dissertation
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UndergraduateDissertationGuidelines12-2023_ecb240f8ba14b606a4b05fc2da1b3af2.pdf
UNDERGRADUATE DISSERTATION
Bachelor of Business Administration and
Digital Innovation
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................ 3
1. Before You Start the Undergraduate Dissertation ............................ 4
2. The Competences and Skills earned through the Final Project
Development ....................................................................................................... 5
3. Undergraduate Dissertation Timeline .................................................. 6
3.1. The Timeline at a Glance ..................................................................................... 6
3.2. Undergraduate Dissertation Working Process .................................................... 7
3.3. Topic Approval .................................................................................................... 7
3.4. Research Proposal Submission ........................................................................... 8
3.6. Undergraduate Dissertation Submission ........................................................... 10
3.7. Undergraduate Dissertation Presentation ......................................................... 10
4. Undergraduate Dissertation General Requirements ...................... 10
4.1. Writing Style ..................................................................................................... 10
4.2. Responsibility of the Student ..............................................................................11
4.3. Undergraduate Dissertation Format ..................................................................11
4.4. The Title Page .....................................................................................................11
4.5. Executive Summary ........................................................................................... 12
4.6. Acknowledgements ............................................................................................ 12
4.7. Contents Page .................................................................................................... 12
4.8. Introduction ...................................................................................................... 12
4.9. Literature Review .............................................................................................. 13
4.10. Research Methodology ...................................................................................... 13
4.11. Data Analysis and Findings ............................................................................... 14
4.12. Conclusions ....................................................................................................... 16
4.13. References ......................................................................................................... 16
4.14. Appendices ......................................................................................................... 17
5. Citations and References ........................................................................ 18
Introduction
The program of Bachelor of Business Administration and Digital Innovation at GBSB Global
Business School requires each student to complete a piece of independent/ supervised study. The
work should reflect the knowledge obtained during the entire program.
The purpose of the Undergraduate Dissertation is to develop the basic skills of academic research
by learning how to organize work, obtain information, and work independently. The students
should demonstrate their proficiency in identifying an appropriate area or suitable topic to
research: setting research objectives; locating, organizing and critically analysing the relevant
primary and secondary data sources; reviewing the literature in the field of study; devising an
appropriate research methodology; drawing conclusions; and if appropriate, making relevant
recommendations and indications of areas for further research.
At the initial stage of dissertation writing each student should select a topic of interest (relevant
to his/her area of concentration), and then research relevant academic models and literature and
apply to a chosen area of study. It is important to remember that the most successful theses are
those which are specific and narrowly focused.
The dissertation process will require the student to work rationally and systematically, gather and
use information from diverse sources, combine and apply the knowledge and skills acquired
during his/her studies, use applicable methods, make rational decisions, use creative problem
solving and show his/her skills in good written and oral presentation. Where the subject is based
around a business or an applicable situation, recommendations for action may also be required.
After completing the Undergraduate dissertation, the students will be familiar with the methods
and tools of academic information retrieval, and they will be able to critically evaluate the
reliability and significance of published information.
This document is intended to guide students through the process of writing the Undergraduate
dissertation. It can only offer suggestions; there is nothing that can be said which will guarantee
the production of a successful piece of completed work, but these are the suggestions which,
through time, have been found to be both practical and effective. Students should read this guide
before starting the dissertation and consult it as necessary throughout the process.
1. Before You Start the Undergraduate Dissertation
Before embarking on your Undergraduate dissertation journey, consider the following key
aspects:
Integrate Knowledge Across Educational Phases:
Combine insights acquired from various educational stages.
In-Depth Exploration of a Specific Topic:
Seize the opportunity to delve deep into a chosen subject matter.
Demonstrate Independent Investigation:
Showcase your ability to conduct self-driven research.
Application of Relevant Theories and Exploration of Alternatives:
Implement pertinent theories and propose alternative perspectives.
