Dissertation Guide

MSc Distance Learning
DISSERTATION
STUDY GUIDE
Department of Built Environment

STUDY GUIDE: DISSERTATION
Contents
Chapter 1 ..................................................................................................................................... 3
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 2 ...................................................................................................................................... 6
2.0 Aims, Objectives And Learning Outcomes ................................................................ 6
Chapter 3 ...................................................................................................................................... 9
3.0 Writing Your Dissertation Proposal ............................................................................ 9

3.1 Subject And Topic..................................................................................................... 10
3.2 Developing The Aims/Objectives & Hypotheses....................................................... 15
3.3 Developing The Methodology .................................................................................. 17
3.4 Research Ethics ........................................................................................................ 19
Chapter 4 .................................................................................................................................... 24
4.0 Undertaking The Main Study – The Literature Review ............................................ 24

4.1 Selecting The Research Tools - Data Gathering ........................................................ 27
4.2 Critically Analysing Data ........................................................................................... 29
4.3 Discussion, Conclusions & Recomendations ............................................................. 31
Chapter 5 .................................................................................................................................... 33
5.0 Writing Up The Research ......................................................................................... 33
Chapter 6 .................................................................................................................................... 35
6.0 Role Of Supervisor ................................................................................................... 35
Chapter 7 .................................................................................................................................... 36
7.0 Presentation............................................................................................................. 36
Chapter 8 .................................................................................................................................... 41
8.0 Submission ............................................................................................................... 41
Chapter 9 .................................................................................................................................... 42
9.0 Assessment .............................................................................................................. 42

MSc Course: Dissertation
Page 2
CHAPTER 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The dissertation is a 40 credit course, accounting for approximately 25% of the total
content of the Masters degree. As a double course, the learning time associated with the
dissertation is approximately 400 hours. This encompasses all activities associated with the
research i.e. literature searching and evaluation, ‘practical’ analysis of results and writing
up. It is regarded by the University and the External Examiners as the most definitive piece
of work, for the degree, produced by a student, and a strong indicator of the student’s
academic ability.
Producing your dissertation is not an open-ended activity. Between the start of your
research, and the deadline for submission, there are a number of tasks that need to be
undertaken in sequence. Your management of this process is an essential part of
undertaking the course. The specific tasks to be undertaken depend upon the methodology
you have devised for your dissertation (see Chapter 3.4).
Having identified the tasks, they can then be programmed and undertaken either in
sequence or in any other appropriate manner. This facilitates good time management. The
use of a simple Gantt chart can be a useful tool for this. A typical Gantt chart is shown in
Figure 1. The duration (time) is displayed across the top of the chart and the tasks down
the left hand side of the chart. The aim/objectives of your research should be stated at the
top to ensure the approach is focused. For each task the top line shows the projected time
span, the lower line the actual time span/progress. It should be drawn up working back
from the submission date. Each task in the dissertation process becomes a separate activity
on the Gantt chart. There will be additional activities to be included, such as writing-up,
reviewing, editing, making corrections, critical reading, printing and binding etc. Ideally
few, if any, of these tasks should overlap as there is only one resource available - you.
However, time constraints may mean some overlap is unavoidable e.g. researching the
introduction whilst sending out questionnaires. Remember, a Gantt chart is only a plan and
like any plan it is only useful if it is regularly reviewed and adjusted to match reality. Having
a good plan is important but it can’t guarantee success. The focus should be on the
dissertation not the plan.
There are various approaches to undertaking a dissertation. You should select the one that
best suits your own style of working. A recommended approach which generally produces
good results is to treat each of the tasks as a separate assignment. Identify from the Gantt
chart the time available to complete the task and then undertake only that task. This allows
you to concentrate on a single task, which should help you to produce the best possible
result. However, such an approach may not always be totally practicable. Whilst
undertaking a task you will inevitably come across information and data that is relevant to
other tasks. This information should be appropriately referenced and stored in the file for

Page 3
that task. If you attempt to undertake a number of tasks at the same time you must ensure
that sufficient time is allocated to each one and that you achieve practical completion of
the task before you move on. Failure to manage this process properly invariably results in
numerous part completed tasks (a bit like having 4 unfinished essays) which cause problems
when you come to put it all together in a final draft.
During your dissertation you will analyse a large number of sources. It is important that
when you cite these that they are properly and full referenced. This will avoid any
problems arising with plagiarism. Close links with your tutor should enable you to develop
your ideas clearly, and express them in an appropriate way (see The Little Book of
Plagiarism for further advice). To this end regular contact with your tutor is essential to
ensure a good dissertation.
Finally, your dissertation should be the pinnacle of your studies. It should allow you the
opportunity to investigate a subject to a greater depth than other courses do. It should also
provide the vehicle for you to produce a piece of work that you are proud of and that can
be shown to prospective employers. However, the dissertation is considered by most
students to be the most difficult piece of work they undertake during their MSc. It involves
identifying a subject worthy of study, framing the subject of the study in a way that lends
itself to an answer, and then executing the study in a way that satisfies the course
requirements. The information contained in this study guide (in conjunction with that
provided previously in the Research Methods Study Guide) is designed to help you properly
approach your dissertation and ensure that you frame an appropriate question that
provides you the opportunity to produce a dissertation that you can be truly proud of.
READING
Judith Bell, 'Doing Your Research Project' pages 7 - 24. (available from
DawsonEra)
Shamil Naoum ‘ Dissertation Research & Writing’ pages 1 – 7. (available
from MyiLibrary)
There are many alternatives to Bell and Naoum available through MyiLibrary, DawsonEra
and other resource available through the University online library.

Page 4
Figure 1.1: Gantt chart
CHAPTER 2
2.0 AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
Every course making up an MSc is defined by three criteria: its aims; its objectives; and its
learning outcomes. The Dissertation is no different.
The Aims of the Dissertation are:
(i) To provide an opportunity complete a dissertation at postgraduate level.
(ii) To develop your critical and analytical skills.
(iii) To provide an opportunity to carry out postgraduate level research, using critical
enquiry and an appropriate methodology in an area of particular interest to the
student.
(iv) To develop strengths in academic self-management.
(v) To stimulate breadth and depth of reading, and to develop an ability to integrate
information and knowledge within a framework of critical analysis.
(vi) To provide an opportunity as appropriate, to make an original contribution to

knowledge and practice in the areas being investigated.
The Objectives of the Dissertation are:
To produce a dissertation which complies with all the assessment requirements for the
course and, in so doing, demonstrate ability and achievement in the techniques of research,
critical analysis, synthesis of data and information, and presentation in an appropriate form
for an academic report.
By successfully completing the dissertation, you should achieve the following Learning
Outcomes:
(i) Be more confident generally in the use and application of research techniques.
(ii) Have developed an in-depth knowledge in a specialist field of interest to you.
(iii) Have developed skills which will enable you to investigate problems, assemble and
test data and critically evaluate and present results.
What you will find different with the dissertation course is how the above influences the
work you do. In every other course you study your tutor interprets the aims and objectives
for the course so that you have the opportunity to achieve the learning outcomes (which
are ultimately what you are assessed against). The tutor:

MSc Course: Dissertation Page 6
 chooses the academic content appropriate to the subject being studied;
 interprets the content through a study guide supported by background
reading;
 sets assignments aimed at exploring the subject content which are both
achievable (the questions asked actually have answers that can be discovered
by following the material in the study guide) and are relevant (has a model
answer in mind before the question is set that meets the learning outcomes).
In the Dissertation course this is not the case. Your tutor has no pre-conceived ideas about
your area of study. In the Dissertation YOU choose the academic content. YOU have to
interpret the content and identify appropriate background reading. YOU have to set your
own assignment and then answer it. YOU have set yourself the question (normally framed
in the form of aims and objectives) to be answered. Whilst this last part may sound
attractive, after all, if you set your own question you should be able to answer it and get
good marks; in reality it is this process that causes students the most difficulty. HOW do
you choose a dissertation question that is not too simple nor too difficult; that has the
information you need to answer it in a way that is structured (organised) and accessible to
you (many subjects could form the basis of a dissertation but the information you need may
not be available to you); that is answerable in 400 hours of study; and that allows you to
demonstrate that you have achieved the learning outcomes of the course?
How to go about addressing these issues form the remainder of this study guide. However,
before you move on to Chapter 3 you should read the Research Methods course again.
Whilst you do not need to do all the background reading you should familiarise yourself
with the major steps involved in undertaking a piece of research:
 choosing a topic;
 forming aims, objectives and hypotheses;
 compiling a literature review;
 familiarising yourself with the main data gathering methodologies that you
might need to use;
 analysing data and making inferences;
 drawing conclusions.
It would also be advisable to review the dissertation proposal that you submitted as part of
your Research Methods course and decide whether the subject area is still one you want to
pursue for your dissertation. Whilst there is no compulsion for you to base your
dissertation on the proposal you submitted in Research Methods, if you do decide to
continue with the same subject area it will save you time at the beginning of this course. If
you decide to change topic then you will need to repeat the tasks that you performed when
putting together your research proposal and submit a new dissertation proposal to your
tutor BEFORE you embark on your full dissertation study.

