POSTGRADUATE MODULAR SCHEME
DISSERTATION HANDBOOK
August 2009
This Handbook has been prepared to guide and advise you in the preparation of your Dissertation within the
Postgraduate Modular Scheme.

Section A summarises the Regulations and Procedures for the Dissertation.

Section B offers advice on Planning your Dissertation, including issues you need to think about at
the proposal stage, suggestions of useful resources, and a checklist of the features of good (and
bad!) Dissertations.

Section C on Dissertation Presentation provides guidance on the format of the final document.

A copy of the sample title and declaration pages is included.
Electronic versions of this document, and the proposal form, are available on the University web pages at
http://www.glos.ac.uk/currentstudents/postgraduate/index.cfm
You should read this material in conjunction with any documentation available from your Course. Your
attention is also drawn to Research Ethics: A Handbook of Principles and Procedures, available at
http://www.glos.ac.uk/currentstudents/research/ethics/index.cfm
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 2
A. SUMMARY OF REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES
This section is based on the Regulations in operation during 2009/10 and other procedures. Regulations may
change, so refer to the current Postgraduate Modular Scheme Handbook at the Current Postgraduate
Students page.
Please note the following:
Some changes to regulations and procedures relating to Dissertations came into effect from September 2007.
In most cases these apply to all students, but some will only apply to students starting their course from that
date.
THE DISSERTATION AND DISSERTATION-EQUIVALENT MODULES
This section should be read in conjunction with the PMS Regulations in the PMS Handbook (2009/10)
The Dissertation is an important learning process for students proceeding to Master’s stage. It gives the student an
opportunity to carry out a sustained and intensive investigation into one topic and to present their findings in a formal
manner. Dissertation-equivalent modules present a similar challenge in some practice-based Courses, and such modules
are identified in the module descriptor. Within the PMS, discussion of ‘Dissertation’ normally includes ‘Dissertationequivalent module’.
It is vital that you recognise that although support is given by your Dissertation Advisor, you have ultimate responsibility for
the work.
Dissertation Aims
The aims of the Dissertation are:





to develop experience in conducting a sustained piece of individual enquiry;
to identify and evaluate existing literature, materials or methodologies in an individual area of research, and
to make critical use of them possibly in the form of a review;
to undertake an analysis of a particular research topic by making use of appropriate methodologies;
to place the research into a wider academic context, for instance by relating the analysis to the context of the
literature;
to present the research in a professional and scholarly manner.
Dissertation Content
The topic for the Dissertation must be appropriate to the Course within which the Dissertation is taken, and must be
approved by the procedures described below. For students starting their course in or after September 2007, the timing of
your dissertation approval can affect your final date of study
Traditionally, Dissertations are written presentations. Alternative modes, representing equivalent output and workload,
must be negotiated with the Course Leader.
A Dissertation of 60 CATS points will be up to 18,000 words or equivalent output and workload, excluding appendices and
references. The word limit for a Dissertation worth fewer CATS points will be proportionately smaller. Individual Courses
may set their own length and content regulations within this framework.
Dissertation Proposals
Initial guidance on the selection and development of a research topic may be given through individual and small-group
tutorials or in module classes.
Proposals must be submitted on the form provided by the Scheme (P3) (available at the Current Postgraduate Students
page under Forms). Students must sign the form to signal their adherence to the University’s Research Ethics Handbook.
There are three opportunities each year to submit a P3. Deadlines are published on the PMS Calendar.
Proposals will be considered by a Dissertation Proposal Approval Panel, which will evaluate a proposal against three
criteria:
 its academic appropriateness;
 the resources available to support the research (including support of an employer or other party if this is required);
 conformity with the principles in the University’s Handbook Research Ethics: A Handbook of Principles and
Procedures.
The sub-committee may call on External Examiners or others for advice on the appropriateness of proposals.
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 3
Once the Panel has approved a Proposal, the student will be notified. A Dissertation Advisor will be assigned and they
will sign the proposal form to confirm their awareness of the University’s Research Ethics Handbook and their agreement
to abide by it. Where the sub-committee is unable to approve a proposal because it does not appear to conform with the
University’s Research Ethics Handbook, the Course Leader will consult with the Faculty’s representative on the Research
Ethics Sub-Committee and, if necessary, forward the proposal to the Faculty Research Ethics Panel for consideration.
When the Proposal is approved, Student Records will register the student on the Dissertation module. The Dissertation
Submission deadline will be set at this point, and is determined by the date of the Panel approving the proposal.
Where a Proposal is referred, a student may revise their proposal and resubmit it for consideration normally on one
occasion only. Students may not proceed with a programme of research which the Dissertation Approval Panel deems to
be inappropriate.
Each student is entitled to tutorials with their Dissertation Advisor, which will normally be taken within the first three
semesters of the Dissertation. A student taking a Dissertation of 60 CATS points is entitled to up to ten hours of tutorials;
entitlement for Dissertations with different CATS point values will be determined pro rata. Tutorials will be negotiated
between student and tutor at the mutual convenience of each; tutorials might be both individual and group. A record of
meetings (times and outcomes) is kept and agreed by student and Advisor. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange
meetings with their Advisor with due regard to the Advisor’s other commitments including agreed periods of leave and
research, and to provide Advisors with drafts for reading and comment. Normally, drafts will be returned within a period of
between one and two weeks.
Dissertation Submission and Deadlines
You need to be careful to note the relationship between your dissertation deadline and your final date of study.
The final deadline for the submission of the Dissertation is set at the point when the Panel approves the proposal and
shall be four semesters from the point of approval or the maximum completion time for the Master’s degree, whichever is
the earlier (the Dissertation submission deadline for each semester is published on the PMS Calendar). You may, of
course, work on and submit their Dissertations at any time before the final deadline.
Dissertations must be submitted to Course Leaders or their nominees, and you must retain a receipt.
Dissertation Assessment
Where a Dissertation is not submitted by the final deadline the normal regulations apply as specified in Section 5.11 of the
PMS Regulations – that is, a maximum of 40% if the dissertation is up to 7 days late with anything submitted 8 or more
days late receiving 0%.
Dissertations will be assessed by one internal examiner and the Dissertation Advisor. A negotiated composite mark from
these assessors will be determined for the Dissertation prior to the Board of Examiners.
If you fail your Dissertation with a mark of 30-39% you normally will be entitled to reassessment on the same topic. You
must submit the revised Dissertation by the next semester’s Dissertation Submission Deadline, and that reassessment will
normally occur within 15 weeks of the publication of the result. Candidates who are reassessed will normally not be
eligible for a mark of more than 40%.
Regulations relating to word limits, including the penalty for exceeding word limits, are specified in paragraphs 5.12 and
5.13 of the PMS Regulations.
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 4
B.
PLANNING YOUR DISSERTATION
1.
DISSERTATION PROPOSAL FORM
Proposals must be submitted on the P3 Dissertation Proposal Form. This form is designed to help
you focus on the elements which will contribute to a good piece of research, so taking a short-cut at
this stage will not be to your advantage! Aims should be clear and achievable. The approach
(method) must be appropriate, and planned with due attention to timing, resources, health and safety,
and ethical issues. The research should be informed by previous research and/or practice, making
