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Welcome to Enlighten: Dissertations

Enlighten: Dissertations hosts examples of undergraduate and taught postgraduate dissertations by students at the University of Glasgow. Dissertations included in this service have been uploaded with the permission of the author and on the instruction of the supervisor.

This service is currently accessible on-campus only . Requests for electronic versions of dissertations held in the service can be made by e-mail to [email protected] .

This service does not contain all dissertations produced at the University of Glasgow.

The Glasgow Theses Service hosts higher research degree theses.

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A collection of guides to support your business dissertation research, including how to get started, effective search techniques, selecting the best databases and search tools for the types of information you need, finding secondary data, and evaluating information sources for relevance and quality.

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• Progress After the Re-sits

If you’ve just received your re-sit results and haven’t done as well as you’d hoped don’t lose all faith just yet!

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The options available to you for progression after the re-sit diet may be slightly different depending on if you are an undergraduate or postgraduate student. We've outlined the different options and processes below.  

Undergraduate students

1 - Progress Committees

2 -  Can I submit something in writing to the Progress Committee?

3 -  What should i send to the progress committe?

4 -  Do i need to submit evidence about my situation?

5 -  What can or should I ask the Progress Committee to do?

6 -  What if I am unhappy with the Progress Committee’s decision?

Postgraduate students

7 -  I am not allowed to progress, what are my options?

Undergraduate courses

Progress committees .

If you’ve just received your re-sit results and haven’t done as well as you’d hoped, your academic situation will be reviewed by a progress committee within your School. This is where various members of staff (chief advisers and course conveners) review your academic performance up to this point and make a decision on whether you should progress on to the next stage of your course, be allowed a repeat year or be discontinued from the course. The Progress Committee will be able to take any challenging circumstances you have faced into account, before arriving at their decision.

Key communications on this from your School will be sent to you after the resits, so make sure you are checking your university email regularly.  

Can I submit something in writing to the Progress Committee?

Yes, all students have the right to make a written submission to the Progress Committee regardless of the School they are studying in. If you would like us to check over this statement before you submit this to your School, please get in touch with our  SRC Advice Centre . We can review your statement and make sure that you are putting forward the best case you can to achieve your desired outcome. 

What should i send to the progress committee?

This would typically be a statement within which you:

• Provide a chronological timeline of the academic year you have just completed
• Highlight when challenges arose, what they were and how they impacted your studies
• Advise whether you had discussions with academic staff about these and what happened as a result
• Provide an update on your situation - are your challenges now behind you or do you still have these? If you do, have you gained more support for these that would help a successful return to study?
• Highlight any positives in grades you may have achieved that help to make the case that you have the underlying capabilities to be successful on the course
• Highlight your commitment in progressing on this course and what this would mean for you
• Clarify the outcome you are seeking
• Itemise any documents you are including along with your main document, e.g medical letters, email threads with staff etc

Some Schools may send you a template document to fill in, which will provide prompts for capturing the relevant information on your situation. If this is the case, try and incorporate the areas above into this document. 

Do i need to submit evidence about my situation?

Yes, ideally you will submit any evidence along with your statement that you think is relevant to your situation. If you have a medical condition or experienced a downturn in health, ideally this should be evidenced by a medical professional. You may also submit a letter from a friend or family member, if this is relevant to your situation and strengthens your argument.  

What can or should I ask the Progress Committee to do?

The options open to a Progress Committee would be to reaffirm the initial decision not to allow progress, permit progress to the next year, permit a repeat year or an exams-only year of study. 

We would suggest that you think carefully about what the best route forward is for you. For example, if your performance has been affected in the last year because of personal or medical circumstances that are ongoing, a repeat year of study may be more sensible than asking to progress to the next and more difficult year of your course. If you aren’t sure what to ask the committee for, you should discuss it with your Adviser of Studies or the SRC Advice Centre beforehand.

It's really important that you are aware of the key impacts these different ways forward have on you as they can impact your visa, funding, finances and your eligibility for exemption from Council Tax.

The information underneath highlights some of the impact your registration status may have:

For any visa related questions you may have, we would suggest that you speak with the International Student Support team  for advice. 

What if I am unhappy with the Progress Committee’s decision?

You may be able to appeal against the Progress Committee’s decision if you can demonstrate one of the 3 grounds for appeal — please read the SRC Advice Centre’s  academic appeals webpage  for more information about this.

Postgraduate courses

I am not allowed to progress, what are my options.

If you are currently studying on a taught postgraduate course you may still go through a progress committee as outlined above, but not always.

In most cases, if, after re-sits you have not achieved a Grade Point Average of 12.0 or higher, you will be discontinued from the course and notified via email / letter. This means you will not be permitted to progress to the dissertation part of the course, and instead will be offered either a Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) or Certificate (60 credits), depending on your results to date.

