How To Use The Correct Dissertation Format: A Quick Guide

If you understand the fact that your dissertation is a very unique intellectual achievement for any student, you would devote time to making sure that this unique paper is well written and in the right format too. Unlike what some students might think, your paper does not have to be completely original instead, it should be able to portray your understanding of certain theories and key issues within your field of study. Successful completion and submission of this paper is evidence that you can successfully carry out critical evaluation and analysis.

Now I am surely beginning to make you nervous but not to worry, this article is all about using the correct dissertation format to ensure that your paper is top-notch. Inability to appropriately research and present your findings to the committee will ultimately lead to low scores. Following is a quick guide for presenting your paper in clear and concise manner.

Maintaining a good structure from the initial stage of writing your paper makes the whole work a lot easier for you. Here is a basic structure for your dissertation.

  • The Title Page: This page includes the title of your paper, your name, name of course being offered, date and name of your supervisor.
  • Abstract: This is a paragraph that summarizes your paper.
  • Acknowledgement: This page is where you show appreciation to those who assisted you in the course of researching and writing your project.
  • Table of Contents: Contained in this page are the chapters, sections and subsections making up your dissertation, along with their page numbers.
  • Introduction: This is where you present the problem or question you are working on. The page also briefly outlines the structure of your project.
  • Main Body: This is the meat, where all the facts/evidence of your research, analysis and evaluation are discussed. It the topic is under arts or social sciences, then the structure of the main body will be in paragraphs while sciences and engineering students break down theirs in sections. Business courses utilize a combination of both styles.
  • Conclusion/Findings: This is where, in succinct terms, you state your answer to the question or problem being addressed in your dissertation. If necessary, you also make recommendations or suggestions geared towards further research on the issue at hand.
  • Bibliography: This page contains a complete list of the sources utilized in your research. These sources should be appropriately formatted in the required style of citation.
  • Appendices: This page is reserved for those information that are not the core strength of your project or too large to be in the main body of the work. These could be maps, copies of notes or letters, questionnaires etc
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