Posted: May 13th, 2023

Dissertation Handbook – guide

Dissertation Handbook

MODULE LEADER: Samantha Scott / Dan Yu

CREDITS: 40
ACADEMIC YEAR: 2018: 2024 – Write My Essay For Me | Essay Writing Service For Your Papers Online/2019: 2024 – Online Assignment Homework Writing Help Service By Expert Research Writers

Welcome
Welcome to the Dissertation module. This module will assist you in writing your dissertation or your work based project. The module will begin with 2 2-hour lectures to advise you on what the dissertation is. Time management, referencing, research methods and structure have been covered in the Investigative Research Methods module. During the whole journey of writing your dissertation, students are provided with supervisors to assist them in terms of support and guidance on the dissertation process. In this way students move towards more autonomy within the dissertation. The module is assessed by students submitting a dissertation of 10,000 words for students of business management and 12,000 words for students of Crime & Investigation.

Topic HKIT Tutors
Module Introduction Dissertation Tutors
Research Proposal Dissertation Tutors
Literature Review Dissertation Tutors
Time Get research paper samples and course-specific study resources under   homework for you course hero writing service – Manage ment Dissertation Tutors
Group Discussion Dissertation Tutors

Supervision
Students can contact individual academics to request them to supervise their work if they are in line with particular academics research interests. Do not worry about this as supervision is resolved for all students within the taught element of this module. Supervisors are provided from across the disciplines of Policing, Investigation, Law, Forensics and National Security. They will assist in terms of specific support and guidance on your dissertation; however the work is self-directed as you will be moving towards more autonomy within this module.
It is your responsibility to make appointments with your supervisor to discuss your dissertation. Emailing tutors is sometimes the best way of setting up these meetings so that you are prepared, you can email work and get some guidance or feedback upon it. Make sure when sending drafts to supervisors that you leave time for them to read it and provide you with feedback which you can utilise in your final dissertation. Supervisors can look at drafts once and comment on them once, but are not able to keep commenting on the same work.

Before you begin writing your dissertation, you will need to put forward a research proposal of approximately 800-1000 words, to explain your research ideas and methodology that you are going to incorporate. This helps us to work out which supervisor will be best suited to you, and also ensures that you are on the right tracks. This should be completed as soon as possible once the term commences. Dates will be placed on blackboard for hand in.

Proposal Structure
Title Page
Academic title (not journalistic)
The title should be in the fewest possible words and provides an exact idea of what the research is about
The title should include all necessary key words to correctly and fully convey the content of the study

Overview (summary) of Proposed Study
A brief (100 words) outline of the proposed research that should provide all the essential details:
 A general statement of the problem
 The importance of the problem
 Research design and methods used
 Proposed type of analysis

Introduction
Sets the scene, presents the purpose of the study:
 Explains the problem
 Signifies the need for the study
 States the aims of the study
 Defines key concepts and terms
 Provides an overview of the chapters that will follow

Literature Review
Critique (relevant) previous literature and research studies related to the research problem. This section should assist in the compilation of the research question/s by:
 Identifying gaps in previous research
 Demonstrating how the proposed study will contribute to the body of knowledge

Research Question/s
Best paper writer websites, Custom term paper writing service and Research papers owl essays – Professional help in research projects for students – Cite the question/s

Method and Plan of Investigation
Details of the methods and procedures of data collection and analysis you intend to use (including the justification and relevance for the use of each technique) which should include:
 A short description of the topic area
 Data collection strategy / Data analysis strategy
 Validity / Reliability
 Ethical considerations

References
List all references made to all the work of others you have used in the dissertation in accordance with the Harvard Referencing System.

Appendices
When the study relies on background data that the reader may be required to explore in more depth it may be appended.
Each appendix should have a title and be numbered so that readers can locate them by cross-reference to them in the text.

