I am currently at the beginning stages of writing my master’s dissertation, focusing on qualitative research. I have already completed the introduction, the first chapter, which consists of the Literature Review, and the second chapter, which outlines the Methodology.
First:
Now, I am seeking an expert writer experienced in Qualitative Research, specifically Thematic Analysis, to assist me in writing Chapter Three: Data Presentation and Analysis. I have conducted 4 interviews, transcribed them, and translated them from Arabic to English. These interviews will serve as my primary data, amounting to approximately 4000 words. It is crucial that this chapter is closely interconnected with the Literature Review presented in the first chapter.
Second:
Following the Data Presentation and Analysis, the writer is required to proceed with Chapter Four: Discussion – Establishing Claims to Knowledge. The Handbook Dissertation file provides more detailed guidelines, which the writer must thoroughly read and understand. This chapter is expected to be around 3,000 words in length.
Lastly:
The final part of the dissertation will involve summarizing the knowledge claims established throughout the study. Additionally, I would like an exploration of the implications for future policy, practice, research, or theory. An assessment of the research’s success and identification of its limitations should also be included in this section. The length of this part should be approximately 1000 words.
All relevant details can be found in the Handbook Dissertation file, either in the attached document or below:
[Add the relevant information from the Handbook Dissertation file here]
I am looking for a proficient writer who can handle this qualitative research project with expertise and precision. Please let me know if you require any further information to get started on this task.
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Structure and
Format
The following section provides a more
detailed overview of the various stages of a dissertation. Please bear in mind
that this overview is for guidance only and represents a conventional outline
for dissertations. Such an outline might not be appropriate for your research
project, so you need to discuss this with your dissertation supervisor and
agree a way forward that is suitable for your research. The standard format is
as follows:
Title
Page
Abstract
Acknowledgements
Table
of Contents
Introduction
Chapter
One: Literature Review
Chapter
Two: Research Methodology and Research Methods
Chapter
Three: Data Presentation, Findings, Analysis
Chapter
Four: Discussion
Conclusions
and Critical Reflection
Reference
List
Appendices
N.B. Students may choose their respective
headings and subheadings. These must follow the chapter sequence and the
general areas depicted.
Title Page
Each dissertation must
contain a title page with the title of the dissertation, the name of the
candidate, the name of the award (i.e. MA Education Leadership and Management)
and the year of submission (e.g. 2022 or 2023) and the statement ‘This dissertation is submitted in partial
fulfilment of the degree of MA Education Leadership and Management, University
of Roehampton’.
The total word count of the dissertation, excluding the Title Page,
Abstract, Acknowledgements, Table of Contents, Reference List and Appendices,
must also be clearly noted on the Title Page.
Abstract
An abstract of between 300-500 words should provide a brief synopsis of
the research. A good abstract should be comprehensive and succinct, identifying
the nature and scope of the work, the major claims and outcomes that it
contributes to knowledge in inclusive and special education. The abstract
should be single-spaced. You do not need to include key words as a list
following the abstract but you may opt to do so.
Acknowledgements
Students may wish to include an acknowledgements page but this is not
required. Please note that acknowledgements should have an appropriate tone for
the audience who will read this work. They should not be informal in nature.
Table of
Contents
A contents list of the chapters, references and appendices, including
the relevant page numbers, is required.
Introduction
(approximately 1000 words)[1]
Why are you doing the
research and why is it important?
The first chapter should outline the main
area or focus of the project and the more specific topic, issue or problem. It
must provide the background, rationale and overall justification for the
project. You must explain its importance and significance, providing a
justification for undertaking this particular research. You may wish to pose
the research question(s) at this time or refer to these in a later chapter.
Chapter One
Review of
Recent and Relevant Literature (approximately 3,000 words)
What are the key theories
and concepts in the published literature, relating to the key focus? What is
already known about this – key findings from research?
This is the chapter where you set out your theoretical frameworks
relating to the focus of the project and provide the theoretical justification
for the research through reference to research literature. The chapter is a
critical discussion of what others have written in the published literature,
drawing out key research findings, and discussing key concepts and theories. In
developing the theoretical framework for the study, this chapter should
indicate that you have read widely and appropriately and developed a critical
understanding of the literature in the field that where your project is
situated.
This chapter should end with a clarification
of the key aims of your project and a statement of a specific research question(s)
to be answered by your research, if you have not already set this out in the
introduction.
Chapter Two
Research Methodology,
Research Methods and Ethics (3000-4000 words)
How
and why does the design your research project facilitate the answering of your
research question(s)? Why did you use
these research methods?
