Master's Dissertation - Everything You Need To Know
A dissertation is a critical part of your Master's degree. It indicates that you can do research as per the academic standards. A dissertation is a formal document, and its formulation and presentation must be according to the rules. It must include an introduction and a literature review. You will have to provide a rationale for the chosen data and research methods. It also requires data analysis and, lastly, conclusions and suggestions. So, before writing your dissertation, it is essential to know about the fundamentals of a Master's dissertation. The format and structure of a Master's dissertation differ across universities, so consult with your university beforehand to avoid any inconvenience. This article will guide you about the essential features of a Master's Dissertation and everything you need to know.

How Long is A Master's Dissertation?

A Master's Dissertation will be longer than an undergraduate dissertation; it will often be between 15,000 and 20,000 words long, but this will vary greatly amongst courses, universities, and countries. Most of the times students get failed to write such a long dissertation. They can get masters dissertation writing services to complete their dissertation.

Word Count Distribution of a Master's Dissertation

Abstract

An abstract of up to 350 words should be included in the dissertation.

Introduction

The introduction chapter should be between 500 to 1000 words. The word length may vary in some subjects depending on the scope of the topic.

Literature Review

The length of the literature review will be between 4,000 to 6,000 words.

Research Methodology

The length of this chapter is usually between 2,000 to 3,000 words.

Findings/Results/Data Analysis

The length of this chapter is usually 3,000 words.

Discussion

The length of this chapter is usually between 4,000 to 6,000 words.

Conclusion

The length of this chapter should be between 500 to 1000 words

Master's Dissertation Format

The general format of a Master's Dissertation varies by discipline. Dissertations in the humanities follow the essay format. The general ideas are summarised in a thesis statement, and chapters are organised around specific themes or case studies.

Dissertations in social and natural sciences are based on empirical or qualitative analysis. They differ from humanities dissertations in terms of content and format. For example, in qualitative social science studies, results and discussion are combined into a single piece.

Title Page

The title page is the most important component of your dissertation. Keep it short and specific. It covers the title of your dissertation, name, department, institution, degree programme, and the submission date of your dissertation. Your roll number, supervisor's name, and the University's emblem are also included. Business dissertations usually require a separate cover sheet that must be placed at the top of the document.

Acknowledgements

In the acknowledgements section mention those people who provided you assistance during your research.

Abstract

Writing a good abstract that provides an overview of your entire research to the readers might be difficult. You should write the abstract after completing your dissertation. It is a succinct description of your research's findings. It lets others understand what was accomplished without reading the entire dissertation by summarising the study findings. Abstract establishes the context of your research and serves as a blueprint for the readers.

Table of Contents

The table of contents section consists of all chapter headings, appendices, references and page numbers. You will also have to include references and bibliography headings in this section. You can generate it automatically in MS Word.

Introduction

The introduction informs the reader about the context of your research. You will have to state the objectives and the scope of your research. The dissertation's chapters should also be summarised in the introduction.

Literature Review

The primary aim of the literature review is to present and critically evaluate that portion of the available literature relevant to your research problem and serves as the foundation for your investigation. It informs the readers about the context of your research and justifies it.

Research Methodology

The methodology portion of your dissertation should cover the strategies you'll employ to achieve your dissertation's research goals. Given the specific aims and limits you may face regarding access, time, and so on, you must defend why you chose that methodology.

Results/Findings

In this chapter, you'll display the outcomes of your research if it includes a survey or an experiment. You can include the graphs, tables, charts or a written description depending upon the nature of your study.

Discussion

Discussion is the major part of your dissertation, and you don’t have to just summarize the results. This chapter is a critical analysis of your findings with reference to your original research problem.

Conclusion

This section makes a clear connection between your conclusion and the original research questions. You will have to inform the readers about the relevance of your research and the consequences of your significant findings on the relevant field. This section wraps up the dissertation and reflects on the key discoveries.

References/Bibliography

All references utilised in the dissertation (direct quotations or paraphrases) should be compiled alphabetically by the author in a reference list/bibliography.

Appendices

This section includes the interview transcripts and survey questions you used for your dissertation.

How Hard is A Master's Dissertation?

A Master's dissertation is more difficult than an undergraduate dissertation, but you can write it easily if you manage it properly. The primary obstacle in writing a Master's dissertation is choosing an appropriate topic that matches your interests. If you are good at what you write, you will find that your work is simple. But if the issue is hard and you don't know what to write about, you should devote significant time researching your topic.

Master's Dissertation Topics:

Here is a list of some of the topics for your Master's dissertation:
  1. Forecasting a Company's Success Using Cash Flow Analysis
  2. Employee Performance and the Impact of Reward Systems
  3. How does youth influence the political system's development?
  4. The impact of marketing on Small Medium Enterprises
  5. The influence of Human Resource Management on the Efficiency of Hospital Care

Conclusion

The completion and defence of a Master's dissertation is the final requirement for obtaining a graduate degree. So, it is important to familiarise yourself with the formatting requirements and word limit. We hope that after reading this article, you will have a comprehensive understanding of a Master's dissertation.