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Structure, as opposed to layout,
refers to the organisation of the chapters or sections that make
up the dissertaion. Unlike layout, which is usually dictated by
Institutional requirments, strictly speaking, there are no fixed
rules governing the structure of a research dissertation. However,
it is generally accepted that a dissertation should have the following
chapters:
-
Title page
where you enter the full title, and the sub-title if any, of
the research work; the name of the author; a statement about
the degree programme under which the dissertation is submitted;
the date of submission.
-
Abstract
which is usually a one page summary of the objectives of the
research; the methodology used and the main findings of the
work 
-
Contents list
which lists the chapter and section headings with their corresponding
page numbers
-
List of tables, diagrams and illustrations
which list the figure and table numbers, together with captions
and their corresponding page numbers
-
Nomenclature list
which provides a list of nomenclature and definitions of
acronyms used in the dissertation. Make sure that the coressponding
units, if applicable, are included. It is good practice to have
a different section for nomenclature involving Greek symbols
as might be encountered in equations and one for acroynms.
-
Acknowledgements
if any are due, but it is nice gesture to acknowledge the contributions
and help of sponsors and friends
- Main text divided into chapters, with
appropriate chapter headings, to include
-
References
lists the references that have been cited in the dissertation
- Appendices
contain those parts of dissertation that are either well known
or does not contribute directly to the main text, but needs to
be included for completeness. Examples are sample calculations;
derivation of a published result which forms the basis for the
work; background information.
(Note: the Bristish Standards Institute had guidelines for
the production of dissertations:BS 4821:1990, but this has since
been withdrawn)
| Tips |
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Spend some time planning the structure of your
dissertation before starting to write. Not only
will this save time and effort in the long run,
it will reduce duplicate text and the dissertation
will be more compact and readable.
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Try to get a copy of a thesis or dissertation
written by a student in your department to gain
a visual feel for how the dissertation is organised,
formatting conventions, and to get an idea of what
material should be placed in which chapters.
-
Use a new page to start each distinct part of
the dissertation (such as those above).
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Do not include blank pages. They do not
contribute to the dissertation, and worse, they
can cause confusion for the reader. Common questions
on encountering a blank page are:
- Write the Abstract and Introduction chapter
last - once you have written the other main chapters,
it is easier to summarise the work done, and to give
an overview of the dissertation.
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With a plan for the structure, you can start the important task
of writing the dissertation, keeping in mind that the various parts
of the publication must be linked together in a coherent manner.
This aspect, loosely termed content flow,
is covered next.
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