The chapter must provide a theoretical rationale for the research
design, methodology and methods of data collection adopted in the research
project. This includes a critical discussion of the general research
orientation – e.g. case study, action research, critical teacher research, ethnography,
survey, life story, quasi-experiment, critical qualitative research,
correlational research – and the underpinning methodological framework (e.g.
realist, interpretive, critical, postmodern etc) on which the production of
knowledge in the research rests. Students should explain and justify their
selection of methods and use of tools in the research according to:
a)
Their
appropriateness for the requirements of the specific research project and its
research question(s)
b)
Consistency in
relation to the methodological framework
c)
Reference on
educational research and research methods literature
The chapter needs to set out in detail the methods of research that you
used (e.g. details of the type of interviews carried out) and the details about
the sources of data (e.g. details of who the interview participants were, how
they were interviewed and why; details of how observations were carried out and
why).
What were the ethical issues and safeguards in the
research?
This chapter also sets out the ethical safeguards in the research that
you considered prior to beginning your research and which acted as a guide
during your research. Students are reminded of the importance of ethical
practice in the research and enquiry undertaken on Master’s programmes. Please
refer to the BERA guidelines for educational researchers and the Data
Protection and Freedom of Information guidelines. These are starting points in
developing a sophisticated understanding of research ethics. Students must agree ethical safeguards and
procedures with their supervisor and Programme Convenor before undertaking data
collection. Roehampton University guidelines are available on the
University’s website, along with more specific guidance and examples of consent
forms and letters on the MA Education Leadership and Management programme
Moodle site (Dissertation area). Students must consult these when addressing
the ethics of their investigation. This chapter should explain what ethical
procedures were adopted in the research and should discuss the ethical issues
or problems that arose and how these were addressed. The exploration of the
ethical considerations must be linked to published literature on research
ethics in education leadership and management or education broadly.
This chapter must be written on the basis that the research has been
carried out and so, written in the past tense. It is an account of what was
actually done, supported by relevant literature to justify the approach and the
research practice undertaken.
Chapter Three
Data
Presentation and Analysis (approximately 4,000 words)
What data did you obtain?
What frameworks did you use to analyse the data? What did you find out from the
data?
This chapter involves the presentation and analysis of the data
produced in the research project. For example, this might be data from
interviewing participants (individually or in groups), data from observation
(participatory or non-participatory), questionnaire returns or information from
other proformas. It could also be data from the analysis of documents, for
example, in the critical analysis of a school’s guidance or policy documents,
teachers’ work plans or children’s work. In this chapter, the researcher might present summaries of participants’ comments as well
as direct quotations from participants, summary descriptions of observations as
well as specific data presented, extracts of critical reflections from a
research journal, tables summarising questionnaire data, extracts from
documents, along with analysis and commentary on these. The analysis requires a
coherent interpretative commentary (commenting on what the data indicates/what
it means/what you have found out) based on the data you have gathered,
organised and presented in relation to the key concepts, theories and
question(s) identified in your literature review and/or themes emerging from
the data itself.
Chapter Four
Discussion –
Establishing Claims to Knowledge (approximately 3,000 words)
How do your findings
relate to theories / concepts in the literature and to what is already known
about the issues?
This chapter contains a broad discussion and interpretation of the
problem/question/issues using the findings emerging from the data analyses you
have undertaken in Chapter Three. This requires the development of coherent
arguments relating the whole body of your findings to your theoretical
frameworks – the key concepts and theories identified in the Literature Review.
In making sense of the findings, it is essential that you should weigh the
evidence of these findings carefully and make coherent and credible judgements
about them and, how they relate to theory/literature and your research
question(s). You need to recognise the role that your own values and
positioning in these processes may have, in order to be able to contextualise
and qualify the claims to knowledge that you are making here. In developing an
answer to the research question(s) or problem, the discussion should make
connections between the project’s findings, what is already known (from the
literature) and the key issues/findings/theories identified in the literature
review.
Conclusions
and Critical Reflection (approximately 1,000 words)
Summarise the knowledge
claims. What are the implications for future policy, practice, research or
theory? How successful was your research? What are the limitations?
This final chapter concludes the research by summarising the outcomes
of the project and relating these to the original research question or problem.
Recommendations for policy, practice and further research emerging from the
project should be stated along with further theoretical issues that are raised.
A critical reflection on the project and its processes is required. You
should critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of the processes of
what you did, including your methodological approach, and what you did and
found. You should comment on what you learned about how you influenced the
research, and you should comment on what the experience of the project was
like, including how it has affected you personally and professionally, and what
you have learned about being an educational researcher.
