CHAPTER 1 -INTRODUCTION 1.1BACKGROUND 1.2STATEMENT OF PROBLEM 1.3AIM AND OBJECTIVES 1.4SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS 1.5METHODOLOGY 1.6STRUCTURE OF THE DISSERTATION CHAPTER 2 -LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1INTRODUCTION 2.2SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – CONCEPT AND HISTORY 2.3SUMMARY CHAPTER 3 -RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1INTRODUCTION 3.2RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES AVAILABLE 3.3CHOICE OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.4RESEARCH METHOD/S ADOPTED 3.4.1Step 1 – Development of Research instrument 3.4.2Step 2 – Piloting 3.4.3Step 3 – Choice of Sample 3.4.4Step 4 – Data Collection and Recording 3.4.5Step 5 – Data Analysis 3.5DATA VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY 3.6SUMMARYHarvard referencing
msc_dissertation_template__.docx
Unformatted Attachment Preview
TITLE PAGE (you don’t have to write this one)
Title of your dissertation
By ….. (your name)
School …………
Date of submission:
Supervisor:
Word count: (in the main contents from chapter 1 to
chapter 5 and references)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Write in your own words who you want to thank.
ABSTRACT
Should be 1 page long. This will be the last thing you will write because you have to
finish all the chapters to write the abstract.
It should have minimum 03 paragraphs.
1st paragraph (setting the scene) – will be an introduction to your topic, why you do it (in
a sentence or two) and the purpose of the research.
2nd paragraph (what have you done) – what you have done in the research, i.e. the
research methodology/methods adopted, how many interviews carried out, etc.
3rd paragraph (what did you find out) – your main findings of the research and
main conclusions.
Note: abstract should not have any sources of references.
Key words: in Alphabetical order separated with a semi colon.
vii
Table of Contents
DECLARATION ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… II
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. VI
ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………. VII
CHAPTER 1 –
INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………………………… 1
1.1
BACKGROUND …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……. 1
1.2
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1
1.3
AIM AND OBJECTIVES ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2
1.4
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2
1.5
METHODOLOGY…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2
1.6
STRUCTURE OF THE DISSERTATION……………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
CHAPTER 2 –
LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………………………………………….. 4
2.1
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4
2.2
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – CONCEPT AND HISTORY ………………………………………………………………….. 4
2.3
SUMMARY……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7
CHAPTER 3 –
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………………………. 8
3.1
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8
3.2
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES AVAILABLE ……………………………………………………………………………………. 8
3.3
CHOICE OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
3.4
RESEARCH METHOD/S ADOPTED …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9
3.4.1
Step 1 – Development of Research instrument ………………………………………………………… 10
3.4.2
Step 2 – Piloting…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10
3.4.3
Step 3 – Choice of Sample……………………………………………………………………………………… 11
3.4.4
Step 4 – Data Collection and Recording ………………………………………………………………….. 11
3.4.5
Step 5 – Data Analysis ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13
3.5
DATA VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 13
3.6
SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ………. 14
CHAPTER 4 –
ANALYSIS AND INVESTIGATION ……………………………………………………………………..15
4.1
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15
4.2
DETAILS OF THE PARTICIPANTS/ORGANISATIONS/CASE STUDIES ………………………………………………………… 15
4.2.1
4.3
Job Role and Average years of Experiences……………………………………………………………… 16
MAIN FINDINGS…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. … 18
4.3.1
Question 4 – Level of adoption of sustainable development in projects ………………………. 18
4.4
DISCUSSION AND SYNTHESIS ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 19
4.5
SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ………. 19
8
CHAPTER 5 –
CONCLUSIONS………………………………………………………………………….. …………………20
5.1
OVERALL SUMMARY ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 20
5.2
OVERALL CONCLUSIONS………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 20
5.3
RECOMMENDATIONS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 20
5.3.1
To the industry…………………………………………………………………………………………. …………. 20
5.3.2
To the Academia………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 20
REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………….21
APPENDIX 1 – DRAFT QUESTIONNAIRE ……………………………………………………………………………………22
APPENDIX 2 –………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………22
9
List of Tables
TABLE 2.1: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT HISTORY ……………………………………………………………………………………… 6
TABLE 4.1: JOB ROLE OF THE RESPONDENTS …………………………………………………………………………………………… 16
TABLE 4.1: JOB ROLE OF THE RESPONDENTS …………………………………………………………………………………………… 17
List of Figures
FIGURE 2-1: THREE PILLARS OF SUSTAINABILITY…………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
FIGURE 2-2: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK ……………………………………………………………………………… 6
10
Abbreviations
(This is not mandatory)
NHS
PPP
National Health Service
Public Private Partnership
11
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background
Minimum 1 ½ pages long. It should have minimum of 03 paragraphs (or more).
