WRITING ACADEMICALLY FOR YOUR DISSERTATION
Dr. Chris McMillan, Academic skills adviser
Session Objectives
To understand the purpose and structure of dissertation research
To consider how to construct a literature review that justifies your research project
To understand the importance of creating a critical argument in your discussion
To be able to translate develop this argument through a critical, logical and objective writing style
Back to basics
There is an issue – a research problem with a settled answer
Researchers are debating this issue
Your role is to critique this literature and identify a gap in that research that justifies your research
Develop a research methodology to investigate that question
Analyse the results of your research to find an intervention into the research debate
Introduction Literature Review THE PROBLEM
• Methods • Results YOUR RESPONSE
Discussion Conclusions
THE TEST
The introduction 
The introduction should include; A clear statement of the research question The justification for undertaking the research

It should tell the reader; The context for the research Why they should care What the main issues are How you will approach them
Introductory hints
Keep a formal tone: be direct No rhetorical questions?
Often the introduction (and the abstract) are written last, but it is valuable to produce a ‘holding’ introduction early in your research
Outline the aims/purpose of your research
Top Tip #1 Tell the reader why they should care Text 6458 and your message to +447624806527
What is a literature review? An critical evaluation of scholarly articles, books and other sources (e.g. dissertations etc) that are relevant to a particular issue, area of research, or theory. Its purpose is to: • Provide a clear and balanced account of the literature on a particular topic
• Provide a rationale and a context for your project • Tell the story that leads to your project
A literature review is NOT… • An exhaustive bibliography • A repetition of what each article reported • A selection of quotes, summaries and abstracts – the sources must be discussed by you • A group of unconnected critical evaluations
Creating a structure
Establish the context – what does the reader need to know before you commence the review?
Introduce the main themes or developments
Identify gaps in the literature and consider research in similar areas
Identify your questions/hypothesis
The funnel metaphor Context Research history Debates
Your project/aims
Significant research has shown that…
As a response, a number of studies…
Yet, this research did not consider…
Initial theorists argued…
Conversely, this research has come from a predominately… Similar research has suggested…
As a consequence, in this research…
The concept of locus of control, although relatively new (Rotter, 1954), has received considerable attention in the study of individual psychological differences (Lefcourt,1976; Phares, 1976). In addition to logical appeal, a number of studies have associated internal locus of control beliefs with behaviors that affect the probability of attaining success. For instance, Ducette and Wolk (1972) found that externals tend to exhibit less persistence at tasks. Others have found a positive relation between internality and (a) willingness to delay rewards in order to maximize them (e.g., Bialer, 1961) and (b) preference to perform in skill rather than in chance situations (e.g., Rotter & Mulry, 1965). Each tendency should mean internals have a greater likelihood of achievement. Despite such differences (which are described at length by Pederson & Higbee, 1968), there has been a tacit assumption in the literature that the various measures are equivalent.
The finding that disclosure to spouse is greater than to any other target (Jourard & Lasakow, 1968) suggests that love results in greater disclosure than liking. Within the marital relationship itself, it might be expected that self-disclosure would be related to marital satisfaction. However, empirical support for such a relationship is weak‌
Top Tip #2 Tell the reader the story of the research Text 6458 and your message to +447624806527
Methods 
Describe the practical procedures of the study in sufficient detail to be replicated by another researcher (appendices can be valuable)

Include details of the sample and how participants were recruited, the research design used and how various concepts were operationalised.