Once you receive this decision you should always reach-out and discuss this with your adviser of study or course convener, to see if there is any possible scope for a change in this position.  If after doing this, the situation remains the same and If you believe that personal or health challenges affected your performance and your inability to reach a GPA of 12, an academic appeal to your College is the route to challenge this decision. If successful, this may allow you to then progress and continue with your study. Please read the SRC Advice Centre’s  academic appeals webpage  for an overview of this process.

If you need any further help or advice please get in touch with the  SRC Advice Centre .

Dissertation Extension Requests

It is expected that the vast majority of undergraduate and postgraduate students will be able to submit their dissertations on time, and will not require an extension.

How do I apply for a dissertation extension?

In the first instance, you should discuss your dissertation extension request with your dissertation supervisor.

A standard dissertation extension request should be applied for via Canvas, within the Faculty. A dissertation extension request of more than 14 days, or 21 days for students with an ARUAA, but no more than 3 months, should be applied for via Extenuating Circumstances, within the Faculty. See information about the Extenuating Circumstances policy and procedure, and the downloadable application form .

Only in exceptional circumstances will dissertation extension requests of more than 3 months be considered, as students are normally expected to be able to complete 60 credits of study within 3 months. A dissertation extension request of more than 3 months must be approved by the Academic Panel.

To apply for a dissertation extension of more than 3 months, your dissertation supervisor should email your completed Extenuating Circumstances form, independent supporting documentation, and their own supervisor statement, confirming that the request is reasonable in light of the circumstances being cited, to [email protected] , for the attention of the Academic Panel.

I am a part-time student, how does this impact my dissertation extension request?

Your mode of attendance does not impact your dissertation extension request. You will not be granted a longer dissertation extension as a result of your part-time status.

What information should my request include?

In your dissertation extension request you must:

• Make your case, and provide independent supporting documentation of the circumstances that have caused you to request a dissertation extension, i.e. medical documentation or other relevant independent supporting documentation.
• Confirm your original submission deadline.
• Confirm the new submission deadline agreed with your dissertation supervisor should the extension request be granted. On agreeing a new submission deadline your supervisor needs to take into account the work done to date and the impact of the circumstances going forward, to ensure the date is reasonably achievable but does not give you an advantage over students who do submit on time

When will I know if my dissertation extension request has been granted?

If you are requesting a standard dissertation extension, or a dissertation extension of up to three months, your Faculty will notify you of the outcome once a decision has been made.

If you are requesting a dissertation extension of more than three months, requiring approval from the Academic Panel, you will be notified of the outcome in the days following the next Academic Panel meeting. The Academic Panel typically meets once a month.

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Formatting Your Thesis

Thesis layout and presentation, conversion to pdf, depositing associated multimedia files, creating an edited version of your thesis, presentation of the print thesis.

University guidelines on the layout and presentation of your thesis are available. It is recommended that you consult them if you are unsure of how to present your thesis. You should also check with your School if they have any specific requirements for thesis presentation.

For further help with preparing your thesis you are strongly encouraged to attend the course on ' Using Word to prepare your thesis ' run by IT Services. This course is primarily based on the University guidelines mentioned already.

The required format for deposit in the Theses Service is PDF. It is assumed that you will be using a standard piece of software to create the electronic version of your thesis, e.g. Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Writer or LaTeX. Before you deposit your thesis you need to convert it to PDF format. Ideally your thesis should consist of a single PDF file . However, it is acceptable to deposit a small number of individual files if you experience major difficulties in producing a single file for conversion to PDF. Before converting to PDF you need to ensure that you have incorporated any elements of the thesis created in programmes such as Excel, Access, PowerPoint etc. into the main body of the thesis. If using Microsoft Word to produce your thesis, you should do this by using the Insert>Object, Insert>Picture or Insert>File options rather than by copying and pasting. However, if there are e.g. multimedia elements that you are unable to incorporate into the main body of your thesis it may be possible to to upload these as a separate file. See Depositing associated multimedia file s for more information on what can be deposited. Details of how to deposit associated multimedia files can be found in Depositing your thesis .

For help and advice on preparing the electronic version of your thesis you will find it extremely useful to attend the course on ' Using Word to prepare your thesis' run by IT Services. The course will include information on how to convert your thesis to PDF. While you are strongly encouraged to attend this course, the documentation for the course can also be accessed here:

Main course notes [ PDF - campus only]

University thesis preparation guidelines [ PDF - campus only]

List of thesis styles [ PDF - campus only]

Template 1 - to be used when ready to combine chapters and create complete thesis [Word template file Thesis1_2010.dotx - campus only]

Template 2  - to be used to create all individual chapters [Word template file Thesis2_2010.dotx - campus only]

To access these files login with your GUID. If you still cannot open the files e-mail [email protected] .

