2017

Dissertation Guidance Notes

2016/2017
DEVELOPMENT PLANNING UNIT

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Contents
1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 Purpose of the Guide ........................................................................................................................... 4

1.2 Dissertation Plan and Time Table ........................................................................................................ 4

1.3 Submissions ......................................................................................................................................... 6

1.3.1 Dissertation Statement (100 Words) ............................................................................................................ 6

1.3.2 Detailed Dissertation Outline (600 Words) ................................................................................................... 6

1.3.3 Draft Submission to Supervisor .................................................................................................................... 7

1.3.4 Final Dissertation Submission ....................................................................................................................... 8

1.4 How To Work With Your Supervisor .................................................................................................... 9

1.5 Dissertation Fellowships ...................................................................................................................... 9

1.6 Referencing, Citing and Plagiarism .................................................................................................... 10

2 Steps Towards Planning and Writing Your Dissertation ........................................................ 12

2.1 Broad Preparation Steps .................................................................................................................... 12

2.2 What Does An MSc Dissertation At DPU Entail? ................................................................................ 12

2.3 Selecting a Research Topic ................................................................................................................. 13

2.3.1 Criteria for a relevant topic area ................................................................................................................. 13

2.3.2 Defining a Topic of Interest ........................................................................................................................ 13

2.4 Formulating a Research Question ...................................................................................................... 14

2.5 Sourcing Data / Selecting a Case Study .............................................................................................. 14

2.6 Undertaking a Literature Review ....................................................................................................... 15

2.6.1 Techniques for Reading Efficiently ............................................................................................................. 16

2.6.2 Note Taking ................................................................................................................................................. 16

2.6.3 Organising Your Litrature Review ............................................................................................................... 17

3 Structuring Your Dissertation ............................................................................................... 18

3.1 Overview on Structure ....................................................................................................................... 18
3.1.1 Length & Word Limit ................................................................................................................................... 19

3.1.2 Format ........................................................................................................................................................ 19

3.2 Abstract .............................................................................................................................................. 19

3.3 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 19

3.4 Literature Review ............................................................................................................................... 20

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 3.5 Theoretical and Analytical Framework .............................................................................................. 20

3.6 Methodology / Your Methods ........................................................................................................... 20

3.7 Discussion and Analysis / Research Findings ..................................................................................... 21

3.8 Conclusions and Recommendations Section ..................................................................................... 22

3.9 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................................... 23

3.10 Appendices (Optional) ..................................................................................................................... 23

3.11 Criteria for Marking .......................................................................................................................... 23

3.12 Writing Up Your Dissertation ........................................................................................................... 23

List of Tables
Table 1: Dissertation Preparation Steps ............................................................................................................ 5

Table 2: List of submission deadlines ................................................................................................................ 6

Table 3: Links to Referencing Tools and Plagiarism Guidance ........................................................................ 11

Table 4: Harvard in-text citation guide Adopted from UCL Guide to Harvard Citation Style ......................... 26

Table 5: Harvard bibliography citation Adopted from UCL Guide to Harvard Citation Style ......................... 27

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1 Introduction
1.1 Purpose of the Guide
These guidelines are designed to help you prepare and produce your end-of-year dissertation. Please read
them carefully and, if you have any doubts or comments, do not hesitate to consult your dissertation
supervisor or your Course Director(s).

The intention here is to introduce and familiarise you with the concepts that you are going to deal with in
the period of preparing your dissertation. This guidance document should be read in conjunction with the
Masters Degree courses Guide to Modules appendix 3, Guidelines for the production and presentation of
dissertations.

In addition to these guidelines, a number of workshops, preparatory assignments and tutorials will be set
to help you along the way.

Remember that this is just a guide. Students are referred to the bibliography section of this report to get a
broader understanding of the different approaches to tackle a dissertation and find one that best suits their
working approach.

1.2 Dissertation Plan and Time Table

You are expected to begin thinking about your dissertation topic in December of Term 1. The following
table give a rough indication of the preparation steps and timelines you need to adhere to.

A number of short submissions are also expected, as a way of prompting you to think about your research
areas of interest and to help your assigned dissertation supervisor guide you in the right direction. As time
goes on, you will find that your idea is refined, and may even change as you navigate through the below
process.

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TABLE 1: DISSERTATION PREPARATION STEPS

Date Stage Description and Outputs

09-Dec-16 First dissertation In the first dissertation workshop we will explain the key issues and process
workshop concerning the preparation of the MSc dissertation. You will be asked to go away
and think about your research areas of interest and to prepare a 100-word draft
statement to submit at the beginning of Term 2
27 Jan-17 First Submission: A short dissertation statement (100-words) should be submitted to outline your
100-word intended dissertation topic. See section 1.3.1 for more guidance.
dissertation
statement
End of Feb- Appointment of By the end of February you will be allocated a supervisor. We will endeavour to
17 supervisor take into account your choice of supervisor, however it may not always be possible
to always get your first choice.

Once you have confirmation of the supervisor, it is recommended that you make
contact with them as soon as possible so that you can start to develop a suitable
and manageable topic.
10-Feb-17 Second The second workshop will help guide you through the development of the
dissertation theoretical framework and methodology. This consists of a one hour plenary
workshop lecture and a 1.5-hour further discussion with your GTA.

You should come to the workshop with an idea of the available literature and data
on your topic. It is not necessary to bring books, tables of data, etc., but you should
be aware of the kinds of information that are in them and be able to generally
describe these to another person.
3-Mar-17 Third The third workshop will consider methodology and outline some types of research
Dissertation methods. It will also deal with the process of writing up your dissertation.
Workshop
Following on from this workshop, you will be asked to develop your initial idea into
a detailed outline proposal.
24-Apr-17 Second A detailed outline (600-words) should be submitted and an initial bibliography. See
Submission: section 1.3.2 for more guidance.
Detailed
Dissertation
Outline
End of Write-up time During this period you need to organise and manage your own time for reading and
MayAug- writing up. Devise a research plan and discuss this with your supervisor to agree
17 dates for tutorials, draft submissions and/or consultations. Please arrange dates
and details with supervisor directly. See section 1.4 for further guidance.
st
1-Sept-17 Third submission Deadline for submission - September 1 2016. See section 1.3.4 for further
final guidance
dissertation Digital Copy on Turnitin by 9.45 am
Two hard copies to the Admin office by 3:00 pm.