Reference
List
A formal detailed list of all the documents or sources of evidence
referred to in the writing, following the academic conventions required by the
programme (see below).
Appendices
This refers to material such as copies of research tools used e.g.
schedule of interview questions, observation schedule, questionnaires and
original materials such as transcripts of interviews or summaries of
transcripts. Each appendix is given a designating letter: Appendix A, Appendix
B and so on. Reference to and quotations from them should be made in the Chapters.
A signed agreed copy of your ethical approval
form must be included in your appendices.
You must also include your raw data gathered
through your research. All items and methods you have stated you used must be
evidenced and signposted in your appendices (from your methodology chapter).
Failure to fully demonstrate how and where you have gathered your data will
result in a failure to demonstrate how the study has been carried out and how
the findings have been gathered, resulting in a failed submission.
Dissertation
Presentation
Written work should be presented in the following format:
·
The work must
be word-processed using a standard font and size, for example, either Arial
11pt, or Times New Roman 12pt;
·
Leave a wide
margin on the left side;
·
Double space
the lines if indenting paragraphs or, if starting paragraphs at the left-hand
margin, then single spacing is applied in the paragraph but double spacing is
used between paragraphs;
·
Pictures and
diagrams may only be used when integral to the dissertation; and
·
Page numbers
should be either centred at the bottom of the page or in the right-hand corner
at the bottom of the page
Word limit
The word limit is 15,000 words.
This word limit excludes the title page, abstract, acknowledgements
reference list and appendices. The word limit forms part of the assessment
criteria by which a piece of coursework is judged. The word count must be shown
on the title page. Dissertations that are significantly over or under the stipulated word
count (normally 10% over or under the word count) will be penalised.
General
Guidance
The title of a dissertation needs to be carefully focused and the
precise wording of the title should be agreed between supervisor and the student.
The purpose of the dissertation is to consider the empirical research
findings in light of the existing research literature and policy documents to
present and argue a case for something.
This usually involves presenting contrasting ideas about practice,
policy, theories, or models (or several of these) and analysing them for their
worth in the case being presented. The
value of this must be seen against a framework of personal disposition for the
case.
The use of key texts is clearly important in writing, but a
dissertation that uses material from very few sources is almost certain to gain
few marks. Except in exceptional
circumstances, markers expect to see work from journal articles as well as
books and other suitable texts that demonstrate evidence of further independent
reading and research. It is most often
in journal articles that contrasting ideas or critiques of people’s work can be
found. A well-argued case makes good use of these contrasting arguments from
different approaches. The writer’s own position must also be made clear but
must be analytical rather than descriptive.
All arguments must be supported by evidence. This can be by quoting
from policy documents, research literature or by quoting from data collected.
Assertions unsupported by evidence (opinion) do not make for good academic
writing and must be avoided. Where
issues are a matter of conviction or personal belief, this is clearly
admissible, but must be signalled as such and used to support or illustrate an evidenced argument, not as a substitute
for it.
Compiling the
Reference List
Your reference list is the list of all books,
articles, and other works that you have cited or quoted from in your
dissertation. Students should list only those books, articles or other works
that have been directly referred to in the text in their reference list. All the information for the entry in the list
of references can generally be found in the source – book, journal, report,
webpage.
The list of references should appear at the
end of your dissertation in alphabetical order by surname of the author(s).
Students may choose to divide the reference list into component parts – for
example, policy documents, books, journal articles, interviews – but this is
not a requirement. If you do choose to use this type of division, then each
section must be in alphabetical order.
All reference lists and in-text citations
must comply with the Harvard Referencing Guidelines published by the University
of Roehampton, which can be found here.
Quotations
and Citations in the Text.
You need to make clear to the reader the
sources that you have used in the writing of your dissertation. These must be
in line with Harvard Referencing conventions outlined in the guidance booklet
in the link above. Failure to reference work produced and published by others,
including government or official policy documents, may raise concerns of
plagiarism, which is discussed in the following section.
Academic
Integrity
‘The
University of Roehampton takes all cases of academic dishonesty, and
particularly contract cheating, very seriously. This is expressed in the new
Academic Integrity Statement:
Academic integrity and honesty are fundamental to the
academic work you produce at the University of Roehampton. You are expected to
complete coursework which is your own and which is referenced appropriately.
The university has in place measures to detect academic dishonesty in all its forms.
If you are found to be cheating or attempting to gain an unfair advantage over
other students in any way, this is considered academic misconduct and you will
be penalised accordingly.’
(University of Roehampton, 2019)
[1] Please note that word counts are provided for guidance solely.