If you have any questions about the use of these files, please contact Judith Harriman-Hunter ( [email protected] ext. 4858).

This documentation is for the use of University of Glasgow students only.

You should save the PDF version of your thesis using the following filename format:

year - name - degree.pdf e.g. 2007smithphd.pdf or 2008jonesmphil.pdf

If you need to deposit two files, one complete and one with 3rd party copyright material edited out you should give them different filenames using the following format:

Public version: year - name - degree.pdf (e.g. 2007smithphd.pdf)

Full (not for public view) version: year - name - degree internal.pdf (e.g. 2007smithphdinternal.pdf)

If you need to deposit additional multimedia files that cannot be incorporated into the main PDF file you should use the same file name with the addition of information about the type of media being deposited. e.g.

2007smithphd_audio.mpeg

If you are concerned that your PDF file is very large please contact [email protected] for advice on the options available. The online deposit system can cope with very large files being deposited, but from the point of view of people trying to access your thesis it is best if PDF files are kept to a reasonable size.

Instructions for conversion to PDF

To convert your thesis to PDF format using a CSCE PC or a PC running the Standard Staff Desktop you have various options. If you have access to a computer running Office 2010 you can use the Save as PDF option in Word. In addition, all PCs in the Library offer access to PDF Creator . To use PDF Creator:

• Open your thesis in Word or Writer
• Choose File - Print
• In the drop-down box opposite Printer name choose PDF Creator
• You will then be asked to supply various pieces of information including document title and author. You do not need to complete the subject and keywords fields
• Click on Options and then on the link to PDF under Formats
• Next click on the Security tab
• Click on Use security
• Ensure that the option to disallow copying text and images is selected
• Click on Save
• You will now be back at the original screen - click on Save
• Name your file according to the convention specified
• Choose where you want to save the file to.
• A box will appear asking for a password - click the Cancel button
• A box will then appear saying that the document is not protected - this is fine (it means that user of your thesis will not be asked for a username and password to read it). Click on Ok
• Your thesis will then be saved as a PDF file. Note that it may take several minutes to convert a large file. If you have problems converting to PDF because your file is very large it may be necessary to spilt it into chapters and to upload each separately.
• The PDF file will be automatically opened in Adobe Acrobat Reader so you can check it.

If you have created the electronic version of your thesis using LaTeX then you are probably already proficient in producing PDF output. The main routes are by (1) distilling postscript output, for example using PDF Creator described above, (2) using dvipdfm to convert the standard dvi output from LaTeX or (3) using pdfLaTeX to produce PDF output in a single step. Further information can be obtained from the UK List of TeX Frequently Asked Questions: "Making Acrobat PDF documents from (La)TeX".

If you have used a Mac to prepare your thesis you should be able to create a PDF version by choosing the option to Print to PDF.

If you have access to the full version of Adobe Acrobat you will also be able to use this to convert your thesis to PDF format. The full version of Adobe Acrobat is now available on the scanner PCs on Level 3 of the Library. If you are having difficulties using PDF Creator to produce a PDF version of your thesis it is recommended that you use the full version of Adobe Acrobat instead.

If you are off campus you can download a free copy of PDF Creator and install this on your own computer.

The main body of your thesis, including associated images, data, tables etc. must be deposited as a PDF document. However, if your thesis has associated multimedia e.g. sound file or video clips these can be uploaded separately. There are no restrictions on the type of multimedia files that can be uploaded, but no guarantee can be give that such files will continue to be accessible in the future. The relevant software for playing such files will not be provided by the Thesis Service. If you are providing the full text of your thesis on a CD-ROM/memory stick you must include on the disk a separate file that explains what the associated files, i.e. name of file, what type of file it is, what the file consists of, so that when your thesis is made publicly available Library staff know what the files are. If you do not include this we may not be able to upload the files. Note that you should only upload multimedia files where you own the copyright, or where you have cleared any necessary rights.

If you have been unable to secure all the necessary third party copyright permissions for your thesis you will not be able to make the full version available online. You will still be required to deposit this copy, and it will be held securely. However, you may wish to make an edited version publicly available. If this is the case you should save an additional copy of your thesis, remove the relevant material and insert a place holder at this point in the document, e.g.

Figure (Text/Chart/Diagram/image etc.) has been removed due to Copyright restrictions.

Remember that you need to deposit both the full and the edited version of your thesis, and that these should be given different Filenames.