Main learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
• Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of methodology within the area of Investigation
• Distinguish and critically analyse the key theoretical perspectives underpinning social scientific research and apply these to the dissertation
• Demonstrate knowledge and awareness of ethical issues that impact upon and are relevant to the planning and designing of social research, and the dissemination of research findings
• Gather, analyse, interpret and evaluate evidence/data from appropriate sources that allow for the identification of an area of investigation suitable for a research project
• Write up the research findings and adhere to academic guidelines
And students will:
• Act with increasing autonomy, with reduced need for supervision and direction, within defined guidelines
• Demonstrate practical skills in research design which maintain valid and reliable findings
• Demonstrate ability to engage in academic debate in oral and written format that is supported by reference to appropriate/relevant literature that adheres to academic guidelines and procedures
• Reflect systematically upon learning experience and performance to further develop learning
• Produce a dissertation or work-based project within the area of Crime and Investigation.

Writing and Presenting your Dissertation.
Welcome to the final stages of your Crime and Investigation degree. You will be expected to plan and execute an original piece of research in your dissertation project. You will be penalised if you are over ten percent of the word limit in either direction. You will be assigned an academic supervisor, with whom you should discuss your proposal, and whose advice is to be taken very seriously. They will be there to give to you expert guidance, encouragement and editorial commentary but you must also remember that this is your piece of work. It is your chance to demonstrate the knowledge you have gained while studying for your degree which culminates in this final piece of work. The frequency of talks with your supervisor is not fixed – it is up to you to negotiate a pattern of discussions – but remember that the more contact you have with your tutor the less chance there is of you going off on a tangent or misconstruing what you should be doing. You should therefore:
• Consolidate all prior learning on your study
• Investigate and research a particular area in depth
• Use appropriate methods of inquiry – making sure you have ethical clearance and show an understanding of the benefits and limitations of the methods used.
• Produce a piece of literature-based research through your own independent study.

Your dissertation should therefore include the following components:

Literature Review.
A literature review is based on the systematic reading of existing academic writing on a particular topic chosen as the focus of your dissertation. While a routine essay usually relies on no more than a dozen secondary sources, the literature review for your dissertation will be based on many times this number and should include a wide range of primary and secondary sources – books, journal articles, conference reports, official publications etc. You must be clear as to whether the literature you are using is appropriate. Caution should always be used when relying on information from the internet- you must be sure that the information is both reliable and valid. If you are not sure discuss this with your supervisor.

Avoid Wikipedia, Daily Mail and other suspect resources!
All studies that lay claim to being research; and your dissertations will be no exception, should start off with a literature review. Literature reviews are important because as researchers you will need to locate your work within the existing knowledge that is currently available on that area.
A literature review should show that you:
 Are aware of the available existing work already undertaken in the area.
 Have reviewed existing literature in order to highlight the weaknesses of earlier work and have identified gaps in the current state of knowledge.
 Can identify key issues, crucial questions, and formulate a research question that will help to advance the understanding of the topic.
 Are able to demonstrate that you have avoided repeating research that has already been conducted on the topic area.
The aim of the literature review then, is to survey and report on a reasonably large or complex field of work, in the process developing some themes to make the review distinct. In other words give it an ‘angle’. What you don’t want to do is end up with a mass of information that lacks any clear focus or purpose. It should illustrate your knowledge and understanding of the literature in a specific subject area.

Methodology Checklist
Please try to give some time and thought to consider the following questions/ Issues which will impact on the methodology section of your dissertation
• What does this piece of research hope to achieve?
• How will it be undertaken?
• How will it meet its aims?
• What has it contributed to further study in this area?
• What research method did it employ?
• What are the problems / advantages of using this research method?
• What could be changed to improve the validity and reliability of this research?
• Are there any ethical considerations to be aware of?

Presentation of the Manuscript
The final dissertation should be submitted in a standard format
• Two copies word processed, or typed, double spaced Arial, size 12 font should be used as a standard.
• The dissertation should be within the agreed word limit (10,000 and 12,000 words for Business and Crime & Investigation students respectively).
• The dissertation should be comb bound (if in doubt, ask)

Layout of the Dissertation
• Title page which should be set out as follows:

Teesside University

BA (Hons) Business Get research paper samples and course-specific study resources under   homework for you course hero writing service – Manage ment / BSc (Hons) Crime and Investigation

Dissertation Title

Students Name

Student Enrolement Number

Supervisors Name

Date of Submission.