Engage with Practitioners (if Applicable):
Foster interaction with professionals relevant to your chosen topic.
Effective Project Planning and Management:
Demonstrate your capacity to plan and execute a research project within defined
timelines.
Efficient Problem-Solving Methods:
Utilize efficient methodologies to derive effective solutions.
Embarking on your Undergraduate dissertation is a significant academic milestone. These
considerations will not only guide your research but also contribute to a comprehensive and well-
executed dissertation.
2. The Competences and Skills earned through the Final
Project Development
• Competences
a) Take responsibility for reviewing and adapting the research project development by
proactively managing uncertainty in shifting circumstances;
b) Show creativity and initiative in developing a professional research project;
c) Take responsibility for the value and role of undergraduate dissertation in pursuing
further studies or in choosing a professional career path;
d) Develop those learning skills that are necessary to continue to undertake further studies
at higher academic level with a high degree of autonomy.
• Skills
a) Gather and interpret data and information relevant and appropriate to the task from a wide range of resources including academic publications;
b) Synthesise information and evaluate existing research within the context of a critical
literature review;
c) Design, develop, articulate and lead on a complex project with multiple deliverables, highlighting how to effect sustainable change using an evidence-based approach;
d) Apply knowledge and understanding of a variety of academic theories to conducting a
well-reasoned research and arriving to augmented conclusions;
e) Devise and sustain a substantial and coherent written argument based on independent study.
• Judgment Skills
a) Make professional judgments on the validity of information and critically select reliable
sources of research information;
b) Critically analyse and evaluate data and information using appropriate theoretical
frameworks;
c) Interpret research conclusions and provide recommendations in relation to a specific
research problem/issue.
• Communication Skills
a) Communicate research findings in a required written format; b) Prepare a formal research report; c) Communicate research findings orally to a specialist audience by delivering a
professional dissertation defence presentation.
• Learner Skills
a) Communicate research findings in a required written format;
b) Prepare a formal research report;
c) Communicate research findings orally to a specialist audience by delivering a professional dissertation defence presentation.
• Digital Skills and Competences
a) Use Internet, online research databases, and libraries to conduct research.
3. Undergraduate Dissertation Timeline
Your Undergraduate dissertation consists of several vital steps and deliverables which
follow a specific timeline. As the submission of the Undergraduate dissertation is the formal step
required for your graduation, you cannot skip any of these steps, complete them partially or
incorrectly or eventually miss any deadline. Please familiarize yourself with these steps in advance
by reading the guidelines below.
3.1. The Timeline at a Glance
Table 1 – Undergraduate Dissertation Timeline
Term 3- Year 3
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
Week
8
Week
9
Week 10 Week
11
Week 12
Undergraduate Dissertation General Consultations
Sessions
Undergraduate Dissertation Specific Consultations
Sessions
Defense
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3.2. Undergraduate Dissertation Working Process
Students have 12 weeks to complete the Undergraduate Dissertation. Each student should
select a topic relevant to their specialisation area which needs to be approved by the
Undergraduate dissertation coordinator.
The actual work on your Undergraduate dissertation starts during the 3rd term of your
3rd year. In the first weeks of your class schedule, you will find several consultations. These
consultations are delivered by a faculty member trained to guide you through different
approaches to the Undergraduate dissertation.
After that, you will be spread to different Undergraduate dissertation Coordinators based
on your topic of interest. The coordinator´s role is to provide guidance and support during the
writing procedure. Therefore, the consultations are a chance for you to ask as many questions as
possible and clarify all doubts you may have. Please do not expect your coordinator to be an expert
in the subject area you are interested in – there are no people who know everything! The role of
your coordinator is to provide you with advice on the topic, structure, explain to you different
options available. Your attendance and participation in the consultations is compulsory.
Students who fail to attend a minimum of 80% of the consultations will not be
admitted to the Undergraduate Dissertation defense.