• Good quality paper (range 70g/m2>100g/m2) of A4 size should be used. Margins should be not less than 15mm, and 40mm at binding edge.
• The thesis should be firmly sewn and securely attached to its boards to ensure sufficient rigidity to support the weight of the work when standing on a shelf. The boards should be of dark coloured cloth. The author's name and title of the thesis should appear on the front cover; and the author's name (including initials), the degree for which submitted and the year of submission should appear on the spine, lettered from top to bottom. The volume number (if any) should also be given on the spine.
• Illustrations of all kinds should normally be bound in with the thesis. Any material which cannot conveniently be bound should be packaged so that it can be kept with the thesis, and should be labelled in a similar way.

A list of local bookbinders is available.

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Glasgow School  for Business and Society

The Glasgow School for Business and Society integrates the areas of business, law and social sciences to ensure that they are well placed to meet the needs of business and society. The School has an international outlook and is committed to developing partnerships across the world.

Research Proposal and Dissertation

In addition to the information research skills which you develop as you progress through your course, undergraduate honours students and postgraduate students are required to develop and carry out a small-scale piece of research as part of their degree course. For undergraduate students, the research process starts either in Semester B of L3 or in semester A of L4, depending on how your course is structured. For postgraduate students, this process starts in Semester B of your course.

The research process during your degree has two stages:

• A research methods module, which is assessed through a research proposal (referred to as dissertation proposal in undergraduate Social Sciences courses)
• The dissertation module, which is assessed through the dissertation.

Unlike an essay or report, which evaluates, draws conclusions and makes judgements on the basis of published evidence (ie the literature), a research proposal does not answer a question, but identifies/develops a question for research and explains

• Why it's important to explore the problem
• How the researcher will explore the problem: what research strategy will be used, what type of data will be collected; how data will be analysed.

Once the research proposal has been approved by a supervisor, the researcher gathers primary or secondary data, analyses it and presents the results in the dissertation.

• What topics/issues in your field interest you? Don’t limit yourself to one topic – you may need to consider several issues/topics before you find one that you can do.
• What specific problems around this issue have been identified by researchers or practitioners in the sector/industry?
• Is an under-researched issue identified in the literature?

A research question is not the same as a topic. A research question should be specific and narrowly-focussed on a context such as a type of organisation (SME, third sector organisation, supermarket, national park, etc); a sector (telecommunications, voluntary sector, retail, a social group that meets specific criteria such as demographic, gender or experience; a geographical area). Because a research question is focused on a specific context, the answer to the question is not in the published research literature: the research question you develop will be answered in your dissertation by analysing the data that you collect. The type of data that you collect depends on what you want to find out

• Primary data is information that you gather from your informants (through, for example, survey questionnaires, interviews or focus groups) Most students doing research for a business or social sciences research.
• Secondary data is information that has already been published (eg financial information, information in a database, reports) that has been collected/compiled for a different purpose. Researchers analyse secondary data for a different purpose than it was originally intended.

The type of data you need depends on your research question. Most students doing research for a business or marketing topic are encouraged not to analyse only secondary data, but also to gather and analyse primary data. By contrast, it is quite common for students in finance and finance-related disciplines to develop a research question that requires only secondary analysis (eg of published financial or numerical data). Students studying history often analyse documentary sources (secondary data), while criminology, politics or sociology students may gather primary data from informants, or may analyse secondary data sources.  Media research often involves analysis of media content.

In identifying a research question, access is possibly the most important consideration. In order to answer your research question, you must have access to the primary or secondary data sources that can provide the information you need. You also need to bear in mind that information may be confidential, either for commercial reasons or because of its sensitive nature and so it may not be available to you.

• People in your previous/current jobs?
• Can friends/family help you get access to the people you want to talk to?
• Organisations may be willing to give you access to employees, but they are unlikely to help you if the research does not benefit them in some way.
• If you need secondary data, is the data publicly available?

All research proposals for dissertations have a similar structure, although the terminology relating to sections within the proposal may vary. The word count also varies – check your module handbook for a detailed description of what is required and the word count for each section.

• What research or events demonstrate that this question is important?
• Have recent developments made this question important?
• How is this question important in the research context that you have identified?
• What is the value of doing this research?
• The aim is a clear statement of what you want to find out
• The objectives can be compared to a process – what do you need to find out in order to achieve your aim
• What are the key perspectives/theories/models in the literature that are relevant to your study?
• What gap or underresearched area does your literature review highlight?
• Are you going to analyse primary or secondary data? Why?
• Are you collecting quantitative or qualitative data? Or both? Why?
• How are you going to collect this data?
• If you’re going to collect primary data, what is your sampling strategy?
• How are you going to analyse the data?
• What potential problems or challenges do you anticipate in doing this study?
• Projected time scale (Visually represented – Gantt chart or Excel spreadsheet)
• What has limited the scope of this study?
• What might make it difficult for you to achieve your aim?
• What might go wrong?

