Overview of Dissertation Structure
A dissertation is the most substantial piece of academic writing most students will ever produce. Whether you are writing a 10,000-word Masters dissertation or a 80,000-word PhD thesis, the fundamental structure remains consistent across most disciplines.
Think of your dissertation as a research story: it has a beginning (introduction and literature review), a middle (methodology and results), and an end (discussion and conclusion).
Chapter 1: Introduction
Your introduction should accomplish four things:
- Establish the context and significance of your research
- Identify the gap in existing knowledge your study addresses
- State your research aims, objectives, and questions
- Outline the structure of the dissertation
Chapter 2: Literature Review
The literature review is not a summary of everything you have read. It is a critical analysis of existing research that:
- Identifies key themes and debates in your field
- Evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of existing studies
- Demonstrates the gap your research fills
- Provides the theoretical framework for your study
"A literature review is an argument, not a list. Every source you cite should serve your argument about what is known, what is contested, and what is missing."
Chapter 3: Methodology
Your methodology chapter explains how you conducted your research and why you chose those methods. It should cover:
- Research philosophy (positivism, interpretivism, pragmatism)
- Research approach (deductive vs inductive)
- Research design (experimental, case study, survey, ethnographic)
- Data collection methods (interviews, questionnaires, observation)
- Sampling strategy and sample size
- Data analysis methods
- Ethical considerations
- Limitations of your methodology
Chapter 4: Results & Findings
Present your findings clearly and objectively. Do not interpret here — save that for the discussion. Use tables, charts, and figures where appropriate, and ensure every visual element is properly labelled and referenced in the text.
Chapter 5: Discussion
This is often the most intellectually demanding chapter. You must:
- Interpret your findings in relation to your research questions
- Compare your results with the existing literature
- Explain unexpected or contradictory findings
- Discuss the implications of your research
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Your conclusion should be concise and powerful. It should:
- Summarise your key findings
- Answer your research questions directly
- State the contribution your research makes to the field
- Acknowledge limitations
- Suggest directions for future research
References & Appendices
Your reference list must be complete, consistent, and formatted according to your required citation style (APA, Harvard, MLA, etc.). Appendices contain supplementary material — interview transcripts, survey instruments, raw data — that would disrupt the flow of the main text.