TASK Review your research proposal developed during the Research Methods course and
decide whether you wish to proceed with the topic or choose another subject area as the
basis for your dissertation.

CHAPTER 3
3.0 WRITING YOUR DISSERTATION PROPOSAL
There are several stages common to the preparation of any dissertation. These are:
(i) Understanding the role of the Academic Supervisor.

(ii) Identification of the subject area;
(iii) Selection of a topic from within the subject area;
(iv) Development of the objective and if appropriate the hypothesis of the dissertation
(v) Development of a suitable coherent methodology;
(vi) Undertaking the research;
(vii) Analysis of the results;
(viii) Critical analysis and drawing of conclusions;
(ix) Writing up and final presentation
This list is not exhaustive, and several headings above are capable of being broken down
into a number of sub-levels.
READING
Research Methods (OHS) Study Guide Chapter 5 pages 36 - 37

3.1 SUBJECT AND TOPIC
The Dissertation is a RESEARCH focused study. To this end the SUBJECT and TOPIC chosen
for study MUST provide a vehicle for research. The topic must address an issue where
there is doubt and/or uncertainty. A dissertation IS NOT an essay or a project. It is not
about how you apply a known theory or approach to a specific example. It is about drawing
together (synthesising) information from numerous sources to provide evidence that helps
you solve, or obtain a greater understanding of, an issue or problem. Thus choosing a topic
for study is critical to the success of your dissertation.
The first stage in the process of writing a dissertation is the selection of the subject area
that will provide the topic for your dissertation. The subject must be relevant to your
discipline and appropriate for the named award of your Masters programme. It should also
be a subject which you find interesting, as it can be demotivating to engage in prolonged
study of a subject which no longer appeals to you. It is far preferable to choose a subject
which is interesting, and therefore motivates you, rather than attempt to choose a subject
which is merely convenient (e.g. work related) or which you feel may be "easy". Experience
shows that dissertations that are of interest to their authors generally achieve a higher
mark than those where the author has little or no interest.
Having determined the subject area for the dissertation, the next step is to select from
within the subject a topic to be studied. The most difficult part of producing a dissertation
can be identifying the topic to study. Some students are fortunate, and have an idea about
the topic they wish to study before embarking on the Dissertation course. The majority
however do not and have to work hard to develop the topic.
The topic must be capable of being researched by the person undertaking the dissertation.
There is no point selecting a topic where all the data is likely to be restricted or confidential,
or where the data is not published or obtainable using recognisable methods. There are
sufficient topics in every subject which are capable of being selected for dissertation study
to make it unnecessary and unwise to select one that is not.
Many students at Masters level are in full-time employment, particularly when undertaking
the study at a distance. Consequently the research project could be work based. Hence, the
results and outcome are likely to be of (major) interest to your employer.
There may be occasions where part or all of the research work deals with sensitive issues,
so that the question of confidentiality may arise. If you (or your employer) have any queries
relating to this, you are advised to discuss it with your supervisor at an early stage. If
confidentiality is an issue, it does not necessarily mean that the project is not viable.
So, the above is what you have to do. But how exactly do you go about doing it?
Before considering this in details you need to conceptualise what is meant by a knowledge
domain. To do this I am going to draw an analogy with an island. Imagine that an island

represents a subject, say for example sustainability. The shoreline defining the island
represents the boundary between the knowledge that is relevant to the subject domain
and that which isn't. All knowledge which is relevant is on the island. All knowledge which
is irrelevant is in the sea. So in our example, waste (as a subject) would be on the island,
the chemical composition of the moon (irrelevant to the subject of sustainability) would be
in the sea.
Now let us consider the island in more detail. Imagine the island comprises areas of solid
ground, marshy ground and pools/lakes filled with water. In the analogy, solid ground
represents knowledge that we (society) are sure (or fairly sure) about (although as you will
see later nothing is known for certain). Marshy ground represents knowledge which we
think is true but which never the less has some uncertainty with it. The pools and lakes
represent gaps in our knowledge of the subject area.
So, in our sustainability example, solid ground could represent recycling - most people
agree that in order to be sustainable society has to make more use of its natural resources
by recycling waste. Marshy ground could represent the link between global warming, CO2
levels and man's impact on the climate - most people agree the climate is changing, most
people believe that the change is linked to CO2 levels and most people believe that our
consumption of fossil fuel is the cause of the rising CO2 levels. However the evidence is not
yet overwhelming, there is still some doubt about the link and as such further research is
warranted to try and remove the doubt. Pools and lakes could represent the impact that
extreme weather events (as a consequence of climate change) could have on built
environment assets in communities that have hitherto been unexposed to such impacts. In
this case the extent of the potential event cannot be known for certain as the science on
which predictions are based contain significant levels of uncertainty, as do the response
mechanisms of the community.
So, in the context of the above example, the role of any research focused study is to:
 define the knowledge domain of the island - what issues are on the island
and what are not;
 establish the issues which still contain a degree of uncertainty (marshy
ground) or where there are complete gaps in knowledge (pools/lakes);
 collect data in a robust and reliable way to remove uncertainties or fill in the
gaps in knowledge.
The challenge for your dissertation is to pick a topic that allows you to do the above.
With the above in mind your first task is to identify a subject. There are a number of ways
to do this. Personally I advise students to follow the list approach suggested by Judith Bell.
You will have already studied this approach in your Research Methods unit so should be
familiar with it. Refresh your memory by Reading Judith Bell pages 28 - 32.
READING:
Judith Bell ‘Doing Your Research Project’ pages 28 – 32.
Research Methods Study Guide pages 38 – 39.

If you are following Bell's approach then you need to construct a series of lists. To assist
you in this you may wish to undertake a SWOT analysis. What are your strengths? What
are your organisations’ (work place and University of Greenwich) strengths? What are your
weaknesses? What are your organisations’ weaknesses? These may affect your choice of
subject directly: all your experience may be in management so you may choose to focus
your attention on a subject to do with management; or indirectly, through the choice of
methodology - you may have extensive experience in numeric analysis but limited
experience of linguistic techniques so you choose a subject that can be studied
quantitatively.
Where do opportunities exist? The best way to identify potential opportunities for a
dissertation is to look at which issues are topical. You can identify these by:
 reading what is being discussed in the technical press;

 talking to those in the profession;
 brainstorming issues with colleagues and other students;
 talking to your subject tutors.
Don't forget to add topics that are of interest to you to this list.
What threats may you face? The main threats relate to the availability of data - just
because you want data doesn't mean that people will give it to you, and to the resources
(cost and time) that you can commit to data collection.
Whilst it is often a sound strategy to build on your strengths to overcome weaknesses, in

the context of your dissertation this may not be the best approach. If you started your
Masters in order to broaden your knowledge then you may be better suited to tackle a
subject that is more challenging. Whatever strategy you decide upon, the first task is to
complete the SWOT analysis.

TASK Complete the following table.
Strengths
Personal &
organisational
How likely is it
the data can
be collected
Timescales
Ability
Weaknesses
Personal &
Organisational
Potential
difficulties
What might
be challenging
Opportunities
Current 'hot
topics' that
interest you
Experience
knowledge
you can build
on
Threats
Data &
Resources
Similar studies
Once you have completed your SWOT analysis you can analyse the fit between each
'Opportunity' and your 'Strengths, Weaknesses & Threats'. What you are looking for is the
topic (opportunity) that has the best fit with your SWOT analysis. In addressing the fit you
may need to expand on the 'Threats' aspect of your SWOT analysis as some threats may be
generic whilst others will be specific to a particular topic. At the end of this process you
should be in a position to choose ONE topic as the basis for your dissertation and to
formulate a working title which should be submitted to the Dissertation Coordinator who
will then advise you of an appropriate Dissertation Supervisor. Once you have done this
you are in a position to move on to the next stage of you dissertation, formulating aims,
objectives and, if appropriate, hypotheses.

