Some Hints on the Preparation of MSc Dissertations

These notes give some guidance on the preparation of a MSc dissertation. You should end up with a document whose 'main body' is between 60 and 90 pages or between 15,000 and 30,000 words (depends on the type of work you did). The following layout is only an example, but a good thesis contains all elements in some form or another. Section Length1 Comments Front matter: a selection of unnumbered bits of information, including the title page and the declaration of authorship as well as: Abstract Acknowledgements Table of Contents The main body of your work: This comprises a number of numbered sections to show clearly what you have done. Typical sections are Introduction and background 15 - 25 pages ~ 4000 6000 words Here you set the scene; introduce the background and the motivations for your work. This should also contain a list of aims and objectives. Part of the background is a comprehensive and critical literature review. Make sure that literature review follows a logical argument which leads to your work as a necessary/sensible continuation. Description of apparatus / theory / tools used. This depends very much on the type of your work. In the Methodology you describe our actual work: what you did to get the data and the analysis techniques used for the processing of the results. Also discuss problems encountered A clear presentation of all your results. Try not to clutter up the text by pages of tables. Instead think about how to present your results in a graphical form and banish big tables to an appendix. Remember, a few people have to actually read it. Depending on your work, this may be one or two chapters. In the Discussion you discuss critically your results in the context of other work. You should also discuss any limitations or shortcomings of your work. In many ways, this is the most important chapter as this is where you have to demonstrate your ability for critical thinking and formulating an argument. In the Conclusion you draw your main findings together, identify your contribution to the subject and point to possible future work. This is compulsory!. The university guideline is about 200 words up to a maximum of 1 page To anyone who has given you help, up to 1 page.

Apparatus/ model set-up/ field work preparation and Methodology Results

10 30 pages ~ 2000 5000 words

10 30 pages ~ 2000 4000 words

Discussion and Conclusions

10-20 pages ~ 2000 5000 words

Closing matter: References Appendices To be given in sufficient detail so they can be traced easily through the library. For material you do not want in the main body because it is too detailed or peripheral or would interrupt the flow of the report. Appendices should be numbered A1, A2, ...

1 Apageoftextonlyis~300words,whileatextwithsomediagramsortablesistypically100to200words