The Dissertation and Dissertation Seminar - CS831-6-FY
Researching
and writing a dissertation can be one of the most
rewarding parts of a BA degree. It’s an opportunity to
work independently and investigate a topic that really
interests you. It will help you acquire the skills and
confidence to do research in future employment and be
invaluable if you decide to study an MA or PhD.
There are lots of different ways to research and write a
dissertation. Some topics may fall within a
particular discipline; others may be more
interdisciplinary. And there are all sorts of
methods and sources you may use, including documents,
visual materials, interviews and observation. To get a
sense of the range of possibilities, have a look at some
of the dissertations by past students on your degree.
They are in the Art History Library (6.145).
The full dissertation guidelines are available from the Resources page or from the CISH office.
The Dissertation
The Dissertation Seminar
- Aims and Objectives
- Recommended Reading
- Seminar Sessions
- Presentation Component
- Presentation Tips
- Method of Assessment
Aims and Objectives of the Dissertation
- To allow students to follow a particular topic in depth.
- To develop independent research skills.
Dissertation Guidelines
The Dissertation should be approximately 10,000-12,000 words long. Additionally, it must:
a) be based on research carried out while you are abroad
(if you are doing a BA in European, Latin American or US
Studies);
b) and make a contribution to knowledge / understanding
(i.e. address a gap in existing research).
There are many different ways to organise a dissertation and the composition will depend on your particular research project, topic, and approach. We will discuss a range of possibilities in the seminar but all dissertations should include:
- Introduction
The introduction should lay out the Dissertation question and explain how you propose to answer it. It is useful to position your own work in the broader field. What has been written about the subject already? In what ways are you contributing something new? - A discussion of evidence and
methods
You can include a section on methods in the introduction or have a separate chapter. Your discussion should address the following questions: What sorts of evidence or data are you using? How did you gather it? What sorts of methodology are you using? What sorts of problems did you encounter? - A Clear Argument
Address the question, and organise and interpret the evidence to develop an argument and propose an answer - Data
There are all sorts of ways to present your data: tables, diagrams, photographs and so on, as well as quotes in the main text. Try to avoid waffle! Try to achieve a balance between letting the data speak, and careful analytical discussion - Conclusion
The Dissertation should have a conclusion which brings together the key points made in the dissertation. - Bibliography
You should include a bibliography of works cited; and an appendix which lists primary sources
The full dissertation guidelines are available at the back of the Student Handbook and also available online.
TWO heat-sealed copies should be submitted to the CISH Office. Please ensure that you include a title page showing your name, the dissertation title and the name of your supervisor. You are also required to submit your dissertation onto OCS (text only, no images) by the deadline.
Aims and Objectives of the Dissertation Seminar
- To support students in processing data and writing their dissertations following the completion of the main phase of their data collection
- To provide a critical forum for students to present their dissertation work
- To help students develop good presentation and writing skills
- To identify and address any weaknesses in students' research and to help students capitalise on the strengths of their data when writing their dissertations.
Recommended Reading
Bell, J., Doing Your Research Project, H61.B4
Seminar Sessions
- Oral Presentations
In their presentations students will learn important skills in preparing and delivering presentations using appropriate materials and tools. Read More » - Writing Skills Workshop
The writing workshop in the middle of the course will allow students to better plan and produce their written dissertation. - Chapter Seminars
The chapter seminars, where students offer individual chapters for discussion, will offer a constructively critical and friendly environment for students to discuss their written work. Read More »
Seminar Presentation
Students will be required to give a presentation as part of the assessment for the dissertation. Each presentation should be between 20 minutes and half an hour long. The presentation is worth 15% of your final mark.
The objectives of the presentation are:
- To identify weaknesses and strengths in the dissertation in time for these to be addressed or developed
- To allow students space and time to present their work without being concerned about assessment.
In your presentation you should provide an introduction to your topic including any relevant background; show how your topic fits into a wider framework (e.g. how it compares to other regions or other theoretical perspectives that may be relevant); provide some information on methodology; explain why you chose your topic of study and how you came to approach it in the way you did.
Presentation Tips
- The Audience
Know your audience. Present you material at the appropriate level. Think about how much knowledge you can reasonably expect them to have. Don't bore them with stuff they already know; don't assume they know things which wouldn't be reasonable to expect. - The Equipment
Know your equipment. If you are showing slides, or a video etc.. make sure you know how the equipment works before the presentation. You should have everything set up and ready to go before people arrive. Make sure slides are in order and the right way up, video tapes at the right position and so on… - The Talk
Never, never read the talk word for word. Make notes and read from the notes. Look at people as you talk to them. If you are very nervous and don't want to look them in the eye, look just above their heads.
Moderate your tone depending on what you are saying. A dull monotone puts everyone to sleep. Speak clearly and raise your head when you talk. This helps project your voice.
If you appear interested and enthusiastic about your material, you audience is quit likely to be infected by your interest. If you seem bored, they will quickly get bored too. - The Material
Work out carefully what it is you want to say. What is the point of the presentation, what do you want to get across? Be wary of giving too much background and not leaving sufficient time to present your material. Think carefully about what information your audience needs to properly understand your argument and the points you want to make. - Time
Stick to the time allotted you. Practice your presentation to make sure you are within the limit. If you go over your allotted time you may get cut off before you have managed to present the meat of your argument. - Conclusion
Reiterate the points you have made. Make sure you are clear yourself what the main points are and then communicate them to your audience.
Chapter Seminars
In the second half of the term students will present a chapter to the seminar group. Each chapter must be submitted at least a week before the date it is to be discussed in order that everyone may read a chapter in good time. The chapters (two per week) will be discussed for one hour. Everyone is involved with the discussion. This is an opportunity to have a wide constructive readership, to share good practice and create a mutually supportive working environment for the writing of the dissertation. The draft chapter is worth 15% of your final mark.
Method of Assessment
The course is assessed by the dissertation (70%), oral presentation of research (15%), presentation of draft chapter (15%)
Further information and material is also available on the Module Directory and CMR.