Dissertation Writing Guidelines
Introduction
What is an undergraduate dissertation? An undergraduate dissertation is an extended essay
submitted at the end of a degree course, and is a requisite for getting a degree at most
universities. It is aimed to demonstrate the skills you developed during your studies,
including:
1. organising and following an individual work programme;
2. identifying a problem and providing an extensive critical analysis of the problem;
3. searching, comparing and assessing material relevant to the problem;
4. the ability to develop a complex and coherent argument related to the problem;
5. creativity and originality of thought in presenting your argument;
6. clarity of expression in your written presentation;
7. accuracy and consistency in giving an account of the material you used;
8. punctuality (i.e. the ability to meet deadlines and keep appointments);
9. computing skills (including word-processing and the use of online catalogues,
bibliographies, or other databases);
10. general intellectual awareness.
Procedures
In the spring term of your penultimate year, I publish a list of research topics. These are
suggested topics and you may also come up with your own idea, which you can discuss with
me.
You are advised to choose a topic before the last week of the study term and approach me
then. Please request an appointment with me in advance so that I can help you clarify your
research topic and devise a provisional title for your project. I will suggest what you should
read but do not expect me to compile your reading list and lend you my own books or write
your dissertation for you.
Before the end of October in your final year, you submit a proposal to me, and I will comment
on your work. Your proposal must include: your name, the agreed title, your thesis statement
(a clear account of the specific problem you wish to investigate and your means of
investigation), and a reading list (bibliography).
I will sign the proposal if it is judged to be acceptable, although both the thesis statement and
the reading list may slightly change in the next phase of your research.
I may ask you to submit a short sample of your written work (such as a detailed summary or
plan of your thesis with potential chapter titles) before the end of the Autumn Term so that I
can comment on your progress and give you advice on the content of your work. Please note
that I may reserve the right to refuse a signature if you are unable to meet any of the above
deadlines in the autumn semester.
It is strongly recommended that you use your time in the exam period to make substantial
progress on your work.
By the first week of the spring semester, you submit a longer sample of your written work
(such as one or two chapters of your thesis or about 10-12 pages) to me for discussion it with
you. Please note that I am not responsible for checking and correcting your grammar,
although I may choose to advise you on typical language mistakes.
Before 15 March, you submit the full (but not necessarily final) version of your dissertation to
me, and I will get back to you for any rewriting, should it be necessary. Please note that your
work may not be eligible for a signature if you miss any of the above deadlines in the spring
semester.
Your dissertation will be read and assessed by your supervisor and by an internal examiner.
The internal examiner will recommend a mark, and pass criticism on your dissertation so that
you will have to defend your argument at the state exam.
Please also note that theses submitted in final form without previous consultation will be
rejected as in such cases it is impossible to ascertain your ownership.
Planning
Writing a dissertation is a long process and needs careful planning. Here are a few points that
you should pay special attention to:
Meeting deadlines is essential not only in submitting the final version of your work, but if
you miss a deadline, it will also create the impression that you are unable to follow your work
programme and may unfavourably influence your grade. Budget your time and do speak to
your supervisor if you have any problems with a particular deadline.
Finding the books you need is a crucial part of academic research. While your supervisor
will provide you with guidelines, do make an honest effort to find the material you need on
your own. The best way to start is by visiting the Departmental Library and browsing the
books on the shelves. Ask the librarian if you need help. Be aware that you may have to use
other facilities such as interlibrary loan (ask for assistance in the University Library) or
electronic databases. Keep in mind that you will probably have to arrange a visit to other
university libraries (Budapest, Debrecen or elsewhere) and it is recommended that you make
preliminary inquiries via e-mail or by phone.
Read the books you have collected very carefully: look up the unfamiliar words in a good
dictionary; take notes; compare and contrast the various opinions or data you found; and
finally try to formulate your own opinion and your own argument on the basis of your
material. Remember that while the Internet can be a useful research tool, you will be more
likely to find the most reliable information in books. Here is some good advice: try to limit
your research on the Internet to online library catalogue search and the use of reliable, official
databases and bibliographies.