Starting from Week 6, and after receiving feedback from the main lecturer, each student
will be working individually on their Undergraduate Dissertation for the weeks after with the
support of the specific Coordinator. This is the time to work and prepare a well-structured written
dissertation.
In week 10, and before the submission of summative 1, a last advisory session is set with
to receive final feedback and some tips for defense and PowerPoint preparation.
Seven working days before the defense, the student must submit the Undergraduate
dissertation, and then one day before the defense, the student has to submit the PowerPoint
presentation. The defense presentations will be conducted during Week 12 (depending on your
intake). You will be assessed by a committee panel formed by different faculty members.
3.3. Topic Approval
When thinking and brainstorming about the topic, you should try to be as specific as
possible. For example, you can be interested in business innovation in a specific country.
However, “business innovation in X country” is a very vast aspect. Thus, you need to narrow it by
thinking about the area of business innovation. It can be, for example, business innovation in the
financial industry. Now you have “business innovation in X country in the finance industry.”
However, this is still very generic, and you need to narrow it even further. Start thinking about
the finance industry: it can be banks, it can be financial consulting companies, it can be financial
technological start-ups. Let us say you are interested in the banking sector, now you have
“business innovation in X country in the finance industry – the case of banking sector.” But even
this is still a very broad domain, so keep narrowing it down. Think about what aspect of business
innovation in banks you are interested: it can be customer service, it can be online banking
solutions, it can be new innovative financial products. Let us say you are interested in online
banking solutions, so you have: “business innovation in the area of online banking solutions in
the banks in X Country.” Now imagine how many online banking solutions are out there. Can you
group them into some categories? E.g., online banking mobile applications, online banking virtual
office, etc. You can narrow your topic even more and choose one of these categories (e.g., “the use
of online banking mobile applications in the banks in X country”). Now think what exactly you
would like to study, which questions to answer or which solutions to offer. Thus, the examples of
some preliminary topics can be:
1. Online banking mobile application as an alternative to a traditional branch – the case of
ING Direct in X Country
2. The use of online banking mobile applications – the new challenges for the banks in X
Country
Together with your lecturer you will determine the best topic or the one that has more
potential to be an excellent Undergraduate dissertation. The lecturer may suggest further changes
to the topic as well as the best approach to elaborate your dissertation.
Once your topic has been approved you cannot change it or submit a different one from
the topic which has been approved.
3.4. Research Proposal Submission
The Undergraduate dissertation proposal is formative assessment 1. The research
proposal is prepared by Week 2 and is an important working document. Over the next few weeks,
this proposal will be transformed into the Undergraduate dissertation.
Used correctly, the proposal will become your road map through the dissertation process.
Structure of the Research Proposal
a) A Working Title
The title is the topic approved by your lecturer. Slight variations of the precise wording of
your final title are allowed if the topic remains the same.
b) An Abstract
The abstract should not exceed 150-200 words. 4-5 keywords should be added below
the abstract.
c) An Introduction to the Topic
This will include a brief description of the topic, the aim, the objectives and questions to
be addressed. Students will find that moving from the main aim to more specific
objectives/questions is quite a difficult task. This, however, will provide a clear focus and direction
for the undergraduate dissertation and help students structure both the proposal and the
dissertation.
The aim of the Undergraduate dissertation provides a description of what you want to
achieve from carrying out the work.
The objectives of the Undergraduate dissertation outline particular issues that you need
to address in order to achieve the aim. They are more specific than the aim, in that they outline
the particular dimensions of your topic, which are relevant to the overall aim of your dissertation.
The questions are more specific than your research objectives and specify the various
insights/information that need to be collected in order to achieve the objectives. Keep in mind
that the questions often start with a Why, How, or What.
d) A Preliminary Literature Review which indicates:
- that students have studied the work of the major authors in the research field;
- that students are familiar with the major themes relevant to that subject area;
- what further investigations students intend to pursue as a part of the Undergraduate
dissertation.