1st paragraph – Introduction to the topic, maybe giving a definition and explain
the significance of the topic.
2nd paragraph – Discuss some of the main research carried out in this area and explain
what areas they have covered. This should be a critique of the research carried out.
3rd paragraph – Given what you’ve discussed in 2nd paragraph, now discuss what are the
gaps in this research study. Highlighting the gap will help you to say:
‘Given that there is a gap in ……… (the area of your research), there is a need to fulfil
it. The main purpose of the research will be to, therefore, examine ………….. (tell what
you are intending to do’.
In the background section, you need to highlight many references as possible.
1.2
Statement of problem
(Further explaining what is the problem being investigate and/or what you are doing this
topic)
Paragraph or 2 will be enough for this. However, check this with your supervisor as to
how in-depth you should be writing this.
1
1.3
Aim and Objectives
Minimum 1 aim
Minimum 4 objectives
You already have this in your proposal/report – however, ask from the supervisor
whether you need to do any revisions.
1.4
Scope and Limitations
In my view, this is a mandatory section. In this section, you are going to write about how
you have narrowed down your topic. This can be relating to:
–
Location
–
Type of sector
–
Type of project
–
Size of a company
–
Type of professionals/participants you are targeting
–
A particular context of the research topic
–
A particular stage of a project, etc.
You need to keep in mind that, whilst talking about the scope, you need to discuss why
you have chosen that particular focus/context as well, i.e. justification.
1.5
Methodology
You have to put a summary of the methodology in 1 or 2 paragraphs here, e.g.
The methodology chosen for this study is qualitative. As part of the qualitative
methodology, a semi-structured interview approach has been chosen. Altogether,
10 semi-structured interviews were carried out with local authorities who are responsible
for implementing sustainable development in social housing projects. All 10 interviews
were with managers or directors in local authorities. The interviews were recorded
and transcribed. Finally, the transcribed interviews were analysed using a content
analysis
approach.
2
1.6
Structure of the dissertation
You will write about ½ para on what is in the dissertation. E.g:
The dissertation is divided into 5 chapters and the contents of the chapters are as
follows: Chapter 1 is an introduction to the dissertation aim and objectives.
Chapter 1 also
highlights the need for the study.
Chapter 2
is
a detailed literature
review on
the subject
of sustainable
development in social housing projects. The main issues in sustainable development in
social housing projects are discussed in-depth at the end of the chapter.
Chapter 3 discusses the methodology adopted for the stud in-detail. The justification for
the methodology is also given in the chapter.
Chapter 4 details the main findings of the semi-structured interviews obtained through
the qualitative content analysis. The findings are given according to the main research
questions given in Chapter 1.
Chapter 5, finally, summarises the dissertation and provides the final conclusions and
recommendations. The recommendations are provided for both the academia and for the
practitioners.
3
CHAPTER 2 – LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
Introduction
You need to have a chapter introduction to each and every chapter, except for chapters 1
(introduction) and chapter 5 (conclusion).
The chapter introduction could be something like below:
Chapter 2 is an in-depth literature review of the topic sustainable development in social
housing. The chapter is mainly divided into three sections. The first sections discusses
the concept and history of sustainable development, in general. The second part of the
chapter
highlights
the
significance
of
sustainable
development
in
social
housing construction. The final part then discusses the main issues in implementing
sustainable development in social housing projects. Overall, Chapter 2 aims to achieve
objectives 1 and 2 highlighted in Section 1.3.
Sustainable Development – Concept and History
2.2
Note: Please ask from your supervisor whether you need only 1 Literature review
chapter or more.
The literature review sections should highlight the following:
–
The main findings of the literature you gathered.
–
The ‘review’ should be a critique rather than a ‘report’ of the findings.
The literature review should be a ‘critique’ of the available sources of literature you
have. It is different to a ‘report’.
Critique
Report
According to John (2007) the concept of John (2007) states that the concept
sustainable development mainly relates to the of sustainable development mainly
consumption of resources, whilst preserving them relates to the consumption of
for future generations. This concept, as per Smith resources, whilst preserving them
et al (2009), requires things such as saving of the
4
for future generations. Smith et al
environment, which relates to ‘environmental’ (2009) suggest the need to save the
context. However, John (2012) asserts that environment in order to achieve
the concept of sustainable development goes sustainable
further than ‘saving the environment’. As he (2012)
suggests, it includes not only environmental state
development.
and
OECD
that,
John
(2014)
sustainable
context but also economic and social aspects development considers
three
as well. OECD (2014) also agrees with the pillars,
i.e. economic,
three
and
pillar
concept above, i.e. SD includes environment
social.
environmental, social and
economic contexts.
Have a look at the above example and understand how to write a ‘critique’. It’s all about
comparing and contrasting the literature you read and then putting it into your research
context.
–
The literature review should be written in sections, sub-sections and in paragraph
form mostly.