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1.3 Submissions
As you can see from the outline timetable, you are required to make a number of preparatory submissions,
in addition to your final dissertation submission on the 1st of September 2017. These include:

TABLE 2: LIST OF SUBMISSION DEADLINES

Dissertation Statement 100 words 27 January 2017

Dissertation Outline 600 words plus indicative 24 April 2017

bibliography

Draft submissions to your Format and length to be decided TBC with supervisor
supervisor directly with your supervisor

Final submission 10,000 words 1 September 2017

The following sections detail what should be included in each submission:

1.3.1 Dissertation Statement (100 Words)

This is a short proposition describing the research area you are interested in and want to take further. You
should explain why the research area or problem you identify is important and warrants further research.
The submission should include the following information:

Your dissertation proposition in 100 words. This is essentially a statement of your research topic
area.
Your indicative dissertation title
Your chosen supervisors; Your first choice and second choice. Please check the available
supervisors list on moodle.
What you plan to accomplish and why you want to do it. Explain how you intend to approach the
research topic you propose.

1.3.2 Detailed Dissertation Outline (600 Words)

This assignment asks you to develop your original statement following discussions with your assigned
supervisor. Here you will develop your research proposal, detailing your provisional title and research
questions, hypothesis and a brief review of the relavant literature. Your outline should be around 600
words and will need to include the methods you will adopt and your proposed theoretical framework to
address the research questions you are proposing. The outline must:

Be developed in consultation with your supervisor.

Be feasible and be based upon a serious and realistic assessment of the resources available to you
(in terms of time, information and your own skills, for example knowledge of statistics or any other
discipline required in the analysis).

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 Have a clearly defined structure that clearly defines your approach to presenting your argument,
identifying the key headings and sub-headings (including the approximate word count for each
section).
You should structure your outline in the following way:
An indicative working title that summarises the argument you intend to present.
The hypothesis and supporting research question(s) that form your core argument. This
should clearly state the problem to be researched or the research question to be answered and
it should describe your area of enquiry. You must propose some tentative answers to your
research question (this essentially forms the hypothesis of the dissertation). Ensure you explain
the context for the question/ problem to be addressed, situating the project in the context of
prior research. Ensure there is an indication of how the proposed research contributes to
knowledge/the possible impacts of the research.
A brief literature review of the relevant academic research (books and journal articles) that has
discussed the problem you are researching. This should not be a simple summary of the articles
or books, but should identify the concepts and theories researchers have used to answer the
question or study the problem and analyse the effectiveness of potential solutions.
Your theoretical / analytical framework. You must spell out the analysis you intend to carry out
in order to address your argument. Introduce and justify your theoretical perspective and key
concepts. Specify and justify the scope of the research project (e.g. which theoretical
perspectives, whether a single case study or comparative study will be used. Clarification of the
theoretical resources that the research will draw from and why they were chosen).
A short description of your proposed Method, outlining the scope of and approach to your
research question. More information on research methods will be given in due course.
A description of the case study (if applicable) and evidence of the available data for the case
study (if appropriate).
A bibliography and references (not included in the word count). The bibliography must list at
least 10 relevant sources that illustrates an awareness of the breadth and depth of the
literature relating to the research question including:
academic books or book chapters
academic journal articles
research reports
useful web sources and/or press articles

1.3.3 Draft Submission to Supervisor

This is negotiated directly with your supervisor. Together you must work out a timetable and aim to get a
draft well in advance so that you take advantage of your tutorials with your supervisor. It is good practice
to develop a research plan / timetable that states the actions you will undertake and when you intend to
complete each task. This must be shared and agreed with your supervisor.

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1.3.4 Final Dissertation Submission
Further information is set out in section 3 on how you go about structuring your dissertation. This section
outlines the instructions on when and how you submit your final complete dissertation.

An electronic version must be submitted via TURNITIN by 9.45

am on the 1st September 2017.
Electronic Submission Do not submit the Declaration of Ownership and Copyright
Form (see Annex A.5) with the electronic version. This is signed
and handed in with the two hard copy documents.

Two hard copies must be submitted to the Admin office in

person by 3pm 1st September 2017.
Hard Copy Submission Both hard copies must be heat bound
A loose, signed copy of the plagiarism and copyright form (see
Annex A.5) must also be included with both hard copies.

Normal submission procedures apply, as outlined in the Course

Guide, including extenuating circumstances and mark
deduction for late submissions.
Late submissions (except in cases especially considered in UCL
regulations) will be penalised in the same way as for
coursework (see section 4 - IV of the Course Guide).
Late penalties will be applied to any hard copy Dissertation that
carries past the deadline (except in cases specially considered
Submission Policy and Penalties in the University Regulations).
Failure to submit a dissertation by the deadline will result in
the award of a mark of zero.
If a student fails the dissertation module, they will be
permitted to submit for a second and final time. However,
please note that this second submission will only be considered
at the first meeting of the Board of Examiners, in June of the
following academic year, which means they will not graduate
until the following year, subject to passing the module.

Your dissertation will be first marked by your supervisor and

second marked by another academic member of staff.
The final meeting of the Board of Examiners to examine the
Marking Timeline students performance during the year (including your
dissertation), will take place in October of the same year you
submit your dissertation

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1.4 How To Work With Your Supervisor
You must prepare and write your dissertation independently. However, it is recommended that you consult
with your chosen supervisor in the time leading up to the presentation of an outline at the beginning of the
Third Term. After that, supervisors may be available only sporadically until the submission date, so you
must check their availability during the summer period for meetings, skype, e-mail or telephone
consultations. It is your responsibility to propose a schedule of meetings to the supervisor, not the other
way around. The role of your supervisor is to:

Advise you on relevant literature

Guide you in focusing your study and drawing up a proposal
Help you to confirm a plan and timetable for the work
Help you draw up an outline for the dissertation and discuss subsequent revisions
Read and comment on parts of your dissertation (usually in 2 stages)

You should know that:

You have the responsibility for managing your supervisor

Try to clarify and fulfil the expectations that your supervisor may have of you
Manage the meetings (e.g. find in advance the schedule of your supervisor), make them as regular
as possible (You can agree the next meeting at the end of each meeting)
Be open about your progress
Listen and follow their advice or come with good reasons for why you did not follow it
Ensure you send your materials to your supervisor with enough time to read it
Your supervisor will engage with your work if you are enthusiastic about it!

