How the artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform health and healthcare systems globally

The main elements of a dissertation include:

Introduction, Scope and Objectives 750 words [between 600 -900 words]

The introduction should ‘set the scene’ and context for your research. It should clearly identify the research topic and include a statement of the aims and objectives of the dissertation.

 The Literature Review 2400 words [between 2,200-2,600 words]

Throughout the programme you will have been encouraged to take a critical approach when reading literature. This approach should also be followed in your literature review. You should aim to do more than simply report the findings contained in journal articles, book chapters and so forth, although this is often a necessary and important task. In addition, however, you might seek to highlight the limitations or contentious aspects of particular studies (in respect of, for example, their theoretical or conceptual underpinnings, research design and interpretation of findings) or identify gaps in the literature (i.e. issues or phenomena that have not been investigated or that have received only limited attention). The latter may provide a rationale for your own study. However you organise the literature review, it should identify and discuss the key themes and contributions with which you are engaging.

Some issues have received a great deal of attention from researchers. Others have received far less attention, perhaps because their origins are relatively recent or because they have simply been neglected. It therefore stands to reason that the number and quality of research studies that will be available to you will depend on your research topic.

Where an issue has received a lot of attention, the number of studies available to you may seem overwhelming. However, it is rarely necessary or desirable to review every single contribution to the literature. You should focus on those contributions which have been most influential or revealing and those that are most relevant to your own research.

When reading the literature, it is a very good idea to take detailed notes. This will save you time when it comes to writing the literature review. It will also enable you to more easily identify themes and issues. When making notes, you should record information about the objectives of the study, its key findings, the research methods that were used in generating those findings and the conceptual and theoretical orientation of the study (where this is apparent). As mentioned above, you should seek to develop a critical analytical perspective on these issues. You should therefore record your own views on the study (for example, what you consider its strengths, limitations and contribution to be).

 Methodology 1350 words [between 1,120-1,450 words]

You should provide a description of, and justification for, the research methods used in your study. Please bear in mind that you will not be expected to have developed a ‘perfect’ research design. The most important thing is that you reveal the steps you have taken in arriving at your findings. This section would include elements such as:

• A justification of the research design (i.e. why it should be considered appropriate, and perhaps more appropriate than alternative approaches)

• A description of the methods and how they have been used e.g. case study; on-line survey, secondary data analysis, in-depth literature review

• An analysis of the strengths and limitations of the design

• A discussion of the ethical implications of your research design

Findings 2000 words [between 1,800-2,200 words]

This section will include a presentation of your research findings. How the findings are presented will depend on your research approach. If your approach has been mainly quantitative, you will probably wish to include tables and figures. In this case, you should try to ensure that there is a suitable balance between the information in the text and the information in the tables. The information in the tables and figures should not, in most cases, be left to ‘speak for itself’: further interpretation and elaboration should be provided in the main text. Tables containing less important information can be include in the appendices. All tables and figures should be numbered and given a title (please refer to journals for examples).

If your approach has been mainly qualitative, you will typically include fewer tables and figures, although this will depend on how your data have been analysed. If you have taken a case study approach you might choose to organise your findings on a case-by-case basis. Alternatively, you might decide to organise your findings on a thematic basis. There are other possibilities and which you select will depend partly on the nature of your findings and partly on your personal preferences (i.e. there is not always an obvious ‘best way’).

Discussion and Conclusions 1500 words [1,350-1,650 words]

Your discussion should not simply repeat or summarise your research findings. You can use the discussion to do a number of other things. Depending on your research objectives you can use the discussion to consider the implications of your findings for managers, policy makers etc. You may make recommendations for a particular company if your research was prompted by one. You might also re-evaluate the literature in the light of your research findings (e.g. do your findings support or challenge the findings of previous studies?). Your research may have uncovered issues that would benefit from further study. If so, these should be highlighted.

Appendices [not included in the word count]

These should be used for documents, data or additional explanations that are too lengthy to include in the main body of the dissertation without distracting from the main line of argument being developed. This includes interview transcripts, main statistical results and analysis, participant observation notes, list of data… The appendices should be referred to in the text.

