The problem statement of your dissertation or proposal is very important. It is a go-to section for your supervisors and examiners. So, why not grade your problem statement yourself? Here are 7 criteria. Score 1 point for each criterion if your problem statement deserves it, ½ a point if you’re undecided, and no point if it …
7 Criteria for Grading Your own Problem Statement Read More »
If you were planning to go on one of the most important journeys of your life, you’d most likely think it through carefully beforehand. You might consider the objectives of your trip and ask key questions so that you could meet these objectives. You would likely identify the main problem you faced and find a …
Writing the Introduction Chapter of Your Thesis or Dissertation Read More »
Usually, things come together in the end. But in a dissertation, they need to come together far sooner. Already, in your introduction chapter, you need to piece everything together. Albeit at a high level, you need to establish a balance between the background to the research problem and its foreground and have a balanced …
Have you aligned the problem statement, purpose statement and research question(s) of your dissertation? For your study to deliver on its promises, this is essential. It applies whatever your topic, your research approach or your methodology. While the problem statement focuses on the research problem and knowledge gap, the purpose statement provides the main and …
3 components of your dissertation that need to be PERFECT early on. Read More »
A great test of how well you understand your research problem is whether you can explain clearly and concisely what your study is about. Ideally, you should be able to explain it in a few seconds, without hesitation. In ‘Completing Your Qualitative Dissertation’, Bloomberg (2023, p.25) describes the concept of Elevator Speech to illustrate how clearly …
Communicating your research problem perfectly: Elevator Speech Read More »
Have you considered using a diagram to explain the concepts in your thesis? A diagram that explains concepts and their expected relationships is called a conceptual diagram, and it’s simpler than you think. The image in this post shows a conceptual diagram of the relationship between three concepts: Work-life balance, Organisational commitment, and attitudes to …
Using a DIAGRAM to EXPLAIN the CONCEPTS in your thesis Read More »
Presenting your problem as a RESEARCH problem is one of the most important tasks early on in a thesis or dissertation. You have to convince your readers – your supervisor(s), panel and examiners – that your problem is researchable, i.e., that it is a RESEARCH Problem. Van de Ven (2007), provides 4 essentials for you …