Students should remember that they are reviewing the literature in order to develop sharper,
more insightful and focused research questions about the topic. Therefore, the literature review
should lead to and justify your dissertation objectives and questions.
e) The Detailed Research Methodology
This part discusses what methods are going to be used in order to address the research objectives
of the Undergraduate dissertation. Students need to justify why the chosen methods were selected
amongst the many alternative ones, given its specific objectives, and constraints students may
face in terms of access, time, etc. Referencing general advantages and disadvantages of various
methods and techniques without specifying their relevance to the student’s decision is
unacceptable. Don’t forget to relate the methods selected back to the needs of the research
questions.
The research proposal should contain 2000-3000 words.
After you have submitted your research proposal, you should not stop working while
waiting for feedback from your instructor. Keep working on collecting all necessary background
information and drafting main parts of your Undergraduate dissertation. This will help you to be
ready for further work once you receive feedback from your instructor.
Following the submission of research proposal, the lecturer will provide you with written
feedback. This feedback will indicate strong and weak points of your research proposal and
recommendations for improvement. Take this feedback seriously in order to improve your work.
3.5. Undergraduate Dissertation Development
The students submit the Undergraduate dissertation Development as formative assessment
2, which is the first draft of the Undergraduate dissertation, and receives feedback from the
Coordinator.
The Undergraduate dissertation development includes preliminary background information
which indicates: a) that students have studied the work of the major scientific studies in the
research field; b) that students are familiar with the major themes relevant to that subject area;
c) that students have studied the relevant market research data, economic forecasts and business
leaders’ opinions; d) what further investigations students intend to pursue as a part of the
Undergraduate dissertation. In addition to a detailed Undergraduate dissertation Approach
(research methods, scope, etc.).
After the submission of formative assessment 2, the Coordinator will give the students feedback
to keep ameliorating the work.
3.6. Undergraduate Dissertation Submission
The Undergraduate Dissertation is summative assessment 1 and is based on the
feedback given by the Undergraduate dissertation Development.
It consists of the final written manuscript of the complete Undergraduate dissertation
document, of around 8000-10.000 words (excluding abstract, appendices and references).
The assessment of the Undergraduate dissertation manuscripts is done by a panel of three
faculty members.
The submission of the Undergraduate dissertation takes place seven working days before
defense dates.
3.7. Undergraduate Dissertation Presentation
The oral presentation of your Undergraduate dissertation is summative assessment
2. Each student will have to present and defend his/her Undergraduate dissertation before a panel
of three faculty members. The Undergraduate dissertation presentation is the culminating point
of working on the Undergraduate dissertation where your efforts will be projected.
The Academic department will notify you about the exact date and time of your
Undergraduate dissertation defense. The PPT presentation outlines the main findings/conclusion
of your work. The overall time of your presentation should not exceed 20-25 min (approximately
12 minutes for the presentation of the Undergraduate dissertation, the rest time for questions and
answers). Be ready to receive challenging questions from the committee panel, however, stay calm
– if you worked hard on your Undergraduate dissertation, there is nothing to fear.
The PowerPoint presentation should be submitted one day before the set defense day on
the VLE. The PPT Template will be shared with the students through the Virtual Learning
Environment (VLE) Undergraduate Dissertation class.
4. Undergraduate Dissertation General Requirements
The requirements below have an important weight in the final grade of your
Undergraduate dissertation and if not fulfilled correctly can result in your Undergraduate
dissertation disapproval.
Please take these requirements very seriously.
4.1. Writing Style
The Undergraduate dissertation needs to demonstrate knowledge and understanding
beyond the undergraduate level and should also reach a level of scope and depth beyond that
taught in class. All work must be presented in an appropriate academic style and format to ensure
that the precise aims of the Undergraduate dissertation are met. It is important that the aims and
objectives of the Undergraduate dissertation are clearly expressed and are achievable within the
scope of the project framework. Academic style does not just refer to the clarity of expression,
grammar, use of citation and referencing but relates to a clearly structured approach, to the
justification and validation of facts, theories and opinions presented to form a precise argument.