The aim of the literature is to identify key theories, models and/or research studies that shape our understanding of the issue. The research proposal is only a preliminary overview of the literature – the word count at this stage is not sufficient for a comprehensive literature review.  You will explore the literature in greater depth in your dissertation.

Your review of the literature should be guided by these questions:

• Are the definitions really different or just expressed in different words?
• What are the shared elements across definitions?
• Where/How are definitions different – in scope/focus?
• How have definitions changed over time - why?
• Which definition is being used for this study?
• What are the points of agreement and difference?
• How strong is the weight of research evidence for a particular perspective?
• How are these perspectives relevant to your research?
• Best practice/strategies
• Challenges to good practice
• Difficulties and barriers to addressing this issue?
• Does the research show a gap/mismatch between organisational/sector policy and practice?
• Is there enough research?
• Are the research findings generalizable to your proposed study?
• Geographical location
• Industry/sector
• Demographic.
• How does the model help us understand how to address issue?
• What are the criticisms and/or limitations of this theory, model or framework?

A dissertation is an extended piece of work (around 10-12,000 words) on a subject related to your degree course. You will normally choose the subject yourself which may develop from a research proposal you have completed earlier.

The dissertation is typically based on original research and demonstrates your expertise on the subject area. Dissertation comes from the Latin word ‘dissertare’ = ‘to debate’. Therefore your dissertation should include an examination of the subject from a number of different viewpoints.

Typically your dissertation should:

• Be a logically organised, critical analysis of a specific topic
• Show critical analysis of current literature on the specific topic
• Include a small-scale investigation to investigate a gap, key issues, themes or questions raised in the literature review
• Critically compare findings/data from primary research with that of existing evidence
• Draw conclusions and make recommendations.

This website contains general information and guidance on dissertation writing. However, always check your module handbook and with your supervisor for specific details.

A dissertation is a detailed report on your research investigation. It focuses on exploration of the particular issue or problem that your initial research proposal identifies as requiring further research. The key differences between the proposal and dissertation are that you will now be putting your proposed research design into practice to collect and then analyse your data.

Typically a dissertation has the following key features:

• Length and structure : 10 – 12,000 words that are logically organised in clearly linked chapters; chapters are arranged thematically in sections [See sample table of contents];
• A clear research aim : The dissertation is developed from, and closely directed by a specific research question and/or aim. The aim should be presented as a clear, straightforward statement of what you want to achieve [See:  How do I write a clear research aim and /or question and objectives for my dissertation?]
• A literature review : A critical review of literature on issues relevant to the research topic. This key stage and chapter should develop a clear discussion of what is known about the research topic in more detail. It includes critical comparison and questioning of key points of view, current thinking, definitions, relevant theories, models and previous research as found in the wider literature. From this literature review, you identify a gap in knowledge, key issues, themes and/or raise questions about your topic which requires the collection of new data to provide answers to these questions and/or fill the research gap.
• Analysis of data collected : You analyse the data you have collected through critical comparison of it with existing data you have reviewed in the literature review that explored definitions, relevant theories, models, major themes/debates and other previous research;
• Conclusions and recommendations : You provide conclusions to your research aim and/or question, key research objectives or hypotheses and make recommendations for future research and practice

Always check with your dissertation supervisor for specific details.

As for the proposal, the dissertation is developed from, and closely directed by a specific research question and/or aim [A clear statement of what you want to find out or achieve]. These may change from your initially proposed aim and/or question. Your research aim and/ or question should clearly and simply express the focus of your inquiry and the key variables you explore. The research question is not the same as a topic. A research question should be specific and narrowly-focussed on a context for example a type of organisation (SME, third sector organisation, supermarket, national park, etc); a sector (telecommunications, voluntary sector, retail); a social group that meets specific criteria such as demographic, gender or experience and/or a particular geographical area).

Because a research question is focussed on a specific context, the answer to the question is not in the published research literature: the research question you develop will be answered by analysing data that you collect.

A research aim and/or question can be built around the following key phrases:

• Aim: To critically explore the extent to which … Question: " To what extent do/does... ...?"
• Aim: To critically explore how X impacts on Y in the context of organisation Z Question: "In what ways/How does/What is the impact of X on organisation/population Y in the context of Z?"
• Aim : To critically analyse the factors that have contributed to the development of X in organisation/population Y Question: "What factors have contributed to the development of X in organisation/population Y?"
• Aim: To critically evaluate the role and impact of X on Y in Z Question: " What is the role and impact of X on Y in Z?"