Details of any data collection tools utilised and their design and development also need to be included.
A total of 181 participants aged 8-11 years (mean age, 10.0 +- 0.9 years) from 8 primary schools in northwest England were recruited to this study (Table 1). This was an opportunity sample; however, the age range is consistent with previous studies of the effects of TV food advertising on children’s food intake (Smith, 2011). Children with a food allergy of any kind (as reported by parents) were excluded from participation. Source: Boyland, E.J. et al. (2013) Food Choice and Overconsumption: Effect of a Premium Sports Celebrity Endorser. The Journal of Pediatrics, 163 (2).
Top Tip #3 Sometimes you have to be ‘boring’ Text 6458 and your message to +447624806527
Quantitative Results
Findings are reported separately from discussion
Quantitative projects might begin with general results such as demographics, number of participants etc. before covering specific results.
Results are often analysed results in the form of a table, chart, graph etc, which need to be titled and numbered and referred to in the text.
You will also need to explain what statistical tests (if any) that you have used and what the level of significance is.
Qualitative Results
Findings and discussion tend not to be separated, but are instead divided into thematic chapters
These chapters will also relate the current research back to the literature review
Results will be based on ‘textual’ evidence and you will need to provide examples from the narratives to demonstrate your themes or ideas.
The critical importance of the discussion
The discussion allows you to highlight your contribution to the research by returning to your objectives, the literature and your research problem
The discussion constructs your argumentative response to the research problem
You must interpret and evaluate results, considering their significance in regards to this problem and your predictions
Do not describe, but interpret – Always ask, ‘So What?’
Don’t let the evidence speak for itself
Always ask, so what?
Beyond Description
Academic writing is always a mix of description and critique
Key ideas are established, but need to be expanded on in detail and the implications drawn out
Not just what is being said, but why and what are the consequences
Ask, ‘So What?’
Boyland, E.J. et al. (2013) Food Choice and Overconsumption: Effect of a Premium Sports Celebrity Endorser. The Journal of Pediatrics, 163 (2). This study demonstrates the effects of exposure to celebrity endorsement in TV food advertising on ad libitum intake of the endorsed product and a perceived alternative brand of the same food item. STATEMENT Our data show that experimental exposure to a TV commercial for potato chips featuring a celebrity endorser commercial significantly increased children’s caloric intake of the endorsed brand of chips compared with exposure to commercials for an alternative snack food and a non-food item. Moreover, viewing the same celebrity endorser in a different, non-food context (presenting a soccer highlights TV program) also significantly increased intake of the endorsed brand of chips relative to exposure to a different snack food or non-food commercial. EXPLANATION AND EVIDENCE
So what? Although previous studies have linked celebrity endorsers with children’s beliefs about food,16 this study is this first to quantify the powerful influence of celebrity endorsement on children’s brand preferences and actual consumption (p.340)
So, what are the implications of this observation?
So, what do these results mean? So, what might have caused these results?
SO WHAT?! So, (why) should we care?
So, what are the consequences for the field?
So, what does this mean for the problem you have investigated
Top Tip #4 Extend your reasoning in order to make a critical argument Text 6458 and your message to +447624806527
Conclusions
What is your intervention into the research?
Highlight the main points of the project in terms of the findings and link these to the original aims and objectives.
Implications for future work should be stated
Findings should be assimilated into recommendations to emphasis the important issues.
Yes, but how do I actually write? YOU need to control the information and how it is presented. How do you do this?
1 TOPIC SENTENCES
Structuring a Paragraph
S E E
Statement (topic sentence) Evidence Explanation
One-sentence paragraph
Structuring Ideas: Topic Sentences
Topic sentences structure your ideas and paragraphs
Topic sentences must include: What you are talking about: the topic What you want to say about it: the main point
e.g. Youth crime is caused by two factors, broken families and unemployment.
Remember: One point, One paragraph
Top Tip #5 Use topic sentences to structure your writing Text 6458 and your message to +447624806527
In the classroom, children must maintain attention while ignoring distractions (Passolunghi, Cornoldi, & De Liberto, 1999; Swanson et al., 2004).
Although Steele et al. (2012) found that teacher ratings of attention problems and hyperactivity/impulsivity did not predict numeracy outcomes—either concurrently or longitudinally—in typical kindergartners, many other studies have found that children with early mathematics difficulties often have co-occurring attention problems (Rabiner et al., 2000)
Teacher ratings of attention differentiate children with mathematics learning difficulties from their typically achieving peers.
So, what next?
Create links to ‘drive’ your reader around your argument
These links can be developed within and between paragraphs through signposting words or by repeating key terms
Ensure your ideas are not only linked together, but advance your argument
Signposting
Research has…
Conversely,…
Furthermore,… Yet,… Consequently…
Linking Ideas: Paragraphs Statement/Topic sentence
Evidence or Examples
Explanations and Reasoning
Evaluation/Transition: So what?
Statement/Topic sentence
Evidence or Examples
Explanations and Reasoning Evaluation/Transition Topic Sentence
S
E E
In the tea industry, which relies heavily on reputation and taste over trend, the benefits of direct and organic marketing far outweigh the more traditional elements of the marketing mix. Direct marketing can provide a more personal service (Fill, 2005), whilst organic marketing can provide a sense of community and allows contact and the transferring of knowledge with customers (Ghambari, 2008). In considering community in marketing strategy, Booms and Bitner (1981) suggest an extended marketing mix including people as a key element. This emphasises the impact of culture on the success of the tea industry, and in turn allows for the inclusion of cultural practices in marketing strategy development. These cultural practices, however, are often Conversely, cultural practices are often highlyhighly differentiated, differentiated,especially especiallywithin withinthe thetea teaindustry. industry,Here Hereititis‌ is
Key Tip #6 Create links between your ideas
Writing in a Critical Voice
Traditional academic writing only uses the 3rd person e.g. Not YOU think or I think, but SMITH thinks
Non-personal terms sound more objective: they remove overt indications of personal bias
Most of the time personal pro-nouns can simply be removed from the text
Group relations are driven by emotional identifications
Key Tip #7 Make sure your writing appears to be objective
Stuck for words?
www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk www.visualthesaurus.com
The Importance of Grammar/Editing
Do not let the form of your expression get in the way of what is being said
Always separate writing from editing
Try to find a way to look at your work with a ‘different set of eyes’
Summary • The purpose of research is to produce an intervention into academic debate • This requires; • A logical structure that follows disciplinary requirements • Formal and objective writing that is clear and concise • Strong links between ideas
Further assistance Contact ASK at ask@brunel.ac.uk or see http://www.brunel.ac.uk/library/ask Check out the ASK Blackboard Learn section for interactive resources
Watch our writing videos Come by our drop-ins, Mon-Fri, 1 – 3 pm and Tuesday/Thursday evenings 5-6 pm