Dissertations and final year projects

Getting started

Literature review

Research methods and ethics

Maths skills

Research skills

Reading skills and note-making

Referencing

This page has useful fact sheets and guides for students undertaking large projects or dissertations.

Dissertation glossary

Students starting a dissertation or large project, often meet a barrier early on because of the terminology invloved in producing one. This fact sheet provides a guide to the meanings of the most impotant terminology, along with extra guidance on the procedure. It covers what is meant by such terms as:

A dissertation
The supervisor
A proposal
The literature review
Methodology
Secondary and primary data
Quantitative and qualitative data

Download A dissertation glossary.

Writing a literature review

This guide gives you an introduction to the literature review and covers:

Why we write them
Being critical
Getting started and narrowing the topic
Where to look for literature
Reading skills, taking notes and keeping records
Writing up your review
Producing a final draft

Download Doing your literature review.

Literature review checklist

This checklist will help you keep your literature review on track. A literature review must:

Show a clear understanding and of the topic and the major research to date

Show a gap in the existing knowledge

Develop paragraph by paragraph to a clear research problem

Be structured around themes (rather than source by source)

State clear conclusions about previous research which discuss the pros and cons in relation to the developing research question

Mention (and discuss some of) all the key studies

Show the variety of approaches that have been made to the topic area

Reach well researched and argued recommendations for further research

Download the checklist.

Ethical considerations for research projects and dissertations

All those carrying out research involving living subjects should carefully think about any ethical issues that might arise. This fact sheet will introduce you to some common ethical considerations which you should then discuss with your supervisor/tutor:

The informed consent of participants

Debriefing

The right for participants to withdraw

Confidentiality and anonymity

The researcher's safety and protection

Respect for subjects

Study Skills

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Dissertations and final year projects