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Sunday, November 7, 2010

How to Establish the Correct Format and Layout For Your Dissertation

Dissertation format and layout requirements differ considerably depending on the type of essay being written and its aim. However, there are general specifications and formatting rules that are a good idea to adhere to, unless you are advised otherwise that is.

Your dissertation help should be double spaced throughout, with the exception of the approval page, the title page, figure headings, end notes, foot notes, and extensive quotations. You can usually use any standard font, as long as you use the same font all the way through. Italics are usually restricted to book titles, foreign words, letters and references.

Margins are usually set up to have a 1.5 left margin, with the right, top and bottom margin all being 1. Normally, white 11" 8.5 paper is used, apart from the use of pocket materials or photographs. The paper your dissertation is printed on should be of relatively high quality, if possible. This is so that the writing cannot be seen through the different pages. Take care to make sure that the pages attach together and look neat and tidy, as the appearance of your final paper is important.



Your entire paper should be of uniform darkness. For this reason, it is advisable to use a new cartridge to print your paper, so that the last pages are not lighter than the first. Make sure you save your work, in case it does not print well. Some students recommend printing onto low quality paper and photocopying it onto better quality paper, this is because photocopiers tend to use much darker ink, and keep the colour consistent.

Make sure that your paper is free from errors, and make all corrections before you print. Showing that you've noticed a mistake isn't enough, it needs to be corrected and reprinted. Do not make any cross outs, overstrikes or corrections in the final copy, these will lower your score no matter how good your content is. The appearance of your work is what makes people read it, and if there are mistakes, then your reader may presume your content contains mistakes too.

Most dissertations will contain the following pages:

Abstract - This should be a synopsis of the whole document, which should allow the reader to gain an understanding of the objectives and outcome. Keep this brief and to the point, and less than 150 words.

Contents Page - List the major parts, with subsections, and their page numbers. Use just one page.

Introduction - Provide a detailed and focused overview of the background of the topic and the structure you will follow. Write as if this is a journey by the reader, explaining where they are, where they are going and what other things they will find out.

Literature Review - This includes a review of all previous researches that have been undertaken that will support the hypothesis (or hypotheses) of your dissertation help.

Methodology - Show what methods you will use, and why they are the best ones for the job.

Data Analysis - Present the data you have collected in your primary research and the main issues that have arisen. You should use graphs, charts and diagrams to illustrate your points and to communicate understanding of your research.

Discussion - You should present the main findings of your research and refer to the diagrams and graphs that you produced during your data analysis.

Conclusion - Your conclusion should provide the reader with a summary of what you have already said, and what extra research or analysis could be completed to expand on your work.

Bibliography/references section - All the references should be listed alphabetically. Including the authors name, title, place of publication, publisher and date of publication.

Appendices - A place where you can place extra information to keep your dissertation free from clutter. Use it to provide the reader with a fuller picture of the information you are writing about, such as a blank copy of the questionnaire you used in your primary research.
The above template can be modified for each different topic and is a good starting ground for your dissertation format and layout, to ensure that you have produced a thorough and interesting dissertation.

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