Word Count

• Abstract. This should not be more than 300 words in length and should explain to the reader the main topic of the research and state overall findings or conclusions.
• Contents. Here you should list the titles and relevant page numbers of all chapters, sections or sub-sections, appendices and the bibliography.
• Acknowledgements. You may wish to acknowledge individuals or organisations that have helped you with your research in a significant way.
• Figures and Tables. This should be a list of where to find any illustrations (figures) and tables and there appropriate page numbers.
• Introduction – this should illustrate to the reader the direction your dissertation will take, show how the dissertation relates to existing literature, and provide a clear outline of what you intend to explore. You should attempt to identify the context of your research and the theme /argument you intend to explore.
• The rest of your dissertation will be split into your central chapters addressing your research, the literature you have consulted, the methodology you have used, and your data/ findings and discussion chapters.
• Conclusion – this should summarise and reinforce (but not simply repeat) your debate /key arguments you should draw all of your sections of the dissertation together and perhaps make your own conclusions as to the relevance / importance of your findings to the wider debate. It would be useful here to identify any work or research that would be valuable in the future understanding of your chosen topic and any recommendations to further knowledge within the area of investigation.
• The final part of your dissertation will be made up of a comprehensive bibliography and appendices.

General Points on Style
This is a large piece of work which accounts for 40 credits in your final year and as such you need to work hard to present your work to an extremely high standard. Please leave plenty of time for proof-reading as year after year students rush to complete at the expense of spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and lack of knowledge of how to construct a paragraph.
Although thinking and writing is a personal matter there are some general points to consider when writing a dissertation. It is normally best to write in the third person…..’It can be argued that’ rather than …’ I am arguing that’. The Harvard system of referencing should be used, double line spacing should be used and the font size should be number 12.
Ethics
You are required to receive ethical clearance from the schools ethic’s committee for your research. You will also be expected to read the ethical consideration from the British Society of Criminology (see the link below).
https://essays.homeworkacetutors.com/write-my-essay/britsoccrim.org/ethical.htm
• Please read the ethical code and make a note of how this impacts upon your study (and reference it) and follow this up with at least 2 other points about ethics and research which relate to your study (again using references to back up your points). The Validity and reliability of sources should be mentioned within this too.

Ethics forms
These will be completed in consultation with your supervisor before any research is carried out. Ethics forms should be completed within the 1st 5 weeks of this module.

Abstract
Although the abstract comes at the beginning of your dissertation, you can’t actually write this until you have completed your research and have obtained your findings and conclusions. The abstract is quite similar to an executive summary which you will see in many government papers. It very briefly summarises your work and tells the reader exactly what the paper is about, the research aims, findings and conclusions.