For an alternative (although similar) approach to topic selection read Naoum pages 11 - 14.
READING
Shamil Naoum ‘Dissertation Research & Writing’ pages 11 - 14.
TASK Submit your working title to the Dissertation Coordinator.

3.2 DEVELOPING THE AIMS/OBJECTIVES & HYPOTHESES
Dissertations should have a purpose. They should use information to achieve an objective.
In practice this means the purpose will be either to discover something (where the purpose
of the dissertation is stated as aims and objectives), or to test something (where the
purpose is stated as an aim and hypothesis). At this point it is necessary to clarify the
difference between aims and objectives or a hypothesis and to understand the
characteristics of each.
Where the purpose of the dissertation is stated as aims and objectives, the form of the
dissertation is essentially an investigative one. You should be clear as to the difference
between the two.
the aim can be likened to the overall strategy i.e. what you hope to achieve
the objectives can be likened to the tactics i.e. how you intend to achieve the aim.
The purpose of the dissertation can also be stated as a hypothesis, which is, in simple
terms, a statement of conjecture/belief. The dissertation sets out to test whether the
hypothesis is true or false (at a given level of confidence), or possibly part true. Again the
aim expresses what you hope to achieve, whilst the hypothesis describes the relationship
you expect to observe. An example might be:
the aim: to investigate the link between quality assurance and quality of work
the hypothesis is that quality assurance does not improve quality in construction work.
A hypothesis always contains two variables, the independent variable (in the above
example quality assurance) which through experimentation or observation you change, and
the dependent variable (in the above example quality of construction work) which you
measure for each occurrence of the independent variable. If your hypothesis contains more
than two variables (or intervening variables) then it needs to be broken down into a
number of sub-hypotheses.
The hypothesis can be expressed as a negative statement (as in the example above) or as a
positive statement (for example: "quality assurance always improves quality in construction
work.").
The dissertation seeks to test the validity of the hypothesis. It does not attempt to prove or
disprove the hypothesis. The reason for this is that in many instances it is not possible to
obtain indisputable evidence with which to prove a hypothesis. Such evidence usually only
exists in mathematics and the physical sciences, where irrefutable evidence from
experimentation and objective measures is obtainable. It could also be argued that
attempting to prove or disprove the hypothesis already biases the research.

It must be remembered that all the work carried out as part of the dissertation relates to
aim/ objectives or aim/hypothesis. The methodology relates in so much as it is the means of
achieving the aim and objectives and testing the hypothesis. The discussion/conclusions
relate to the aim/objectives or aim/hypothesis as these set the context for a wider
consideration of the relevance of your findings on the wider knowledge domain you are
investigating (see later for more details).
Irrespective of whether you are following an investigative or hypothesis focused

dissertation the next step is to study the topic in enough detail to allow sensible aims,
objectives and hypotheses to be developed. By sensible I mean that they are realistically
achievable/testable in the confines of an MSc dissertation. Remember, you probably can't
change the world on 400 hours work!
Before you can develop sensible aims, objectives or hypotheses you need to do sufficient
background reading in the topic area to establish:
 what work has already been done by others;

 what theories have been established;
 what methodological approaches have been used to study the topic;
 what inputs (data) you will require to pursue the topic;
 what outputs (results) you expect to get out of the project;
 what analyses you will need to use to turn the inputs into outputs
Effectively at this stage of your dissertation you are validating your research proposal. To
this end you need to be able to describe:
 the rationale for your study

o what is the issue?
o why is it important?
o why is it worthy of research (at this time)?
 the aim of your study
o in a single sentence state what you hope to discover?
 the objectives that you need to achieve
o what are the discovery steps that you need to go through to achieve your
aim?
 no more than 3-4 or your aim is too complicated
 your hypothesis
o and any sub hypotheses, if applicable.
When you have completed this you are ready to move to final part of preparing your
proposal, examining alternate methodologies.
READING
Research Methods (OHS) Study Guide pages 40 – 41.
Judith Bell ‘Doing Your Research Project’ pages 32 – 42.
Shamil Naoum ‘Dissertation Research & Writing’ pages 14 - 17.

TASK: Write down a title, rational, aim/objectives or aim/hypotheses for your dissertation.
3.3 DEVELOPING THE METHODOLOGY
The methodology is the method statement, or list of tasks, that must be undertaken in
order to test the hypothesis and/or to achieve the objectives of the dissertation. The
methodology is crucial, as it sets out the process which will determine whether the
aim/objectives are achieved or the degree to which the hypothesis has been tested (i.e. the
degree of confidence one has in the relationships examined). The methodology must be
carefully considered; it may be fundamentally flawed through inadequate planning. The
methodology defines the rationale for how the research is to be undertaken and the
methods and techniques that are to be used. The methods and techniques selected must
be appropriate and fully justified and must include the functions that are required to test
the hypothesis or achieve the aim and objectives. Defining it is by necessity a logical
exercise The methodology must flow step by step from start to finish without breaks for it
to be workable and successful.
Although each methodology will depend on the specific aim/objectives or hypothesis set,
the same basic steps are present in most dissertations.
(i) Define ALL the terminology that you use in your aim and objectives.
(ii) Identify each primary variable/issue that you are examining and determine
how to measure it (either quantitatively or qualitatively).
(iii) Identify any intervening variables/issues and determine how to establish

their influence (either thorough direct measurement or by logic inference).
(iv) Identify appropriate data gathering approaches to allow measurements of

the primary variables/issues. For example:
 questionnaire survey;
 interviews;
 case studies;
 action research;
 experimental studies;
 observation analysis;
 (see research methods course for details of the above and other
approaches to data gathering).
(v) Examine the strengths and weaknesses (against your SWOT analysis) of any
appropriate methods.

(vi) Select the most appropriate method and outline a data collection plan. For
example, if you are going to undertake a questionnaire survey:
 what is your sample size?

 how many questionnaires do you need to distribute to obtain a
sufficient response?
 where are you going to obtain contact details?
 how long will it take to prepare the questionnaire, distribute it and
for responses to be received?
 how long will it take to analyse the returned questionnaires?
 will you need to do any follow up interviews?
(vii) Plan your dissertation using some form of process chart (e.g. Gantt chart).
READING
Research Methods (OHS) Study Guide Chapter 7 pages 72 – 100.
Shamil Naoum ‘Dissertation Research & Writing’ pages 37 – 51.
TASK
Extend your previous dissertation proposal to one containing the following sections:
(i) Dissertation Title (5-10 words).
(ii) The rational for the study (approx. 250-300 words).
(iii) The aims (1 sentence).
(iv) The objectives, if appropriate (3-4 objectives – 1 sentence each).
(v) The hypothesis, if appropriate (1 sentence).
(vi) An outline methodology for the study (500-1000 words) including:
 approach to data gathering (e.g. questionnaire survey; case study etc.);

 details of data sources (e.g. sample frame; number of cases etc.);
 any potential problems (e.g. low return rate, lack of access to sensitive data
etc.) and a strategy to deal with any problems should they arise;
 Gantt chart showing time line to complete the dissertation.

3.4 RESEARCH ETHICS
The final process that you need to go through when developing your dissertation proposal
is to consider the ethical implications of your work. In its broadest sense, research ethics is
concerned with protecting both the researcher and the research subject from unintentional
implications of the research project. It covers such issues as:
 voluntary participation - subjects should not be coerced into participating in the

research project. This would be of particular concern where 'closed groups' of
subjects (e.g. public housing tenants) were the focus of a study.
 informed consent - where the full implications of the research (methods, risks,
affiliations etc.) are made clear to all the participants prior to their involvement.
 assessment of risk - in particular where there is the potential to cause physical or
psychological harm to the participant. Where such risks exist the research project
must provide the mechanisms (e.g. resources, support groups etc.) to deal with them
should they arise. The participant should also be made aware of them and consent
 confidentiality and anonymity - all data collected should be directly relevant to the
aim and objectives of the research project, should be treated in confidence and not
disclosed to any other person, either as raw data or in an attributable (recognisable)
form. This latter issue is particularly important where a case study approach is being
considered. It must not be possible (unless the prior consent of the individual /
organisation has been obtained) for anyone reading your dissertation to recognise
the person/organisation being studied.
READING
Judith Bell ‘Doing Your Research Project’ pages 43 - 58
Research Methods Study Guide pages 45 - 46
The University of Greenwich has Research Ethics guidelines that all Masters Students must
adhere to. For your information the University of Greenwich's Research Ethics Policy and
Procedures have been reproduced below.
University of Greenwich Research Ethics Policy
Scope and Purpose
The aim of the University of Greenwich Research Ethics policy is to encourage a high quality
research and enterprise culture, with the highest possible standards of integrity and
practice. The policy applies to all academic, contract research and administrative staff, all
postgraduate research students, as also undergraduate and master students who are
undertaking research. In short, the policy applies to all disciplines and research activities
within the University, or sub-contracted on its behalf.