References

The main elements of a dissertation include:

Introduction, Scope and Objectives 750 words [between 600 -900 words]

The introduction should ‘set the scene’ and context for your research. It should clearly identify the research topic and include a statement of the aims and objectives of the dissertation.

 The Literature Review 2400 words [between 2,200-2,600 words]

Throughout the programme you will have been encouraged to take a critical approach when reading literature. This approach should also be followed in your literature review. You should aim to do more than simply report the findings contained in journal articles, book chapters and so forth, although this is often a necessary and important task. In addition, however, you might seek to highlight the limitations or contentious aspects of particular studies (in respect of, for example, their theoretical or conceptual underpinnings, research design and interpretation of findings) or identify gaps in the literature (i.e. issues or phenomena that have not been investigated or that have received only limited attention). The latter may provide a rationale for your own study. However you organise the literature review, it should identify and discuss the key themes and contributions with which you are engaging.

Some issues have received a great deal of attention from researchers. Others have received far less attention, perhaps because their origins are relatively recent or because they have simply been neglected. It therefore stands to reason that the number and quality of research studies that will be available to you will depend on your research topic.

Where an issue has received a lot of attention, the number of studies available to you may seem overwhelming. However, it is rarely necessary or desirable to review every single contribution to the literature. You should focus on those contributions which have been most influential or revealing and those that are most relevant to your own research.

When reading the literature, it is a very good idea to take detailed notes. This will save you time when it comes to writing the literature review. It will also enable you to more easily identify themes and issues. When making notes, you should record information about the objectives of the study, its key findings, the research methods that were used in generating those findings and the conceptual and theoretical orientation of the study (where this is apparent). As mentioned above, you should seek to develop a critical analytical perspective on these issues. You should therefore record your own views on the study (for example, what you consider its strengths, limitations and contribution to be).

 Methodology 1350 words [between 1,120-1,450 words]

You should provide a description of, and justification for, the research methods used in your study. Please bear in mind that you will not be expected to have developed a ‘perfect’ research design. The most important thing is that you reveal the steps you have taken in arriving at your findings. This section would include elements such as:

• A justification of the research design (i.e. why it should be considered appropriate, and perhaps more appropriate than alternative approaches)

• A description of the methods and how they have been used e.g. case study; on-line survey, secondary data analysis, in-depth literature review

• An analysis of the strengths and limitations of the design

• A discussion of the ethical implications of your research design

Findings 2000 words [between 1,800-2,200 words]

This section will include a presentation of your research findings. How the findings are presented will depend on your research approach. If your approach has been mainly quantitative, you will probably wish to include tables and figures. In this case, you should try to ensure that there is a suitable balance between the information in the text and the information in the tables. The information in the tables and figures should not, in most cases, be left to ‘speak for itself’: further interpretation and elaboration should be provided in the main text. Tables containing less important information can be include in the appendices. All tables and figures should be numbered and given a title (please refer to journals for examples).

If your approach has been mainly qualitative, you will typically include fewer tables and figures, although this will depend on how your data have been analysed. If you have taken a case study approach you might choose to organise your findings on a case-by-case basis. Alternatively, you might decide to organise your findings on a thematic basis. There are other possibilities and which you select will depend partly on the nature of your findings and partly on your personal preferences (i.e. there is not always an obvious ‘best way’).

Discussion and Conclusions 1500 words [1,350-1,650 words]

Your discussion should not simply repeat or summarise your research findings. You can use the discussion to do a number of other things. Depending on your research objectives you can use the discussion to consider the implications of your findings for managers, policy makers etc. You may make recommendations for a particular company if your research was prompted by one. You might also re-evaluate the literature in the light of your research findings (e.g. do your findings support or challenge the findings of previous studies?). Your research may have uncovered issues that would benefit from further study. If so, these should be highlighted.

Appendices [not included in the word count]

These should be used for documents, data or additional explanations that are too lengthy to include in the main body of the dissertation without distracting from the main line of argument being developed. This includes interview transcripts, main statistical results and analysis, participant observation notes, list of data… The appendices should be referred to in the text.

