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A doctoral dissertation makes an original contribution to knowledge, as defined in a discipline or an interdisciplinary domain and addresses a significant researchable problem. Not all problems are researchable and not all are significant. Problems that can be solved by a mere descriptive exercise are not appropriate for the PhD dissertation. Acceptable problems are those that:

• pose a puzzle to the field at a theoretical, methodological, or policy level;
• make analytical demands for solution, rather than mere cataloging or descriptive demands; and
• can yield to a reasonable research methodology.

The doctoral dissertation advisor, reading committee, and oral exam committee provide further guidance and details with regard to dissertation content and format. General formatting and submission guidelines are published by the University Registrar. The American Psychological Association (APA) publication guidelines normally apply to GSE doctoral dissertations, but is not required if the advisor and relevant committees determine that an alternative, and academically acceptable, protocol is more appropriate.

Published Papers and Multiple Authorship

The inclusion of published papers in a dissertation is the prerogative of the major department.  Where published papers or ready-for-publication papers are included, the following criteria must be met:

1. There must be an introductory chapter that integrates the general theme of the research and the relationship between the chapters.  The introduction may also include a review of the literature relevant to the dissertation topic that does not appear in the chapters.

2. Multiple authorship of a published paper should be addressed by clearly designating, in an introduction, the role that the dissertation author had in the research and production of the published paper.  The student must have a major contribution to the research and writing of papers included in the dissertation.

3. There must be adequate referencing of where individual papers have been published.

4. Written permission must be obtained for all copyrighted materials; letters of permission must be uploaded electronically in PDF form when submitting the dissertation.  Please see the following website for more information on the use of copyrighted materials: http://library.stanford.edu/using/copyright-reminder .

5. The submitted material must be in a form that is legible and reproducible as required by these specifications.  The Office of the University Registrar will approve a dissertation if there are no deviations from the normal specifications that would prevent proper dissemination and utilization of the dissertation.  If the published material does not correspond to these standards, it will be necessary for the student to reformat that portion of the dissertation.

6. Multiple authorship has implications with respect to copyright and public release of the material.  Be sure to discuss copyright clearance and embargo options with your co-authors and your advisor well in advance of preparing your thesis for submission.

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Handbook Contents

• Timetable for the Doctoral Degree
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• The Graduate Study Program
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How To Write A Dissertation Or Thesis

8 straightforward steps to craft an a-grade dissertation.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Expert Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2020

Writing a dissertation or thesis is not a simple task. It takes time, energy and a lot of will power to get you across the finish line. It’s not easy – but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a painful process. If you understand the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis, your research journey will be a lot smoother.  

In this post, I’m going to outline the big-picture process of how to write a high-quality dissertation or thesis, without losing your mind along the way. If you’re just starting your research, this post is perfect for you. Alternatively, if you’ve already submitted your proposal, this article which covers how to structure a dissertation might be more helpful.

How To Write A Dissertation: 8 Steps

• Clearly understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is
• Find a unique and valuable research topic
• Craft a convincing research proposal
• Write up a strong introduction chapter
• Review the existing literature and compile a literature review
• Design a rigorous research strategy and undertake your own research
• Present the findings of your research
• Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Step 1: Understand exactly what a dissertation is

This probably sounds like a no-brainer, but all too often, students come to us for help with their research and the underlying issue is that they don’t fully understand what a dissertation (or thesis) actually is.

So, what is a dissertation?

At its simplest, a dissertation or thesis is a formal piece of research , reflecting the standard research process . But what is the standard research process, you ask? The research process involves 4 key steps:

• Ask a very specific, well-articulated question (s) (your research topic)
• See what other researchers have said about it (if they’ve already answered it)
• If they haven’t answered it adequately, undertake your own data collection and analysis in a scientifically rigorous fashion
• Answer your original question(s), based on your analysis findings

In short, the research process is simply about asking and answering questions in a systematic fashion . This probably sounds pretty obvious, but people often think they’ve done “research”, when in fact what they have done is:

• Started with a vague, poorly articulated question
• Not taken the time to see what research has already been done regarding the question
• Collected data and opinions that support their gut and undertaken a flimsy analysis
• Drawn a shaky conclusion, based on that analysis

If you want to see the perfect example of this in action, look out for the next Facebook post where someone claims they’ve done “research”… All too often, people consider reading a few blog posts to constitute research. Its no surprise then that what they end up with is an opinion piece, not research. Okay, okay – I’ll climb off my soapbox now.

The key takeaway here is that a dissertation (or thesis) is a formal piece of research, reflecting the research process. It’s not an opinion piece , nor a place to push your agenda or try to convince someone of your position. Writing a good dissertation involves asking a question and taking a systematic, rigorous approach to answering it.

If you understand this and are comfortable leaving your opinions or preconceived ideas at the door, you’re already off to a good start!

Step 2: Find a unique, valuable research topic

As we saw, the first step of the research process is to ask a specific, well-articulated question. In other words, you need to find a research topic that asks a specific question or set of questions (these are called research questions ). Sounds easy enough, right? All you’ve got to do is identify a question or two and you’ve got a winning research topic. Well, not quite…

A good dissertation or thesis topic has a few important attributes. Specifically, a solid research topic should be:

Let’s take a closer look at these:

Attribute #1: Clear

Your research topic needs to be crystal clear about what you’re planning to research, what you want to know, and within what context. There shouldn’t be any ambiguity or vagueness about what you’ll research.

Here’s an example of a clearly articulated research topic:

An analysis of consumer-based factors influencing organisational trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms.

As you can see in the example, its crystal clear what will be analysed (factors impacting organisational trust), amongst who (consumers) and in what context (British low-cost equity brokerage firms, based online).

Need a helping hand?

Attribute #2:   Unique

Your research should be asking a question(s) that hasn’t been asked before, or that hasn’t been asked in a specific context (for example, in a specific country or industry).

For example, sticking organisational trust topic above, it’s quite likely that organisational trust factors in the UK have been investigated before, but the context (online low-cost equity brokerages) could make this research unique. Therefore, the context makes this research original.

One caveat when using context as the basis for originality – you need to have a good reason to suspect that your findings in this context might be different from the existing research – otherwise, there’s no reason to warrant researching it.

Attribute #3: Important

Simply asking a unique or original question is not enough – the question needs to create value. In other words, successfully answering your research questions should provide some value to the field of research or the industry. You can’t research something just to satisfy your curiosity. It needs to make some form of contribution either to research or industry.

For example, researching the factors influencing consumer trust would create value by enabling businesses to tailor their operations and marketing to leverage factors that promote trust. In other words, it would have a clear benefit to industry.

So, how do you go about finding a unique and valuable research topic? We explain that in detail in this video post – How To Find A Research Topic . Yeah, we’ve got you covered 😊

Step 3: Write a convincing research proposal

Once you’ve pinned down a high-quality research topic, the next step is to convince your university to let you research it. No matter how awesome you think your topic is, it still needs to get the rubber stamp before you can move forward with your research. The research proposal is the tool you’ll use for this job.

So, what’s in a research proposal?

The main “job” of a research proposal is to convince your university, advisor or committee that your research topic is worthy of approval. But convince them of what? Well, this varies from university to university, but generally, they want to see that:

• You have a clearly articulated, unique and important topic (this might sound familiar…)
• You’ve done some initial reading of the existing literature relevant to your topic (i.e. a literature review)
• You have a provisional plan in terms of how you will collect data and analyse it (i.e. a methodology)

At the proposal stage, it’s (generally) not expected that you’ve extensively reviewed the existing literature , but you will need to show that you’ve done enough reading to identify a clear gap for original (unique) research. Similarly, they generally don’t expect that you have a rock-solid research methodology mapped out, but you should have an idea of whether you’ll be undertaking qualitative or quantitative analysis , and how you’ll collect your data (we’ll discuss this in more detail later).

Long story short – don’t stress about having every detail of your research meticulously thought out at the proposal stage – this will develop as you progress through your research. However, you do need to show that you’ve “done your homework” and that your research is worthy of approval .

