How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation

Bryan Greetham was educated at the universities of Kent and Sussex. He holds a PhD in moral philosophy from the University of Newcastle, Australia. He is currently engaged in research into moral thinking and the Holocaust, and teaches philosophy at the University of Maryland. He is the author of Philosophy, How to Write your Undergraduate Dissertation and Thinking Skills for Professionals.

Preface Introduction PART I: EXAMINERS AND SUPERVISORS Examiners - What Are They Looking For? Working With Your Supervisor PART II: GENERATING AND DEVELOPING ORIGINAL IDEAS What Activities Suit You Best? Types of Research What Interests You Most? Generating Your Own Ideas Developing Your Ideas 1: Causal Relations Developing Your Ideas 2: Conceptual Relations Original Questions and Hypotheses 1: Using Analogies Original Questions and Hypotheses 2: Working With Your Structures PART III: DECIDING ON YOUR PROJECT Searching the Literature Choosing the Topic PART IV: ORGANISING YOUR WORK Planning Your Research Managing Your Time Your Retrieval System Reading Note-taking PART V: DOING YOUR RESEARCH Qualitative and Quantitative Research Secondary Sources Primary Sources 1: Quantitative Research Primary Sources 2: Designing and Distributing Your Questionnaire Primary Sources 3: Qualitative Research - Interviews and Focus Groups Primary Sources 4: Qualitative Research - Case Studies and Observations PART VI: PLANNING YOUR DISSERTATION The Main Components and Introduction The Literature Review Research Methods, Findings, Conclusions and Appendices PART VII: ORGANISING YOUR THINKING Developing Consistent Arguments 1: The Components Developing Consistent Arguments 2: The Connections Using Evidence 1: Describing It Using Evidence 2: Drawing Inferences Using Evidence 3: Creating Causal Connections Using Language 1: Clarity Using Language 2: Consistency PART VIII: WRITING YOUR DISSERTATION The First Draft Finding Your Own Voice Simplicity and Economy PART IX: PLAGIARISM, REFERENCING AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES Plagiarism Referencing and Bibliographies PART X: EDITING Revision 1: The Structure Revision 2: The Content References Index Conclusion Index