Produce original writing. Your supervisor and the internal examiner will be able tell the
difference between your own work and a copied source right away, and it is very easy to track
down such sources. Remember that copying from another source without acknowledgement
amounts to plagiarism! Try to write in clear, simple English and consult a good dictionary or a
grammar book whenever you are in doubt.
Proofread the final version of your thesis before you submit it. Spelling mistakes are an easy
way to get a lower grade, so either you should learn to use the spell-check function on your
word-processor or get a friend to read your work.
Finally, your supervisor is there to help you but please never forget that:
1.
writing is your job rather than a joint venture with your supervisor;
2.
it is up to you to approach your supervisor;
3.
always make an appointment before seeing your supervisor;
4.
make your best effort to keep appointments and meet deadlines.
Formal Requirements
To read the faculty’s regulation, visit:
http://bolcsesz.uni-miskolc.hu/dox/Szakdolgozatkeszitesi_szabalyzat.doc
Generally: the dissertation should be printed on one side of A4 paper. Margins should be one
inch (2.54 cm) at the top, bottom, and the right hand side of the page, and you should leave a
1.5 inch (approximately 3 to 3.5 cm) margin on the left hand side for binding.
The formal requirements for the main text are the following: font: Times New Roman CE
(12pt); paragraphs: justified; spacing: 1.5; length: 40 pages. The pages should be numbered
consecutively in the top right-hand corner.
The order of parts of your dissertation should be as follows:
1. title page
2. summary (in Hungarian)
3. table of contents (including list of illustrations if applicable)
4. list of abbreviations (if applicable)
5. introduction
6. body of essay
7. conclusion
8. endnotes (if applicable)
9. bibliography
10. appendix
The title page should have the following information: the title of your dissertation, your name
and your major(s); the name and post of your supervisor; the name of the department
(English); the place (University of Miskolc) and year of submission.
Style Sheet
Why do you need referencing in your dissertation? By providing a reference you will enable
your reader to find and check the source of your quotations, which is a basic practice of
honest scholarship. Furthermore, proper references will help your reader find information
which may prompt a better understanding of your argument. Finally, failing to provide the
source of your material for any reason is a dishonest practice, and is considered to be
plagiarism.
It is strongly recommended that the format of quotations and references in your dissertation
complies with one of the commonly accepted style sheets.
The best and most comprehensive style sheet has been prepared by the Modern Humanities
Research Association (MHRA). You may download the latest MHRA style sheet free of
charge at http://www.mhra.org.uk/Publications/Books/StyleGuide/download.shtml. (You will
need Adobe Reader Version 6.0, which you may also download here, to be able to display the
document properly.) You may use other style sheets (such as that compiled by the MLA) as
well. However, the basic principle is that your referencing should be consistent throughout.
Some common abbreviations:
cf.
compare
ed. editor, eds. editors
edn edition
ibid in the same book, passage or article (previously mentioned)
No. number
p.
page, pp. pages
Vol. volume, vols volumes
Other important rules:
1. Bibliographical items should be in alphabetical order and should not be numbered. Two
publications by the same author or editor should be listed in chronological order.
2. Well-known works (such as the Bible or the Oxford English Dictionary) should not be
listed in the bibliography.
3. Titles of books (except the Bible), plays, journals, newspapers and long poems should be
identified by italics. For example: King Lear is a character in the play King Lear by
Shakespeare.
4. Titles of short poems, articles, essays and short stories published in longer collections
should be set off by inverted commas. For example: ‘Andrina’ is a short story in the book
Andrina by George Mackay Brown.
5. At the moment, there is no generally accepted way of referring to material published on the
Internet. However, most official web sites or web based databases will give you guidelines of
bibliographical reference in their copyright section. In general, the safest thing to do is
providing as much detail as possible in your bibliography: give the author and the full title of
the document, the date of publication if applicable, and the full web address either of the
document, or (if it is too complicated) the main page where your reader will find a link to that
particular document. Similarly, materials published on CD-ROMs should be clearly identified
by author, title, name of copyright holder and/or publisher, and date of publication.
6. For a detailed description of bibliographical references please refer to the MHRA Handbook
or other style sheets recommended by your supervisor.
