ALL dissertations should include the following

Cover sheet –

Title Page

Abstract – The abstract should not be longer than

300 words. It should indicate the nature and scope of the work, outlining the research problem, key issues,

findings and your conclusion/recommendations. It should be included immediately after the title page and it

will be examined as part of the dissertation.

Table of Contents – An outline of the whole project in list form, setting out the order of the sections, with

page numbers. It is conventional to number the preliminary pages (abstract, table of contents) with lower case

Roman numerals (i.e. (i), (ii), (iii) etc.) and the main text pages (starting with the first chapter) in Arabic

numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) as shown below.

Contents Page

List of Tables i

List of Figures ii

List of Abbreviations iii

Acknowledgements iv

Chapter 1 (Title) 1

1.1 (First Section heading)

1.2 (Second etc.)

1.3 (Third)

List of tables and figures – You can present a list at the beginning of your dissertation/ project of the tables

and figures you have included.

Tables and figures should be clearly and consistently numbered, either above or below the table or

figure. Each table and figure should have a separate heading (caption). The reader should be able to

understand what the table or figure is about from this heading / caption without referring to the text for

explanations. The numbers of the tables and the figures you use in the text and in the lists at the beginning

should correspond exactly.

Diagrams, figures, tables, and illustrations should be incorporated into the text at the appropriate place, unless

there is a series of them or they are continually referred to throughout the text. In this case they should be placed in appendices at the end of the work. You are advised to use a drawing package for diagrams and scan

in other illustrations.

References A list of references should be included at the end of the dissertation and should list, alphabetically,

all the sources (including magazines and newspapers) that you have consulted. Books should be listed as:

Author (surname then initials); title, edition, publisher, date. Other sources such as journals, magazines, and

newspapers should be treated in a similar fashion. If sources are used which are not written in English then

the English translation is required in the list of references.

Appendices – these should not contain material which is not used or referred to in the text. Similarly,

illustrative material should not be included unless it is relevant, informative, and referred to in the text.

Introduction

Is the abstract adequate? Is there a clear purpose and rationale for the

study? Clear set of objectives / research questions?

10%

2. Research Design & Methodology

Was research design and methodology discussed? Was the approach

appropriate?

20%

3. Use of Literature / Sources

Was the range suitable and adequate? Has a critical review of the

literature been adopted? Has the student made a ‘link’ between existing

literature and their own research?

20%

4. Results, analysis and interpretation of data

Has the data been accurately presented and analysed or are the findings

merely a description? Appropriate theory applied? Interpretation – Has the

student made reasoned judgments on their findings?

30%

5. Conclusion & recommendations

Are conclusions reasoned? Do they correspond with the objective(s) of the

dissertation? Has the student reflected on the extent they have achieved

their objectives? Limitations and future research discussed?

10%

6. Presentation

Structure & language, Harvard Referencing correctly applied, appropriate

use of tables/diagrams?

10%