1.5 Dissertation Fellowships

More information will be circulated about dissertation fellowships in due course. The Dissertation
Fellowship scheme links students to reputable international NGOs and development consultancies who
have defined a number of topics that could potentially form dissertation options. If students feel that the
topics match their own interests, then this could potentially become one route to follow in undertaking a
dissertation. There are only a limited number of possible titles, and so a competitive application process
will determine a partnership between a student and the organisation. If selected, you will do your
dissertation with the relevant supervisor for that fellowship. Expenses will be reimbursed.

The advantages for choosing this option include:

Your dissertation will be relevant to the current work of an international development

organisation.
You will have access to a member of staff and relevant data (but NO fieldwork and/or primary data
collection is expected).

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 A summary of your dissertation will be published in an appropriate form (e.g. policy brief, blog
post), subject to agreement over edits to ensure that high standards are maintained with respect to
the work itself and any pertinent copyright or other issues
You will receive a letter stating that you have done this research with them.
For Islamic Relief only, you will also become an Islamic Relief Academy Postgraduate Fellow.

In the past, these fellowships have offered important opportunities for professional development and, in
some cases, led to research collaborations, internships, and employment. However, none of this is part of
the programme and there is no further commitment beyond your dissertation.

To apply you will need to send your CV (max 2 pages), a list of all the grades you have received so far, and a
brief statement (Max 350 words) detailing how you would plan to develop the research area into a
dissertation topic. Please specify clearly specify which Fellowship you are applying for. You can also specify
a second option, in case you do not get into your preferred choice.

An email detailing how you apply will be issued to you separately. If you have any query on the programme,
read this email again, if you still have a query, please send an email with the subject line: Dissertation
Fellowship Query to andrea.rigon@ucl.ac.uk

IMPORTANT NOTE: These collaborative opportunities are established because we believe they have the
potential to provide mutual benefit both to you, the student, and to your partner organisation. The terms
of the fellowship do not alter DPU's or UCL's commitment in terms of the supervision to which you are
entitled or the more general requirements of the dissertation itself.

1.6 Referencing, Citing and Plagiarism

It is very important that you cite your sources accurately to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as the
unacknowledged use of another persons ideas, words or works either verbatim or in substance without
specific acknowledgement.

Plagiarism can occur when you:

Copy someone elses work or ideas claiming it is yours.

Use same or similar words of an author without using direct quotation and referring to them
appropriately.
Rephrase others work without acknowledging it; even if you have changed the order it will still
be plagiarism.
Submit previous work of your own without acknowledging it1.

1
For more information refer to http://www.ucl.ac.uk/current-students/guidelines/plagiarism

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 Submit work you have asked someone else to write for you.

To avoid accusations of plagiarism, you must:

Cite all reference you are using or referring to in the body of your text using the Harvard Style. This
includes using the authors last name, the date of the publication and the page number in the text
(if you have used a direct quote). See Table 4 in Appendix 0 to guide you on how to cite in-text.
Ensure all sources are listed in a Bibliography section at the end of the dissertation in alphabetical
order.

Don't forget that you can use referencing tools to help you with devising your bibliography/reference list at
the end of your dissertation. This will save a lot of time writing out the references using the correct format!
These tools tend to have MS word plugins to help you can create the citation as you type.

Table 3 list a number of useful tools and resources. Note that reference generating tools are not always
100% accurate, so do make sure you have a quick scan of the resulting referencing list that is generated.

TABLE 3: LINKS TO REFERENCING TOOLS AND PLAGIARISM GUIDANCE

UCL's online guide to referencing and plagiarism https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/training/guid

es/webguides/refscitesplag

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/current-
students/guidelines/plagiarism

Anglia University has a useful online guide that is easy to http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harv

navigate ard.htm.

Mendeley is free to downloaded. This also has a plug in https://www.mendeley.com/download-

which works with Microsoft word so you can reference as mendeley-desktop/.
you write.

Endnote is licensed and only available from UCL machines http://swdb.ucl.ac.uk/

on network. You can download it from UCL server if you are
on a UCL workstation that doesn't have it; search for
'endnote' to get to the download page

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2 Steps Towards Planning and Writing Your Dissertation
2.1 Broad Preparation Steps
The key to a good dissertation is preparation. You need to Read, Think, then Write; not the other way
around. Be sure to set out a research plan that incorporate adequate time to carry out the following crucial
steps involved in preparing your research:

Selecting a broad research topic of interest which may relate to a module you have followed
and/or may broadly relate back to your own personal experience and skills.
Undertaking an extensive literature review, involving searching and reading the relevant body of
literature to inform your thinking.
Formulating your hypothesis and research questions, including any gaps in the literature that you
see need addressing through your research questions.
Finding data and/or case studies to illustrate or back up your arguments and/or to answer your
research question (see Booth, Colomb & Williams, 2008, p.31-32).
Continuing to read, develop and refine your research proposition.
Writing up the dissertation.
Editing and finalising the dissertation.

2.2 What Does An MSc Dissertation At DPU Entail?

All MSc degree students at DPU are required to submit a dissertation (comprising 60 credits) in order to
complete their degree. This dissertation should demonstrate a deep engagement with course content and
show that you are able to produce a well-argued extended piece of academic work. The dissertation should
complement and synthesise the learning process in previous modules. The dissertation:

Is an argument that addresses a research question or hypothesis which is supported by the

application of elements of theory, method and practice in an analysis of either case material,
existing scholarly research or of a body of theory.
Demonstrates your independence in putting forward a solid argument deploying theoretical and
empirical elements in your course and both interesting and clearly related to the body of concepts
and empirical realities explored during your MSc course. It should be proof of your ability to select
a topic and present an argument in a scholarly and professional manner.
The structure and the nature of the argument will be similar in nature to the essays you have
already prepared during the year. The main differences are that you are largely responsible for the
choice of a dissertation topic (usually in discussion with a Tutor) and that the dissertation is up to
five times as long as any of the essays you will have submitted previously.
Unlike a PhD thesis, an MSc dissertation is not expected to represent new empirical evidence or
constitute an original contribution to theoretical knowledge. It should however, be novel in the
way the arguments and supporting evidence are selected and presented. You should make it clear
what your perspectives are in presenting your own take of the research topic in question.

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 In preparing for your dissertation, you are not expected to collect new (primary) data (e.g.
interviews, fieldwork activities, etc.). In fact, you are actively discouraged from doing so, as going
on fieldwork may endanger your ability to complete your dissertation in the three months or so
that you have available. This is because fieldwork is a major undertaking in its own right as it
requires careful preparation, a solid knowledge of the secondary information available and a good
command of data collection and analysis. It is often delayed by unexpected events, distractions
(such as family engagements, if you are going home) and the logistics of travel and
accommodation. Furthermore, funding for the MSc courses rarely includes an allowance for
individual fieldwork, so you may find yourself in difficulties trying to cover unexpected
expenditures.