So, how do you go about crafting a high-quality, convincing proposal? We cover that in detail in this video post – How To Write A Top-Class Research Proposal . We’ve also got a video walkthrough of two proposal examples here .

Step 4: Craft a strong introduction chapter

Once your proposal’s been approved, its time to get writing your actual dissertation or thesis! The good news is that if you put the time into crafting a high-quality proposal, you’ve already got a head start on your first three chapters – introduction, literature review and methodology – as you can use your proposal as the basis for these.

Handy sidenote – our free dissertation & thesis template is a great way to speed up your dissertation writing journey.

What’s the introduction chapter all about?

The purpose of the introduction chapter is to set the scene for your research (dare I say, to introduce it…) so that the reader understands what you’ll be researching and why it’s important. In other words, it covers the same ground as the research proposal in that it justifies your research topic.

What goes into the introduction chapter?

This can vary slightly between universities and degrees, but generally, the introduction chapter will include the following:

• A brief background to the study, explaining the overall area of research
• A problem statement , explaining what the problem is with the current state of research (in other words, where the knowledge gap exists)
• Your research questions – in other words, the specific questions your study will seek to answer (based on the knowledge gap)
• The significance of your study – in other words, why it’s important and how its findings will be useful in the world

As you can see, this all about explaining the “what” and the “why” of your research (as opposed to the “how”). So, your introduction chapter is basically the salesman of your study, “selling” your research to the first-time reader and (hopefully) getting them interested to read more.

How do I write the introduction chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this post .

Step 5: Undertake an in-depth literature review

As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need to do some initial review of the literature in Steps 2 and 3 to find your research gap and craft a convincing research proposal – but that’s just scratching the surface. Once you reach the literature review stage of your dissertation or thesis, you need to dig a lot deeper into the existing research and write up a comprehensive literature review chapter.

What’s the literature review all about?

There are two main stages in the literature review process:

Literature Review Step 1: Reading up

The first stage is for you to deep dive into the existing literature (journal articles, textbook chapters, industry reports, etc) to gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of research regarding your topic. While you don’t need to read every single article, you do need to ensure that you cover all literature that is related to your core research questions, and create a comprehensive catalogue of that literature , which you’ll use in the next step.

Reading and digesting all the relevant literature is a time consuming and intellectually demanding process. Many students underestimate just how much work goes into this step, so make sure that you allocate a good amount of time for this when planning out your research. Thankfully, there are ways to fast track the process – be sure to check out this article covering how to read journal articles quickly .

Literature Review Step 2: Writing up

Once you’ve worked through the literature and digested it all, you’ll need to write up your literature review chapter. Many students make the mistake of thinking that the literature review chapter is simply a summary of what other researchers have said. While this is partly true, a literature review is much more than just a summary. To pull off a good literature review chapter, you’ll need to achieve at least 3 things:

• You need to synthesise the existing research , not just summarise it. In other words, you need to show how different pieces of theory fit together, what’s agreed on by researchers, what’s not.
• You need to highlight a research gap that your research is going to fill. In other words, you’ve got to outline the problem so that your research topic can provide a solution.
• You need to use the existing research to inform your methodology and approach to your own research design. For example, you might use questions or Likert scales from previous studies in your your own survey design .

As you can see, a good literature review is more than just a summary of the published research. It’s the foundation on which your own research is built, so it deserves a lot of love and attention. Take the time to craft a comprehensive literature review with a suitable structure .

But, how do I actually write the literature review chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this video post .

Step 6: Carry out your own research

Once you’ve completed your literature review and have a sound understanding of the existing research, its time to develop your own research (finally!). You’ll design this research specifically so that you can find the answers to your unique research question.

There are two steps here – designing your research strategy and executing on it:

1 – Design your research strategy

The first step is to design your research strategy and craft a methodology chapter . I won’t get into the technicalities of the methodology chapter here, but in simple terms, this chapter is about explaining the “how” of your research. If you recall, the introduction and literature review chapters discussed the “what” and the “why”, so it makes sense that the next point to cover is the “how” –that’s what the methodology chapter is all about.

In this section, you’ll need to make firm decisions about your research design. This includes things like:

• Your research philosophy (e.g. positivism or interpretivism )
• Your overall methodology (e.g. qualitative , quantitative or mixed methods)
• Your data collection strategy (e.g. interviews , focus groups, surveys)
• Your data analysis strategy (e.g. content analysis , correlation analysis, regression)

If these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these in plain language in other posts. It’s not essential that you understand the intricacies of research design (yet!). The key takeaway here is that you’ll need to make decisions about how you’ll design your own research, and you’ll need to describe (and justify) your decisions in your methodology chapter.

2 – Execute: Collect and analyse your data

Once you’ve worked out your research design, you’ll put it into action and start collecting your data. This might mean undertaking interviews, hosting an online survey or any other data collection method. Data collection can take quite a bit of time (especially if you host in-person interviews), so be sure to factor sufficient time into your project plan for this. Oftentimes, things don’t go 100% to plan (for example, you don’t get as many survey responses as you hoped for), so bake a little extra time into your budget here.

Once you’ve collected your data, you’ll need to do some data preparation before you can sink your teeth into the analysis. For example:

• If you carry out interviews or focus groups, you’ll need to transcribe your audio data to text (i.e. a Word document).
• If you collect quantitative survey data, you’ll need to clean up your data and get it into the right format for whichever analysis software you use (for example, SPSS, R or STATA).

Once you’ve completed your data prep, you’ll undertake your analysis, using the techniques that you described in your methodology. Depending on what you find in your analysis, you might also do some additional forms of analysis that you hadn’t planned for. For example, you might see something in the data that raises new questions or that requires clarification with further analysis.

The type(s) of analysis that you’ll use depend entirely on the nature of your research and your research questions. For example:

• If your research if exploratory in nature, you’ll often use qualitative analysis techniques .
• If your research is confirmatory in nature, you’ll often use quantitative analysis techniques
• If your research involves a mix of both, you might use a mixed methods approach

Again, if these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these concepts and techniques in other posts. The key takeaway is simply that there’s no “one size fits all” for research design and methodology – it all depends on your topic, your research questions and your data. So, don’t be surprised if your study colleagues take a completely different approach to yours.

Step 7: Present your findings

Once you’ve completed your analysis, it’s time to present your findings (finally!). In a dissertation or thesis, you’ll typically present your findings in two chapters – the results chapter and the discussion chapter .

What’s the difference between the results chapter and the discussion chapter?

While these two chapters are similar, the results chapter generally just presents the processed data neatly and clearly without interpretation, while the discussion chapter explains the story the data are telling  – in other words, it provides your interpretation of the results.

For example, if you were researching the factors that influence consumer trust, you might have used a quantitative approach to identify the relationship between potential factors (e.g. perceived integrity and competence of the organisation) and consumer trust. In this case:

• Your results chapter would just present the results of the statistical tests. For example, correlation results or differences between groups. In other words, the processed numbers.
• Your discussion chapter would explain what the numbers mean in relation to your research question(s). For example, Factor 1 has a weak relationship with consumer trust, while Factor 2 has a strong relationship.

Depending on the university and degree, these two chapters (results and discussion) are sometimes merged into one , so be sure to check with your institution what their preference is. Regardless of the chapter structure, this section is about presenting the findings of your research in a clear, easy to understand fashion.

Importantly, your discussion here needs to link back to your research questions (which you outlined in the introduction or literature review chapter). In other words, it needs to answer the key questions you asked (or at least attempt to answer them).

For example, if we look at the sample research topic:

In this case, the discussion section would clearly outline which factors seem to have a noteworthy influence on organisational trust. By doing so, they are answering the overarching question and fulfilling the purpose of the research .

For more information about the results chapter , check out this post for qualitative studies and this post for quantitative studies .

Step 8: The Final Step Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Last but not least, you’ll need to wrap up your research with the conclusion chapter . In this chapter, you’ll bring your research full circle by highlighting the key findings of your study and explaining what the implications of these findings are.

What exactly are key findings? The key findings are those findings which directly relate to your original research questions and overall research objectives (which you discussed in your introduction chapter). The implications, on the other hand, explain what your findings mean for industry, or for research in your area.