4.2. Responsibility of the Student
✓ To write the Undergraduate dissertation in a high standard of English, using appropriate
academic terms, citations and referencing conventions. It is the responsibility of the
student to ensure that this condition is met.
✓ To make an original contribution into the Undergraduate dissertation which would reflect
the student’s understanding of the subject and research capabilities.
✓ Students should remember that writing a Undergraduate dissertation is a highly
autonomous work where the students must show the skills they have learnt during the
program.
4.3. Undergraduate Dissertation Format
Word Count: 8000-10,000 words (not including abstract, appendices and references);
Font: Times New Roman 12.
Paper Size: A4
Margin Settings: Top 2.54cm, Bottom 2.54cm, Left 3.18cm, Right 2.54cm
Line Spacing: Single. Double between paragraphs.
Page Numbering: For the sections such as Acknowledgements, Contents and others which
precede the Main Text, the page numbering format is i) ii) iii) … and so on. For the Main Text, the
page format is numerical (1, 2, 3, etc.) with centre alignment.
Deadline: Each academic year there are three months for Final Presentations: in September,
March and June. The student will be informed about the specific date by the Academic
Department.
Submission: The Undergraduate dissertation should be submitted at least 7 working days
before the defense. The PowerPoint presentation should be submitted one day before the defense.
Each student should submit the work via Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
You may also need to supply evidence of how you have arrived at your findings. Therefore,
the student should retain the copies of all their fieldwork and analysis in a separate folder
(including interviews, surveys and transcriptions). These should be provided to the members of
committee during final presentation as the evidence of the original work.
Along with the Undergraduate dissertation, a student should submit:
i) A declaration that the work is entirely their own and complies with the school’s
regulations on plagiarism;
ii) A statement of the word count;
iii) A consent form
These three documents should be inserted into the Undergraduate dissertation before the
contents page and bound together with the rest of the pages.
4.4. The Title Page
The title page should be in the format shown in the template which will be provided in the VLE.
4.5. Executive Summary
The Undergraduate dissertation should contain an abstract/executive summary written in 350
words or less. A good abstract is difficult to write and can only be completed after the
Undergraduate dissertation has been written. It represents a brief summary of the Undergraduate
dissertation’s results. By summarizing the results and conclusions, it allows other people to get
an idea of what was accomplished without having to read through the entire final project. Other
people can read an abstract to decide if looking at the full work will be worthwhile.
Hints as to what to include in your executive summary:
✓ Aim and objectives: What are the main themes, ideas or areas of theory being
investigated?
✓ Boundaries: What is the context and background of the Undergraduate dissertation? In
what areas of theory or business practice should the reader concentrate their attention?
✓ Methodology: What was/were the main method(s) employed to generate the results?
✓ Results: What were the main findings?
✓ Conclusions: What are the main conclusions that the student arrived at when reviewing
the entire Undergraduate dissertation?
✓ Recommendations: (if appropriate) What solutions does the student offer in answer to
the problems posed in the objectives?
4.6. Acknowledgements
A brief statement signed by the student should be provided which:
✓ Acknowledges all help received in writing the Undergraduate dissertation. Try to keep
more personal comments about family and friends to a minimum and concentrate on
those who have given direct assistance.
✓ Give an assurance that the Undergraduate dissertation is the student’s own work.
4.7. Contents Page
The contents page should list the chapter headings, appendices, references and the pages on
which they can be found. Separate pages should be given for lists of figures, tables and
abbreviations. The student will find it easier to create these if they know how to generate these
lists using the indexing and style functions within Microsoft Word.
4.8. Introduction
All Undergraduate dissertations should have a well-written introduction.
