Dissertation – An Important part of your Masters’ Programme

A dissertation is a critical part of the masters programme, required for you to graduate. By definition dissertation means: “a substantial paper that is typically based on original research and that gives evidence of the candidate’s mastery both of their own subject and of scholarly method.”

There is a wealth of material on aspects of doing dissertation research, from working in a conducive physical environment, through planning and time management, to academic writing style. You may be well adept with researching and have a flair for writing; or could be like many other students, especially those who have little or no experience of producing an academic dissertation.

Outlined here are some of the key points that would help you write a dissertation worthy of ‘full marks’ leading you to your prized Master’s degree.

  1. Choosing a topic

A good start can give you a good finish. This is perhaps the first and most crucial step that you would be taking in the process of producing a good dissertation. There is a considerable literature on ways to decide on a topic, plan and write up a dissertation.

If you do not have any good ideas about a topic, contact your supervisor outlining some general areas, and ask for advice. Look at what other people have done, or in text books or articles, and/or talk to people in your organisation, and see if anything sparks off an idea, as can often happen. If you do already have concrete ideas, write them all down (do not discard any at this point – even ones which may seem not so good) and discuss them with your supervisor and professors.

  1. Constructing the plan

This is a very important exercise. Without a clear plan at the outset, you may find you have collected a large quantity of data with too vague an idea of what to do with it. Some students prefer to read around a subject-area while making extensive notes before constructing a plan. There are various ways of making a plan. Many people like to start with what is known as the Star system: a central idea with subsidiary ideas attached to it, as illustrated here. You begin with a central idea, then attach related ideas to it using lines, out to two or three levels (normally three levels at most, otherwise the diagram becomes unwieldy and even incomprehensible).

3.  Managing time

Time management is something you must have been dealing with right from the onset of the Masters programme. As you inch towards the final stages the course, you must be well aware of all the time management advises you have been given by friends, colleagues, professors, and even internet,  such as not working on your dissertation if you are exhausted, or ignoring something which seems to be distracting you while you work, or working with either background music or in silence depending on what you prefer to do (by the time you get to Masters-level research, it can surely be assumed that you know which you prefer).

 

  1. Data security

Apart from obvious good advice about keeping data well organised, as outlined above, keeping your data secure as well, isn’t really counted as a priority for many. But you will understand how it is of upmost importance to safeguard your hard work.  Do not trust your memory, however good you think it is. Keep complete records of everything you read. Keep a backup copy of all drafts and all notes in a separate location. Do not rely on a single computer. Back up to a removable hard disk or memory stick, or regularly write backups to a CD, or email them to yourself. There is almost nothing worse than the disaster of having lost weeks of work. Data recovery services are expensive and not always successful.

 

  1. Stick to the Basic structure

It is imperative the you follow a structure to pen down an effective dissertation write-up.

  1. Acknowledgements if appropriate/
  2. List of abbreviations.
  3. List of figures and/or tables
  4. Abstract or Executive Summary – normally no more than one page
  5. Introduction – not a description of a company, market etc., but an exposition of the hypothesis or hypotheses, and/or an explanation of the problem(s) or question(s) which will be treated.
  6. A critical review of the relevant literature, partly in order to show the examiner that you are familiar with other people’s work in the field
  7. The method(s) used for gathering the information, and a justification for your decision(s)
  8. The method(s) used for analysing that information and a justification for your decision(s)
  9. The analysis itself, which is often a statistical analysis (and if not, why not?
  10. Presentation of the results.
  11. The conclusions, judgements and/or recommendations (if appropriate) based on the evidence, plus (again if appropriate) suggestions for future research or business activities
  12. Appendix or appendices, if relevant.

 

These steps would assist you getting yourself started on the process. However at any stage, our esteemed professors are always there to guide you through.

 

Get registered for Online Masters today. Download the catalogue for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keeping Up with more Qualified Colleagues

So, you started your career early and were not able to complete your education – may be because of financial constraints, lack of interest in studies (at that time), personal or family commitments, whatever the reason, you had to ignore this important aspect of your life at that time.

You started your career and immersed yourself wholeheartedly into your work, rising through the ranks through sheer hard work, dedication and industry. You have never found that you have missed out on anything and the early start in your career had given you an edge in your rise through the corporate ladder.

However, you have begun to see that more often than not the promotions and jobs you were after, have been going to that younger, more qualified peer of yours. But qualification, while an important factor, would not have been the only factor at play here which has resulted in you missing out on a promotion. The following are some of the factors that may have come into play; and remember, it could have just as easily been you getting that promotion.