Sticking with the consumer trust topic example, the conclusion might look something like this:

Key findings

This study set out to identify which factors influence consumer-based trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms. The results suggest that the following factors have a large impact on consumer trust:

While the following factors have a very limited impact on consumer trust:

Notably, within the 25-30 age groups, Factors E had a noticeably larger impact, which may be explained by…

Implications

The findings having noteworthy implications for British low-cost online equity brokers. Specifically:

The large impact of Factors X and Y implies that brokers need to consider….

The limited impact of Factor E implies that brokers need to…

As you can see, the conclusion chapter is basically explaining the “what” (what your study found) and the “so what?” (what the findings mean for the industry or research). This brings the study full circle and closes off the document.

Let’s recap – how to write a dissertation or thesis

You’re still with me? Impressive! I know that this post was a long one, but hopefully you’ve learnt a thing or two about how to write a dissertation or thesis, and are now better equipped to start your own research.

To recap, the 8 steps to writing a quality dissertation (or thesis) are as follows:

• Understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is – a research project that follows the research process.
• Find a unique (original) and important research topic
• Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal
• Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter
• Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review
• Undertake your own research
• Present and interpret your findings

Once you’ve wrapped up the core chapters, all that’s typically left is the abstract , reference list and appendices. As always, be sure to check with your university if they have any additional requirements in terms of structure or content.  

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

20 Comments

thankfull >>>this is very useful

Thank you, it was really helpful

unquestionably, this amazing simplified way of teaching. Really , I couldn’t find in the literature words that fully explicit my great thanks to you. However, I could only say thanks a-lot.

Great to hear that – thanks for the feedback. Good luck writing your dissertation/thesis.

This is the most comprehensive explanation of how to write a dissertation. Many thanks for sharing it free of charge.

Very rich presentation. Thank you

Thanks Derek Jansen|GRADCOACH, I find it very useful guide to arrange my activities and proceed to research!

Thank you so much for such a marvelous teaching .I am so convinced that am going to write a comprehensive and a distinct masters dissertation

It is an amazing comprehensive explanation

This was straightforward. Thank you!

I can say that your explanations are simple and enlightening – understanding what you have done here is easy for me. Could you write more about the different types of research methods specific to the three methodologies: quan, qual and MM. I look forward to interacting with this website more in the future.

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions 🙂

Hello, your write ups is quite educative. However, l have challenges in going about my research questions which is below; *Building the enablers of organisational growth through effective governance and purposeful leadership.*

Very educating.

Just listening to the name of the dissertation makes the student nervous. As writing a top-quality dissertation is a difficult task as it is a lengthy topic, requires a lot of research and understanding and is usually around 10,000 to 15000 words. Sometimes due to studies, unbalanced workload or lack of research and writing skill students look for dissertation submission from professional writers.

Thank you 💕😊 very much. I was confused but your comprehensive explanation has cleared my doubts of ever presenting a good thesis. Thank you.

thank you so much, that was so useful

Hi. Where is the excel spread sheet ark?

could you please help me look at your thesis paper to enable me to do the portion that has to do with the specification

my topic is “the impact of domestic revenue mobilization.

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The dissertation is the final requirement for the PhD degree.

The research required for the dissertation must be of publishable quality and a significant contribution in a scholarly field. The dissertation is evidence of the candidate’s proficiency and future potential in research.

Students work closely with faculty throughout the program, and especially in the final phase of dissertation research. These faculty members share with the student the exploration of the field, first as advisors and teachers, and later as colleagues joined to advance the science of management.

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation

What Is a Dissertation? | 5 Essential Questions to Get Started

Published on 26 March 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 5 May 2022.

A dissertation is a large research project undertaken at the end of a degree. It involves in-depth consideration of a problem or question chosen by the student. It is usually the largest (and final) piece of written work produced during a degree.

The length and structure of a dissertation vary widely depending on the level and field of study. However, there are some key questions that can help you understand the requirements and get started on your dissertation project.

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Table of contents

When and why do you have to write a dissertation, who will supervise your dissertation, what type of research will you do, how should your dissertation be structured, what formatting and referencing rules do you have to follow, frequently asked questions about dissertations.

A dissertation, sometimes called a thesis, comes at the end of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. It is a larger project than the other essays you’ve written, requiring a higher word count and a greater depth of research.

You’ll generally work on your dissertation during the final year of your degree, over a longer period than you would take for a standard essay . For example, the dissertation might be your main focus for the last six months of your degree.

Why is the dissertation important?

The dissertation is a test of your capacity for independent research. You are given a lot of autonomy in writing your dissertation: you come up with your own ideas, conduct your own research, and write and structure the text by yourself.

This means that it is an important preparation for your future, whether you continue in academia or not: it teaches you to manage your own time, generate original ideas, and work independently.

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During the planning and writing of your dissertation, you’ll work with a supervisor from your department. The supervisor’s job is to give you feedback and advice throughout the process.

The dissertation supervisor is often assigned by the department, but you might be allowed to indicate preferences or approach potential supervisors. If so, try to pick someone who is familiar with your chosen topic, whom you get along with on a personal level, and whose feedback you’ve found useful in the past.

How will your supervisor help you?

Your supervisor is there to guide you through the dissertation project, but you’re still working independently. They can give feedback on your ideas, but not come up with ideas for you.

You may need to take the initiative to request an initial meeting with your supervisor. Then you can plan out your future meetings and set reasonable deadlines for things like completion of data collection, a structure outline, a first chapter, a first draft, and so on.

Make sure to prepare in advance for your meetings. Formulate your ideas as fully as you can, and determine where exactly you’re having difficulties so you can ask your supervisor for specific advice.

Your approach to your dissertation will vary depending on your field of study. The first thing to consider is whether you will do empirical research , which involves collecting original data, or non-empirical research , which involves analysing sources.

Empirical dissertations (sciences)

An empirical dissertation focuses on collecting and analysing original data. You’ll usually write this type of dissertation if you are studying a subject in the sciences or social sciences.

• What are airline workers’ attitudes towards the challenges posed for their industry by climate change?
• How effective is cognitive behavioural therapy in treating depression in young adults?
• What are the short-term health effects of switching from smoking cigarettes to e-cigarettes?

There are many different empirical research methods you can use to answer these questions – for example, experiments , observations, surveys , and interviews.

When doing empirical research, you need to consider things like the variables you will investigate, the reliability and validity of your measurements, and your sampling method . The aim is to produce robust, reproducible scientific knowledge.

Non-empirical dissertations (arts and humanities)

A non-empirical dissertation works with existing research or other texts, presenting original analysis, critique and argumentation, but no original data. This approach is typical of arts and humanities subjects.

• What attitudes did commentators in the British press take towards the French Revolution in 1789–1792?
• How do the themes of gender and inheritance intersect in Shakespeare’s Macbeth ?
• How did Plato’s Republic and Thomas More’s Utopia influence nineteenth century utopian socialist thought?

The first steps in this type of dissertation are to decide on your topic and begin collecting your primary and secondary sources .

Primary sources are the direct objects of your research. They give you first-hand evidence about your subject. Examples of primary sources include novels, artworks and historical documents.

Secondary sources provide information that informs your analysis. They describe, interpret, or evaluate information from primary sources. For example, you might consider previous analyses of the novel or author you are working on, or theoretical texts that you plan to apply to your primary sources.

Dissertations are divided into chapters and sections. Empirical dissertations usually follow a standard structure, while non-empirical dissertations are more flexible.

Structure of an empirical dissertation

Empirical dissertations generally include these chapters:

• Introduction : An explanation of your topic and the research question(s) you want to answer.
• Literature review : A survey and evaluation of previous research on your topic.
• Methodology : An explanation of how you collected and analysed your data.
• Results : A brief description of what you found.
• Discussion : Interpretation of what these results reveal.
• Conclusion : Answers to your research question(s) and summary of what your findings contribute to knowledge in your field.

Sometimes the order or naming of chapters might be slightly different, but all of the above information must be included in order to produce thorough, valid scientific research.