The Introduction should outline the background to the research study and address the following
areas:
• Description, background and significance of the research topic;
• Purpose of and motivation for the study;
• Research problem and research questions;
• Relationship with the value added to the previous research (a literature gap);
• A brief description of the methods and tools used in the study;
• Practical implications of the results – how and by whom the results of the research can
be used.
The Introduction should tell the reader what topics are going to be discussed in each of the
chapters and how the chapters are related to each other. In this way, the student provides the
reader with a “road map” of the work. Thus, at a glance, the reader can see (1) where they are
starting from, (2) the context in which the journey is taking place, (3) where they are going to end
up, and (4) the route which they will take to reach their final destination. Such a “map” will enable
the reader to navigate their way through the work with ease and appreciate the work the student
has completed. This chapter may be approximately of 800-1000 words. In some works, the
justification of the subject and scope may change the length of this chapter.
4.9. Literature Review
The literature review part can contain several chapters and its structure and contents are
determined by the chosen topic and research orientation. Typically, the following issues are
addressed:
• Definition of key terms and concepts;
• Description of the central theoretical frameworks and research approaches related to
the chosen topic;
• Definition of the theoretical and conceptual framework of the thesis;
• Critical review of previous empirical studies (different viewpoints, methodological
approaches, most important results, differences of opinion, contradictions and
shortcomings);
• Positioning of the thesis in relation to the research field;
• Definition of the research strategy (in qualitative research) or the hypotheses to be
tested (in quantitative research).
The literature review is presented in the form of a précis, a classification, a comparison, and a
critical analysis of that material which is relevant to a full understanding of the research study.
Such published material may be drawn from all, or a combination of, textbooks, journal articles,
conference papers, reports, case studies, the Internet, magazine features or newspaper articles.
It should be remembered; the most important source of academic literature are journal articles
and students should ensure that they are familiar with the most recent publications in journals
relevant to the subject area.
Remember that a literature review should lead and justify the research objectives and questions
identified in the Undergraduate dissertation. Moreover, the literature review should not just be
a catalogue of authors, frameworks and ideas but should attempt to introduce a critical
evaluation of the work of those authors. The literature review will be around 2,500 to 3,000
words.
4.10. Research Methodology
The student should begin the Research Methodology chapter by restating the research objectives
of the Undergraduate dissertation. This will enable the reader to make an assessment as to the
validity of the chosen research methodology. This chapter provides the student an opportunity
to justify to the reader the process by which the research questions, which were derived by an
analysis of the relevant literature, were answered. The main points to be covered in the
Methodology part are as follows:
• Where was the research conducted?
• Who were the subjects (how many, gender, age, other categories)? How were they
selected?
• What research techniques were employed to collect the data (recorded interview,
questionnaires, observations, experiments) and why?
• Which tools were used to analyse the data?
The chapter on research methodology must painstakingly argue for and justify each decision
that is taken when arriving at the way in which the research is to be organized. Every time that
the student, the researcher, has to make a choice from several options, the student must state
what each of these are, why the choice was made, and why the student rejected those not used.
The conclusion of this chapter should provide a summary of the main points that have been
covered. The summary should direct the reader as to how the contents of this chapter link to the
content of the next chapter, the student’s findings. This chapter will be between 1,000 and
1,500 words.
4.11. Data Analysis and Findings
This is the core part of Undergraduate dissertation because students have to use the data from
their own research as evidence or examples to defend / confirm their assumptions and to try to
answer specific research question(s) stated at the beginning of their dissertation. Depending
upon the subject area, this can be in the form of detailed quantitative models, hypothesis testing
to some basic analysis using basic descriptive statistics or qualitative techniques dealing with
structured content analysis, textual analysis, or case study descriptions.
Stages of analysis and interpretation of findings
Data Analysis. This section should focus on the information gathered in relation to how it was
gathered, where, and by whom. This involves reviewing the information, identifying links,
patterns, and common themes, arranging the facts in order, and presenting them as they are,
without adding any comments on their significance. The order in which the results are
presented may be chronological, following the order in which the facts were obtained; or
hierarchical, in order of their relative importance to the heart of the investigation.
