Dissertations and Project Reports

Bestselling study skills author Stella Cottrell brings her tried and tested approach to help you succeed with your dissertations and project reports. With plenty of hands-on activities, checklists and planners, this guide covers everything you need to know, from choosing a topic and developing a proposal, to conducting and writing up your research.

Bestselling author Stella Cottrell taps into her tried and tested formula for learning and brings students the essential guide to producing top-quality dissertations and project reports. The book breaks down this process into manageable chunks and covers everything from preparation and planning through to conducting research and writing up the finished article. Packed with dozens of hands-on activities and quotes from real students, this book demystifies dissertations and project reports and helps ensure that the process is an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

This is an invaluable resource for students of all levels embarking on a dissertation, project report or other piece of extended writing. Its interdisciplinary approach means it is the ideal companion for students of all disciplines.

• Helps students to conceptualise the project as a whole and establish a clear strategy from the get-go

• Emphasises the importance of sound project management skills when producing long assignments

• Provides explanations of purpose or rationale at specific steps, so students understand the reasoning behind what they are doing

• Contains detailed checklists, self-evaluations and reflective activities at every step to help students stay on track and manage their project effectively

• Includes insights from students with first-hand experience of writing an extended piece of academic writing

Autorentext
Stella Cottrell was formerly Director of Lifelong Learning at the University of Leeds, UK, and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Learning and Teaching at the University of East London, UK.

Inhalt
Acknowledgements.- Introduction.- PART I: PREPARATION AND PLANNING 1. Where Do I Start?.- 2. What Makes a Good Dissertation or Research Project?.- 3. Project Managing Your Dissertation.- 4. Managing Yourself for the Task.- 5. Time and Timing.- 6. Working with Your Supervisor.- PART II: DEVELOPING YOUR PROPOSAL 7. Understanding the Assignment Brief.- 8. Selecting Your Topic and Title.- 9. Literature Search and Review.- 10. Principles of Good Research.- 11. Methodologies: Approaches to Research.- 12. Ethical Considerations.- 13. Writing the Research Proposal.- PART III: CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH 14. The Evidence Base.- 15. Working with Participants.- 16. Experiments.- 17. Observations.- 18. Surveys and Questionnaires.- 19. Interviews.- 20. Case Studies.- 21. Interpreting Your Findings.- PART IV: WRITING IT UP 22. Your Writing Strategy.- 23. Getting the Structure Right.- 24. Fine Tuning your Writing.- 25. Viva Exams.- Final Considerations.- References.- Index.