All staff and students are expected to act ethically when engaged in University business.
Any research involving animals, human participants, human tissue or the collection of data
on individuals requires ethical consideration. While particular attention must be paid to the
interests of potentially vulnerable groups, such as children, the University recognises that it
has a duty of care towards all members of the wider community affected by its activities.
The University also recognises that it has a duty of care to its own staff, and that this
includes the avoidance of harm to those undertaking research.
The University has established a framework for research ethics governance in which its
Research Ethics Committee, a Committee of Academic Council, has a central approval,
monitoring and training role. It is, however, recognised that it may not always be
appropriate or practicable for ethical approval to be sought from the Research Ethics
Committee – see the Guidelines and Checklist for Schools and Research Ethics Process
Flowchart. Where this is the case, the School or Department must have formal,
documented, procedures in place to ensure good practice and accountability. In particular,
university staff have an obligation to ensure that not only their own research but any
undergraduate or masters student research conducted under their supervision is ethically
sound. Where research projects are subject to external approval, such as the NHS or
professional bodies, the School or Department responsible must ensure that this approval is
sought and given. Where approval for a project has been given by a Research Ethics
Committee at another university, as may be the case with a collaborative project, the
University of Greenwich Research Ethics Committee must be provided with proof of this.
General Principles
The University Research Ethics Policy is based upon widely accepted principles and practices
governing research involving human participants. The key elements are:
 Minimal risk of harm to participants and researchers;

 Potential for benefit by society;
 Maintenance of the dignity of participants:
 Minimal risk of harm to the environment;
 Voluntary informed consent by participants, or special safeguards where this is not
possible;
 Transparency in declaring funding sources;
 Confidentiality of information supplied by research participants and anonymity of
respondents;
 Acknowledgement of assistance;
 Appropriate publication and dissemination of research results;
 Independence and impartiality of researchers.
 The Definition of Human-Related Research
All human-related research which includes one or more of the following require ethical
assessment and approval at the appropriate level:

1. Direct involvement through physically invasive procedures, such as the taking of
blood samples.
2. Direct involvement throu gh non-invasive pro cedures , such a s laboratory-

based experiments, interviews, questionnaires, surveys, observation.
3. Indirect involvement through access to personal information and/or tissue.
4. Involvement requiring consent on behalf of others, such as by parents for a child

participant.
Vulnerable Participants
Some participants may be particularly vulnerable to harm and may require special
safeguards for their welfare. In general, it may be inappropriate for undergraduates to
undertake research projects involving such participants.
Particularly vulnerable participants might be:

1. Infants and children under the age of eighteen
2. People with physiological and/or psychological impairments and/or learning

difficulties.
3. People in poverty
4. Relatives of sick, or recently–deceased, people
5. People with only a basic/elementary knowledge of the language of the researcher
The Legal Framework, the Role of Professional Associations, and Research

Councils
All research undertaken under the auspices of the University of Greenwich must meet
statutory requirements. Of particular relevance is the Race Relations Act (1976), the
Disability Discrimination Act (1995), the Human Rights Act (1998), the Data Protection Act
(1998), as also the requirement for Criminal Records Bureau clearance for those working
with children and provision within the existing legal framework for those working with
vulnerable adults. All research involving National Health Service patients and staff must be
reviewed by the appropriate NHS Research Ethics body. (note: even if the research is
undertaken outside the United Kingdom the conduct of the research is governed by UK law).
Researchers in particular disciplines should comply with any research ethics guidelines set
out by their professional associations.
Research Councils, charitable trusts and other research funding bodies in most cases
require an undertaking from grant applicants that research proposals involving human
participants have been approved by the University Research Ethics Committee or another
appropriate body. Some also require audited compliance with their guidelines.

RESEARCH ETHICS PROCEDURES
The dissertation coordinator, in conjunction with your dissertation supervisor is responsible

for identifying any Research Ethics issues with your proposal. To assist in this process the
following 'Project Summary Form' has to be completed. It is your responsibility to provide
sufficient information in your proposal to allow each question to be answered. IF the
answer to any of the questions 16 to 22 is YES then UNIVERSITY RESEARCH ETHIC
COMMITTEE (UREC) APPROVAL must be obtained BEFORE you start your dissertation. If
this situation arises then your supervisor will contact you and help you complete the
appropriate forms.

Project Summary Form
1. Is the research proposal of good design?

2. Does it pose only minimal and predictable risk to the researcher?
3. Does it pose only minimal and predictable risk to the research participants?
4. Are arrangements for the supervision of the project appropriate?
5. Is the research carried out or supervised by competent researchers?
6. Do the foreseeable benefits of the research outweigh the foreseeable risks?
7. Are the participants fully informed about procedures to be used?
8. Are the participants fully informed about the purpose(s) of the research?
9. Will the consent of participants be obtained?
10. Is it clear to participants that they may withdraw at any time?
11. Where participants are vulnerable because of their social, psychological or medical circumstances, has this
been taken into account in obtaining consent?
12. If appropriate, where participants are vulnerable as described in 11 above, has the consent of an independent
third party been obtained?
13. Has the research been designed to take account of issues relating to diversity and equal opportunities?
14. Have arrangements been made to ensure that material obtained from or about a participant remains
confidential and is recorded, stored, monitored and reviewed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998
and Freedom of Information Act 2000?
15. Does your School and/or Department have competent and actively used procedures in place to ensure ethical
issues are properly identified by students and/or Supervisors?
16. Does the project involve the use of human tissue in any way? (If YES you should contact the Secretary of the
UREC immediately for advice)
17. If the research involves animals, is it to be carried out in accordance with the Home Office 'Code of Practice for
the Housing and Care of Animals used in Scientific Procedures': Farm Animal Welfare Council codes of
recommendation for the welfare of livestock, and the DFID “Guidelines on the use of animals in ODA-funded
projects” DFID 1995? (in which case it must be referred to the UREC)
18. Does the proposed research involve pharmaceutical preparations, including non-prescription medicines and
herbal preparations? (in which case it must be referred to the UREC)
19. Does the proposed research involve research on pregnant women or women in labour? (in which case it must
be referred to the UREC)
20. Does the proposed research involve research on persons under the age of 18? (in which case it must be
referred to the UREC)
21. Does the proposed research involve research on vulnerable categories of people who may include minority
groups as defined in the introduction to this checklist? (in which case it must be referred to the UREC)
22. Does the research involve gene manipulation? (in which case it must be referred to the UREC and the Genetic
Modification Safety Committee)
23. (For proposals to be referred to the UREC) Have all questions in Section 1-5 of the UREC application form and
relevant Annexes been completed?
TASK Add a final section to your dissertation proposal addressing any of the above that
you consider relevant to your proposal. Submit your completed dissertation proposal to the
dissertation coordinator AND WAIT FOR APPROVAL BEFORE you commence your data
gathering.