Other dissertation structures

If your dissertation doesn’t involve data collection, your structure is more flexible. You can think of it like an extended essay – the text should be logically organised in a way that serves your argument:

• Introduction: An explanation of your topic and the question(s) you want to answer.
• Main body: The development of your analysis, usually divided into 2–4 chapters.
• Conclusion: Answers to your research question(s) and summary of what your analysis contributes to knowledge in your field.

The chapters of the main body can be organised around different themes, time periods, or texts. Below you can see some example structures for dissertations in different subjects.

• Political philosophy

This example, on the topic of the British press’s coverage of the French Revolution, shows how you might structure each chapter around a specific theme.

This example, on the topic of Plato’s and More’s influences on utopian socialist thought, shows a different approach to dividing the chapters by theme.

This example, a master’s dissertation on the topic of how writers respond to persecution, shows how you can also use section headings within each chapter. Each of the three chapters deals with a specific text, while the sections are organised thematically.

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Like other academic texts, it’s important that your dissertation follows the formatting guidelines set out by your university. You can lose marks unnecessarily over mistakes, so it’s worth taking the time to get all these elements right.

Formatting guidelines concern things like:

• line spacing
• page numbers
• punctuation
• title pages
• presentation of tables and figures

If you’re unsure about the formatting requirements, check with your supervisor or department. You can lose marks unnecessarily over mistakes, so it’s worth taking the time to get all these elements right.

How will you reference your sources?

Referencing means properly listing the sources you cite and refer to in your dissertation, so that the reader can find them. This avoids plagiarism by acknowledging where you’ve used the work of others.

Keep track of everything you read as you prepare your dissertation. The key information to note down for a reference is:

• The publication date
• Page numbers for the parts you refer to (especially when using direct quotes)

Different referencing styles each have their own specific rules for how to reference. The most commonly used styles in UK universities are listed below.

You can use the free APA Reference Generator to automatically create and store your references.

APA Reference Generator

The words ‘ dissertation ’ and ‘thesis’ both refer to a large written research project undertaken to complete a degree, but they are used differently depending on the country:

• In the UK, you write a dissertation at the end of a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and you write a thesis to complete a PhD.
• In the US, it’s the other way around: you may write a thesis at the end of a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and you write a dissertation to complete a PhD.

The main difference is in terms of scale – a dissertation is usually much longer than the other essays you complete during your degree.

Another key difference is that you are given much more independence when working on a dissertation. You choose your own dissertation topic , and you have to conduct the research and write the dissertation yourself (with some assistance from your supervisor).

Dissertation word counts vary widely across different fields, institutions, and levels of education:

• An undergraduate dissertation is typically 8,000–15,000 words
• A master’s dissertation is typically 12,000–50,000 words
• A PhD thesis is typically book-length: 70,000–100,000 words

However, none of these are strict guidelines – your word count may be lower or higher than the numbers stated here. Always check the guidelines provided by your university to determine how long your own dissertation should be.

At the bachelor’s and master’s levels, the dissertation is usually the main focus of your final year. You might work on it (alongside other classes) for the entirety of the final year, or for the last six months. This includes formulating an idea, doing the research, and writing up.

A PhD thesis takes a longer time, as the thesis is the main focus of the degree. A PhD thesis might be being formulated and worked on for the whole four years of the degree program. The writing process alone can take around 18 months.

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation

What Is a Dissertation? | Guide, Examples, & Template

A dissertation is a long-form piece of academic writing based on original research conducted by you. It is usually submitted as the final step in order to finish a PhD program.

Your dissertation is probably the longest piece of writing you’ve ever completed. It requires solid research, writing, and analysis skills, and it can be intimidating to know where to begin.

Your department likely has guidelines related to how your dissertation should be structured. When in doubt, consult with your supervisor.

You can also download our full dissertation template in the format of your choice below. The template includes a ready-made table of contents with notes on what to include in each chapter, easily adaptable to your department’s requirements.

Download Word template Download Google Docs template

• In the US, a dissertation generally refers to the collection of research you conducted to obtain a PhD.
• In other countries (such as the UK), a dissertation often refers to the research you conduct to obtain your bachelor’s or master’s degree.

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Table of contents

Dissertation committee and prospectus process, how to write and structure a dissertation, acknowledgements or preface, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review, methodology, reference list, proofreading and editing, defending your dissertation, free checklist and lecture slides.

When you’ve finished your coursework, as well as any comprehensive exams or other requirements, you advance to “ABD” (All But Dissertation) status. This means you’ve completed everything except your dissertation.

Prior to starting to write, you must form your committee and write your prospectus or proposal . Your committee comprises your adviser and a few other faculty members. They can be from your own department, or, if your work is more interdisciplinary, from other departments. Your committee will guide you through the dissertation process, and ultimately decide whether you pass your dissertation defense and receive your PhD.

Your prospectus is a formal document presented to your committee, usually orally in a defense, outlining your research aims and objectives and showing why your topic is relevant . After passing your prospectus defense, you’re ready to start your research and writing.

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The structure of your dissertation depends on a variety of factors, such as your discipline, topic, and approach. Dissertations in the humanities are often structured more like a long essay , building an overall argument to support a central thesis , with chapters organized around different themes or case studies.

However, hard science and social science dissertations typically include a review of existing works, a methodology section, an analysis of your original research, and a presentation of your results , presented in different chapters.

Dissertation examples

We’ve compiled a list of dissertation examples to help you get started.

• Example dissertation #1: Heat, Wildfire and Energy Demand: An Examination of Residential Buildings and Community Equity (a dissertation by C. A. Antonopoulos about the impact of extreme heat and wildfire on residential buildings and occupant exposure risks).
• Example dissertation #2: Exploring Income Volatility and Financial Health Among Middle-Income Households (a dissertation by M. Addo about income volatility and declining economic security among middle-income households).
• Example dissertation #3: The Use of Mindfulness Meditation to Increase the Efficacy of Mirror Visual Feedback for Reducing Phantom Limb Pain in Amputees (a dissertation by N. S. Mills about the effect of mindfulness-based interventions on the relationship between mirror visual feedback and the pain level in amputees with phantom limb pain).

The very first page of your document contains your dissertation title, your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date. Sometimes it also includes your student number, your supervisor’s name, and the university’s logo.

Read more about title pages

The acknowledgements section is usually optional and gives space for you to thank everyone who helped you in writing your dissertation. This might include your supervisors, participants in your research, and friends or family who supported you. In some cases, your acknowledgements are part of a preface.

Read more about acknowledgements Read more about prefaces

The abstract is a short summary of your dissertation, usually about 150 to 300 words long. Though this may seem very short, it’s one of the most important parts of your dissertation, because it introduces your work to your audience.

Your abstract should:

• State your main topic and the aims of your research
• Describe your methods
• Summarize your main results
• State your conclusions

Read more about abstracts

The table of contents lists all of your chapters, along with corresponding subheadings and page numbers. This gives your reader an overview of your structure and helps them easily navigate your document.

Remember to include all main parts of your dissertation in your table of contents, even the appendices. It’s easy to generate a table automatically in Word if you used heading styles. Generally speaking, you only include level 2 and level 3 headings, not every subheading you included in your finished work.

Read more about tables of contents

While not usually mandatory, it’s nice to include a list of figures and tables to help guide your reader if you have used a lot of these in your dissertation. It’s easy to generate one of these in Word using the Insert Caption feature.

Read more about lists of figures and tables

Similarly, if you have used a lot of abbreviations (especially industry-specific ones) in your dissertation, you can include them in an alphabetized list of abbreviations so that the reader can easily look up their meanings.

Read more about lists of abbreviations

In addition to the list of abbreviations, if you find yourself using a lot of highly specialized terms that you worry will not be familiar to your reader, consider including a glossary. Here, alphabetize the terms and include a brief description or definition.

Read more about glossaries

The introduction serves to set up your dissertation’s topic, purpose, and relevance. It tells the reader what to expect in the rest of your dissertation. The introduction should:

• Establish your research topic , giving the background information needed to contextualize your work
• Narrow down the focus and define the scope of your research
• Discuss the state of existing research on the topic, showing your work’s relevance to a broader problem or debate
• Clearly state your research questions and objectives
• Outline the flow of the rest of your work

Everything in the introduction should be clear, engaging, and relevant. By the end, the reader should understand the what, why, and how of your research.