reference to concepts, themes, theories or problems discussed in the scholarly or professional
literature or equivalent sources of authority.
Aim to have your proposal ready for submission at the same time as you complete your taught
modules. If you started on a full-time course in September, you should try to have the Dissertation
proposal ready by April.
There are three deadlines per year for submitting a Proposal, and the Dissertation Proposal Panel will
sit in the following week. If you miss one deadline the Proposal will be held over until the next ‘round’.
The deadlines for submitting proposals in 2009/10 are:
23 November 2009
23 April 2010
20 September 2010.
2.
ETHICS, CONFIDENTIALITY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Responsibility for the ethical conduct of Dissertation research rests primarily with the student,
supported by various arrangements for the scrutiny and approval of projects. For details of principles
and procedures, refer to Research Ethics: A Handbook of Principles and Procedures, available at the
Current Postgraduate Students Page. Part A, Principles, outlines the general responsibilities of
researchers, relating to informed consent, deceptive and covert research, confidentiality and
anonymity. Part B, Procedures outlines the steps you need to take if you think that your research
might require ethics approval.
Specific approval for taught courses from the Faculty Research Ethics Panel (FREP) is required for
research that involves biomedical or clinical intervention, deceptive research, and certain classes of
covert research. University practice has emerged where all research involving children and young
people under 18 must be referred to the relevant research ethics panel of committee (see the
Guidelines for Working with Children and Young People appended to the Research Ethics
Handbook). In addition, any research that involves vulnerable populations should be given careful
consideration through the research ethics approvals procedures: you should note that the definition of
vulnerability depends on the character and location of the research. Where there are areas of
uncertainty your Course Leader, Dissertation Advisor, and Faculty representative on the Research
Ethics Sub-Committee will act as ‘gatekeepers’, to advise whether a proposal should be submitted to
the FREP for formal approval. The Chair of the Sub-Committee are also available to give advice at
this stage. The FREP meets regularly and in response to applications submitted to it. This means
that it can respond promptly to proposals.
Occasionally, a student proposes to produce a Dissertation which will include confidential material.
This should be drawn to the attention of the Course Leader at the time of submitting the Dissertation
proposal form. A procedure for dealing with the confidential material will be agreed.
One topic which you should discuss with your Advisor at an early stage concerns the ‘ownership’ of
the finished work. The University recognises the Intellectual Property Rights of students and is of the
view that students should normally retain ownership of the copyright of their work. However, if your
Dissertation research is part of a larger project with your Advisor or others, issues of copyright could
arise if you author a research paper based upon your Dissertation. A research paper would be
subject to joint authorship if another contributor, such as your Advisor, contributed a significant
amount of skill and labour, including making substantial amendments or alterations to a written paper.
Appendix 13 of the Research Ethics Handbook outlines some of the issues.
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 5
3.
ACCESS TO EXAMPLES
At the outset it is useful to take a look at previously completed Dissertations in your subject area, so
that you have some sense of what you should be aiming for. To check which ones are available in
the Learning Centres for your reference, follow this five step process:
a) from the initial screen of the Learning Centre Catalogue, click on the word Advanced Search
that appears in the bottom right of the initial search box.
b) once the search screen for the browse facility comes up, in the top box under type word or
phrase enter ‘postgraduate’ and in the next box enter the name of he course you are looking
for (e.g., business management, sports development).
c) Then in the next box on the far right column select ‘dissertations and theses’.
d) Then, click on ‘go’.
e) To see the full list, click on the number next to the go button in the top box. Click on a title to
display a record in full.
4.
USEFUL RESOURCES
A range of resources on research methodology are available to help you plan your Dissertation
research (see, for instance, reading lists for Methods of Enquiry modules).
The following general texts on preparation and presentation of Dissertations and similar documents
have been recommended by Dissertation Advisors:
Bell, J. (2005) Doing Your Research Project: a guide for first time researchers in Education, Health
and Social Science (4th edition) (Open University Press, Maidenhead)
Hart, C. (1998) Doing a Literature Review: releasing the social science research imagination (Sage,
London)
Hart, C. (2001) Doing a Literature Search (Sage, London)
Hart, C. (2005) Doing your Masters Dissertation: realizing your potential as a Social Scientist (Sage,
London)
Higgins, R. (1996) Approaches to Research: a handbook for those writing a dissertation (Kingsley,
London)
Maylor, H. and Blackmon, K. (2005) Researching Business and Management (Palgrave Macmillan,
Basingstoke)
Orna, E. with Stevens, G. (1995) Managing Information for Research (Open University Press,
Buckingham)
Pirie, D. B. (1985) How to Write Critical Essays: A Guide for Students of Literature (Routledge,
London)
Punch, K. F. (2006) Developing Effective Research Proposals (2nd edition) (Sage, London)
Rudestram, K. and Newton, R. (2007) Surviving Your Dissertation (3rd edition) (Sage, London)
Saunders, M.N.K., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2007) Research Methods for Business Students (4th
edition) (Financial Times Prentice Hall, Harlow)
Sharp, J. A. and Howard, K. (1996) The Management of a Student Research Project (2nd edition)
(Gower, Aldershot)
Shaw, K. (1994) Writing Up a Dissertation (Exeter University Press, Exeter)
Willis, P. (1983) Dissertation Handbook: a guide to research and writing (Royal Institute of British
Architects, London)
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 6
5.
DECISION OF THE DISSERTATION PROPOSAL PANEL
The Panel will asses your Proposal. If the Proposal is approved, it will:




notify you of your Dissertation Adviser
notify you of the deadline for submission of your Dissertation
provide you with feedback if approval is conditional on any specific requirements
register you on the Dissertation module so that it will appear on your student record.
If your proposal is not approved, you will be given feedback. You may revise your proposal and
resubmit it once only, and this must be by the deadline for the next meeting of the Panel.
6.
WORKING WITH YOUR ADVISOR
You will be entitled to a certain number of hours of Advisory tutorials (determined by the credit size of
the Dissertation). Normally you would be expected to use these hours within the first year of work on
your Dissertation.
At the outset, discuss how you and your Advisor will work together. Although you have their support,
the final responsibility for the Dissertation is your own – so make sure that you make best use of the
time available to you for Advisory tutorials. It is recommended that both Advisor and student keep a
written record of each meeting, including a summary of progress since the last meeting, comments
from the Advisor in relation to your progress, and agreed targets for work to be undertaken prior to the
next meeting. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange meetings, but it is strongly recommended
that each meeting ends with setting a date and time for the next meeting: so bring your diary! You will
need to check your Advisor’s timetable with respect to agreed periods of leave and research, in order
to give them sufficient time to read and comment on drafts of your work.
Different subjects have different approaches to commenting on Dissertation drafts. In some Courses
there may be a limit on the number of draft chapters an Advisor may comment on. Your Course will
publish details of special arrangements in your area.
7.
WHAT IS A GOOD DISSERTATION?
The general aims outlined on page 2 of this Handbook will apply to the more conventional type of
Dissertation, as well as Dissertation-type modules in more practice-oriented Courses. Beyond this,
however, each Course will have its own specific assessment criteria. For instance, in practiceoriented Courses, you might be required to produce two elements – a body of practical work, and an
academic paper providing a theoretical discourse on the context and concepts informing the practical
work. In this case, assessment criteria will in part relate to demonstrating a high level of professional
practice, and an understanding of the relationship between theory and practice in the body of your
own work.
You are advised to discuss the assessment criteria with your Advisor at an early stage. To give an
example of how a piece of (more conventional) work might be assessed, the following is indicative of
the kinds of points a marker will be looking for in a Social Sciences Dissertation:

clarity of initial research question(s) and objectives;

research placed against the general theoretical background relevant to the dissertation topic;

previously published research informed the refinement of the question(s) and objectives;

clear and appropriate research strategy devised to meet the objectives together with an
understanding of the limitations of the strategy; appropriateness of the data collection
methods;

clarity of presentation and analysis of research findings;

synthesis of research findings and previous published research to produce an evaluative
discussion of the findings;
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 7

critical ability displayed in the framing of appropriate conclusions; adherence to Scheme
regulations with regard to the presentation of the thesis.
(Thanks to Dr Phil Lewis for this list.)
In making a judgement about the qualities of your own Dissertation, you might find it helpful to think of
the features of a weak dissertation! Such a dissertation might:
8.

lack objectives, or fail to meet objectives set;

be entirely descriptive rather than analytical;

lack rigour in argument or method, making errors in logic, calculations etc;

fail to follow normal academic conventions, especially in referring to sources;

lack engagement with the literature, or refer only to dated or ‘popular’ sources;

have errors of spelling, grammar and syntax;

read as a consultancy report rather than as a scholarly document;

lack creativity, flair, and imagination where these are called for;

lack objectivity and neutrality where these are called for;

demonstrate limited understanding of or engagement with ideas, concepts, theories;

lack synthesis, evaluation or conclusions;

be rambling and poorly structured;