It is important to note that not all works may contain quantitative data analysis. In many
situations, students will have made extensive use of qualitative research techniques such as
focus groups and/or in-depth unstructured interviews. While quantitative data lends itself to
graphs, tables and so on, qualitative data and the way it is presented, pose particular challenges
for students. The student’s objective should be based on the belief that the data must be
presented in such a manner as to make it easy for the reader to follow the logic of the analysis.
For the analysis of the results obtained through focus groups or in-depth interviews, the
students should employ coding in order to interpret the findings correctly. Whatever form of
data analysis has been undertaken, it must be accomplished with care and attention to detail.
The analysis of qualitative data should be based on the research questions and issues that you
explored during your fieldwork. For instance, the student may have addressed six or seven
critical questions in a series of interviews. Each of these questions should be examined
separately, rather than describing each focus group in turn. This provides a degree of logical
flow and development to the analysis. In addition, it is advisable to focus on the points of
agreement and disagreement that emerged during the interviews. This should be supported with
relevant quotations from the transcripts of the interviews. The student should avoid lengthy
quotations, unless they are of critical importance. However, short excerpts enrich the reader’s
understanding of the issues and provide the student with the opportunity to shed clearer insight
on the topic.
Many students make the mistake of providing a very superficial, descriptive analysis of
qualitative data. This does not allow the student to demonstrate that the research he/she has
undertook was of a substantive nature. Tables, figures (pies, charts, histograms, etc.) should also
be included that reflect the respondent’s overall attitudes, perceptions and views about the
themes. In addition to this, sufficient detail should be included in the analysis to enable the
reader to see the investigative steps the student has followed, how the methodological decisions
were made and why. It should be remembered that the facts have to be presented clearly,
coherently, and fully before they can be interpreted. A very important feature of the data
analysis is the checking and crosschecking of information in order to establish the quality or
trustworthiness of the findings.
NOTE: The student is not required to include all the transcripts of interviews, surveys or data
sheets in this chapter. Only summarized data should be included in the main body of the
research project. Appendixes should be restricted to no more than 25 pages. Students should
keep the additional information in a folder for use by the committee if needed.
Interpretation. The second stage is to determine what the results mean and how significant
they are in the specific context to which they belong. This section is aimed to develop analytical
and critical thinking based on primary data and its analysis with the reference to theoretical
arguments grounded in the literature review. The student should try to highlight where there are
major differences and similarities from the literature or between different groups. The following
are some of the questions to answer when interpreting the study results:
• What do the results mean?
• Why did the results turn out the way they did?
• What are possible explanations of the results?
• Have all the why questions been answered? Do some of them require further
investigation?
Judgement. The analysis of data and interpretation of results ultimately lead to judging the
findings as positive or negative or both and stating the reasons why. The values of other
stakeholders are brought to bear on the study findings. For example, the findings may show
what is good, bad, desirable, or undesirable for the implementation of the research results. The
question to be answered here is: What is the significance of the findings to the various
stakeholders in a particular setting?
While interpreting and providing a judgment about the results it is important to strike a fair
balance between the positive and negative aspects of the findings. For example, positive findings
should be emphasized without brushing over negative ones. Similarly, negative findings should
not only be listed, but discussed in a way that explores possible practical solutions or feasible
remedies.
Recommendations. The fourth stage is to draw some recommendations for action to be taken
on the basis of the analysis, interpretation, and judgement of study findings. The
Recommendations section should normally address the following questions:
• What are the implications of the findings, based on the analysis, interpretation, and
judgements?
• What should be done by different stakeholders in order to implement the results?
The more the different concerned parties or stakeholders are involved in the interpretation and
judgement of the study results, the easier it will be for you to reflect their interests in the
recommendations. Practical and feasible suggestions should be clearly included in the
recommendations.