2.3 Selecting a Research Topic

2.3.1 Criteria for a relevant topic area
The choice of a topic for your dissertation must come from your own initiative; however, it must comply
with the following:

A dissertation topic must be deemed acceptable by the Course Director(s). You may wish to discuss it
with your Course Director or another Tutor available.
A topic is acceptable if it falls within the contents of the course and you are interested in it, or you
want to know more about it.
An example of an unacceptable topic would be A study of fish farming patterns in Iceland, as none of
the DPU MSc courses would have provided you with enough conceptual or empirical material to deal
with this topic in a competent manner. In addition, there are no tutors in DPU who are knowledgeable
about this topic to be able to assist you. The most suitable topics are therefore course-specific.
A student may choose within these limits to write a purely theoretical dissertation or case study that
raises this type of issue, or a combination of both.
Because this is part of the examination, a student is advised to address an argument that
demonstrates a command of concepts, methods and information presented in the course.

2.3.2 Defining a Topic of Interest

Use the following resources to search, select and define your topic areas of interest:

Skimming relevant topics in the UCL library catalogue and its online databases
Skimming headings of relevant journals
Searching your topic in Google scholar

Start to list all potential topics of interest. Then choose one or two promising ones. The more you read, the
further you can refine and clearly define your topic. If you cant state your topic in four or five words,
probably the topic is too broad.

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It is recommended to use action words to make your topic more interesting, e.g. conflict, description,
contribution, and developing.

EXAMPLE

A broad topic Public Infrastructure Provision and the City

A focused topic Contribution of Public Infrastructure Provision on land-use change of the city:
Lima case study

2.4 Formulating a Research Question

After you have defined a topic, it is the time to formulate your research question. You can start with: who,
what, when and where questions but then focus on how and why questions to invite deeper thinking.

Record all the proposed questions and their possible answers. Ask about the history of your topic,
questions suggested by your sources and etc.

After developing your research question you need to justify why it is worthwhile. By thinking about these
So what? questions you are trying to determine the significance of your question. (ibid, p.45)

Booth, Colomb and Williams (2008, p.46-47) suggest three steps to work on your question and its
significance:

Step 1: I am trying to learn about (working on, I am studying the relationship between social and
studying) spatial processes and their outcomes

Step 2: Because I want to find out who/ what/ Because I want to find out how low-income urban
when/ where/ whether/ why/ how communities shape their local spaces

Step 3: In order to help my reader understand In order to explore areas that are difficult to
how/ why/ whether conceptualise and encourage new ways of thinking
about known issues

2.5 Sourcing Data / Selecting a Case Study

If you have a question and at least one promising answer (hypothesis, proposition) you can start looking for
data and/or a case study to explore it. However, do not forget that to be able to formulate your question(s)
you need to read around your topic more generally.

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Sources of data are categorised into primary sources and secondary sources. Primary sources can be
generated from direct observation, structured interviews, semi-structured interviews, questionnaire etc.
Given the limited scope of your MSc dissertation you are not required to collect any primary data.

Secondary sources of information can be gathered from books, journal articles, reports, theses and
dissertations, conference proceedings, media reports, newspapers, policies, regulations, letters and
websites. To find the relevant data to answer your research question you can search Libraries catalogue,
online databases (e.g. Web of Science, World Bank), search engines (e.g. Google Scholar) and professional
organisation web sites.

2.6 Undertaking a Literature Review

In your dissertation, the literature review should focus on relevant scholarship by others in the field.
Essentially, your literature review is incorporated into the arguments you are presenting; it is not a
sequential listing of the articles you have read, but rather a discussion of how other researchers have
approached questions or subjects similar to yours. You should show what questions other researchers have
asked, what data they have found, what hypotheses they have examined and what conclusions they have
reached. This should help you to outline your own research questions, hypotheses and the data you will
need to answer them. A literature review also puts your own study in context.

In order to evaluate the source that you want to include in your literature review, Booth, Colomb and
Williams (2008, p.76-80) suggest:

Evaluating sources for relevance by:

Skimming books index for your keywords
Skimming the first and last paragraphs of relevant chapters
If the source is an article, reading the abstract
Skimming introductions, summary chapters and conclusions
Checking the bibliography for titles relevant to yours

Evaluating sources for reliability by asking yourself:
Is the source published by a reputable press?
Was the source peer-reviewed?
Is the author a reputable scholar?
Is the source sponsored by a reputable organisation?
Does the source have a bibliography?
Has the source been frequently cited by others?

When you have determined the relevance and reliability of a source and decided what to include in your
literature review, record its bibliographical data; remember to use available tools to help automatically
capture a referencing list.

It might help you to think about the following headings while you are reading:

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 Topic: this project will study...
Question/problem: to find out...
Significance: so that more will be known about...
Secondary sources: additional data comes from...
Methods: the research will be conducted as follows...
Justification: the method is most appropriate because...
Limitations: there are some matters that this methodology may not help me to explain.

2.6.1 Techniques for Reading Efficiently

One of the suggested techniques to read efficiently is known as: SQ3R. This technique can help you to
interact with the text that you are reading (Ridley, 2012, p.63).

Ridley (2012, p.64) explains SQ3R as:

Survey (skim) the text to understand the general idea of the text
Question; think about questions that you wish the text to answer in order to see if it is a relevant text
for your research
Read the text carefully
Recall the main points
Review the text to confirm that you have not missed a point

2.6.2 Note Taking

It is really useful to take notes when you are reading a source. Taking notes helps you:

Identify and understand the main points of a text

Recall what you have read
Concentrate on what you are reading
Make connections between different sources
Re/arrange information for writing
Avoid plagiarism (Ridley, 2012, p.67)

To record what you read, you may take full notes, paraphrase or summarise the source. You take full notes
to quote in your work when:

Quotes are evidence for your study and can back up your argument
Words are strikingly original or can frame your discussion compellingly
You want to disagree with a view and to be fair you want to quote what the text exactly said (Booth,
Colomb & Williams, 2008, p.97).
The key is not to copy down chunks of text from a book. Your aim is to make clear notes using a few of
your own words. You may also wish to note your own ideas that have been stimulated by text you
have read. Choose to paraphrase a source, i.e. by representing the text in your own words more
clearly or pointedly than the original text (ibid, p.96), but remember to cite the source.

