:

• Informed consent forms.
• Permission documents for the use of copyrighted materials.
• Participant data collection forms.
• Approval letters from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) on the use of participants.
• Questionnaire forms.

The Dissertation Proposal

The dissertation proposal is a document that outlines and justifies the proposed research ideas to gain approval from the committee to conduct the study. The purpose of the proposal is to ensure that the student has a strong understanding of the literature and methods relevant to the intended study and can use the knowledge to develop a high-quality plan for the dissertation. The dissertation proposal typically consists of an introduction, a literature review, and methods (including the ethical considerations, implications, and significance).

How to Write a Dissertation

Step 1: Select a research topic

An important factor when selecting the dissertation topic is whether it will make a significant contribution to the area of study. The student must identify a gap in literature that has not been discussed yet. Critically review current research in the field and identify shortcomings that have left a gap in the literature, such as the generalizability of the population or small sample sizes.

Step 2: Conduct Research

Conducting research on a specific topic helps to compose the literature review. Various research sources are used, such as peer-reviewed journal articles and books. The purpose is to gain more information on the topic under study and to demonstrate knowledge of the area of inquiry by reviewing existing literature from the published resources.

Step 3: Write the dissertation proposal

The dissertation proposal comprises the first three chapters of the dissertation (Introduction, literature review, and methodology). A completed proposal is the point where the research ideas for the dissertation are presented and justified to gain approval from the faculty committee to proceed with the study.

Step 4: Collect and analyze data

Data collection methods depend on the type of dissertation (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods). Qualitative procedures explore and provide deeper, comprehensive, and detailed descriptions of phenomena from non-numeric data rather than quantifying and testing hypotheses using numeric data as it is in quantitative research. A mixed methods approach integrates both procedures to get a comprehensive view of the research topic. Depending on the field, the analysis process involves running various statistical tests or defining codes and themes based on qualitative analysis.

Step 5: Write the dissertation

Writing an exceptional dissertation requires proper planning. The systematic structure of a dissertation consists of the abstract, introduction, literature review, methodologies, results, discussion, conclusion, references, and appendices. Your institution may also mention a specific writing style to use when writing the dissertation.

Step 6: Edit and proofread

Editing involves checking the tone and structure of the dissertation to ensure a logical flow of content. Proofreading is evaluating the content and appearance to get rid of spelling and grammatical errors. The purpose of editing and proofreading a dissertation is to improve its quality and readability.

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Summary

A dissertation is a scholarly document of original research done as part of a course, done by a student to be awarded a doctoral degree. Dissertations can be classified into three types depending on the research topic and the methodologies to be used when conducting research. These categories include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods dissertations. Writing a dissertation is a lengthy but rewarding process requiring a lot of dedication and technical knowledge of complex aspects like analysis procedures and writing styles. So, are you searching for expert dissertation writers? Reach out to the best authors today for dissertation writing assistance. Request a free quote now or view our prices on our order page to get started.

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