be poorly presented, failing to follow the guidelines in this Handbook.
DISSERTATION SUBMISSION DEADLINES
You should normally be aiming to complete your Dissertation in 12 months. The final deadline for
submission of the Dissertation, which is set at the time when your proposal is approved, will be about
four semesters from the date of the Panel. (This applies to new students. However, if you started
your course before September 2007, the final deadline is your maximum completion time.)
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 8
For 2009/10, the key dates are:
Dissertation
proposal
submission
deadline
Week of
Dissertation
Proposal
Approval Panel
Target
Dissertation
submission
deadline (12
months)
Taken to Exam
Board
Final
Dissertation
submission
deadline (four
semesters)**
Taken to Exam
Board
1 December
2008
w/c 8 December
2008
11 December
2009
February 2010
23 April 2010
May/June 2010
20 April 2009
w/c 27 April
2009
23 April 2010
May/June 2010
20 September
2010 (last day of
week 52 *)
October 2010
w/c 28
September 2009
20 September
2010
October 2010
December 2010
(last day of
semester 1 /
term 1 *)
February 2011
23 November
2009
w/c 30
November 2009
February 2011
Spring 2011
(last day of
semester 2 *)
May/June 2011
23 April 2010
w/c 26 April
2010
December 2010
(last day of
semester 1 /
term 1 *)
Spring 2011 (last
day of semester
2 *)
May/June 2011
September 2011
(last day of week
52 *)
October 2011
20 September
2010
w/c 27
September 2010
September 2011
(Iast day of week
52 *)
October 2011
December 2011
(last day of
semester 1 /
term 1 *)
February 2012
21 September
2009
* Precise dates to be confirmed for 2010/11 academic year and later
If the Dissertation deadline falls within the overall maximum completion time, the Dissertation
deadline will apply, and Student Records will bring forward your end date (this applies to new
students). If the deadline falls outside the overall maximum completion time, the overall maximum
completion time will apply – in other words, you will not receive overall more time if you have been
slow in submitting a proposal.
9.
WHAT IF YOU DON’T PASS?
A Dissertation receiving a reassessment grade must be submitted for reassessment by the deadline
for the next Board of Examiners. This will only be a matter of a few weeks. It is important that you
address the feedback given on your first submission. Be aware, though, that improving a Dissertation
is rarely just a matter of ‘ticking the boxes’ to correct problems identified in the feedback and gain a
few new marks to tip you over the pass threshold. A Dissertation has to hold together as a coherent
whole, so you might need to do some substantial re-thinking and re-writing, as well as possibly
collecting new information or data.
If you fail a Dissertation with a mark of below 30% it is likely that you will have broken the maximum
fail provisions (see regulation 6.2) and may be required to leave the Scheme with a Diploma. Whether
this regulation applies is determined by the CATS point ‘size’ of your dissertation.
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 9
C.
DISSERTATION PRESENTATION
These notes provide guidance on how a Dissertation should be presented. You are also advised to check
matters of presentation with your Dissertation Advisor and Course Leader.
1.
DISSERTATION PRODUCTION
You are advised to check the word limits relevant to the Dissertation module in your Course. The
maximum size of a Dissertation of 60 CATS points will be 18,000 words or equivalent output and
workload, excluding appendices and references. The word limit for a Dissertation worth fewer CATS
points will be proportionately smaller. Individual Courses may set their own length and content
regulations within this framework.
In those cases where you have produced drawings, diagrams or other such non-textual materials as a
central part of the Dissertation (as may be the case in media or design-oriented disciplines) the word
total should be proportionately reduced.
Two copies of the Dissertation must be submitted. One copy will be retained by the University
(though see Declaration below). All Dissertations must be typed/word-processed in A4 portrait format
on good quality white A4 paper. The typing of textual material should have margins of 25mm on all
sides except for the left-hand side. On the left-hand side the margin should be 40mm wide to allow
for binding.
Select a simple typeface (Arial font size 11 is recommended for the main body of the text).
Double or one-and-a-half spacing shall be used in the typescript except for indented quotations or
footnotes where single spacing may be used.
The Dissertation should be permanently bound with stiff blue card covers; spiral binding is
acceptable. You may wish to protect the blue card covers by also binding in stiff transparent covers.
The name of the candidate, the year of submission and the title of study should appear printed on the
front cover. Normally, all maps, diagrams, tables and illustrations should be bound into the format on
A4 cartridge paper. Photographic prints may be A4 size or under. All materials forming part of the
study should be firmly bound into the submitted volume (the use of sticky tape, photograph corners
and other temporary devices is not permitted). Where non-textual materials are a central part of the
Dissertation, you should contact your Course Leader for advice.
2.
CONTENTS
The three major parts of a Dissertation are preliminary material, text (including tables and figures, and
other non-textual materials), and reference material and appendices. Any proposed alteration of this
structure must be agreed by the Course Leader.
2.1
Preliminary Material
The pages comprising the preliminary material should be numbered in lower case Roman numerals
(e.g., iii). The position of the pagination should be consistent throughout the Dissertation.
Title page This page is not numbered but counts as Page i. The exact title of the Dissertation and any
subtitle (in upper case), the author's name, and the date, e.g. May 2010 should be centred and
spaced on the page. Near the foot of the page the following statement should be inserted:
Presented as part of the requirement for the award of the MA/MEd/MSc/MBA Degree
in title of Course
within the Postgraduate Modular Scheme at
University of Gloucestershire
Month, Year
Insert MA, MEd, MSc or MBA, and the Course title, as appropriate. See Appendix A for an example.
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 10
Declarations This appears on page ii. The word DECLARATIONS should be typed centred towards
the top of the page. Beneath this should be typed, in lower case, the statement:
This dissertation is the product of my own work and does not infringe the ethical
principles set out in the University’s Handbook for Research Ethics.
I agree that it may be made available for reference via any and all media by any and
all means now known or developed in the future at the discretion of the University.
The full name of the author should be typed below the declaration leaving spaces for the signature of
the author in ink.1 See Appendix B for an example.
Abstract This appears on page iii. The page heading is ABSTRACT. An abstract briefly outlines the
nature and scope of the Dissertation, its aims, the sources used and the methodologies employed. A
summary of the main results is presented. The abstract must not exceed 250 words in length.
In addition to the abstract bound into the Dissertation an additional copy must be submitted but not
bound in. This abstract must be headed with the title, author's name, and the date.
Acknowledgements Most Dissertations will include, on the page following the Abstract, a statement of