Quotations
As a general rule, all quotations must be clearly identified to avoid plagiarism. There are two
types of quotations:
1. Direct (or verbatim, or word-for-word) quotations: when you use exactly someone
else’s words to illustrate or support your argument or description of a topic. Direct quotations
must be enclosed in inverted commas and you must properly identify your source by author,
title and page number either in an endnote or in brackets at the end of the sentence or extract.
Brief quotations should be incorporated in the body of your sentence or paragraph between
inverted commas. Longer quotations (more than one sentence of prose or more than one line
of verse) should be separated from the body of your paragraph by indentation or blank space.
Example of direct quotation:
As Kelly points out, Jane Austen ‘sustains differentiation of character with highly developed
characteristic speech’ (English Fiction of the Romantic Period, 125).
2. Indirect quotations (or references): when you make use of someone else’s opinion or
observation but you express it in your own words. Indirect quotations must also be properly
identified but it is not necessary to use endnotes. In this case you do not use inverted commas
but you should give page references in brackets at the end of the sentence.
Example of indirect quotation:
It has been said that Jane Austen describes her characters by the way they speak (Kelly,
English Fiction of the Romantic Period, 125).
In British English, single quotations marks (‘like this’) are preferred to double quotation
marks (“like this”). Use double quotation marks only when there is a quotation within a
quotation, for example:
Kelly suggests that ‘through Elinor’s sympathetic concern for her sister’s misperceptions and
misjudgements we have a distanced representation of the errors of a “woman of feeling”, a
“romantic” and “enthusiastic” young woman’ (English Fiction of the Romantic Period, 124).
Do not use quotation marks in a longer quotation separated from your main text!
Try to avoid lengthy quotation because after a certain point your thesis will cease to be an
original work, and will look like a collection of cuttings. Remember, you are expected to
present a piece of original research. However, it is always a better idea to acknowledge
lengthy quotations than trying to pass them as your own writing and thus committing
plagiarism.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is copying from an original book, a dissertation produced by another student, or
any other written source (including electronic versions of texts) without proper
acknowledgement. Therefore it is a form of theft, and is considered as a crime against not
only the spirit of scholarship but also against international copyright laws. Under no
circumstances attempt plagiarism, because it will be detected easily by your supervisor or
internal examiner, and your thesis may be disqualified. To avoid plagiarism, always indicate
the proper source of your quotations and references.
Assessment
Your dissertation will be assessed according to the following criteria:
1. content: the quantity and length of your work; your ability to formulate a problem, define a
hypothesis and present your own argument in relation to the topic; your ability to take up and
defend a position in relation to the topic; the degree of your independence in reviewing and
assessing your material;
2. language: use of appropriate academic terminology; grammatical correctness; consistent
use of language; appropriate spelling and punctuation;
3. academic quality: use of source material; proper referencing; your ability to differentiate
between your own and others’ opinion in appropriate language;
4. structure: organisation of the dissertation (introduction, body of the essay, conclusion); the
clear and logical division of your work into smaller units (chapters, sections, paragraphs);
your ability to define your aims and/or hypothesis in the introduction, and bring together your
results or ideas in the conclusion;
5. form: title page; table of contents; the use of a proper format; the layout of your
bibliography; consistent references and notes.
Hints and Suggestions
Apart from learning how to think logically and how to express your ideas, what other
advantages does dissertation writing give you? Here are a few:
1. You can develop your computer skills. Use the spell check function on your wordprocessor to avoid embarrassing spelling mistakes, search the online catalogues of other
university libraries, make use of the electronic databases and bibliographies which the
university subscribes to.
2. You can socialise. Swap notes or books with your friends, proofread and check the
grammar in each other’s work, or arrange a trip to another university together. Discuss your
ideas with your supervisor, other members of staff, or students from other departments.
3. You can make contacts outside the university. Academic research can serve as an excellent
opportunity to find and approach potential employers in the job market with the excuse of, for
instance: collecting data, administering a questionnaire, conducting an interview, or running a
test.
If you have questions to ask, do not hesitate to contact me.
Attila Dósa
24 April 2008