Main body
Your main data/argument areas should be distinct from your literature review (which provides the overview of the area and illustrates your awareness and knowledge of the area). Your main chapters need to have aims related to the overall aim of the project and should look at specific areas of interest/ problems/ arguments.
Think about how you will divide up your dissertation into manageable chunks of work. You may decide to do this thematically, or to do history, context, data and analysis of a subject area. While working in chapters you will also need to make sure they flow together and are clearly linked to the other areas in the Dissertation and that they all add to answering the research question/ providing an argument in relation to a research statement. Using the word count try to create a plan below to illustrate where the bulk of your writing and research will be.
Secondary analysis of official statistics
Official statistics and government publications provide a source of data that is:
 Authoritative – the data has been produced by the state using professionals therefore they have credibility.
 Factual – statistics constitute hard facts around which there can be no ambiguity.
There are a great deal of official documents containing statistics that are relatively easy to obtain e.g. Home Office documents; government statistics on crime, prison statistics, police officer numbers. These statistics are available on a regional and local level, as well as national and international, thus allowing for comparative analysis.
However, official statistics cannot always be taken as objective facts.
When using official statistics as data in your dissertations, you should be asking questions such as:
• Whether those who are producing the figures have any vested interests in the statistics that are presented.
• Does the organization producing the statistics have either something to gain or lose depending upon what the figures reveal?
Therefore, it is important to question the extent to which the final statistics rely upon choices made by those who produce them as to what is presented. It is also useful to consider the extent to which the event or things being measured is straight forward e.g. statistics on births, deaths and marriages are usually clear cut, but unemployment, homelessness or crime are far less so.
For example, official statistics on crime collected and processed by the Home Office provide one method by which researchers can measure the extent and distribution of crime in society. However, an understanding of the nature of official statistics on crime, and of the way in which they are collected and processed, leads to questions about whether or not they can be treated as objective indicators of the level of society’s criminality. Thus, official statistics fail to take into account criminal acts that are committed but not brought to the attention of the police.

Document Analysis
Document analysis can also form the basis for actual research. This method of data collection is commonly referred to as library based research or desk research.

There are two ways in which researchers can use documents:
• To provide background information to use as a developmental base for a research project.
• As a source of data in its own right.

Types of documentary data –

Books and journals – provide a wealth of knowledge from which a research project can stem, and the latest cutting edge ideas which can shape the research. There is a need to assess the quality of the ideas and information that are presented in books and journals. Academic journals and commercial publishers generally have their material referred by experts in the field before the work is published, so this gives the research some assurance as to the credibility of the work.
Web pages and the Internet – although there is an immense amount of information on the internet, again, be very careful about the credibility of the sources. Restrict work to credible sites such as the Home Office etc.
Newspapers and magazines – a valuable source for up to date information – again avoid the tabloid press.
Records – can include minutes of meetings, records of transactions, financial transactions. These types of records provide a detailed and accurate picture of what took place. When using information from them however, they must be presented in such a way that the reader can understand what took place and why. The records must also be publicly available.
Advantages
 Access to data – vast amounts of information is held in documents. Depending upon the nature of the document most researchers will find access to sources relatively easy. But, if documents are on restricted access such as police records, researchers may need to negotiate access to them due to the sensitivity of the material and confidentiality rules.
 Cost effective – documentary research provides a cost effective method of getting data, particularly large scale data such as those provided by official statistics.
 Permanence of data – documents usually provide a source of data which is permanent and available in a form that can be checked by others as the data are open to public scrutiny.

Disadvantages
 Credibility of source – need to evaluate the authority of the source and the procedures used to produce the original data in order to gauge the credibility of the documents.
 Secondary data – using documents as a source of data means relying upon something which has been produced for other purposes and not for the specific aims of your research.
 Social constructions – documents can owe more to the interpretations of those who produce them than to an objective picture of reality.
Validity and Reliability
When we produce a piece of research we want to say that our findings are worthwhile, that they are valid and reliable. Therefore, the validity and reliability of our research projects are crucial.
Validity is “a concern with the integrity of the conclusions that are generated from a piece of research” (Bryman, 2001: 509).
In a broad sense, validity means that the data and the methods are ‘right’, that the data that we have collected and the findings we’ve arrived at reflect the truth, and reflect reality. The idea of validity hinges around the extent to which research data and the methods for obtaining the data are deemed accurate, honest and on target.
In addition to issues of validity, it is important that the research addresses the concept of reliability.
Reliability is “the degree to which a measure of a concept is stable” (Bryman, 2001: 507).
Researchers need to feel confident about the ‘reliability’ of the data collection method they are using. A good level of reliability means that the research method produces the same data time after time on each occasion that it is used. So a research method such as a survey or questionnaire is said to be ‘reliable’ if it is consistent e.g. if you have selected a sample that is representative of the general research population then a reliable questionnaire or survey will produce the same statistics whenever it is used.