Read more about introductions

A formative part of your research is your literature review . This helps you gain a thorough understanding of the academic work that already exists on your topic.

Literature reviews encompass:

• Finding relevant sources (e.g., books and journal articles)
• Assessing the credibility of your sources
• Critically analyzing and evaluating each source
• Drawing connections between them (e.g., themes, patterns, conflicts, or gaps) to strengthen your overall point

A literature review is not merely a summary of existing sources. Your literature review should have a coherent structure and argument that leads to a clear justification for your own research. It may aim to:

• Address a gap in the literature or build on existing knowledge
• Take a new theoretical or methodological approach to your topic
• Propose a solution to an unresolved problem or advance one side of a theoretical debate

Read more about literature reviews

Theoretical framework

Your literature review can often form the basis for your theoretical framework. Here, you define and analyze the key theories, concepts, and models that frame your research.

Read more about theoretical frameworks

Your methodology chapter describes how you conducted your research, allowing your reader to critically assess its credibility. Your methodology section should accurately report what you did, as well as convince your reader that this was the best way to answer your research question.

A methodology section should generally include:

• The overall research approach ( quantitative vs. qualitative ) and research methods (e.g., a longitudinal study )
• Your data collection methods (e.g., interviews or a controlled experiment )
• Details of where, when, and with whom the research took place
• Any tools and materials you used (e.g., computer programs, lab equipment)
• Your data analysis methods (e.g., statistical analysis , discourse analysis )
• An evaluation or justification of your methods

Read more about methodology sections

Your results section should highlight what your methodology discovered. You can structure this section around sub-questions, hypotheses , or themes, but avoid including any subjective or speculative interpretation here.

Your results section should:

• Concisely state each relevant result together with relevant descriptive statistics (e.g., mean , standard deviation ) and inferential statistics (e.g., test statistics , p values )
• Briefly state how the result relates to the question or whether the hypothesis was supported
• Report all results that are relevant to your research questions , including any that did not meet your expectations.

Additional data (including raw numbers, full questionnaires, or interview transcripts) can be included as an appendix. You can include tables and figures, but only if they help the reader better understand your results. Read more about results sections

Your discussion section is your opportunity to explore the meaning and implications of your results in relation to your research question. Here, interpret your results in detail, discussing whether they met your expectations and how well they fit with the framework that you built in earlier chapters. Refer back to relevant source material to show how your results fit within existing research in your field.

Some guiding questions include:

• What do your results mean?
• Why do your results matter?
• What limitations do the results have?

If any of the results were unexpected, offer explanations for why this might be. It’s a good idea to consider alternative interpretations of your data.

Read more about discussion sections

Your dissertation’s conclusion should concisely answer your main research question, leaving your reader with a clear understanding of your central argument and emphasizing what your research has contributed to the field.

In some disciplines, the conclusion is just a short section preceding the discussion section, but in other contexts, it is the final chapter of your work. Here, you wrap up your dissertation with a final reflection on what you found, with recommendations for future research and concluding remarks.

It’s important to leave the reader with a clear impression of why your research matters. What have you added to what was already known? Why is your research necessary for the future of your field?

Read more about conclusions

It is crucial to include a reference list or list of works cited with the full details of all the sources that you used, in order to avoid plagiarism. Be sure to choose one citation style and follow it consistently throughout your dissertation. Each style has strict and specific formatting requirements.

Common styles include MLA , Chicago , and APA , but which style you use is often set by your department or your field.

Create APA citations Create MLA citations

Your dissertation should contain only essential information that directly contributes to answering your research question. Documents such as interview transcripts or survey questions can be added as appendices, rather than adding them to the main body.

Read more about appendices

Making sure that all of your sections are in the right place is only the first step to a well-written dissertation. Don’t forget to leave plenty of time for editing and proofreading, as grammar mistakes and sloppy spelling errors can really negatively impact your work.

Dissertations can take up to five years to write, so you will definitely want to make sure that everything is perfect before submitting. You may want to consider using a professional dissertation editing service , AI proofreader or grammar checker to make sure your final project is perfect prior to submitting.

After your written dissertation is approved, your committee will schedule a defense. Similarly to defending your prospectus, dissertation defenses are oral presentations of your work. You’ll present your dissertation, and your committee will ask you questions. Many departments allow family members, friends, and other people who are interested to join as well.

After your defense, your committee will meet, and then inform you whether you have passed. Keep in mind that defenses are usually just a formality; most committees will have resolved any serious issues with your work with you far prior to your defense, giving you ample time to fix any problems.

As you write your dissertation, you can use this simple checklist to make sure you’ve included all the essentials.

Checklist: Dissertation

My title page includes all information required by my university.

I have included acknowledgements thanking those who helped me.

My abstract provides a concise summary of the dissertation, giving the reader a clear idea of my key results or arguments.

I have created a table of contents to help the reader navigate my dissertation. It includes all chapter titles, but excludes the title page, acknowledgements, and abstract.

My introduction leads into my topic in an engaging way and shows the relevance of my research.

My introduction clearly defines the focus of my research, stating my research questions and research objectives .

My introduction includes an overview of the dissertation’s structure (reading guide).

I have conducted a literature review in which I (1) critically engage with sources, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of existing research, (2) discuss patterns, themes, and debates in the literature, and (3) address a gap or show how my research contributes to existing research.

I have clearly outlined the theoretical framework of my research, explaining the theories and models that support my approach.

I have thoroughly described my methodology , explaining how I collected data and analyzed data.

I have concisely and objectively reported all relevant results .

I have (1) evaluated and interpreted the meaning of the results and (2) acknowledged any important limitations of the results in my discussion .

I have clearly stated the answer to my main research question in the conclusion .

I have clearly explained the implications of my conclusion, emphasizing what new insight my research has contributed.

I have provided relevant recommendations for further research or practice.

If relevant, I have included appendices with supplemental information.

I have included an in-text citation every time I use words, ideas, or information from a source.

I have listed every source in a reference list at the end of my dissertation.

I have consistently followed the rules of my chosen citation style .

I have followed all formatting guidelines provided by my university.

Congratulations!

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Guide to writing your thesis/dissertation, definition of dissertation and thesis.

The dissertation or thesis is a scholarly treatise that substantiates a specific point of view as a result of original research that is conducted by students during their graduate study. At Cornell, the thesis is a requirement for the receipt of the M.A. and M.S. degrees and some professional master’s degrees. The dissertation is a requirement of the Ph.D. degree.

Formatting Requirement and Standards

The Graduate School sets the minimum format for your thesis or dissertation, while you, your special committee, and your advisor/chair decide upon the content and length. Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other mechanical issues are your sole responsibility. Generally, the thesis and dissertation should conform to the standards of leading academic journals in your field. The Graduate School does not monitor the thesis or dissertation for mechanics, content, or style.

“Papers Option” Dissertation or Thesis

A “papers option” is available only to students in certain fields, which are listed on the Fields Permitting the Use of Papers Option page , or by approved petition. If you choose the papers option, your dissertation or thesis is organized as a series of relatively independent chapters or papers that you have submitted or will be submitting to journals in the field. You must be the only author or the first author of the papers to be used in the dissertation. The papers-option dissertation or thesis must meet all format and submission requirements, and a singular referencing convention must be used throughout.

ProQuest Electronic Submissions

The dissertation and thesis become permanent records of your original research, and in the case of doctoral research, the Graduate School requires publication of the dissertation and abstract in its original form. All Cornell master’s theses and doctoral dissertations require an electronic submission through ProQuest, which fills orders for paper or digital copies of the thesis and dissertation and makes a digital version available online via their subscription database, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses . For master’s theses, only the abstract is available. ProQuest provides worldwide distribution of your work from the master copy. You retain control over your dissertation and are free to grant publishing rights as you see fit. The formatting requirements contained in this guide meet all ProQuest specifications.