CHAPTER 4
4.0 UNDERTAKING THE MAIN STUDY – THE LITERATURE REVIEW
Whatever the subject or objective of your dissertation you will need to undertake an
extensive study of relevant literature in order to gather necessary data and information.
The process of the literature study requires you to identify appropriate books, journals,
magazines and other sources, such as the internet. Having identified the sources, you need
to then select the data and information that is relevant to your research. It is not enough
just to collect facts and describe what you have found! The literature review is not a précis
of other peoples' work. It should be a critical appraisal, made by you, of how other people's
work informs your study. Just citing known facts is not sufficient.
READING
Judith Bell ‘Doing Your Research Project’ pages 79 - 98.
Research Methods Study Guide Chapter 6 pages 58 – 69.
Producing a dissertation requires you to use the information and data that you find to test
your hypothesis or to investigate your objectives. The literature study provides the
evidence you require to substantiate (although not fully explore) your dissertation and is
therefore vital.
When undertaking a literature study for a dissertation you should:
 discover sources;
 organise data;
 categorise data;
 identify relationships;
 evaluate the reliability and accuracy of the data; and
 deduce the implications of the data and information.
 be thinking about what you will put in the literature review section of the
dissertation
You should be focused in your study of the relevant literature. The focus will be the task set
out in your Methodology. When you are unsure if what you are reading is relevant, ask
yourself "does this contribute to achieving the ... (whatever the object of the task is) ... ?"
If the answer is "no", you can disregard the source and go on to more profitable searching.
Do not pursue a source just because it is interesting or vaguely related. At all times remain
focused on the aim/objectives and hypothesis.
When making notes, however rough or draft in nature, always record the source. This is
most easily done using the Harvard System, by simply noting the author and the date, such

as 'Harold (1989)'. At the same time you should maintain a master reference list of every
source you have used. This can be in any order but should record the details of the source
in such a way that it can be found again and, if required, included as a proper reference in
the dissertation. The Harvard System must be used in the final dissertation.
There are now a number of referencing and citation programmes such as Reference
Manager and EndNote. Both of these programmes are proprietary and a fee must be paid
to use them but there are other open source and freeware programmes available. At the
time of writing this study guide, an online version of EndNote, EndNote Web is available
through Web of Knowledge which can be found on the University database of electronic
resources. There is a steep learning curve for all of these programmes but the initial
investment will pay off in the long term.
READING
Once you have read your background sources you need to sort them into an order that
allows you to present the key issues logically to the eventual reader of your dissertation.
This is not as easy as it sounds. Before you begin to write your review you should construct
a plan. It may be a good idea at this point to re-read your Critical Thinking study guide as
many of the principles discussed in the guide are directly relevant to writing a literature
review.
READING
Critical Thinking Study Guide
When planning the literature review section of your dissertation you should assume that
the reader is an informed lay person. In other words, they have some understanding of the
broad principles surrounding the subject that you are writing about, but not detailed
knowledge of the subject specifics. As such you should start your literature review by giving
a broad introduction to the subject area under consideration. This introduction should
define the topic that forms the basis of your study by reference to the development of
knowledge that has led to the current state of understanding that you are seeking to
extend. However, this IS NOT A BRAIN DUMP of everything you have read about the
subject. It is a critical review that defines the boundaries of the subject and identifies the
key issues that constitute the subject area. Whilst these issues will be different for each
topic, they will generally follow a similar pattern. The literature review should:

(i) Identify when the subject was first considered important, from the point of view of
your own research focus.
(ii) Identify the key steps in the development of the subject (again in the context of
your study) and critically consider how the knowledge that supported each step was
generated and tested.
(iii) Highlight any gaps in knowledge that occurred because of limitations in research
approach OR as a consequence of changed circumstances (e.g. a discussion of the
role of communication in project management would need to consider whether
findings derived from studies in the 1970's were still relevant today given the
change in communication technology that has occurred.).
(iv) Summarise how the existing literature informs your aim, objectives, hypothesis AND
methodology.
When writing the literature review you should discuss the contribution of other authors
TOPIC by TOPIC and not AUTHOR by AUTHOR. When constructing the review you should
include the following sections:
(i) Introduction to the subject:
 define the topic in general terms;

 trace the development of the subject by reference to key historic
texts (or, if the subject is completely new, cite the key texts that
identify it as worthy of study;
 identify the main sub-topic that you need to cover to describe what is
known about the subject AND that is relevant to your aim, objectives
or hypothesis.
(ii) For each sub-topic:
 define the topic in detail;

 CRITICALLY present key items of literature that show how other
researchers/authors have researched the topic AND what they have
discovered that is relevant to your aim, objectives and hypothesis
 finish each sub-topic by identifying where existing knowledge finishes
and your search for new knowledge starts.
(iii) Summarise the key issues from each sub-topic AND show how they inform
your aims, objectives, hypothesis and methodology.
READING
Judith Bell ‘Doing Your Research Project’ pages 98 – 112

Finally, DO NOT COPY OTHER PEOPLE’S WORK. The literature review is not a précis of
other peoples' work. It should be a critical appraisal, made by you, of how other people's
work informs your study. Just citing known facts is not sufficient. Moreover, such an
approach may lead to the charge of PLAGIARISM being made against you.
READING
The little book of PLAGIARISM. - a copy of this is included in the Moodle
course
4.1 SELECTING THE RESEARCH TOOLS - DATA GATHERING
The tasks identified in your Methodology necessitate the use of different research tools and
techniques. No one technique is necessarily suitable for every task in a methodology. You
should pay careful attention to the selection of the most appropriate tool for each task. The
common research tools are:
(i) Empirical/Observational case study
(ii) Questionnaire survey
(iii) Interview survey
(iv) Secondary (documentary) data study.
It is not essential to have a questionnaire, and there are circumstances when

questionnaires may not be relevant at all. On some occasions, the necessary scale of a
questionnaire may preclude its use due to the short time available, or the complexity of the
data collection and subsequent analysis. In such circumstances a less ambitious survey may
be necessary.
Questionnaires are frequently mis-used in dissertation research. This is either because they
do not provide an appropriate means of collecting data, or because they have been poorly
designed and executed, which can invalidate any results obtained. They sometimes take the
place of properly structured, well executed research. If used, questionnaires should
preferably be piloted, to ensure that they are likely to provide the response sought. Only
then should they be issued, preferably not too early in the project, so that the questions
can be well defined.

The design of questionnaires, and the statistical analysis of the results, is a highly complex
and specialist process that will necessitate a good deal of liaison with your supervisor.
Whatever research tool is used, you must take great care to determine the reliability of the
tool and the data it produces, and also the validity of the data. The surest way to do this is
to always remain focused on your aim/objectives or hypothesis and choose the most
appropriate tool. Whatever you choose you must be clear in your own mind as to the exact
rationale for the selection so that you can justify it in your methodology. You must also be
aware of any limitations as these will inevitably impact upon the results and their validity
and interpretation. Obvious limitations should, where possible, be minimised and discussed
in the methodology; these and any limitations which subsequently become apparent must
be discussed in the conclusions.
READING
Research Methods (OHS) Study Guide pages 76 – 88.
Once you have decided on which research tools to use you should execute your data
collection carefully. Each tool has a series of protocols that, through experience, are known
to improve the reliability, resilience and robustness of the measurements made (e.g. in a
laboratory we repeat experiments in order to improve the accuracy of measurements, in
discourse analysis we return the analysed interview to the interviewee to ensure that they
agree with our interpretation of their words). Before you start your data collection it is
important that you:
(i) Are fully aware of the protocols that apply to your chosen tools - at this point you
should read a specialised text that describes your chosen tools in detail.
(ii) Follow the protocols as you gather your data, and, if you need to vary from the
protocols, record the variance.
(iii) FULLY document each step in your data collection process in sufficient detail that a
fellow student could take your methodology and repeat your data collection.
READING Judith Bell ‘Doing Your Research Project’ pages 122 - 198
Shamil Naoum ‘Dissertation Research & Writing’ pages 53 – 62 and 63 – 87 if
you are going to develop a questionnaire.
Other specific texts appropriate to your chosen methodology through
MyiLibrary.