A dissertation is further directed by having research objectives. These are clear statements that explain how you will meet your research aim and/or address the research question you have established. Objectives can be built using the following wording:

• To critically review X in order to
• To measure X by...
• To evaluate X by...
• To gain insight into X through
• To examine X by...
• To calculate X through the use of...
• To compare X with Y by...
• To assess the impact of X on Y by...
• To interpret X through application of Y...

For many dissertations the objectives correspond to each main chapter or key stage of the research process:

• Literature review: To critically review relevant theoretical and research-based literature in order to evaluate how ...
• Methodology : To adopt a mixed methods research design and undertake interviews with X in order to gain insight into how/why…
• Data analysis : To analyse the data collection through application of X’s theory… through comparison with previous research
• Conclusions and recommendations : To provide recommendations on how X could improve...

The introduction chapter provides the background/bigger picture and rationale to your dissertation. This can be developed in a range of ways:

• It outlines the relevant historical, legal, policy, sectoral and organisational context(s) in which the study is located;
• It explains what the study is about and why the study is important (the rationale) and what factors are driving the study – key changes? What is the research problem to be explored?
• Key terms/variables are broadly defined.
• Links can be made to key debates/perspectives that are relevant to study
• Introduce where the study is conducted, with whom and why: specific sector and organisation, key respondents?
• Narrows down to a clear statement of research aim, objectives and/or research questions that direct your study;
• Provides a summary of the content of the main chapters

The following two samples illustrate how two writers clearly meet these purposes.

Intro example file 1

Intro example file 2

What is a literature review?

The literature review chapter critically reviews key themes/issues relevant to your research topic and study’s aim, drawing on references to academic literature as appropriate. It presents a logical, detailed and coherent picture of what literature tells us about your selected research topic. Specifically it weaves together analysis of some or all of the following, funnelling down from a broad to specific analysis of the issues relevant to your dissertation:

• Compares debates/key perspectives relevant to your study that can assist in analysis of points of view expressed in the data you collect
• Compares definitions of key terms to assist in analysis of how definitions are expressed in your data
• Compares and evaluates models, frameworks and /or theories that may assist in analysing the data you collect
• Builds a picture of previous research through comparison of studies in journal publications: what does this research tell us about:
• Key challenges/problems faced and how other organisations have addressed these?
• The development of innovative approaches/strategies/’best’ practices used successfully in other organisations/sectors?
• The application of a model or framework to guide practice in other organisations/sectors?

Structure of the literature review

• Ensuring clear structure in individual chapters: where and how
• Include an introductory section to the whole chapter: states what the literature review aims to do, and identifies the key themes it explores;
• The chapter is divided up in individual sections that focus on one key theme/issue. Each key theme/issues is identified with clear headings and where necessary subheadings may be used to identify subthemes;
• The theme in each section is clearly introduced: you can briefly comment on relevance of the theme for your study’s aim
• In each section, the review of the literature on the key theme/issue is built up paragraph by paragraph [Please see the downloadable PDF: GUIDANCE NOTES: STRUCTURING YOUR LITERATURE REVIEW CHAPTER]

Guidance Notes

Writing critically in the literature review

Writing critically in the literature review about key debates/points of view

Critical writing can be developed by considering these questions:

• What are the key points of view on my dissertation topic?
• How do these views compare, diverge or conflict? Why?
• Why and/or how are these views relevant to my dissertation?

Writing critically in the literature review about definitions

• What key terms do I need to define?
• How have definitions changed, developed or evolved?
• Why have definitions changed?
• How do definitions conflict?
• What key points do definitions share?
• Are definitions viewed as too narrow; too broad; out of date and/or limited in some other way for my dissertation?
• Which definition is being used for my dissertation – why? Is it the most comprehensive? Most widely applicable?

Writing critically in the literature review about models, frameworks and/or theories

• Who is/are the main proponents of this model?
• What is/are the purpose(s) of this model? How has it developed over time? What are the key stages and structure of the model? How does the model work? What does it seek to explain?
• Why this model is potentially relevant to my dissertation?
• How can the model be used to help understand particular marketing, management, organisational, financial, HR, operational, social, cultural, psychological, economic and political issues? What processes or practices can this model guide/inform – what are its advantages?/ What insights does it provide?
• What are the criticisms and/or limitations /weaknesses of this model? Why?
• What are the possibilities of applying another model which is better? Why is this other model better – more holistic, comprehensive, up-to-date or can be used in combination with another model?

Writing critically in the literature review about research articles from journal publications

• What are the major findings of several research papers about this particular theme/issue?
• How have findings about this theme/issue developed from earlier to more recent research studies?
• How do findings compare, contrast or conflict on specific theme/issue?
• What issue is under-researched?
• What are the strengths and limitations of the research methods used?
• What challenges/problems are identified in studies?
• What examples of best practice/solutions do these studies highlight?
• What lessons could my research, case study organisation learn from these examples of best practice?

