Open your dissertation with a clear statement of your purpose for conducting and writing up new research. These opening remarks need not yet precisely articulate specific research questions, but should indicate the definite direction which the dissertation will follow.
The purpose of an abstract is to summarise in a systematic and formulaic manner the content of your dissertation. The abstract serves as a short-hand for the entire piece, indicating whether or not it would be worthwhile to read. Bear this purpose in mind when drafting your own abstract.
Do not blindly follow the data you have collected; make sure your original research objectives inform which data does and does not make it into your analysis. All data presented should be relevant and appropriate to your aims. Irrelevant data will indicate a lack of focus and incoherence of thought.
Towards the beginning of your concluding chapter it is useful to restate the findings reached from your recently analysed data. These findings should be stated clearly and with complete precision, forming a proper basis for developing a persuasive conclusion to your dissertation.
When writing a dissertation at Masters level it is essential to consider all aspects from which the strength of the piece will be assessed. Original, relevant, manageable research objectives must be formulated – and stated with precision – in order to signal the serious and considered nature of the work you are to undertake.