4.2 CRITICALLY ANALYSING DATA
One of the reasons for including a dissertation in your Masters degree is to develop your
critical and analytical skills.
Critical and analytical skills can be demonstrated in the literature study, and during the
critical analysis of the information and data you have generated. You should not accept
information and data as being accurate and correct. With the exceptions of science and
mathematics, there are few absolute facts. In most other fields of study information and
data published in books, journals, etc., are the author's perspective or opinion. The author's
perspective may be different from your perspective. It is important that before including
information and data into your dissertation, you satisfy yourself that the information and
data is reliable, accurate, truthful, current and applicable. Your critical evaluation of these
issues must be included in your dissertation where appropriate with full justification for any
conclusions reached.
A similar argument can be made for the data you have generated through fieldwork. At
best you will have measured a small sample through your questionnaire or case studies,
and these may not be truly reflective of the situation you are studying. Through analysis of
your data you must identify its limitations and acknowledge these through your analysis
and discussion of your results.
Corroboration of information and data from more than one source is essential.
Corroboration enables you to substantiate information that you choose to accept.
Remember to include your reasoning and evaluation as part of your dissertation as this
demonstrates your critical skills and attracts marks. They are also relevant in your career as
a professional!
Merely collecting a mass of data and presenting it in its raw state does not contribute to
achieving your objective or testing your hypothesis. It must be critically analysed.
When presenting your data you must lead the reader through your analysis in sufficient
detail to allow them to check each stage of your analysis. Again, whilst the detail of each
analysis section will be different, they will generally follow the same basic principles:
 present your raw data, either in tabular form or as a series of graphs

o if the data is voluminous then put it in an appendix
 analyse each section of your data in turn.
o consider each variable separately - these will relate to your objectives
or hypothesis
 analyse across variables
o look for patterns/associations between variables
Typically, statistical measures will be used in the analysis to identify relationships, trends,
averages, strengths and weaknesses. There are numerous statistical options available. Some
are simple, others are more complex. The key is to select the appropriate statistical
techniques. It is possible to apply almost every statistical test to the data, but this may only

serve to confuse rather than clarify. The objective of statistical analysis is to convert raw
data into meaningful information. Careful evaluation of the type of data, the quantity of
data and the quality of data will allow you to select the appropriate statistical method.
If you are using statistics to assess the strength of relationships between variables then
present the analyses in sufficient detail to allow the reader to repeat your calculations.
READING
Judith Bell ‘Doing Your Research Project’ 199 - 230.
Where the data and information you have produced is not quantitative (numeric), the
interpretation and presentation of the results should be undertaken in written form. To
achieve the objective or to test the hypothesis you will need to construct written proofs in
the form of arguments. You will in essence, be producing something akin to a lawyer's
evidence in Court, by building an argument from the data and information: explaining what
the information means, its importance, its implications and its contribution to the overall
objective.

4.3 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS & RECOMENDATIONS
This part of the dissertation is the most important part. It is where you will finally achieve
your aim or test your hypothesis. Do not be alarmed if you cannot substantiate your
hypothesis. The dissertation is about research, not about your initial conjecture being
correct. The assessment is focused on the quality of the research, rather than its results.
Good research may in fact show that your original hypothesis is incorrect. This would be a
perfectly valid result. You should not deliberately set out to bias your research just to
ensure a positive treatment of your hypothesis. This is bad research and will be recognised
as such. Concentrate upon doing good quality research.
Once you have analysed your data you need to consider how the evidence you have
gathered addresses the aim, objectives or hypothesis that you set yourself. In order to do
this you need to consider your evidence in the light of existing theory and literature. In
essence you need to discuss:
 where your evidence supports existing theory/knowledge;

 where your evidence refutes existing theory/knowledge;
 where your evidence suggests alternate explanations/theories
In considering the above you should draw inferences that link the meaning and implications
of your results to the conclusions that can be drawn. Through this inference (and
discussion) you are seeking to gain insight into how the various parts of your study relate to
each other and to the theory and literature produced by other researchers. In essence you
are stepping back from the study and taking a holistic view of the subject as a whole. In this
way you are contextualising your contribution to the overall knowledge domain.
The transition from results to conclusions through inferences requires insight. The
conclusions should demonstrate those insights and be informative.
Conclusions are the major output from a research project. Conclusions state what has been
found out through the execution of the study. They identify what has been added to
knowledge or where existing knowledge has been questioned. Each conclusion should
stand-alone. Only if the evidence (data and results) coupled with the theory and literature
lead to a conclusion should it be stated. Opinions, whims and conjecture should never
appear as conclusions. Conclusions must relate back to the aim, objectives and hypotheses.
Where hypothesis based research has been undertaken, ALL hypotheses stated in the
report MUST be accompanied by a conclusion AND the conclusions must report the level of
confidence (normally through the use of statistics) that you have in the results. The reader
should be able to reference each statement in each conclusion to a section of the research
(i.e. the reader should be able to dissect each conclusion, tracing the inference(s), theory,
and data that underpin it). In qualitative studies the drawing of conclusions tends to be less
directed. In these types of study conclusions often take the form of the identification of:
relevant variables; patterns; or relationships.

No matter what type of research you have undertaken your conclusions should not state
the obvious but should state WHAT HAS BEEN FOUND and where appropriate, why.
Finally, it is unlikely that a research project will be comprehensive. This leads to three
further facets of the research which flow directly from the conclusions: recommendations
for implementation; limitations of the study; recommendations for further research. These
demonstrate your ability to place your work in the wider subject context.
READING

CHAPTER 5
5.0 WRITING UP THE RESEARCH
There are two aspects to writing the dissertation; first, the physical one of how it is to be
structured and presented and second, the psychological one of how to approach the task
of writing and re-writing.
You need to fully appreciate from the outset that you will not write your dissertation from
start to finish, at the first attempt. You will need to review, revise, re-write and re-order it
several times until it is acceptable.
The requirements of page layout, spacing and font size are explained in Chapter 7
Presentation. There is some flexibility with respect to the use of headers and footers to
state the title, author, chapter, etc. The use of these is your choice. It should be
remembered that a dissertation is not a business report and does not necessarily require
these presentational extras. A dissertation is a document of academic work. Anything that
detracts from this should be avoided.
The style of language used in the dissertation is important. The most important aspect is
clarity. The language used should be simple and direct in order to communicate the
information to the reader as effectively as possible. Do not attempt to use overelaborate
language. The use of appropriate technical terms is expected. Remember that the External
Examiner of the dissertation is a comparative expert and not a novice, so the use of
technical terms will be appropriate. However, if a significant number of terms are used, a
glossary of terms may be appropriate.
The style of language used in the dissertation should be objective rather than personalised.
Avoid the use of personal terms, such as ' I, we ' and 'you'.
Acronyms should be used with care. Acronyms that are standard throughout industry or are
in common usage and widely understood may be used. Examples would be TQM (Total
Quality Management), HK (Hong Kong), and PRC (People's Republic of China). Acronyms that
are of limited understanding or are localised, such as ASD (Architectural Services
Department) in Hong Kong should not be used without explanation.
A list of the acronyms used in the dissertation should be inserted into the dissertation after
the lists of figure and illustrations. It is also useful to include a glossary of technical terms,
with appropriate explanations.
As a researcher, you may feel that you are never ready to start writing up your dissertation;
That there will always be more to do, but as there is only a finite amount of time available
for you to complete the dissertation, there comes a point when writing up must commence.
The Gantt chart you developed to manage your efforts should have this date clearly and
boldly marked as a key date not to be missed. Writing up requires concentration and care,
so it is important that you find the best location and regime that enables you to do this.
Don't be afraid of beginning the process. Remember that it will be a process of writing,

editing and re-writing, so do not delay, waiting for perfection. Once you begin, the process
will become much easier.
READING
Judith Bell ‘Doing Your Research Project’ pages 231 - 247

CHAPTER 6
6.0 ROLE OF SUPERVISOR
You will be allocated an academic supervisor who will have expertise in the topic area of
your research. The role of the supervisor is to provide guidance in how to undertake the
research, the writing up and to ensure the academic criteria are met.
It is your responsibility to arrange to meet with your supervisor on a regular basis or at least
to maintain regular contact with them via email, fax, phone etc. It is important that you
let them know if there are difficulties (personal, academic) which are/maybe affecting your
progress.
READING

CHAPTER 7
7.0 PRESENTATION
Your dissertation should normally be approximately 12,000 - 15,000 words in length, (or
equivalent if in an approved alternative medium). You should include an abstract of your
work, bound into the front of your dissertation. The abstract should not normally exceed
300 words.
Your dissertation must be written in English, and must include at the bottom of the title
page the following declaration:
“Except where stated otherwise, this Dissertation is based entirely on the

author’s own work”.
Your dissertation should contain.
(i) A clear introduction showing the objectives of the study.
(ii) A rationale for the area of study and the research approach adopted.
(iii) A discussion of the issues involved, related to published works (Literature

Review).
(iv) Appropriate investigative procedures and methods of handling the data,

including analyses.
(v) A methodology for dealing with the issues and discussion of these issues.
(vi) A conclusion with possible recommendation.
(vii) Appropriate organisation of material including graphical/diagrammatic

displays as required and the referencing of sources, including a Reference
section.
Material which has previously been included in a successful submission for a degree
or other qualification of any university or professional or learned body must not be
embodied in any dissertation submitted under these regulations for a Master’s
degree (Although it can be cited providing it is properly referenced). One bound
copy of the dissertation must be submitted, which will be retained by the School.
You must also submit an electronic copy through Turnitin (contact your tutor for
further details). N.B. Turnitin not currently used at HKU SPACE.