Copies of Dissertation and Thesis

Copies of Ph.D. dissertations and master’s theses are also uploaded in PDF format to the Cornell Library Repository, eCommons . A print copy of each master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation is submitted to Cornell University Library by ProQuest.

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Doctoral committee responsibilities, responsibilities of the chair.

The Chair will be selected on the basis of content expertise. This should include topic interest or subject matter expertise, experience in  dissertation direction, or methodology expertise. The Chair is responsible for guiding the candidate to produce doctoral level, original scholarship in the proposed topic area. The Chair must be a member of the LEAD faculty and hold Full graduate faculty status. 

The Chair’s responsibilities include:

Being familiar with current dissertation policies and procedures in the LEAD program

Advising the candidate from the Prospectus stage through the final defense of the Dissertation

Guiding the candidate in the selection of Dissertation committee members

Guiding the candidate to set a realistic timeline for completion of the Dissertation

Responsibly assigning the candidate a grade of  SP  (successful progress) or  NP  (no progress) each semester

Guiding the candidate toward achieving a high level of technical and ethical quality in the Dissertation research

Assisting the candidate in developing a quality Prospectus and in navigating the Prospectus approval process

Providing guidance on the research proposal structure, formatting, content and setting clear expectations for timely completion of the Proposal

Guiding the candidate in the selection of methods/procedures for data collection and analysis*

Assisting the candidate in the Dissertation Proposal defense process

Assisting the candidate in navigating the IRB approval process

Assisting the candidate in data collection and analysis*

Preparing the candidate for the defense process

* If a separate Methodologist is assigned, the Chair may serve in a support role.

In special circumstances, with program approval, a Co-Chair arrangement may be appropriate for a particular subject matter. In the case of a Co-Chair arrangement, one of the two Co-Chairs must be a member of the LEAD faculty and hold Full graduate faculty status.

Responsibilities of the Committee Members    

All members of the candidate’s committee share responsibility in ensuring that the candidate produces high-quality scholarship. Committee members are responsible for reading manuscripts within the agreed-upon minimum 14 day time frame (per committee member), suggesting substantive editorial changes, and providing rationale for their support and critiques. Committee members who perceive major flaws that are likely to result in a candidate’s unsuccessful defense should discuss these concerns with the candidate and Chair immediately.

Committee member’s responsibilities include:

In cooperation with the Chair, advising the candidate from the Prospectus stage through the final defense of the Dissertation

Provide subject matter expertise as requested by Chair or candidate

Reading drafts and providing meaningful feedback at each defense stage of the dissertation process

Guiding the candidate in the selection of methods/procedures for data collection and analysis**

Assisting the candidate in data collection and analysis**

Corresponding with the Chair and candidate as needed for clarification/resolution of methodological issues during the Dissertation process**

** Methodologist only (if the Chair is not performing both roles). A Methodologist should be selected who has particular expertise in the type of study the candidate is pursuing (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods).    

Responsibilities of the Dissertation Candidate

The candidate is expected to engage in active preparation of the Dissertation process from the onset of the doctoral program. Candidates are responsible for choosing a topic, submitting proofread drafts of materials to the Chair, preparing adequately for meetings, thoroughly reviewing all Dissertation policies and procedures, and communicating on a regular basis with the Chair via the Dissertation course space or other communication modality. The candidate is expected to maintain a respectful and professional attitude at all times. 

Candidates are expected to maintain contact with the Chair and Methodologist throughout the Dissertation process to ensure that the research and writing adhere to the agreed-upon plan. As the project is the candidate’s responsibility, s/he must frequently keep the Chair informed of progress. All communication for the Dissertation process is accomplished (and therefore documented) in the Learning Management System (UTC Learn) and all drafts are submitted and feedback returned through the Learning Management System (UTC Learn). The candidate should contact the Chair in the event of any significant changes in his/her personal or professional life which may interfere with program completion. Occasionally, face-to-face meetings may be scheduled with your Chair, Methodologist, or the whole committee. In order to document this part of the dissertation process, immediately following a face-to-face meeting (within 48 hours), the candidate should post a detailed summary of the meeting in the Dissertation course space.

In addition, candidates are expected to maintain regular contact with the Program Office via email ( [email protected] ).   

Communicating with the Committee

The Chair will determine when a document is ready for electronic review by the committee and will initiate communication amongst committee members. The candidate should avoid consulting the full committee for feedback without prior approval of the Chair. A minimum of four meetings with the committee is required: Prospectus defense, Proposal defense, Pre-defense of the final manuscript, and the final Dissertation defense. The Chair will notify the Program Office via email ( [email protected] ) of the date/time/location of all committee defense meetings. Committee participation from a distance may be facilitated through video conference, phone conference, or other electronic media as approved.

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Dissertation in Practice: Reconceptualizing the Nature and Role of the Practitioner-Scholar

Cite this chapter.

• Valerie A. Storey &
• Bryan D. Maughan  

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The richness of dialog about the differing approaches to doctoral educational research from the viewpoint of a scholar and from the viewpoint of the professional has been inspiring and continues to shed new light on the role of the practitioner who performs research under the aegis of the academe (Butlerman-Bos, 2008; Drake & Heath, 2011; Hochbein & Perry, 2013; Jarvis, 1999b; Shulman, Golde, Bueschel, & Garabedian, 2006). However, there continues to be a curious lack of understanding about the signature product of a practitioner performing scholarly research who must satisfy the demands of both viewpoints (Dawson & Kumar, 2014; Willis, Inman, & Valenti, 2010). Accountability to traditionally disparate institutions—the academe and professional practice stakeholders (decision-makers)—decries innovative approaches to the capstone product—the dissertation. We will continue this discussion by outlining the unique characteristics of the dissertation produced by a practitioner who performed educational research. We refer to a dissertation produced by a practitioner while in practice as the Dissertation in Practice (DiP) (ProDEL, 2012; Storey & Maughan, 2014). We continue the discussion about how methodologies of applied or practice-oriented research assists the researcher in professional preparation, public service, outreach, and organizational change (Shulman, 2010).

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Storey, V.A., Maughan, B.D. (2016). Dissertation in Practice: Reconceptualizing the Nature and Role of the Practitioner-Scholar. In: Storey, V.A. (eds) International Perspectives on Designing Professional Practice Doctorates. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137527066_13

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Topic 33. Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment: Assessing the Role of Microfinance Initiatives in Alleviating Poverty among ABM Strand Communities

Topic 34. Examining Digital Transformation in Marketing: Analysing the Shift from Traditional to Digital Marketing Strategies and its Implications for ABM Strand Students

Topic 35. Supply Chain Resilience and Risk Management: Strategies for Building Robust Supply Chains in the Face of Disruptions for ABM Strand Students

Topic 36. Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting: Evaluating the Transparency and Accountability of Companies in the Philippines from the Perspective of ABM Strand Students

Topic 37. Examining the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning on Financial Analysis and Decision-making: A Study among ABM Strand Students

Topic 38. E-commerce Trends and Opportunities: Exploring the Growth Potential of Online Retail and Entrepreneurship for ABM Strand Students

Topic 39. Entrepreneurial Financing Options: Analysing the Pros and Cons of Bootstrapping, Angel Investing, and Venture Capital for ABM Strand Startups

Topic 40. Examining Ethical Leadership in Business: Assessing the Importance of Integrity, Fairness, and Responsibility in Leading ABM Strand Organisations

Hot Research Topics For Management Students Topic 41. Evaluating the Impact of Leadership Styles on Employee Motivation and Performance: A Comparative Study

Topic 42. Examining Strategic Human Resource Management Practices and Organisational Performance: Evidence from Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)

Topic 43. Change Management Strategies for Successful Organisational Transformation: Case Studies of Leading Companies

Topic 44. Examining Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiatives and Stakeholder Engagement: A Study of Multinational Corporations

Topic 45. Evaluating the Role of Emotional Intelligence in Effective Leadership and Team Management Performance Appraisal Systems and Employee Satisfaction: Assessing the Effectiveness of Performance Management Practices

