The Scenario A student recently brought me their dissertation proposal for feedback. They had observed a phenomenon, discussed it with their professor, who pointed them to two or three references and worked on this limited basis. In fairness, the student acknowledged they still had work to do on the literature, but their proposal …
Lessons from My Students: The Proposal Without a Literature Review Read More »
The Scenario A student’s dissertation I recently reviewed raised an interesting research question. Assume it was: What drives employee engagement in virtual teams? The introduction laid out the research problem, purpose and questions, and the literature review explored relevant studies. But something important was missing. There was no mention of a research/conceptual framework in these …
The Critical Role of the Research/Conceptual Framework 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 …
Theoretical and conceptual frameworks are challenging for many reasons. Indeed, Bloomberg (2023, p.23) describes them as “…one of the most misunderstood pieces in the dissertation puzzle and … a source of anxiety and frustration for many”. Undoubtedly, it takes careful thought and effort to arrive at such a framework while reviewing the research literature …
The Challenges of Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks Read More »
At this time of year, many students are in the process of finishing their dissertations or theses. Now is the time to examine your research document from start to finish. Perhaps the most overlooked issue in dissertations and theses is that the theoretical or conceptual framework is not followed throughout the document. So often, the framework …
What is the most OVERLOOKED issue in dissertations and theses? 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 »
Theoretical and conceptual framing in academic writing is a challenge for many students. So why do you need theory at all? Why not simply identify a problem, conduct an interview or a survey, and report your results without using a theoretical base? Well, first, as a postgraduate student, you are required to use a theoretical …
Do You Find it Challenging to Introduce Theory into Your Thesis or Dissertation? Read More »