Presentation guidelines for Supervisors/Students
Many of the points detailed below may seem fairly trivial but if they are closely
observed the dissertation report can be produced and comprehended with greater
ease. You are strongly recommended to follow these guidelines.
Text
The text should be in chapters, chapter one providing the introduction, and the final
chapter giving your conclusions. The dissertation (including quotations, tables,
Appendices and References) should be typed, double spaced and on one side only of
good quality A4 paper of the same format. Please leave ample margins and indent
the beginnings of paragraphs in the usual way. The pages should be number
consecutively. The dissertation must not exceed 15,000 words (excluding
preliminary and end material and tables). Four or five chapters or major sections are
recommended, including an introduction. The dissertation should be bound as
specified at the end of this section.
Please refer to the Oxford English Dictionary and check carefully the typed end
product. There is no excuse for incorrect spelling. For any particular problems of
grammar, usage, etc., such works as Fowler’s Modern English Usage should be
consulted.
Preliminary and End Material
The dissertation should incorporate the following:
(i) Title page

(ii) Abstract
(iii) Acknowledgement
(iv) Contents page
(v) List of figures
(vi) List of tables
(vii) List of abbreviations (if any)
(viii) Text (and conclusions)
(ix) References
(x) Appendices

Figures, Tables, Appendices and References
All graphics (maps, photographs, drawings, graphs, pie charts, histograms, etc.)
should be labelled as appropriate. For example; Figure 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, etc.,
Photograph 1.1, 1.2 etc., Table 1.1, 2.6 etc. and captioned below the presentation
showing sources as appropriate.
Figures and tables and drawing/photographs should not stand alone and certainly
should not be included for decorative reasons only. Reference must be made to
them in the text, e.g. (see Figure 3.6) or (see Table 2.5).
An appendix can usefully contain additional data, a brief discussion of topics which
are not central to the argument of the dissertation but which have strong relevance
to it, or amplification of some of the points only briefly discussed in the text.
The List of References should only contain those references cited in the text.
Additional published material read in the preparation of the dissertation should not
be included. A separate bibliography can be included which will contain textbooks,
journal articles, etc. used for background reading but not cited in the text.
Authors should be listed in alphabetical order (if the Harvard system is used), but if
the Superior Number system is employed, references should be shown in numerical
order on a chapter by chapter basis (see below). A full alphabetical Reference
section is required for both systems. Harvard is the required referencing system.
Reference Systems
You must reference your work correctly. You are required to use the Harvard System
for this work.
Examples in the text:
Harvard system:
Smith and Bloggs (2009) have suggested that…
It has been suggested (Smith and Bloggs, 2009) that…
Examples in the References:
Harvard system:
Smith, G T and Bloggs, M F (2009) The Economist and Valuation of Property

Investment Macmillan, London.

Where reference is made to journals acknowledgements should be as follows:
Harvard system:
Jones, S (1976) The Construction Technology of Pigeon Lofts, International

Journal of Pigeon Fanciers, July.
Newspaper references should only be used very sparingly. Acknowledgements

should be made as above.
Further guidance on referencing can be found on Moodle and the University Library
web pages.
Dissertation Binding
While a traditional “hardbound” copy is no longer required, a “hard” copy must be

submitted for marking. A softbound (for example, spiral, comb or thermal) copy will
be acceptable for submission but for those of you who would prefer to have a
hardbound copy for your own purposes, the guidance on binding on the following
page may be useful. You may also wish to follow the general layout for your
submitted copy.
As the submission guidelines in the following chapter explain, you must submit an
electronic copy in accordance with the instructions provided. Only the hard copy will
be marked but marks will not be entered on Banner unless both hard and electronic
copies are submitted.

DISSERTATION BINDING FORMAT
Dimensions in mm Lettering:
Lettering: Capitals,
Capitals, 6mm high,
5mm high, Gold
Gold
20
75 120
38 20
TITLE
COURSE
70
NAME
15
NAME
100
YEAR
YEAR 25
15
Colour: Dark green
CL
SPINE FRONT COVER

CHAPTER 8
8.0 SUBMISSION
There are two submission dates for the dissertation each year. The actual date of
submission will depend on when you first started your dissertation:
Spring start date (January): The submission date for the dissertation will normally be in
January of the following calendar year but you should check with your local centre. The
dissertation grade will be considered/confirmed by the Progression and Award Board held
in March.
Autumn start date (September): The submission date for the dissertation will normally be
in September of the following calendar year but once again, you must confirm this date
with your local centre. The dissertation grade will be considered/confirmed by the
Progression and Award Board held in March.
Note: if you have been granted an “Extension of Time” to complete the dissertation your
dissertation will be considered at the first available Board. Therefore, if the additional time
that you have been allowed is relatively short then it may be possible for your dissertation
to be presented to the original Board and for you to be awarded the Master of Science
within the time expected.
One copy of the bound dissertation should be submitted as shown above as instructed by
your tutors. An electronic copy must also be submitted via Turnitin.
Although the dissertation remains the intellectual property of the student, the copyright is
shared between the student and the University of Greenwich. The University reserves the
right to retain copies of selected dissertations to augment the Library collection.
If you are unable to complete your dissertation within the agreed time, you must contact
your supervisor and the Programme Administrator for advice at the earliest opportunity.
Do not wait until the submission deadline has passed before asking for additional time to
complete the dissertation. Late requests for additional time, particularly those submitted
after the agreed submission date will normally be refused. The formal Extenuating
Circumstances process must be followed.
If you have good reasons for not being able to complete your work in accordance with the
agreed schedule, and have discussed these reasons with both your supervisor and the
Programme Administrator, an extension of time to complete the dissertation may be
agreed.
Your Programme Administrator will advise you on how to apply for an “Extension of Time”.
Please note, failure to submit your dissertation without Extenuating Circumstances being
granted will result in you having to retake the whole course AND pay the full course fee
again.

CHAPTER 9
9.0 ASSESSMENT
An example of the marking scheme used to assess your dissertation is included at the end
of this section. The following notes give you guidance on how the marking scheme will be
used.
(1) Introduction and Rationale/ Aims and Objectives/

Hypothesis Methodology 15%
The development of the objectives and/or hypothesis is an important aspect. Marks are
earned by demonstrating a clear logical development of the objective or hypothesis fully
explaining your reasoning. The objective or hypothesis should be a single, clearly defined
statement, usually one sentence. Multiple objectives can indicate that the student may not
have thought through the development of the objective clearly and that an element of
confusion remains. The objective must clearly state the question that is to be answered.
The objective or hypothesis chosen for the dissertation must be testable, i.e. it must be
possible to answer the question or prove the hypothesis. Reasons why an objective or
hypothesis is not testable vary, but tend to centre on the following:
(a) The objective has not been stated clearly enough to allow the development of a
workable methodology that will allow the question to be answered. An example
might be: ‘to find the nicest building in Hong Kong’. In this objective there are a
number of problems. For example, the term ‘nicest’ is a difficult concept to
measure and is entirely subjective.
(b) The objective or hypothesis has been over-ambitious in its scope and aims. An
example might be: ‘to determine the best contractor in the world.’ It would be
impossible within the constraints of time and resources to consider every contractor
in the world.
(c) The information required to test the objective is not available. Objectives such as
‘to determine if design and build is more profitable than traditional contracting’,
whilst being a good, will fail because the financial information necessary to answer
the question is unlikely to be published or released by contractors.
(d) The hypothesis is too obvious and does not require answering. An example would
be ‘firms benefit from having quality management’. The statement is obviously
correct and it would be difficult to write a good dissertation to test this. It would be
descriptive and one-sided.