16
 Be selective. Write down the main subject and important headings before you start, then fill in notes
on these areas. You can summarise a passage, a section or whole book or article when you are only
concerned with the main point, not its details (ibid).
Focus on the dissertation title. Keep referring back to this and make sure your notes are relevant;
If you come across information you think may be useful in a different subject or essay, make a
separate note of the reference and return to it later, at the appropriate time;

2.6.3 Organising Your Litrature Review

After you have spent some time reading and taking notes from your sources, you should try to arrange your
litrature review structure by finding threads in your notes. Try to come up with headings and sub-headings.

There is no blueprint on how you structure and present your literature as long as it includes the
components outlined in Section 3.1.

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3 Structuring Your Dissertation
3.1 Overview on Structure
Presentation and structure of the dissertation should be clear, logical and readable. You must follow the
Guidelines for the Production and Presentation of Essays included as an appendix of the DPU Course Guide.

Remember that any substantial faults in presentation, structure, referencing and so on may reduce your
dissertation mark. These factors may be especially decisive in borderline cases, where poor presentation or
referencing may force a borderline distinction onto a simple pass, or worse still, a borderline fail to an
outright fail! A basic framework for structuring your dissertation is as follows:

Title page: See example layout in Annex A.4. It must have state your name, candidate number,
course name, date, name of supervisor, word count. [mandatory]
Declaration of ownership and copyright form (see Annex A.5) that must be signed and dated (DO
NOT bind this into your dissertation). All students MUST complete a copy of this form to cover the
MSc dissertation report. Please print, sign and date the form and submit it with your dissertation to
the Administration Office in the DPU building. If you fail to submit this statement duly signed and
dated, your dissertation cannot be accepted for marking. [mandatory]
Abstract: One paragraph summarising the whole dissertation. [optional]
Acknowledgements. Thanks to those who have assisted you. [optional]
Table of contents. A clear listing of the chapters, sections, sub-sections with page numbers. This
can be automatically generated in word. [mandatory]
Table of figures: List of any figures/diagrammes/tables you have used. Figures can be used but only
if integral to the argument and discussed directly in the main text. [optional]
Introduction: A summary of your research question, hypothesis, proposition and a brief outline of
the structure of your dissertation. [mandatory]
Literature review: Essentially forms the main section(s) in your work and should discuss existing
literature relevant to your topic area. [mandatory]
Methodology: describes your approach to studying your topic area and the methods you choose to
use.
Theoretical / conceptual framework: The theoretical framework describes the prevalent structure
or organisation of the main concepts or set of ideas in your topic area. It establishes a vantage
point, a perspective, a set of lenses through which you view your research question(s).
Discussion and analysis: The section(s) in which you analyse the evidence, provide research
findings, evaluate and discuss them in relation to your own questions. Again, the headings and
structure should be tailored to suit your work. [mandatory]
Conclusion: a summary of your findings; where you bring it all together, state clearly your answer
to your central research question and if appropriate make recommendations and suggestions.
[mandatory]
Bibliography: A complete list of your references and source of literature used and cited, and
correctly formatted. All sources must be referenced fully and accurately within the main body and
listed in the bibliography section. Your bibliography must demonstrate evidence of a well
researched topic and include a wide range of sources. [mandatory]

18
 Appendices: Any information not central to your main text or too large to include such as maps,
questionnaires or data excepts, copies of correspondence, etc. [optional]

3.1.1 Length & Word Limit

The main text of the dissertation must be no more than 10,000 words in length. This excludes text
in appendices, bibliography, table of contents, list of figures and tables, list of acronyms,
acknowledgements and title page.
Dissertations that exceed by more than 10% word length will be reduced by five final marks.

3.1.2 Format
The format should follow the essay writing guidance found in the Course Guide. In summary:

The dissertation must be typed using one-and-a-half or double spacing on white, A4 size paper
The hard copy must be bound, in order that the dissertation can be conveniently stored and
referred to as part of a student's record. Please use heat-bound only (do not use hard binding or
spiral binding).
The DPU can provide a heat binding service for a small number of dissertations provided this is
done well before the submission deadline. Please check with the Administrative Staff if you require
help with this. This service is also supplied commercially by several outlets in central London.

The following components should be part of your dissertations, but not necessarily structured ridigly or
using the literal section headings in this way. The components must be obvious however, as you will be
marked for evidence on all of the below components.

3.2 Abstract
An abstract is a brief summary of your dissertation that covers all the main points and conclusions. It should
be seen as a standalone paragraph that should help the reader quickly ascertain the dissertations purpose
and content and entice them to want to read more. It

3.3 Introduction
This should be a clear and interesting summary of the content and key findings of the disseration. It must:

Introduce a clear and well-defined research question or hypothesis

Give an indication of how the proposed research contributes to knowledge/the possible
impacts of the research
Clearly indicates the scope and aims of the study, including limitations
Gives a good idea of what is included and excluded
Key focus of the arguments/proposition and findings
Provide a short discussion of the main question(s) you are trying to answer, the hypotheses you
have and the secondary data/case study you will use to answer the questions or test the
hypotheses. This is where you will put your questions in context.

19
3.4 Literature Review
Here you need to discuss existing scholarship / discourse in your field of study and discuss it with reference
to your own topic and questions. It should provide a critical assessment of what has been said to date, who
the key writers are, what the prevailing theories and hypotheses are, and what questions are being asked.
It is important to highlight where you think the weaknesses and gaps are, contrasting the views of
particular authors, or raising questions. The headings and structure should be tailored to suit your work and
questions. See section 2.6 above for more information.

