A dissertation or thesis is somewhat like a chain – a chain of interlinked stages from identifying the problem to the conclusion. Of course, you can revisit and improve a previous stage. Nevertheless, a dissertation or thesis is only as strong as its weakest stage, like a chain that is only as strong as its […]
Is Your Dissertation or Thesis STRONG? Read More »
Whether you’re writing your proposal or the introduction to your dissertation or thesis, you will need to convince your supervisor or examiner that you’ve identified a researchable problem. The trouble is that not every problem is a research problem. Methodologists like Van de Ven (2007) provide guidance on how to distinguish between an ordinary problem and a research problem.
Is your problem a RESEARCH problem? Read More »
How many times have you chosen to read something based on its title? Many times, I’m sure. So, the title of your thesis or dissertation is important. It should present your research accurately and encourage others to read it. Here are answers to a few FAQs on academic titles: HOW MANY WORDS SHOULD THE TITLE
There are certain parts of a proposal, dissertation or thesis that often trip students up early on. Let me share 5 of them with you (in no particular order). First off, is the trap of outdated references. The rule of thumb is that over 80% of your references should be newer than 5 years old (unless
5 Dissertation TRAPS: How to avoid them Read More »
How well have you written your literature review? In my experience, most students write their literature reviews by focussing on who (i.e. the authors of each reference) says what. Each paragraph starts with authors’ names. Writing this way is not ideal as the focus is on the authors, rather than on what they’re saying. According to Bloom’s (2001) Taxonomy of conceptual
The Literature Review Read More »