Topic 46. Supply Chain Management Practices and Firm Performance: A Comparative Analysis of Manufacturing and Service Industries

Topic 47. Examining Talent Management Strategies for Attracting, Developing, and Retaining High-potential Employees

Topic 48. Cross-cultural Management Challenges in International Business: Strategies for Effective Global Leadership

Topic 49. Innovation Management in the Digital Age: Analysing Disruption and Driving Business Growth

Topic 50. Evaluating the Influence of Organisational Culture on Employee Engagement and Commitment: A Comparative Study

Topic 51. Examining Project Management Best Practices: Lessons Learned from Successful Project Implementations in Various Industries

Topic 52. Strategic Marketing Management: Developing and Implementing Marketing Strategies for Competitive Advantage

Topic 53. Evaluating the Role of Knowledge Management in Enhancing Organisational Learning and Innovation

Topic 54. Entrepreneurial Leadership and Business Success: Examining the Traits and Behaviors of Successful Entrepreneurs

Topic 55. Crisis Management Strategies: Preparedness, Response, and Recovery in Times of Organisational Crisis

Topic 56. Evaluating the Impact of Technological Innovations on Business Models: Adapting to the Digital Economy

Topic 57. Examining Corporate Governance Practices and Firm Performance: Evidence from Listed Companies

Topic 58. Employee Training and Development Programs: Evaluating the Impact on Employee Skills and Organisational Performance

Topic 59. Sustainable Operations Management: Integrating Environmental and Social Responsibility into Business Operations

Topic 60. Ethical Leadership and Corporate Integrity: Building Trust and Transparency in Business Practices

Topic 61. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Strategies: Enhancing Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction

Topic 62. Examining Strategic Financial Management: Optimal Capital Structure and Investment Decision-making

Topic 63. Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives: Promoting Equality and Fairness in the Workplace

Topic 64. Supply Chain Sustainability: Assessing Environmental and Social Impacts in Supply Chain Operations

Topic 65. Examining Strategic Planning and Execution: Aligning Organisational Goals with Operational Strategies

Topic 66. Organisational Resilience and Risk Management: Strategies for Analysing Uncertain Business Environments

Topic 67. Digital Transformation in Operations Management: Harnessing Technology for Process Optimisation and Efficiency

Topic 68. Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Creating a Culture of Creativity and Experimentation

Topic 69. Performance Measurement and Management Systems: Aligning Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) with Strategic Objectives

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Business Research Topics for College Students

Topic 70. Evaluating the Role of E-commerce Platforms in Transforming Consumer Behaviour: Implications for Retail Businesses

Topic 71. Sustainable Business Practices: Opportunities and Challenges for Small Businesses in a Global Context

Topic 72. Examining the Impact of Social Media Marketing on Brand Awareness and Customer Engagement: A Study among College Students

Topic 73. Exploring the Effectiveness of Online Learning Platforms in Entrepreneurship Education: Perspectives from College Students

Topic 74. Examining the Relationship between Corporate Governance and Financial Performance: A Study of Listed Companies

Topic 75. Examining the Gig Economy and Its Implications for the Future of Work: Perspectives from College Students

Topic 76. Green Marketing Strategies: Assessing Consumer Perceptions and Preferences towards Sustainable Products and Brands

Topic 77. Digital Transformation in Healthcare: Analysing the Impact of Telemedicine and Health-Tech Innovations on Patient Care and Access

Topic 78. Examining Financial Technology (Fintech) Adoption: Exploring the Usage and Attitudes of College Students towards Mobile Payments and Digital Banking Services

Topic 79. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Reporting in the Age of Transparency: Evaluating the Disclosure Practices of Fortune 500 Companies

Topic 80. The Sharing Economy: Assessing the Growth and Impact of Peer-to-Peer Platforms in Accommodation, Transportation, and Other Industries

Topic 81. Entrepreneurial Opportunities in the Circular Economy: Innovations in Waste Reduction, Recycling, and Sustainable Resource Management

Topic 82. Examining the Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Personalised Healthcare: Analysing the Potential for AI-driven Diagnostics, Treatment Planning, and Patient Care

Topic 83. Inclusive Leadership in Diverse Workplaces: Examining Strategies for Fostering Collaboration and Innovation in Multicultural Teams

Topic 84. The Future of Retail: Exploring Trends in Omni-channel Retailing, Augmented Reality Shopping Experiences, and Last-Mile Delivery Solutions

Research Topic about ABM Strand

Topic 85. Analysing the Influence of Career Counselling Services on Career Decision-Making among ABM Strand Students

Topic 86. Exploring the Effectiveness of Project-Based Learning in Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills: A Study in ABM Strand Education

Topic 87. Assessing the Impact of Financial Literacy Education on Financial Management Practices: A Study among ABM Strand Students

Topic 88. Examining the Relationship between Extracurricular Activities and Academic Performance: A Study among ABM Strand Students

Topic 89. Understanding the Factors Influencing Career Path Choices among ABM Strand Students: A Qualitative Inquiry

Topic 90. Examining the Role of Internships in Bridging the Gap between Classroom Learning and Industry Practices: Perspectives from ABM Strand Students

Topic 91. Financial Planning and Investment Behavior: Exploring the Financial Decision-Making Process among ABM Strand Students

Topic 92. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education: Assessing the Impact on Entrepreneurial Intentions and Ventures among ABM Strand Students

Topic 93. Examining Gender Diversity in Business Leadership: Examining Gender Disparities and Strategies for Achieving Gender Equality in ABM Strand Professions

Topic 94. Evaluating the Impact of Digital Literacy on Career Advancement Opportunities: A Study among ABM Strand Graduates in the Digital Age

Topic 95. Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Business Practices: Perceptions and Practices among ABM Strand Students

Topic 96. Examining Leadership Styles and Team Dynamics: Exploring Effective Leadership Strategies for ABM Strand Students in Group Projects and Collaborative Settings

Topic 97. Financial Stress and Mental Health: Investigating the Relationship and Coping Mechanisms among ABM Strand Students

Topic 98. Cultural Intelligence in Global Business: Assessing Cross-Cultural Competence and Adaptability among ABM Strand Students

Topic 99. Evaluating the Influence of Family Business Background on Career Aspirations and Entrepreneurial Intentions among ABM Strand Students

Quantitative Research Topics for ABM Students

Topic 100. Examining the Relationship between Study Habits and Academic Performance: A Quantitative Analysis among ABM Strand Students

Topic 103. Examining the Influence of Parental Expectations on Career Aspirations: A Quantitative Study among ABM Strand Students

Topic 102. Assessing the Effectiveness of Time Management Skills on Academic Achievement: A Quantitative Study in ABM Strand Education

Topic 103. Examining the Correlation between Leadership Skills and Career Success: A Quantitative Analysis among ABM Strand Students

Topic 104. Analysing the Impact of Technology Adoption on Learning Outcomes: A Quantitative Study in ABM Strand Education

Topic 105. Evaluating the Influence of Financial Literacy on Investment Behavior: A Quantitative Analysis among ABM Strand Students

Topic 106. Examining the Relationship between Stress Levels and Academic Performance: A Quantitative Study in ABM Strand Education

Topic 107. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Online Learning Platforms on Student Engagement and Achievement: A Quantitative Analysis among ABM Strand Students

Topic 108. Exploring the Impact of Peer Influence on Career Decision-Making: A Quantitative Study among ABM Strand Students

Topic 109. Examining Financial Decision-Making Styles and Investment Preferences: A Quantitative Analysis among ABM Strand Students

Topic 110. Evaluating the Relationship between Work-Integrated Learning and Employability Skills Development: A Quantitative Study in ABM Strand Education

Topic 111. Examining the Link between Financial Stress and Mental Health: A Quantitative Analysis among ABM Strand Students

Topic 112. Examining the Role of Leadership Development Programs in Enhancing Leadership Skills: A Quantitative Study among ABM Strand Students

Topic 113. Evaluating the Impact of Social Media Usage on Academic Performance: A Quantitative Analysis among ABM Strand Students

Topic 114. Analysing the Effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning in Developing Critical Thinking Skills: A Quantitative Study in ABM Strand Education