–
You can use diagrams, tables and graphs to support the discussions, if and when
needed.
–
First of all, before writing the literature review, develop a structure for the
literature review with sections and sub-sections. The sections and sub-sections of
the literature review can be decided by looking at your objectives. Show this to
your supervisor and amend it, if necessary.
–
Usually, for an MSc dissertation (given the word count), you should write about
8000-word literature review. Don’t forget, literature review gets 30 out of the
100 marks of the dissertation element.
–
The discussions throughout the literature review should flow well and
there should be ‘continuity’.
–
The discussions of the literature review should include minimum of 50 literature
references at least. In-text referencing is very important. Please avoid plagiarism
(look
at
the
plagiarism
5
video
on
blackboard).
Figure (Figures and table numbering should be Chapter number and Figure/table number
– For an example, Figures in Chapter 2 should be Figure 2.1, Figure 2.2, Figure 2.3, etc.)
Table – Table numbering should be the same as discussed above.
Figure 2.1: Three pillars of sustainability
Figure 2.2: Sustainable Development Framework
Table 2.1: Sustainable development history
6
2.3
Summary
Summary, obviously should summarise the main points of the literature review. It should
about ½ page. At the end of summary, to make a link to the Chapter 3, I want you all to
develop research questions that have come up through the main findings/issues of the
literature review.
For example,
All in all, the following research questions emerged through the discussions/issues of
sustainability in social housing:
1. What are the main barriers of implementing sustainable development
during design stages of a social housing project?
2. How to resolve the aforementioned barriers to make the process of
implementation more effective?
The above research questions will be studied in the next stage of research.
7
CHAPTER 3 – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1
Introduction
This should briefly explain what the chapter is all about. Usually you can say something
like below:
The chapter discusses the methodology adopted for the research. Considering pros and
cons of research methodologies and considering the objectives of the research, a
qualitative methodology was chose for the study. The qualitative methodology
was carried out using semi-structured interviews. The chapter discusses the
justification behind the choice/s of qualitative and semi-structured interviews and also
discusses the way the interviews were carried out.
Note: you can write this chapter in past tense or present participle (ask from
your supervisor)
3.2
Research Methodologies Available
please ask your supervisor whether to include this or not (I usually prefer not to).
To write this section, you can use the reference list given on blackboard.
This section should be to introduce the available research methodologies, i.e. qualitative,
quantitative
and
mixed
8
methods.
3.3
Choice of Research Methodology
VERY IMPORTANT section. You need about 1 page discussions as to, not only what
methodology you have chosen, but WHY you have chosen it.
When you are writing up the justification, the following can be taken into consideration:
1. Literature evidence
2. Nature of your research and what you seek out to do
3. Relating the type of methodology chosen to research questions/aim/objectives
The more evidences you bring out, the better!!!
3.4
Research Method/s Adopted
Here you have to highlight what method/s has/have been chosen as part of the
methodology chosen in section 3.3. As before, you have to discuss in few paragraphs,
why that chosen method/s is best for your research. Sometimes, highlighting the
advantages of the chosen methodology (with literature evidences) will also be good to
strengthen your discussions.
You can write this in a step-by-step approach. For example,
•
Step 1 – Development of the research instrument
•
Step 2 – Piloting
•
Step 3 – Choice of sample
•
Step 4 – Data collection and recording
•
Step 5 – Data analysis
The following sub-sections explain these in-detail.
9
3.4.1
Step 1 – Development of Research instrument
This section is about the development of the questionnaire for the survey, or the
questions for the interviews/case studies.
You can write the following to discuss this:
How did you develop the research instrument? – e.g. based on the objectives, research
questions, etc.
What type of questions did you ask? – e.g.
• For a questionnaire, it’s close-ended questions. The close-ended questions can be
in different form:
o
Binary scale (yes/no);
o Options (e.g. type of building – a. residential, b. commercial, c. military);
o Questions with a likert-scale (e.g. level of agreement, a. very satisfied, b.
satisfied, c. neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, d. not satisfied). There are
different
likert-scales,
e.g.
3
likert
scales
(Satisfied,
Medium,
Dissatisfied); 4 likert scales (Very satisfied, satisfied, medium, not
satisfied); 5 likert scales (highly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree,
disagree, highly disagree); or even a likert scale upto 10. Explain what
type of likert scale you used and why?
• For interviews/case studies – it’s open ended questions. That means there is no
answer given for the question.
Finally you say that the developed questions/questionnaire (draft) is attached in
an
Appendix (e.g. Appendix 1).
3.4.2
In
Step 2 – Piloting
this
section,
please
write
about
how
many
people
did
you
send
the questionnaire/questions for piloting? Who are they? What were their main
comme …
Purchase answer to see full
attachment
We can help you complete this assignment or another one similar to this. Just hit "Order Now" to get started!
