How To Structure The Content Page and Chapters Of Your Dissertation
A dissertation is a very long piece of writing, and so will need to be structured appropriately and with an effective contents page so that the reader can easily navigate the paper.
There is no specific way to structure your dissertation. Your contents page and chapters will depend heavily on your area of study and what your chosen topic is. Below is an example of a contents page which can be used as a general guide.
Table of Contents
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………………..……ii
Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………………………..…iii
Chapter 1: Introduction………………………………………………………………………………….1
1.1 Rationale……………………………………………………………………………………….5
1. 2 Aims and Objectives…………………………………………………………………..….7
Chapter 2: Literature Review…………………………………………………………….……………9
2.1 Theoretical Literature Review…………………………………………….…………..15
2.3 Empirical Literature Review…………………………………………….……………27
Chapter 3: Methodology………………………………………………………………….……………35
3.1 Philosophy and Approach……………………………………………….……….…….38
3.2 Strategy of Investigation………………………………………………………..….….40
3.3 Data…………………………………………………………………………………………….43
3.4 Methods of Data Analysis………………………………………………………….…..46
3.5 Limitations…………………………………………………………………………….…….48
Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis…………………………………………………………………..50
4.1 Scores for each section………………………………………………………….……….52
4.1.1 Section 1-3……………………………………………………………………..…53
4.1.2 Section 4-6……………………………………………………………….………55
4.2 Comparison of the Results……………………………………………..………………57
4.3 Discussion……………………………………………………………………………………65
4.4 Summary……………………………………………………………………………………..72
Chapter 5: Conclusions………………………………………..………………..……………………..77
5.1 Implications…………………………………………..…………………….………………82
5.2 Limitations……………………………………………..…………..…………….………..85
5.3 Recommendations……………………………………..………………………………..92
References…………………………………………………………………..……………………………..95
Appendix……………………………………………………………………..…………………………….99
Remember that page numbers don’t start until your first chapter. If you do wish to number your previous pages, then the numbering should be in Roman numerals (excluding your title page).
Always start each chapter on a new page. You can do this easily using page breaks in Microsoft Word. If you wish, you may include a short introduction to each chapter and, if necessary, a short summary or conclusion at the end. Again, doing this will help to navigate your reader through your dissertation. It is best to add as much ‘sign-posting’ as possible to your dissertation, so that your work is easy to read and follow.
Each chapter should be structured so that different parts come under separate headings. As can be seen in the Table of Contents example, the Methodology chapter is separated into 5 parts: Philosophy and Approach, Strategy of Investigation, Data, Methods of Data Analysis and Limitations. This way, if your reader is looking for a specific part of your Methodology they can go straight to that page. The contents page also serves as an overview of your dissertation, so be sure to include all of the major headings.
References always come at the end of your dissertation, and then an appendix (if required) will follow the reference list. You may wish to include a separate reference list (detailing all of the sources you cited in your dissertation) and bibliography (detailing all of the sources you consulted in your research). This will depend on your personal preference, the preference of your university and what referencing style you are using. If ever you are unsure, always check with your supervisor!