How does the literature review chapter link with the methodology?

From a critical review of the literature you identify key issues/themes/gaps/questions that require further investigation through the small-scale research project that you will explain and justify in the methodology. Overall your literature review should inform and direct your methodology in terms of what data you will collect, how you will do so, from where and from whom, allowing you to address the questions the literature raises.

What is a methodology chapter?

In the methodology chapter you are expected to draw on a range of textbooks on research methods to explain and justify all aspects of your chosen research design. The explanations and justifications in each of the following typical sections should continually link to your investigation and generally follow this structure:

• Research philosophy : explain briefly what e.g. interpretive philosophy of research is about and justify why it is most appropriate for meeting your study’s aim
• Research approach : explain briefly what e.g. an abductive approach involves; why was this most appropriate for your study?
• Sample and sampling approach : explain briefly what e.g. purposive sampling is; why is this approach best for your study?
• Choice of methods : explain e.g. what forms of data are collected through qualitative methods; why did a qualitative method provided you with appropriate data to meet your research aim?
• Data collection methods : explain briefly what e.g. a focus group involves; why did a focus group offer the most advantages for your study?
• Data analysis methods : explain what e.g. thematic analysis involves; why was analysing your data in this way the most appropriate choice?
• Ethical considerations : explain main ethical issues your study raised and how you addressed these
• Limitations : explain main limitations of your research design e.g. in relation to sample size and the implications of this for your findings

Please check your dissertation module handbook and with your supervisor for specific guidelines on the content and structure expected for the methodology chapter.

What is included in a findings chapter?

For some dissertations you will be asked to have a stand-alone findings chapter. This chapter focuses on the presentation of your data. This is typically presented in tables, charts and graphs etc., with accompanying concise commentary that describes, compares and contrasts e.g. patterns, trends and statistical results. It is in the next chapter where you use previous research and theory as explored in the literature review, to analyse and interpret these data as presented in the findings chapter.

• extracts/quotations from interviews and focus groups;
• comparative/descriptive statistics from questionnaires that are described and displayed in graphs, pie charts, tables etc.;
• results of different statistical tests or mathematical models/formulae;
• documentary information e.g. extracts of information from companies’ policies, financial reports, audit reports and annual reports; government policy in particular areas;
• extracts from series of newspaper articles reporting on a specific issue.

You do this through comparing your data with previous debates, definitions, theories, models and/or research as reviewed in your literature review chapter

• Which theory or model(s)/frameworks explored in the literature review provides an explanation for my data/ findings? How do my findings for this theme match up or align with the theory’s or model’s explanations? Do my findings point to a limitation of this model or theory?
• For this theme, are my data supported/confirmed by the research studies I discuss in the literature review? In what way?
• What are the similarities between my data/findings and past research findings in relation to this theme?
• Do my data/findings contradict, challenge or conflict with previous research findings? If so in what way? Why?
• Taken together what do my findings contribute to knowledge about/understanding of the research topic?
• What could my findings mean for practice?

(See GUIDANCE NOTES: Using the literature review to analyse your data for further key questions to prompt comparison of your data with previous research)

• Overview of the chapter As with every chapter in a dissertation, provide a brief overview that clearly explains/signposts the focus, content and structure of the chapter. For the analysis chapter in particular, you should identify clearly the main themes that will be addressed, emphasising that you will draw upon previous literature to analyse these themes.
• Profile of case study organisation If your study has been conducted in an organisation you can provide a profile, presented in a table that identifies e.g. its size, geographical location(s), number of employees, market share etc. – you should include profile information that is most relevant to your dissertation topic.
• Profile of interview and/or focus group participants Present in table form key information about your interview participants: age, gender, individual’s position in organisation, make-up of focus group participants etc. - you should include profile information that is most relevant to your dissertation topic.
• Profile of respondents to questionnaire Present in table form key information about who responded to your questionnaire e.g.: how many questionnaires were distributed and to whom; number of returned questionnaires; demographic details relevant to your study,
• Introduce the theme - refer back to literature review, draw on  authors to outline the significance of this theme
• Present/report data: compare and contrast your data in relation to this theme e.g. compare questionnaire respondents’ choices with those of views of interviewees
• Provide analysis of this theme through comparison with previous debates, definitions, theories, models and/or research as reviewed in your literature review chapter.
• Next major theme….

The conclusion chapter is not just a simple summary of all you have covered in the dissertation e.g. “I have looked at literature, then I designed an investigation and I analysed results…” Instead, you should restate, and offer answers to your research aim and/or question, key research objectives or hypotheses e.g. Key issues to emerge from the literature were… From comparing the data interviews with previous research it can be concluded that… Based on your conclusions you should be able to make recommendations for:

• Further research issues that a future investigation could explore
• Enhancement/improvement/development of particular practice as explored in a case study organisation
• How particular policy could change
• How effectiveness of theory or model could be further developed You may also be asked to identify the limitations of your study. Some supervisors prefer that this section is included in the methodology chapter. It is important to consult her/him on this.