3.5 Theoretical and Analytical Framework

Your theoretical framework is based on your literature review and the concepts and theories you discuss
there. The theoretical framework establishes a vantage point, a perspective, a set of lenses through which
you view your research question(s). You may choose an existing theoretical framework and apply this as
your lens of analysis or else you may wish to abstract the body of theory into a framework that defines the
interrelated set of ideas and models as you perceive them to exist in the literature. By defining your
theoretical framework, your investigation no longer hangs loose but becomes part of a line or tradition of
inquiry which other researchers can check, replicate or build upon. It should:

Define concepts relevant to your topic which can be applied to analyse secondary data and/or case
study material related to your research.
Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of approaches and contextual literature relevant to the subject
matter
Provide a critical analysis of relevant theoretical frameworks highlighting any weaknesses and gaps
in studying the research subject

Hart (1998, p.14) identifies the following steps towards developing your theoretical and analytical
framework:

Identify key theories, concepts and ideas

Identify major issues and debates (arguments)
Identify what questions and problems have been addressed to date and therefore what gaps exist
Identify how theory and ideas have been applied in practice
Understand how knowledge on the topic is structured and organised
Trace the origins of the definition of the topic

3.6 Methodology / Your Methods

An important part of your dissertation is its methodology. The methodology describes the philosophical
underpinning to your chosen research approach, i.e. whether you have used any quantitative data, or
conducted a case study analysis. The Methodology should clearly outline the approach you are taking in
developing and presenting your argument and why it is the best way to answer your research question(s)

20
and begin to develop an epistemology. It should also define the methods you have used along the way. You
should ensure that:

Your chosen research methods are very well planned and relevant to the theory and the
subject/data. You should be clear about the academic reasons for all the choices of research
methods that you have made (i.e. 'I was interested' or 'I thought...' is not enough; there must be
good academic reasons for your choices).
You demonstrate a complete grasp of limitations of approach(es) adopted.
You articulate how your methodology challenges existing ideas or approaches discussed in
literature.
Your methods section links back to the literature to explain why you are using certain approaches,
and the academic basis of your choices. You must explain what you did, with any refinements that
you made as your work progressed.

It is important that you discuss the issue of the methodology used in your analysis with your supervisor. As
some dissertation topics will call for more theoretical approaches, it may be necessary for you to add a
separate methodological chapter or section where these issues are clearly discussed and spelled out. All
dissertations will include a reference to an existing body of knowledge. While some may confront this body
of knowledge with a set of theoretical arguments, others may choose to illustrate or dispute the arguments
contained in this body of knowledge with empirical evidence. It is important for a dissertation to strike a
good balance between the literature review and the empirical work where the latter is the core of your
work. You may also come across information gaps in your area of research, which you may find difficult or
impossible to fill within the available time. You must always acknowledge the existence of these gaps by
clearly suggesting in the main body of the text that you are aware of these gaps and the consequences this
may have for your conclusions or the line of argument you are pursuing.

3.7 Discussion and Analysis / Research Findings

This is the part of your dissertation where you present your findings (i.e. secondary data, an analysis of
existing findings, and / or case study evidence) and discuss them in light of your research questions/
hypothesis. Your analytical or theoretical framework will help you to do this. It doesnt matter if your
hypotheses are not supported thats what research is about!

If you have studied more than one case you should have a section that compares your findings between the
cases. Again you should organise this according to your analytical framework, questions and / or
hypotheses. In other words, you use your analytical framework to explain your findings.

It is also important to refer back to your literature review when addressing your questions. How did other
authors explain their data or results? What arguments or theories did they use? Are these relevant to your
cases or do you need to develop your own explanation of your findings.

A good discussion section might incorporate some or all of the following:

Research findings that are analysed using relevant concepts and your theoretical framework

21
 An analysis of case study evidence developed into an argument which uses the theoretical
framework to make logical and coherent links between evidence and theory to answer research
questions
A range of high quality and relevant of secondary data
A clearly organised and presented discussion of data that refers back to the concepts outlined in
the theoretical framework and the methods in the methodology

Some dissertations may involve an analysis of data. The way you analyse your data/case study depends on
what kind of data you have, the concepts you are working with and your methodology. We assume that the
majority of you are working with qualitative data. If you need to deal with quantitative data please refer to
references provided in the bibliography section of this text.

Laws, Harper and Marcus (2006, p.381-383) suggest that data analysis is a process of taking data apart,
discerning patterns and trends within them and putting them together again. But do not forget that you
also need to bring theory in to your analysis.

There are several different techniques to help researchers conduct their analysis. Three suggested steps by
Laws, Harper and Marcus (2006, p.382) to analyse data involve:

Organising and cataloguing your data

Breaking it down into its constituent parts and identifying themes
Bringing it back together, relating different elements to each other, and clarifying the meaning of the
data

When you have finished the categorisation or assigning codes you can start to build up your analysis
section and narrate your findings. 2

3.8 Conclusions and Recommendations Section

This is where you reiterate your main research questions / hypotheses, outline the data / evidence you
found and state whether your hypotheses were supported or not. You should then review your discussion
and analysis and the various possible explanations for your findings and summarise your argument. A good
conclusion section should involve the following:

A summary of your main argument and how, why you were able to make it
Clear answers to your research questions (or tests of hypotheses)
Original / novel insights into the research subject
Discussion of implications of the study for theoretical, methodological or empirical work in the area
Discussion of the implications of the study for practice
Outline of the limitations of the study and identify options for future research or practice

2
For more information refer to: laws, Harper & Marcus, 2006, pp376-422 and Yin, 2003, pp126- 163

22


3.9 Bibliography
Throughout your dissertation you must cite all your sources, see in-text referencing examples in Annex
A.2A1.1. All sources must be listed in a reference/bibliography list at the end of your dissertation see
Annex 0 for further guidance.

3.10 Appendices (Optional)

You do not have to have appendices. But if you choose to, then you can use them to show the raw data,
statistics and other evidence you have gathered which you did not have space to include in the text (i.e.
policy excerpts, maps etc). If you used a questionnaire then this should be included here.

3.11 Criteria for Marking

Your final dissertation will be read and assessed by two readers. Familiarise yourself with the marking
criteria in Annex A.3 to help you include all the relevant components for the highest grade.