Leadership: Being good at a job in no way translates into being a good leader. Some people are just better at getting the best out of their subordinates or better at organising a team to be more efficient. But do not worry, Leadership is a skill and like any skill it can be developed by training, reading and an overall desire for self-improvement.

Experience: Some companies promote people just because they have the experience. While this may not be the preferred mode of appraisal in most organisations, there is a lot to be said about the knowledge gained through experience. If this is the main consideration in your organisation for promotions, then all you have to do is wait it out or you can be proactive and let your manager know that you might not have the time but have been around long enough and are more than experienced enough to be considered for the next promotion.

Office Politics: It may not be desirable, but office politics is an ingrained aspect of office life. In a perfect world I would advise you to stay away but then you are never going to get noticed. So, play the game. Play it to the best of your ability. Get noticed. But try not to step on anyone’s toe too hard or burn bridges, it is after all a gamble and the dice can just as easily roll against you, as for you.

Qualification: It is a fact, that in general a more qualified person will start their career at a higher position than the less qualified person. Qualification also plays an important role in the recruitment, promotion and shortlisting process of any organisation for a given job, the recruiter/ manager also knows that a qualified individual will bring with him a certain amount of knowhow to the job, in addition knowhow gained through work experience. Qualification is vital to stay ahead of the curve, and in today’s technology centric educational environment, there are no excuses not to get qualified.

Most companies and managers would consider all of the above, in varying degrees of importance, depending of the individual manager or organisation. So, ensure you are proportionally balanced to ensure your promotion.

Robert Kennedy College with almost 14,000 students from almost every county in the world offers one of the most diverse, accredited and globally recognised online master’s degree programmes in both Business Law, Leadership and Management through exclusive partnerships with British universities. For more information download programme catalogue.

Top 5 FAQs that you might ask us

 

You have been contemplating about enrolling in an Online Programme. You know it’s a best fit for your busy professional life and agree with the convenience of not leaving your home and family to get that Masters. But there are some things, you are still not sure of. As a former education advisor, I have come across several questions that prospective students ask, before they get started on the educational adventure. As you search for the right programme for your career advancement, you may also have similar questions about the course and the University. Here are the top 5 for you:

  1. Is the University Recognised and Accredited? Yes. Our courses are held in partnership with the University of     Cumbria, University of Salford and York St John University and are recognised worldwide. The degrees awarded by our Partner Universities are fully recognised by the British Government. The Universities are duly listed on the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills list of recognised UK awarding institutions. Graduates receive the same recognised degree from the University as a full time student receives.

 

2.   Can I complete the programme in One Year?  Yes. the minimum duration to complete the programme is one year.    Depending upon your chosen course, maximum duration is 3 years to 5 years.

 

3. Do I have to be Online at Specific times? and are there any group activities/discussions?

No. Our programmes are specially designed for busy professionals.  

All the lectures are available on your Online Campus portal that can be accessed anytime, from anywhere in the world.                                                                              The students are assessed based on assignments submitted during / at the end of each module, which must be submitted before their respective deadlines.

 

 

4. Fees/ Scholarship/ Finance

Can the fees be paid in instalments and what are the payment plans? Is there a provision for paying per module or per semester?

The fees can be paid in interest free instalments. Once you receive the admission offer, you are required to pay 25% of the course fees. The remaining amount can be paid in 12 monthly instalments. The fees for the residential module if any, need to be paid only when you register for this module. At present, we do not have a provision to pay per module or per semester.

Does RKC provide Scholarships?

Regretfully, we do not offer scholarships. However, we provide an interest free instalment payment plan. Please contact your Education Advisor for more information.

Is the programme eligible for UK student Finance loans or loans from the Canadian government?

No, the online programmes are not eligible for UK Student Finance Loans / Loans from the Canadian government.

Last but not the least..

5. Residency  

What happens in Residency?

One week Residency is a unique networking opportunity where you meet your peers and colleagues from all around the world from different professional backgrounds. Many life-long business partnerships and friendships have started during the residency!

The lectures during the residency will cover various topics like Research Methods in preparation for your
Business Innovation Project, Leadership and other interactive lectures that will include various
contemporary management case studies. The lectures would be conducted by the faculty inside the
university/college campus.

Is it mandatory to attend the residential module?

It is compulsory to attend the residential module to complete the programme successfully and to be awarded a Master degree. The exception is our LL.M in Advanced IT Law programme, which is 100% online.

 

Still have a question? Contact our Education Advisor today. They will be happy to help you!