Qualitative Research Title about ABM Strand

Topic 115. Exploring the Perceptions and Experiences of ABM Strand Students in Career Decision-Making Processes: A Qualitative Inquiry

Topic 116. Understanding the Motivations and Challenges of ABM Strand Students in Pursuing Entrepreneurship: A Qualitative Study

Topic 117. Examining the Influence of Peer Relationships on Academic Engagement: Perspectives from ABM Strand Students

Topic 118. Examining the Role of Family Support in Career Development: A Qualitative Analysis among ABM Strand Students

Topic 119. Exploring the Impact of Internship Experiences on Skill Development: Perspectives from ABM Strand Students

Topic 120. Analysing Gender Stereotypes in Business Education: Perspectives and Experiences of Female ABM Strand Students

Topic 121. Evaluating the Influence of Cultural Background on Career Aspirations: A Qualitative Exploration among ABM Strand Students from Diverse Ethnicities

Topic 122. Examining the Role of Mentoring Relationships in Career Development: Insights from ABM Strand Students and Alumni

Topic 123. Exploring Perceptions of Work-Life Balance among ABM Strand Students: A Qualitative Inquiry into Priorities and Challenges

Topic 124. Understanding the Impact of Industry Exposure Programs on Career Path Choices: Perspectives from ABM Strand Students

Topic 125. Analysing Professional Identity Formation: Experiences and Reflections of ABM Strand Students in Career Development

Topic 126. Analysing the Influence of Socioeconomic Background on Academic and Career Trajectories: A Qualitative Study among ABM Strand Students

Topic 127. Exploring the Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Development: Insights from ABM Strand Students

Topic 128. Analysing the Intersection of Passion and Career Choice: Experiences and Decision-Making Processes among ABM Strand Students

Topic 129. Examining Career Transitions: Exploring Challenges and Strategies of ABM Strand Students in Transitioning from Education to Employment

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Accounting dissertation ideas.

Topic 130. Analysing the Role of Forensic Accounting in Detecting and Preventing Financial Fraud: Case Studies and Best Practices

Topic 131. Corporate Governance Mechanisms and Financial Performance: An Empirical Analysis of Board Characteristics and Firm Value

Topic 132. Examining Sustainability Accounting and Reporting: Evaluating the Integration of Environmental and Social Metrics into Financial Reporting

Topic 133. Analysing Tax Planning Strategies for Multinational Corporations: Optimising Tax Efficiency while Ensuring Compliance

Topic 134. Analysing Blockchain Technology and its Implications for Accounting Practices: Opportunities and Challenges in Financial Transactions

Topic 135. Examining the Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Accounting: Automating Processes and Enhancing Accuracy

Topic 136. Analysing Fraudulent Financial Reporting: Understanding Red Flags and Investigative Techniques in Forensic Accounting

Topic 137. Ethical Considerations in Accounting: Analysing Professional Standards and Codes of Conduct

Topic 138. Evaluating the Role of Internal Controls in Preventing and Detecting Fraudulent Activities: Case Studies and Best Practices

Topic 139. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting: Assessing the Impact on Investor Decision-making and Corporate Accountability

Topic 140. Taxation Challenges in the Digital Economy: Addressing Tax Compliance Issues in Online Transactions

Topic 141. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Reporting and Accountability: Examining the Role of Accountants in Promoting Ethical Business Practices

Topic 142. Evaluating the Use of Data Analytics in Auditing: Enhancing Audit Quality and Effectiveness through Advanced Technologies

Topic 143. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Adoption and Implementation: Challenges and Opportunities for Global Harmonisation

Topic 144. Financial Statement Analysis Techniques: Evaluating Financial Performance and Identifying Key Ratios for Decision-making

Topic 145. Risk Assessment and Management in Accounting: Identifying and Mitigating Financial Risks in Organisations

Topic 146. Examining Accounting for Intangible Assets: Valuation Methods and Reporting Practices

Topic 147. Corporate Taxation Policies and Economic Development: Analysing the Impact of Tax Incentives on Business Growth

Topic 148. Examining the Role of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) in Streamlining Financial Processes and Reporting

Topic 149. Audit Committee Effectiveness and Corporate Governance: Examining the Influence of Board Oversight on Audit Quality

Topic 150. Fair Value Accounting: Assessing the Challenges and Controversies Surrounding Fair Value Measurement

Topic 151. Financial Fraud Prevention Strategies: Implementing Internal Controls and Fraud Detection Mechanisms

Topic 152. Accounting for Business Combinations: Mergers, Acquisitions, and Consolidations

Topic 153. Analysing the Impact of Regulatory Changes on Financial Reporting Practices: Compliance Challenges and Implementation Strategies

Topic 154. Tax Transparency and Disclosure: Examining the Trend towards Increased Tax Reporting and Disclosure Requirements

Quality Research Title for ABM Students 2024

Topic 155. Exploring the Impact of Financial Literacy on Personal Financial Management: Insights from ABM Strand Students

Topic 156. Analysing the Influence of Cultural Diversity on Team Dynamics and Collaboration: Perspectives from ABM Strand Projects

Topic 157. Strategies for Effective Conflict Resolution in Business: A Case Study Analysis in ABM Strand Context

Topic 158. Assessing the Role of Emotional Intelligence in Negotiation Skills: A Study among ABM Strand Students

Topic 159. Exploring Gender Disparities in Leadership Positions: Challenges and Opportunities for ABM Strand Graduates

Topic 160. Analysing the Impact of Industry 4.0 on Business Operations: Preparing ABM Strand Students for Technological Disruption

Topic 161. Innovations in Financial Management: Analysing Fintech Solutions for Personal and Business Finance

Topic 162. Assessing the Influence of Family Business Background on Entrepreneurial Intentions: A Study among ABM Strand Students

Topic 163. Analysing he Role of Mentoring in Career Development: Perspectives from ABM Strand Alumni

Topic 164. Assessing the Intersection of Law and Business: Exploring Legal Issues in Entrepreneurship and Corporate Governance

Topic 165. Strategies for Effective Time Management in Business Studies: Insights from ABM Strand Students

Topic 166. Assessing the Impact of Cross-cultural Communication Skills on International Business Negotiations: ABM Strand Perspectives

Topic 167. Analysing the Importance of Critical Thinking Skills in Business Decision-making: A Study among ABM Strand Students

Topic 168. Exploring the Entrepreneurial Mindset: Traits and Characteristics of Successful Business Leaders

Topic 169. Sustainability Practices in Business Operations: Evaluating Environmental and Social Responsibility in ABM Strand Curriculum

Trending Business Research Topics for College Students

Topic 170. Assessing the Role of Influencer Marketing in Shaping Consumer Behavior: Insights from College Students

Topic 171. Evaluating the Impact of Gamification in Education: Enhancing Learning Outcomes and Student Engagemen

Topic 172. Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Strategies for Creating a Culture of Belonging

Topic 173. Analysing the Future of Urban Mobility: Exploring Trends in Transportation Technology and Smart Cities

Topic 174. Assessing the Role of Corporate Culture in Organisational Change: Lessons from Successful Change Management Initiatives

Topic 175. Analysing the Gig Economy: Understanding the Rise of Freelance and Remote Work Opportunities

Topic 176. Analysing Innovations in Online Education: Exploring Virtual Classrooms and Interactive Learning Tools

Topic 177. Evaluating the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Job Automation and Future Career Opportunities

Topic 178. Assessing the Psychology of Marketing: Analysing Consumer Behavior and Decision-making Processes

Topic 179. Analysing the Role of Soft Skills in Career Advancement: Communication, Leadership, and Emotional Intelligence

Topic 180. Strategies for Enhancing Employee Engagement and Satisfaction in the Workplace

Topic 181. Analysing the Sharing Economy: Exploring Trends in Peer-to-peer Marketplaces and Collaborative Consumption

Topic 182. Evaluating the Influence of Social Media on Mental Health and Well-being: Implications for College Students

Topic 183. Analysing the Future of Retail Banking: Innovations in Digital Banking Services and Financial Technology

How to Craft an A+ Research Topic for ABM

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