References

The main elements of a dissertation include:

Introduction, Scope and Objectives 750 words [between 600 -900 words]

The introduction should ‘set the scene’ and context for your research. It should clearly identify the research topic and include a statement of the aims and objectives of the dissertation.

 The Literature Review 2400 words [between 2,200-2,600 words]

Throughout the programme you will have been encouraged to take a critical approach when reading literature. This approach should also be followed in your literature review. You should aim to do more than simply report the findings contained in journal articles, book chapters and so forth, although this is often a necessary and important task. In addition, however, you might seek to highlight the limitations or contentious aspects of particular studies (in respect of, for example, their theoretical or conceptual underpinnings, research design and interpretation of findings) or identify gaps in the literature (i.e. issues or phenomena that have not been investigated or that have received only limited attention). The latter may provide a rationale for your own study. However you organise the literature review, it should identify and discuss the key themes and contributions with which you are engaging.

Some issues have received a great deal of attention from researchers. Others have received far less attention, perhaps because their origins are relatively recent or because they have simply been neglected. It therefore stands to reason that the number and quality of research studies that will be available to you will depend on your research topic.

Where an issue has received a lot of attention, the number of studies available to you may seem overwhelming. However, it is rarely necessary or desirable to review every single contribution to the literature. You should focus on those contributions which have been most influential or revealing and those that are most relevant to your own research.

When reading the literature, it is a very good idea to take detailed notes. This will save you time when it comes to writing the literature review. It will also enable you to more easily identify themes and issues. When making notes, you should record information about the objectives of the study, its key findings, the research methods that were used in generating those findings and the conceptual and theoretical orientation of the study (where this is apparent). As mentioned above, you should seek to develop a critical analytical perspective on these issues. You should therefore record your own views on the study (for example, what you consider its strengths, limitations and contribution to be).

 Methodology 1350 words [between 1,120-1,450 words]

You should provide a description of, and justification for, the research methods used in your study. Please bear in mind that you will not be expected to have developed a ‘perfect’ research design. The most important thing is that you reveal the steps you have taken in arriving at your findings. This section would include elements such as:

• A justification of the research design (i.e. why it should be considered appropriate, and perhaps more appropriate than alternative approaches)

• A description of the methods and how they have been used e.g. case study; on-line survey, secondary data analysis, in-depth literature review

• An analysis of the strengths and limitations of the design

• A discussion of the ethical implications of your research design

Findings 2000 words [between 1,800-2,200 words]

This section will include a presentation of your research findings. How the findings are presented will depend on your research approach. If your approach has been mainly quantitative, you will probably wish to include tables and figures. In this case, you should try to ensure that there is a suitable balance between the information in the text and the information in the tables. The information in the tables and figures should not, in most cases, be left to ‘speak for itself’: further interpretation and elaboration should be provided in the main text. Tables containing less important information can be include in the appendices. All tables and figures should be numbered and given a title (please refer to journals for examples).

If your approach has been mainly qualitative, you will typically include fewer tables and figures, although this will depend on how your data have been analysed. If you have taken a case study approach you might choose to organise your findings on a case-by-case basis. Alternatively, you might decide to organise your findings on a thematic basis. There are other possibilities and which you select will depend partly on the nature of your findings and partly on your personal preferences (i.e. there is not always an obvious ‘best way’).

Discussion and Conclusions 1500 words [1,350-1,650 words]

Your discussion should not simply repeat or summarise your research findings. You can use the discussion to do a number of other things. Depending on your research objectives you can use the discussion to consider the implications of your findings for managers, policy makers etc. You may make recommendations for a particular company if your research was prompted by one. You might also re-evaluate the literature in the light of your research findings (e.g. do your findings support or challenge the findings of previous studies?). Your research may have uncovered issues that would benefit from further study. If so, these should be highlighted.

Appendices [not included in the word count]

These should be used for documents, data or additional explanations that are too lengthy to include in the main body of the dissertation without distracting from the main line of argument being developed. This includes interview transcripts, main statistical results and analysis, participant observation notes, list of data… The appendices should be referred to in the text.

References