Dissertation = 10,000 (Business) / 12,000 (Crime & Investigation) words

Abstract
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Chapter 2 – literature review
Chapter 3 – methodology
Chapter 4 – Findings
Chapter 5 – Analysis
Chapter 6 – Discussion
Chapter 7 – Conclusion

Submission
You should submit your work electronically via CMS plus ONE hard copy, comb bound with front cover. The date for submission will be on the Blackboard site for this module.

Extensions
If you are undergoing serious problems with submission you must speak to your dissertation tutor as soon as possible and evidence will be required for ALL extensions. You need to aim for the submission date where possible so that you will be able to go through the exam board and graduate in November with the rest of your cohort.

Assessment
Marking criteria for final year undergraduate work is provided under the Level 6 heading below
FHEQ LEVEL 6
90%-100%
Exceptional work. Presentation is logical, error-free and, where appropriate, creative. There is an in-depth understanding of issues/problems and excellent critical/deep engagement with the material and concepts involved. Very skilful interpretation of data. Arguments, ideas and, where appropriate, solutions are presented coherently and fully underpinned by thorough research and reading. The referencing is impeccable.
80%-89%
Outstanding work with presentation of a very high standard. There is comprehensive understanding of key concepts and knowledge and clear evidence of critical analysis and insight. Accurate interpretation of data with arguments, ideas and solutions presented effectively and based on strong research and reading, with excellent use of referencing.
70%-79%
Extremely good work with presentation of a high standard. Demonstrates an excellent knowledge base with a clear understanding of the issues and application to practice where appropriate. There is some effective critical and analytical application of relevant research and reading. The referencing is of high standard and conforms to School standards.
60%-69%
The work is very good, logically structured and presented to a high standard. Demonstrates a strong knowledge base with a clear understanding of the issues and application to practice where appropriate. There is some critical and analytical application of relevant research. Referencing is of high standard but minor errors are evident.
50%-59%
The work is clearly presented and logically structured. It shows evidence of a sound understanding of the topic and addresses major issues. The work contains some discussion and interpretation of relevant perspectives although further development of the arguments presented would be beneficial. There are examples of critical reflection and evidence of application of theory to practice. Referencing conforms largely to the School standards and style.
40%-49%
Adequate presentation. The work displays basic knowledge and understanding of the topic sufficient to meet the learning outcomes, but is largely descriptive. There is an attempt to bring together different ideas and concepts although this would have been strengthened by the inclusion of further key issues. The structure of the work requires attention to its coherence and logical development of content. The link between theory and practice, where appropriate, is somewhat tenuous and its development would enhance the work considerably. Referencing does not fully conform to the School standards and style.
35% – 39% borderline fail
Adequate presentation, with a weak but basic knowledge and understanding that meets some but not all of the learning outcomes. Evidence of application of theory to the issues is weak, and the work contains numerous unsupported statements, a poor structure and limited critical analysis.
<35% – Fail
The work is poorly presented and contains numerous errors, inconsistencies and omissions with limited use of source material. The work displays a weak knowledge base and lack of sufficient understanding of the topic. The learning outcomes are not met. There is little or no evidence of the application of theory to practice where appropriate. It contains many unsupported statements with little attempt to bring issues together and lacks critical analysis and reflection.
29% and below – Fail
The work is very poorly presented and contains numerous serious errors, inconsistencies and omissions with little use of source material. The work displays a very weak knowledge base and a lack of sufficient understanding of the topic. There is little or no evidence of the application of theory to practice where appropriate. It contains many unsupported statements with little attempt to bring issues together and there is a complete lack of critical analysis and reflection. Referencing is of poor standard.
To obtain 20% the work must show evidence of a genuine attempt to demonstrate some knowledge of the subject.
< 20% – Fail
The work is largely derivative and therefore lacks analysis or reflection, and shows little knowledge or understanding of issues. The presentation and referencing does not conform to the standards required by the School.

