8/19/2019 Acad Skills Dissertation

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‘Academic’?1. list all elements would expect in ‘academic’ writing;2. list all elements would not expect in ‘academic’

 Writing an MA dissertation

Preparation

• Choose topic of interest to you & on which there is readilyavailable material

• earch data bases & read !"# academic articles $not %ustwebsites

• elect one idea'argument

• (rite an outline that develops elements of argument inlogical se)uence

• Consider word allocation against structure

Introduction

• *xplain what is the issue'problem')uestion. et out your

aims.

•  +void too much bac,ground detail $uses up too manywords

Main body 

• ummarise the relevant data'evidence

•  +ccurate and coherent presentation of the pertinent facts

• *valuation of experts'commentator$s and their

disagreements.• (hat is your  analysis'explanation of the situation.

• -llustrate arguments with examples'case studies $ortables diagrams

• /eep sections balanced in si0e and progressive $buildingon previous section

•  +void sweeping generalisations about ‘women’ ‘nonstateactors’ ‘state’ etc

Conclusion

•(eigh the evidence presented $don’t %ust summarise

• 3ote the patterns

• (hat do you thin, re implications; be persuasive4

• 3ot loo,ing for recommendations.

Style

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• 5eadable *nglish. 6se a friend to read it through if notcon7dent.

• -nteresting.

• 5egular signposts and summaries. *.g. ‘8he previoussection highlighted the problems9 8his section now turns

to the solutions beginning with..

References

• :ollow C6 arvard; or at least be consistent andalphabetical44 eehttp''home.ched.coventry.ac.u,'caw'harvard'downloads.h

tmanlon ol, 

8/19/2019 Acad Skills Dissertation

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Style and (ell written with a good grasp of grammar syntax spelling andPresentation punctuation; clearly presented with the use of relevant sources and

with accurate and consistent references.

PASS .% , /-&Structure ound though not always consistent organisation; follows through

its thesis in a limited but ade)uate manner. +ims not set outentirely clearly.

Content and Covers material in generally a thorough manner but with some Approac* inconsistencies. -s somewhat lac,ing in attention to relevant

evidence examples or arguments. +pproaches the material with anessentially descriptive rather than analytical focus $a ,eydistinction from Derit above.

Style and Enly ade)uately written with some errors of spelling and grammar;Presentation a limited use of relevant sources and references.

0AI1 ')1#W .%&

Structure  +bsence of clear organisation; no logical structure.

Content and  :ails to address )uestion; reveals minimal attention to relevant Approac* evidence or arguments together with minimal understanding of

problems and issues raised by the )uestion.

Style and  Bery poorly written with inade)uate command of grammar andPresentation numerous spelling mista,es; presented with inade)uate or

nonexistent sources or references.

8/19/2019 Acad Skills Dissertation

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)2ercise 34 Write a structure for t*e follo5ingessay6dissertation*valuate the impact of 8ruth Commissions and pecial Courts for warcrimes in postconFict situations.

)2ercise 74 Create a bibliograp*y t*at conforms to C8 9ar:ardfrom t*ese references

evelopment in Do0ambi)ue.

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Possible structure for essay6dissertation

*valuate the impact of 8ruth Commissions and pecial Courts for warcrimes in postconFict situations.

1. -dentify which countries2. 8he rationale for both!. Aac,ground to their being set up in case studiesK. 3arrative of their functioning'processL. -mpact by categories of people and by theme

$reconciliation'%ustice $national'internationalG. *valuation of overall bene7ts'ha0ards

References conforming to C8 9ar:ard

anlon ol,