3.12 Writing Up Your Dissertation

There are no fixed rules around how and when to start writing up your dissertation. However, the following
tips might help:

It is important to read, think, then write up the final dissertation. This can be a cyclical approach
rather than leaving all the writing at the end. You can take notes in the meantime, but only start to
write up when you have fully formed your hypothesis, research questions, and have devised a
structure for how you are going to set out your proposition.
It is important to carry out your literature review before beginning to write up your methodology
as its the theoretical underpinning that helps you choose your approach
Always write your introduction paragraph and abstract last as it should clearly summarise your
proposition.
Do start to write drafts as soon as possible however. Bear in mind that you will refine and re-refine
your text as you find ways to make your arguments stronger and clearer. The draft can be prepared
by following the below steps (adopted from Booth, Colomb & Williams, 2008, p.179-186):
1. Sketch a working draft which includes:
a. A brief summary of the key points mentioned in the most relevant sources,
b. Rephrasing your research question as a statement to show a flaw or gap in the sources,
c. State the importance of your research,
d. Briefly write about your findings,
e. Write the road map of your research (e.g. in part 1, I discuss part 2 addresses )
2. Plan the body of your report:
a. Add a page to write about the larger historical or social context of your topic and
research area

23
 b. Create a page for each major section of your dissertation
c. Find a suitable order for them
d. Plan each section and sub-section and highlight the key terms in each section and
subsection
3. Sketch a working conclusion

After finishing your draft you will need to revise it to make sure that your argument is clear and
runs throughout your entire dissertation. To do that you have to read each part of your draft
objectively to find out what should be changed or reorganised. After that it is the time for you to
re-write your final introduction and conclusion sections. 3

3
To read more about the structure of introduction and conclusion see: Booth, Colomb & Williams, 2008,
p.232-245

24
A.1 Useful Links

A1.1 Online Courses

There are two online courses that you can take part to improve your skills. You need to use your UCL login
information to be able to access these two courses:

1. WISE (Web Information Skills Environment) for Engineering and Built Environment, this online
course can improve your skills for finding, using and managing information when conducting a
research project.
Course link: https://moodle.ucl.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=17970
2. SKILLS4STUDYCAMPUS course on critical thinking
Course link: http://www.skills4studycampus.com/StudentContent.aspx?Section=22

A1.2 Libraries

1. UCL library Catalogue: http://ucl-

primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=UCL_VU1&reset_conf
ig=true
a. British Library: http://www.bl.uk/
b. Senate House Library: http://senatehouselibrary.ac.uk/
c. SOAS Library: http://lib.soas.ac.uk/
d. LSE:
http://librarysearch.lse.ac.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=44LSE_VU1&res
et_config=true

A1.3 Online Websites

e. Web of knowledge: http://wok.mimas.ac.uk/
f. Google Scholar: http://scholar.google.co.uk/

A1.4 Policy Reports and Statistics

g. World Bank Development Reports:

http://econ.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTDEC/EXTRESEARCH/EXTWDRS/0,,conte
ntMDK:20227703~pagePK:478093~piPK:477627~theSitePK:477624,00.html
h. UN Habitat, State of Cities report (Global and Regional) and Global Report on Human
Settlements: http://mirror.unhabitat.org/pmss/?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
i. UNDP: http://www.unep.org/resourcepanel/
j. UN Statistics: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/default.htm

25
A.2 References & Bibliography

A1.1 In Text Referencing

TABLE 4: HARVARD IN-TEXT CITATION GUIDE ADOPTED FROM UCL GUIDE TO HARVARD CITATION STYLE4

Citation Situations Examples

Authors name is in the sentence / Bao (2003) compares this population group with
referring directly to an author
Authors name is not in the sentence An earlier study (Bao, 2003) concluded that
Up to two authors Bao and Levin (2003) propose that
It is suggested (Griffiths and Favin, 1999) that
More than two authors Smith et al. (2006) conducted a situation analysis
Citing more than one publication Harvey (2003) and Liu (1996) have both found
The findings of two previous studies (Liu, 1996; Harvey,
2003) indicate that
Citing several works by the same author Harvey (2003a) suggested that but the results of the
in the same year follow-up survey (Harvey 2003b) challenge
Citing several works by the same author Harvey (2002, 2003) suggested that
written in different years
No author The previous report (Anon, 1994) confirms that
No date A project evaluation report (Singh, n.d.) was completed
Chapters in edited publications The reference in the text should refer to the author of the
particular chapter, not to the editor
Author is referring to another author Research conducted by Miles (1984 cited in Davis 2000)
suggests that
Davis (2000) cites research conducted by Miles (1984),
which suggests that
Quotation: Short quotations (1-2 lines) Al-Hasani (2003, p27) states that this method is
can be included in the body of the text.
It has been suggested that this method is (Al-Hasani,
Longer ones should be indented in a
2003, p27)
separate paragraph.
When referring to a particular It is argued that references (Cottrell, 1999) are needed
issue/argument put forward by an
author

4
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ich/services/library/resources/harvard/in_text

26
 A1.2 Bibliography Listing
TABLE 5: HARVARD BIBLIOGRAPHY CITATION ADOPTED FROM UCL GUIDE TO HARVARD CITATION STYLE5

Citing Examples
Printed books Helander, E. 1993. Prejudice and dignity: an introduction to community-based
rehabilitation. New York: United Nations Development Project
Electronic books Werner, D. 1993. Where there is no doctor: a village health care handbook.
[online]. Rev. ed. London: MacMillan.
http://www.hesperian.org/publications_download.php#wtnd [Accessed 25 July
2006]
Book chapters Toole, M.J., Waldman, R.J. and Zwi, A.B., eds. 2001. Complex humanitarian
emergencies. In: Merson, M.H., Black, R.E. and Mills, A.J. International public
health: diseases, programs, systems, and policies. Maryland: Aspen Publishers,
2001, pp 439-510.
Journal articles Narayan, J. 2006. Utilising existing resources for inclusive education of children
with disabilities in India. Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal. 17(1), pp 87-
93.
Newspaper articles Ramesh, R., 2006. HIV will cost India billions. The Guardian. 21 July. pp 36
Websites OConnor, M. 1998. Breastfeeding Basics [online]. Ohio. Available from:
http://www.breastfeedingbasics.org/ [Accessed 28 May 2006]
Thesis or Fischer, U., 2005. A literature review on trachoma management with illustrations
dissertation from two current programmes in Ethiopia. MSc. University College London
Conference papers Cameron, V., 2000. HIV information through drama to and by the community in
Oro Province, Papua New Guinea. In: Cowley, E. et al. 1st pacific regional HIV/AIDS
and STD conference, 23-25 February 1999 Nadi, Fiji. New Caledonia: Secretariat of
the Pacific Community, pp 62-64.