The length of this chapter is typically between 2500-3000 words.
4.12. Conclusions
As well as an introduction, all dissertations should have a conclusion. This is one of the most
important parts of the Undergraduate dissertation where the students summarize the results of
their work. In the conclusion, the student will bring together all parts of the Undergraduate
dissertation by demonstrating how the initial plan has been addressed in such a way that the
conclusions may be formed from the evidence obtained in the working process. No new material
or references should be added here. The conclusions should make a statement on the extent to
which each of the aims and objectives has been met. The student should bring back their research
questions and state clearly the understanding of those questions. Be careful not to make claims
that are not substantiated from the evidence presented in earlier chapters.
If the student is undertaking a company project based around a business issue, do not confuse
recommendations for the company with conclusions. If the student wants to include a list of
recommendations, then do so in a separate short chapter. The conclusions address the wider
understanding of the issue that has been studied.
The student should include a short sub-section on any suggestions for further research for
colleagues who might wish to undertake research in this area in the future. There should also be
a short statement of the limitations of the research. Often as a single case study or limited range
of companies the students cannot really claim that his/her research holds true for all companies.
However, by adopting a rigorous approach to the student’s background information research and
methods which have validity and can be repeated, the student can make a reasonable but limited
claim that their conclusions should be taken seriously. The length of the conclusion chapter
should be approximately 1200-1500 words.
4.13. References
Referencing is a very important part of the Undergraduate dissertation: the more references you
will provide, the more extensive and solid your research will be. Referencing is needed absolutely
in all options of the Undergraduate dissertation. The Undergraduate dissertation which contain
little references, will be evaluated poorly. All references used in writing the final project (whether
direct quotations or paraphrasing) should be included in a reference list/bibliography, compiled
in alphabetical order by author. Make sure to include up to date references. The APA guidelines
for listing references should be used.
4.14. Appendices
Appendices may be used to provide relevant supporting evidence for references but should only
be used if necessary. Students may wish to include in appendices, evidence which confirms the
originality of their work or illustrates points of principle set out in the main text, questionnaires,
and interview guidelines. Only subsidiary material should be included in appendices. Students
should not assume that Appendices will be read by Examiners in detail.
5. Citations and References
It is important that the student has included the correct citations and references. The student
must always cite the source of his/her material; inadequate citation could leave the student open
to the suspicion of plagiarism.
Within text citation
This is where any formal mention that the student makes in his/her research project to something
written by someone else. Every citation must be supported by a reference which supplies the
details which will enable the reader to follow up that citation. The school employs the APA system
of referencing. If the student refers to the work of an author in-text, then it should be cited as, for
example,
Smith (1997) states that the shoe size of an individual is a function of three criteria.
or
Shoe size has been demonstrated to be a function of three criteria (Smith 1997).
Perhaps more than one author has made a broadly similar point and the student wants to include
them all. In such a case the citation should appear as follows:
'Logistics research is always important in new product development’ (Freeman 1997; Hardy
1989; Willis 1999).
If the student quotes directly from an author's work, he/she should include the page number from
which the quotation is taken, e.g. (Smith 1997, p 4.)
End of text referencing
The list of references is placed at the end of the Undergraduate dissertation (in alphabetical order
of first author’s surname), as follows:
For a journal: Smith, S. (1997) “The Effects of Shoe Size on Consumer Behaviour”, Journal of
International Shoe Manufacturers, Vol. 34, No. 45, pp 23-45.
For a textbook: Smith, S. (1997) Strategy, Marketing and Consumers, Paisley, Academic Free
Press, 7th edition.
If the student is only referring to a small portion of a large text, then he/she must specify which
parts are relevant by adding either the chapters, “chapters 4 and 6”, to which the reference is
made, or the appropriate pages (Smith 1997, pp 126-341).
Please consult the APA guidelines for referencing which can be found in the
Student Corner on the VLE.