acknowledgement to whatever assistance has been received by the writer in the course of their
Dissertation work.
Table of Contents The page heading is CONTENTS. The lay-out is in the form of columns. The
chapter numbers are shown in Arabic numerals on the left-hand side. The chapter headings are
presented in upper case, with a line of spaced dots running from the last letter of the chapter heading
to the page numbers on the right-hand side. The words "Chapter" and "Page", in lower case, are
placed above the columns of chapter and page numbers. Page numbers should be shown in both
Roman numerals (lower case) for the preliminary material and Arabic numerals for the text and
reference material.
List of Tables The page heading is LIST OF TABLES. Table numbers appear in upper case Roman
numerals to the left and page number to the right, with the full title of the table in between. The words
"Table" and "Page", in lower case, are positioned above the columns of table and page numbers.
List of Figures The page heading is LIST OF FIGURES. Figures includes all illustrations,
photographs, maps and diagrams which should be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals in the
order to which they are referred to in the text. The same format should be adopted as for the List of
Tables.
2.2
Text and Illustrations
The text should be appropriately divided. Normally there should be an introduction and a series of
numbered and headed chapters, the last of which is the conclusion. All chapters including the
introduction are numbered consecutively. Pages should be marked consecutively in Arabic numerals.
Headings and Sub-headings On the first page of each chapter, the word CHAPTER and the
appropriate number should be centred. The title of the chapter should be centred below this. If a
chapter is sub-divided into sections, a hierarchy of sub-headings should be used. For example, if
three ranks of sub-headings are required, the following scheme would be appropriate:
FIRST ORDER HEADING (to the left-hand margin)
Second order heading (to the left-hand margin)
Third order heading Text continues (to the left-hand margin)
1 Occasionally, a Dissertation may contain confidential information which may require limitations to be placed on the availability of the
Dissertation for reference and photocopying. Students are required to give warning of this to the Course Leader at the time of submitting
the Dissertation Proposal Form. Following this, a procedure for dealing with the confidential material will be agreed between the
University and the student. Where an agreement has been made, the student will not sign the second Declaration, and they will receive
both copies of the Dissertation.
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 11
Sub-heading should reflect the important themes within the chapter(s). Word-processing allows for
use of bold and italic printing and different character sizes which are often more attractive than
underlining, but care must be taken not to mix these various modes excessively.
Use of sources A consistent and conventional method of constructing a bibliography and for citing
and quoting from sources should be followed. Discuss the best method for your purposes with your
Course Leader.
Foreign words All foreign words used in the text should be underlined or italicised.
Illustrations Maps, photographs, tables, illustrations and diagrams should show clearly and simply
what cannot be economically described in the text. They are all known as "Figures" and are
numbered consecutively using Arabic numerals. Figures should not be marginal to the text but a
crucial illustration of it. All figures should be referred to in the text (e.g. see Figure 3), and they should
be placed immediately following initial reference to them, not moved to the end of chapters (but note
that it is acceptable to place them separately on a numbered page without text). Figure numbers and
figure titles should, where possible, be placed at the bottom of the illustration with the word FIGURE
in upper case followed by the appropriate number. If illustrations are based upon other publications
or are the result of compilation of extant source material, that source or sources must be cited in the
bottom left-hand corner of the figure. Legibility of illustrative material is essential; normally handwritten labels on maps or diagrams should not be used.
Tables Tables should be accurately and neatly complied. Short tables may be inserted at the
appropriate place in the text. Long tables should be on a separate numbered page, immediately
following initial reference to them. The heading TABLE should be centred on a line by itself with the
corresponding number in Roman numerals upper case. The title should be centred in upper case
below.
Notation The metric system and S.I. units should be used throughout.
Equations Equations should be centred in the text on separate lines and should be serially numbered
on the right-hand side of the page as follows:
y = mx + C
(3)
This should be referred in the text as follows:
‘...as shown in equation (3)... '
2.3
Reference Material
This comprises the Appendix or Appendices and the Bibliography.
Appendix The appendix provides an outlet for material that would otherwise be too lengthy or bulky to
place in the text, or material that is not absolutely necessary for full comprehension of the text. An
appendix or appendices might be, for example, raw data, lists of companies, or computer
programmes used in the Dissertation. Appendices should be kept to a minimum. They should be
consecutively lettered (e.g. A. B. C. etc.) and should be headed with the word APPENDIX, the
necessary letter and an explanatory title heading. Normal page numbering. i.e. Arabic numerals,
applies to the pagination of appendices.
Bibliography The bibliography lists all the references included in the text. They should be listed
alphabetically, and presented according to an accepted convention for your course.
Normal page numbering (Arabic numerals) applies to the bibliography.
3.
AIDS IN WRITING
One of the purposes of the Dissertation is to develop accurate and unambiguous communication. To
this end, all writers should exercise the greatest care in ensuring that their manuscripts and
typescripts are not only visually clear and pleasing but also intelligently constructed and written.
Fowler's Modern English Usage is recommended.
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 12
Presentation of copies with spelling and grammatical errors will result in loss of marks.
4.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Advances in software capabilities makes it possible to produce documents of high production quality.
However visually striking presentation can not make up for weaknesses in content A Dissertation is
a serious and scholarly document and should look like it. Normally, the text itself should be in black
and white. Don’t include Clip Art or fancy Headers and Footers to spice it up!
APPENDIX A: EXAMPLE TITLE PAGE
DISSERTATION TITLE
Student's full name
Presented as part of the requirement for the award of MA/MEd/MSc/MBA Degree
in title of Course
within the Postgraduate Modular Scheme at
University of Gloucestershire
Month, Year
Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Dissertation Handbook 14
APPENDIX B: EXAMPLE DECLARATION
DECLARATION
This dissertation is the product of my own work and does not infringe the ethical principles set out in
the University’s Handbook for Research Ethics.
I agree that it may be made available for reference via any and all media by any and all means now
known or developed in the future at the discretion of the University.
Signed
Typed name
Date