5
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ich/services/library/resources/harvard/in_bibliography

27
A.3 Marking Criteria
IF YOUR YOU WILL BE NUMERICAL DETAILED COMMENTS
COURSEWORK AWARDED VALUE*
Is totally unrelated to F - 39% and Work is unsatisfactory. I.e. The central question or task is
the task, shows no (fail) below misunderstood and / or the understanding of them is very poor.
evidence of you It fails to show basic grasp of essential concepts and arguments.
having participated in There is no structure or argument and written expression is
the module, and has poor.
no analysis.
IS NOT related to the F 40- 49% The central question or task is not addressed very clearly and
task, shows little (fail) the understanding of it is weak. It presents material unrelated to
evidence of you the question or task. Shows some familiarity with the relevant
having participated in literature but a poor grasp of essential concepts. There is
the module, and has inadequate comprehension of relevant debates. There is little
limited analysis. evidence of analysis and no critical engagement. The answer is
structured poorly with an inconsistent argument. The writing
quality (grammar, style) may be substandard.
IS RELATED to the D 50-53% The question or task is partly addressed and understood, but not
task, has some (low pass) with great clarity or depth of understanding. A narrow range of
analysis, but does not relevant literature is consulted albeit understood to some
fully answer it extent. Some useful concepts and positions presented, but
instead it skirts the analysis is weak or ill conceived with little or no critical
issue, and contains engagement. Argument(s) are structured but insufficiently
irrelevant material. developed.
IS RELATED to the C 54-56% Demonstrates adequate knowledge of concepts. Much relevant
task, has some (satisfactory) literature is consulted and understood. Important concepts and
analysis, and does positions presented. Arguments exhibit some structure but are
answer most parts of C+ not sufficiently developed. Fails to meet the criteria for 60+
the question and is (satisfactory) 57-59% partly because of inadequate organisation, errors of
structured so that it understanding, lack of in-depth analysis and critical reflection, or
reads logically. failure to support arguments with reasons and evidence.

ADDRESSES ALL parts B 60-64% The question or task is clearly addressed. Key literature
of the task. The (good) consulted and understood. Responses to the question or task
analysis structure and are well organised. Important concepts and positions are
conceptualisation are presented clearly and analysed competently. Arguments are
sound, and there are B+ 65-69% cogent and supported by evidence (i.e. empirical facts,
no misconceptions. (very good) examples, so on) and reasons but might need further
development. There is some attempt at critical reflection.
ADDRESSES ALL parts A 70-74% Topic addressed clearly and with precision. Wider reading
of the task and has a (excellent) beyond key texts demonstrated. Literature is well understood
clear structure, and appropriately employed. Analysis of concepts, arguments
conceptualisation and and positions is rigorous and thorough. The articulation of
analysis and brings in concepts is illustrated with evidence. The argument
additional/own 75-79% demonstrates a systematic attempt at critical reflection.
material, and A+
integrates with other (outstanding) Meets all the assessment criteria and demonstrates critical
modules and the thinking and contains elements of originality and sophistication.
Course. The arguments logically developed, cogent and properly
supported by evidence and reasons.
ADDRESSES ALL parts A+ 80% and Meets all the conditions for an A+ and in addition displays
of the task and has a (outstanding) above further strength such as originality, or outstanding technical
clear structure, competence, and considerable breadth and depth in knowledge
conceptualisation and of literature. Of publishable standard. Makes a theoretical
analysis while contribution and / or offers original empirical data.
demonstrating an
outstanding level of
insight and critical
engagement with the
issues.

28
A.4 Example Title Page Layout

Title of the Dissertation

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the

MSc <XXX>

10,000 words

FirstName SecondName
MSc Course Name

Supervisor: Name of Supervisor

Development Planning Unit, University College London

1st September 20xx

29
A.5 Declaration of Ownership Form
DECLARATION OF OWNERSHIP AND COPYRIGHT FORM

1. DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT

I confirm that I have read and understood the guidelines on plagiarism produced by DPU and UCL, that I
understand the meaning of plagiarism as defined in those guidelines, and that I may be penalised for
submitting work that has been plagiarised.

Unless not technically possible and with the prior agreement of the Course Director for my MSc

programme, the dissertation report must be submitted electronically through TurnitinUK . I understand
that the dissertation cannot be assessed unless both a hard copy and an electronic version of the work are
submitted by the deadline stipulated.

I declare that all material is entirely my own work except where explicitly, clearly and individually indicated
and that all sources used in its preparation and all quotations are clearly cited using a recognised system for
referencing and citation.

Should this statement prove to be untrue, I recognise the right of the Board of Examiners to recommend
disciplinary action in line with UCL's regulations.

2. COPYRIGHT

The copyright of the dissertation report remains with me as its author. However, I understand that a copy
may be given to my funders (if requested and if appropriate), alongside limited feedback on my academic
performance.

I also understand that a copy may also be deposited in the UCL E-prints public access repository and copies
may be made available to future students for reference.

Please write your initials in the box if you DO NOT want this report to be made available
publicly either electronically or in hard copy.

YOUR NAME:

MSC PROGRAMME:

SIGNATURE:

DATE:

30
Bibliography
Booth, W.C.; Colomb, G.G.; Williams, J.M. (2008). The Craft of Research. 3rd Edition. Chicago: The University
of Chicago Press
Broto, V.C. (2014). Outline: Skills Session: Searching Electronic Resources. PDF for DPU MSc students
Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research Methods. Oxford: University Press
Bryman, Alan (2012) Getting started: reviewing the literature, Chapter 5 in Social Research Methods, 4th
ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
Creme, P., & Lea, M. (2008). Writing at university: A guide for students. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Gray, D. E. (2013). Doing research in the real world. Sage.
Hart, C (1998) Doing a Literature Review: Releasing the Social Science Research Imagination, London: Sage.
Jesson Jill, Lydia Matheson; Fiona M Lacey (2011) Doing Your Literature Review: Traditional and Systematic
Techniques, London: Sage.
Laws, S.; Harper, C.; Marcus, R. (2006). Research for Development A Practical Guide. London: Sage
Publication
O'Leary, Z. (2013). The essential guide to doing your research project. Sage.
Ridley, D. (2012). The Literature Review A Step-by-Step Guide for Students. 2nd Edition. Los Angeles: Sage
Publications
Ridley, Diana (2012) The Literature Review: A Step-by-step Guide for Students, London: Sage.
Robson, C. (2002). Real world research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner-researchers (Vol. 2).
Oxford: Blackwell.
UCL. Citing References in a Bibliography. [online]. Available from:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ich/services/library/resources/harvard/in_bibliography [Accessed 04 January 2015]
UCL. Citing References in the Text. [online]. Available from:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ich/services/library/resources/harvard/in_text [Accessed 04 January 2015]
UCL. Plagiarism. [online]. Available from: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/current-students/guidelines/plagiarism
[Accessed 04 January 2015]
Yin, R.K. (2003). Case study research: design and methods, Los Angeles: Sage Publications

[end of document]

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