(e) Hypotheses can be developed that are not possible to test because of their nature.
An example would be ‘participative management is the most productive system of
working for contractors’. The only way to test such a hypothesis is to persuade a
contractor to implement it and then compare it against non-participative
management. The chances of this happening are very small and therefore the
hypothesis would remain un-testable. Even then, it would be difficult to draw any
worthwhile conclusions on the basis of one case study.
You should check your intended objective or hypothesis against these principles to ensure
that it is testable. The development of the methodology should also indicate testability.
The rationale for undertaking specific research is an important part of the dissertation. A
clearly stated rationale for undertaking the research, which states the origins of the
research and how it developed to become the objective or hypothesis is shows your
thinking and logic. This will usually form part of the first chapter of the dissertation and will
include an assessment of the relationship of your dissertation to other similar research in
the field.
(1) Background knowledge and literature study

Critical evaluation of published works and research 20%
Background knowledge will be evidenced throughout the dissertation in the form of

references. Producing your dissertation will involve an extensive and thorough literature
study in order to provide the data and information necessary to achieve the objective of the
dissertation or to test the hypothesis. The breadth and depth of your research should be
evident from the ideas, concepts and data that are used to build the dissertation, the
sources of these being properly referenced in accordance with the guidance in earlier
chapters. The knowledge you will discover during your research will form the basis of your
dissertation. It will provide the foundation from which you will develop your own ideas and
thoughts that form the core of the dissertation. Correctly and accurately recording the
sources of data as you do the research is vital.
(2) Data collection/design of research methods/tools 15%
Data collection can take a number of forms, depending upon the particular objective or
hypothesis of the dissertation. Postgraduate level dissertations may demand that you
obtain original data or information. They may also require an original use of existing data
and information. Consequently, the data collected may come from a number of sources:
(a) literature and published sources;
(b) questionnaires: these will provide useful information, but should only be used where
they are appropriate for the methodology and objective in question;

(c) case studies: these will produce data provided they have been property designed and
clearly thought through before any attempt to collect the data. A common failure in case
study work is that students undertake the case study before defining the objective of the
dissertation and therefore before identifying the crucial data that they need to record
during the case study;
(d) experiment: some dissertations are suitable for an experimental approach and data
can be obtained from properly formulated experiments.
All these sources of data must be appropriate to the objective and methodology of the
dissertation. They research techniques selected must meet the needs of the dissertation
and be included just for the sake of doing them. Selection of an inappropriate method of
data collection will result in lost marks.
(3) Analysis and evaluation of data

Presentation and discussion of results 35%
This is a crucial part of the dissertation. It is the aspect where the hypothesis is tested or
the objective achieved. This is where the data and information collected during the
research are used to achieve the objective of the dissertation. It is here that you will prove
your case.
Data must be analysed to show what it means. It is not acceptable just to present data and
information. In a dissertation you must interpret the data and information and make sense
of them for the reader. Your dissertation should use the information to substantiate your
argument or position. It may, or may not, support your hypothesis. You are assessed on
your choice, use and interpretation of the data, not on your results. In the event that your
research disproves your hypothesis, there is no problem. It is the quality of the research
that is being assessed not the findings of the research, or whether you were right or wrong
in your initial statement.
Analysis takes a variety of forms within a dissertation. It will occur during the study of
background knowledge as you consider the mass of data you find and evaluate whether it is
reliable and accurate to include in your research. Where it is not, your reasoning for
criticising the data should be included, together with any adjustments you would make to
allow its inclusion. This demonstrates your ability to evaluate data and not just to accept it
at face value. This is what underpins good research.
(4) Conclusions and recommendations 10%
Dissertations are expected to produce conclusions. It is therefore essential that the analysis
and evaluation is undertaken thoroughly so that conclusions can be drawn. The conclusions
should be substantiated and supported by the data that have been collected, analysed and
evaluated. Making unsubstantiated conclusions will lose marks. It is important that
conclusion be reasonable and logical. They do not have to be proved absolutely, but can be
drawn on a balance of probabilities, from the data in the dissertation.

Conclusions will also be drawn throughout the dissertation. At any point where
information or data are evaluated or analysed, the evaluation or analysis should be taken to
a conclusion. The marks for this aspect of the dissertation are not confined to the chapter
headed “Conclusions”.
There are some marks available for recommendations. These relate to further research or
to possible courses of action related to the topic studied. The marks for recommendations
recognise the depth of thinking and study achieved during the process of researching the
dissertation. Students who have achieved depth in the study will recognise where further
research is needed in order to resolve further questions that have been identified and
raised within the dissertation. They will also identify other issues relating to the study that
were not obvious before commending the research, but which should be considered in any
future study.
(5) Structure and presentation 5%
These marks relate to the quality of the presented dissertation. It is about usability and
user friendliness. The dissertation must be clearly structured and organised, easy to read,
but be accurate and compiled in an appropriate academic style.

Assessment Scheme
A summary guide to the assessment bands could be as follows:
50 - 59% Basically Descriptive
A basic comprehension of the subject with a limited amount of

analysis. Adequate conclusions and recommendations, albeit with
only a limited awareness of the consequences of actions, fair
organisation, structure and presentation.
60 - 69% Reasonably Integrative and Analytical
A good understanding of the subject with a satisfactory degree of

critical awareness; an awareness of the integration between
disciplines and the consequences of actions; reasonable level of
organisation, structure and presentation. Little, if any insight or
creativity.
70 - 79% Substantially Integrative and Analytical
A thorough understanding of the subject with a considerable degree

of critical analysis. A developed understanding of the interaction
between disciplines and the consequences of actions, soundly
constructed conclusions and recommendations; a well organised
structure and effective presentation with a degree of perceptive
insight and creativity.
80%+ Substantially Integrative and Analytical with Considerable Insight
A thorough understanding of the subject with a high degree of

critical analysis, a highly developed understanding of the
consequences of actions; soundly constructed conclusions and
recommendations. A well organised structure with highly effective
presentation and a considerable degree of perceptive insight and
creativity.

MSc Dissertation Marking Schedule
Student Name: Programme: Centre:
% of Mark Supervisor 2nd Marker Agreed

Comments Name: Name: Mark*
Introduction and rationale
Aims and 15%
objectives/Hypothesis
Methodologyknowledge and
Background
literature study 20%
Critical evaluation of published works
and research
Data collection/design of research
methods/tools 15%
Analysis and evaluation of data
Presentation and discussion of 35%
results
Conclusions and
recommendations 10%
Structure and
presentation 5%
Totals
100%
Additional Comments:


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MSc Distance Learning

Department of Built Environment

1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 3

2.0 Aims, Objectives And Learning Outcomes ................................................................ 6

3.0 Writing Your Dissertation Proposal ............................................................................ 9

4.0 Undertaking The Main Study – The Literature Review ............................................ 24

5.0 Writing Up The Research ......................................................................................... 33

6.0 Role Of Supervisor ................................................................................................... 35

8.0 Submission ............................................................................................................... 41

9.0 Assessment .............................................................................................................. 42

Department of Built Environment

Department of Built Environment

Department of Built Environment

The Aims of the Dissertation are:

(i) To provide an opportunity complete a dissertation at postgraduate level.

(ii) To develop your critical and analytical skills.

(iv) To develop strengths in academic self-management.

(vi) To provide an opportunity as appropriate, to make an original contribution to

The Objectives of the Dissertation are:

(ii) Have developed an in-depth knowledge in a specialist field of interest to you.

Department of Built Environment

Department of Built Environment

Department of Built Environment

(i) Understanding the role of the Academic Supervisor.

Department of Built Environment

Department of Built Environment

Department of Built Environment

 reading what is being discussed in the technical press;

Whilst it is often a sound strategy to build on your strengths to overcome weaknesses, in

Department of Built Environment

Department of Built Environment

TASK Submit your working title to the Dissertation Coordinator.

Department of Built Environment

Department of Built Environment

Irrespective of whether you are following an investigative or hypothesis focused

 what work has already been done by others;

 the rationale for your study

Department of Built Environment

3.3 DEVELOPING THE METHODOLOGY

(iii) Identify any intervening variables/issues and determine how to establish

(iv) Identify appropriate data gathering approaches to allow measurements of

Department of Built Environment

 what is your sample size?

(i) Dissertation Title (5-10 words).

(ii) The rational for the study (approx. 250-300 words).

(iii) The aims (1 sentence).

(iv) The objectives, if appropriate (3-4 objectives – 1 sentence each).

(v) The hypothesis, if appropriate (1 sentence).

(vi) An outline methodology for the study (500-1000 words) including:

 approach to data gathering (e.g. questionnaire survey; case study etc.);

Department of Built Environment

 voluntary participation - subjects should not be coerced into participating in the

University of Greenwich Research Ethics Policy

Scope and Purpose

Department of Built Environment

 Minimal risk of harm to participants and researchers;

Department of Built Environment

2. Direct involvement throu gh non-invasive pro cedures , such a s laboratory-

3. Indirect involvement through access to personal information and/or tissue.

4. Involvement requiring consent on behalf of others, such as by parents for a child

Particularly vulnerable participants might be:

2. People with physiological and/or psychological impairments and/or learning

4. Relatives of sick, or recently–deceased, people