Indicative Resources
No one text is recommended for purchase, rather these resources may be useful for specific chapters or to dip in and out of relevant sections for guidance and reference throughout this module. You are expected to find some resources for your dissertation writing yourself as well as on your chosen topic.
Bell, J (1999) Doing your First Research Project: A Guide for First Time Researchers in Education and Social Sciences. Open University Press: Buckingham.
Berg, B.L (1989) Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences. Allyn and Bacon: London.
Bryman, A (2001) Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Burgess, R.G (ED) (1993) Field Research: A Sourcebook and Field Manual. Methuen: London.
Denzin, N. K and Lincoln, Y.S (Eds) (1994) Handbook of Qualitative Research. Sage: London.
Harvey, L. (1990) Critical Social Research. Unwin Hyman: London.
Joyce, P (2009) Criminology and Criminal Justice. Willan: Devon
Jupp, V. (1989) Methods of Criminological Research. Unwin Hyman: London.
King, R.D and Wincup E (ED) (2008 – Affordable Custom Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay from Pro Writers) Doing Research on Crime and Justice. Oxford University Press: Oxford
May, T. (1997) Social Research: Issues, Methods and Processes, Open University Press: Buckingham
Renzetti, C.M and Lee, R.M (Eds) (1993) Researching Sensitive Topics, Sage: London
Sapsford, R (1996) Researching Crime and Criminal Justice, Open University Press: London
Smith K, Todd. M and Waldman, J (2009) Doing Your Undergraduate Social Science Dissertation, Routledge; London

Also check out………
How to find resources
http://lis.tees.ac.uk/tutorials/searchit/

This is a really useful on-line resource which students can interact with to make sure they can research the resources for their work
http://lis.tees.ac.uk/infoskills_gen/index.cfm

Go to this Library and information website to have a look at this workbook for students preparing their dissertation
http://lis.tees.ac.uk/skills/Dissertation_Contents.pdf

Search Ebray
http://lis.tees.ac.uk/tutorials/ebrary/

Using Google Scholar as a research tool
http://lis.tees.ac.uk/tutorials/googlescholar/googlescholar.html

Finally – Free Online Sources:
Companion for Undergraduate Dissertations:
https://essays.homeworkacetutors.com/write-my-essay/socscidiss.bham.ac.uk/
“This companion has been produced by a team of mostly social scientists working in collaboration with the Higher Education Academy’s Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics, the Centre for Social Work and Policy and Sheffield Hallam University. The resource has been prepared to provide support and guidance for personal study and to help students through the dissertation process. It deals with some of the common questions, concerns and practical issues that undergraduate students come across when completing their social science-based dissertation or final year project. The topics covered include literature searching, choice of methodology, ethics, writing style and plagiarism.”

Final Year Projects
http://final-year-projects.com
“This website contains practical advice and assistance on all aspects of writing a final year project, dissertation or thesis. It is primarily written for undergraduate students but postgraduate students should find it equally useful. It has been put together by Mike Hart, Professor of Business and Informatics at University College, Winchester, UK.”

Workbook on preparing for your dissertation or major report
http://lis.tees.ac.uk/skills/dissertation.cfm

L&IS guidance on the literature search element of the final year project.

Online Books:
Denscombe, M. (2007) The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research Projects. 3rd ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Levin, P. (2008 – Affordable Custom Essay Writing Service | Write My Essay from Pro Writers) Excellent Dissertations! Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Noaks, L. and Wincup, E. (2004) Criminological Research: Understanding Qualitative Methods. London: Sage.
O’Leary, Z. (2004) The Essential Guide to Doing Research. London: Sage.
Sapsford, R.J., Jupp, V. and Open University (2006 – Write a paper; Professional research paper writing service – Best essay writers) Data Collection and Analysis. 2nd Ed. London: Sage.
Thody, A. (2006 – Write a paper; Professional research paper writing service – Best essay writers) Writing and Presenting Research. London: Sage.
Walliman, N.S.R. (2006 – Write a paper; Professional research paper writing service – Best essay writers) Social Research Methods. London: Sage.

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