Provide an overview of the chapter in which you:

• Restate what your dissertation set out to do: research aim and/or question, key research objectives and/or research questions or hypotheses
• Briefly remind reader of the context, background and/or importance of the topic or indicate the problem, controversy or a gap in the field of study.
• Clearly outline the purposes and structure of the chapter [See sample]

You can then conclude on each research objective in turn:

• What are you able to reasonably conclude from your review of the literature – key themes, debates, issues and or/gap in research you found?
• How suitable was your research design overall for meeting your aim and investigating these key issues raised by the literature review?
• How suitable was your research design overall for testing/upholding your hypotheses?
• What reasonable conclusions/insights can you offer from your analysis of your data through comparison with and support from previous research?
• What key contributions/new insights does your study offer to knowledge about the research issue?
• What further questions do your study raise that future research could address? [See sample]

Make recommendations based on key conclusions:

• Depending on your research topic, what can you suggest for future research, organisational practice and policy and/or development of a conceptual model or theory? [See sample]

In assessing your dissertation the marker expects to see that:

• you have developed a research project that has a realistic, well defined aim and/or question with related objectives;
• analyses key themes/issues that are relevant to your study;
• critically questions, compares and evaluates conflicting views, theoretical claims and previous research findings relevant to your topic;
• provides a detailed picture of current knowledge with which you can then analyse the data you collect;
• you have a methodology chapter that is informed and shaped by the literature review;
• you have carefully selected data collection and analysis methods that are clearly explained and justified as fit for purpose and which provide relevant data to meet your research aim;
• you have a logically structured analysis chapter in which you apply a range of literature to interpret and make sense of the data you have collected
• you have a conclusion chapter that makes concise and reasonable conclusions on the extent to which you have met
• how future research could be developed to address any questions your study raises;
• how an organisation could build upon and enhance its current practices

Please your dissertation module handbook for the specific marking criteria that will be used to assess your work.

Current students

Request a coursework extension.

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Exams, timed assessments and practical assessments (presentations, lab-based practicals) are different to coursework, so extensions are not available.

If you are unwell, or there is another reason why you are unable to meet a due date, you can request an extension.

You should plan your work so that your submission is not delayed by short-term circumstances, such as minor illness.

It is always best to submit your work on time to avoid falling behind on other deadlines.

• Undergraduate students
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The deadline for the submission of an extension request is 48 hours before the coursework submission deadline.

If the extension request deadline has passed, read the guidance on exceptional circumstances .

Work to your current due date until the school has approved an extension.

If you are a student in one of the following schools:

• Bristol Medical School (undergraduate courses excluding intercalated)
• Bristol Veterinary School (BVSc courses and postgraduate taught programmes)

contact your school to request an extension.

All other students should use the coursework extension form.

Be clear and concise but explain fully why your ability to submit your work by the due date has been affected.

• Enter your requested extension date.

Only requests for extensions of up to seven days will normally be considered. Speak to your school first if you feel your circumstances may mean you need a longer extension.

• Only assessments eligible for an extension request are listed in the form. If you are unsure why your assessment does not appear, contact the school that owns the unit.

You need to submit a separate form for each extension requested.

When possible, submit your evidence when you submit your request.

If you need to gather evidence, you have until 4 calendar days after the coursework submission deadline to submit. It is your responsibility to ensure that all evidence is submitted using the online form and by the deadline. You will not be permitted to submit evidence after this deadline.

Extension requests without evidence will normally be rejected and late penalties will apply where appropriate.

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• Enter a Name  for the file
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• The deadline for submission of evidence will be displayed to you (always four calendar days from the coursework due date). It will also be confirmed via email.
• Once you are ready to submit evidence, re-open the Assessment extensions task .
• Under the Existing submissions  header, select the Add evidence  button next to the relevant submission. When the evidence deadline submission has passed, you will no longer be permitted to add evidence.
• To upload evidence, follow the steps outlined above and submit your form.

Read the guidance on supporting evidence .

Your extension request will be reviewed by the school that owns the unit. You will receive an email either:

• approving your request  and confirming your new due date
• declining your request for an extension.

If you submit your extension request close to the deadline date or choose to submit your evidence later, you may not receive the outcome before the coursework deadline has passed. The original coursework deadline will continue to apply until the school has approved the extension. 

Late penalties will apply to you if you submit coursework after the deadline and the extension request is rejected. 

If your extension request is declined

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