SACE700

Week 10

1. What is a dissertation?
What are the differences between an essay and a dissertation?

Think about the following: who decides what to do, purpose, length, scope, kind of research,

Complete the following text using the words below:

academic briefly designed principles topics for investigation

Before you begin to think about possible ________, make sure you are clear in your own
mind about what a dissertation is. You will be familiar with the ________ of essay writing,
the most common form of ________ writing, but it is worth reviewing ________ what an
essay is really ________ to do, and looking at how a dissertation may echo but also differ
from a standard essay.

acquired conclusion contradicts emphasise evidence final

section
rejecting required to analyse research response

Different subject disciplines may ________ different features, but, broadly speaking, an essay
is a continuous piece of writing, arranged in clearly demarcated paragraphs, in which an
argument (a clear line of thought) is developed, in ________ to a central question or
proposition (thesis). The line of argument is supported by ________ you have ________
through ________, which you are ________, and which supports or ________ the various
perspectives explored in the course of that argument. The essay then reaches a ________ in
the ________, which pulls together the threads of your argument, supporting, qualifying or
________ the original thesis.

2. Qualitative & Quantitative Research

Whats the difference?

Qualitative research is used to explore and understand people's beliefs, experiences,

attitudes, behaviour and interactions. It generates non- numerical data, e.g. one to
one interviews or open answer questionnaires.
Quantitative research generates numerical data or data that can be converted into
numbers, e.g. multiple choice answers from questionnaires.

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Week 10

Are the following features describing qualitative or quantitative research?

1. The aim is a complete, detailed description.

The aim is to classify features, count them, and construct statistical models in an attempt to
explain what is observed

2. Researcher may only know roughly in advance what he/she is looking for.
Researcher knows clearly in advance what he/she is looking for.

3. All aspects of the study are carefully designed before data is collected.
The design emerges as the study unfolds

4. Researcher uses tools, such as questionnaires or equipment to collect numerical data.

Researcher is the data gathering instrument.

5. Data is in the form of numbers and statistics.

Data is in the form of words, pictures or objects.

6. Subjective - individuals interpretation of events is important ,e.g., uses participant

observation, in-depth interviews etc
Objective seeks precise measurement & analysis of target concepts, e.g., uses surveys,
questionnaires etc.

7. Data is more efficient, able to test hypotheses, but may miss contextual detail.
Data is more 'rich', time consuming, and less able to be generalized.

3. Literature review

What is a literature review?

It is a critical and evaluative account of what has been published on a chosen research
topic.

Its purpose is to summarise, synthesise and analyse the arguments of others.

You should describe and analyse the knowledge that exists and what gaps occur in research
related to your field of interest. (This should clarify the relationship between your own
research and the work that has previously been done.)

It should reveal similarities and differences, consistencies and inconsistencies and

controversies in previous research.

What it is not
It is not primarily an argument for the importance of what it is you are researching. While it
is necessary to explain what the primary purpose of your research is, the reader of a
literature review will assume that the need for undertaking the research has already been
established.
It is not a descriptive list of papers or summaries. You must not just list your sources and
describe them in detail one at a time.

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4. Parts of the dissertation

These are the suggested sections of a research dissertation. Put them in the correct order.
What would you expect to find in each section?

Abstract Acknowledgements Analysis of findings Appendices Bibliography

Conclusions and recommendations from the study Front Cover Introduction Literature
review
Methodology Table of Contents Title Page What is the research question?

5. In contrast and other ways of comparing and contrasting

A Complete the sentences showing similarities and differences using the words in the
box.

in contrast to similar differ both unlike

rather than likewise while like and

1 The Google and Yahoo local search services are ................. in that they return
business listings, maps, driving directions. However, they .................... in the way the
data is
gathered and individualised.

2 Clapton (2007) argues that salt intake is not a serious issue in heart
disease. .................... , Hughes, Jones, and Garcia all describe studies that question the role
of salt in the diet.

3 ................. Ardau (1993) and Van Munster (1997) have criticised Corder's views on
learning styles and their impact on the classroom. For example, ................. Corder,
Ardau
sees learning and teaching styles as something that fits the need of the
task ..................... an
approach that is adopted by different individuals to any task.

4 ........................ Lewis (1998), Hoey (1997 and 2002) views vocabulary as more
central to language development than grammar. However, ................... Lewis almost
entirely
focuses on the implications of collocation for the classroom, Hoey puts forward
a theory as to how collocation is created ............. shows how this can underlie
even apparently creative sentences.

5 .......................... the findings of previous studies, Moresco and Beutler (2010) found
that LPG2 may effectively regulate the body's process of recognising viruses
and its consequent response, which may provide new insights for immunologists.

Which of the following words could you use to replace a word in the examples above.

whereas similarly instead of contrary to