Academic Skills Week Workshop 3: Report Writing & Dissertations Scottish University of the Year 2017 Academic Skills Week Workshop 3: Report Writing & Dissertations Michael Allardice Academic Skills Centre 11th October 2017

DUSA & CASTLE This is a partnership between DUSA and CASTLE and each workshop will have a member of the DUSA Exec involved.

Key elements of Reports Focus on Dissertations Questions Workshop Plan Key elements of Reports Focus on Dissertations Questions

To begin! Working with the people around you – groups of 2 or 3 people – develop a list of questions you would like us to answer (if we can) in this session. Make the questions as short as you can, pass them to the front and we will group them together and respond Title your questions: Reports or Dissertations

HEALTH WARNING! The not so Small Print! Each School has its own “House Style” – make yourself familiar with that expectation

Academic Writing Your writing must be: Readable Sensible Objective Accurate in fact Honest Your writing must be:

Some Basic Expectations Objective Factual Honesty Neutral - avoid ‘I’, ‘you’, ‘we’ and ‘one’ Valid facts - not hearsay Supported by evidence - use only reliable sources and cite them

The Scientific Expectation: The community of scientists is bound by a set of values, traditions, and standards that embody honesty, integrity, objectivity, and collegiality. These values are reflected in the particular principles and practices characteristic of specific scientific disciplines. (definition from the: National Academy of Sciences, 1992, in Responsible Science, Volume I: Ensuring the Integrity of the Research Process)

It is the written outcome of an experiment or study reporting the; What is a report? It is the written outcome of an experiment or study reporting the; background design usefulness of the data leading to conclusions about a (scientific) process or principle… that will respect and comply with the traditional values & expectations of the subject/discipline’s community.

Objective: Scientific objectivity is a characteristic of scientific claims, methods and results. It expresses the idea that the claims, methods and results of science are not, or should not be influenced by particular perspectives, value commitments, community bias or personal interests, to name a few relevant factors. Objectivity is often considered as an ideal for scientific inquiry, as a good reason for valuing scientific knowledge, and as the basis of the authority of science in society. (definition in Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, 2014, Scientific Objectivity.)

What were your key questions:

Reports - General There are some general elements for any report that are common to all: Introduction Methods & materials Results Discussion Conclusion

Specific Elements Some reports also ask for the following: ABSTRACT CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AIM(S) OF PROJECT (HYPOTHESIS) - [RESEARCH QUESTIONS] LITERATURE REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDICES

Framing Reports – One possible approach Context Key ideas – Hypothesis Aim of Project Situation/Problem Introduction Main Body Problem? Solution(s) Results Evaluation/Discussion Key ideas & supporting evidence Recommendations/ your view Place in wider context Conclusion

An alternative structure ABSTRACT Author, Title, Date Introductory sections Introduction/ Lit. Review An alternative structure Main body Methods & Materials Results Discussion Conclusion Concluding Section Recommendations REFERENCES Gordon Spark, ASC November 2013

REMEMBER ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR SCHOOL FOR THE “HOUSE STYLE” Report Style Depends on your discipline: REMEMBER ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR SCHOOL FOR THE “HOUSE STYLE”

Dissertations

DISSERTATIONS What is a Dissertation? Extended writing expected of many Final Year undergraduates and all postgraduates. They can range from 5,000 to 80,000 words in length Normally you are expected to develop and design your own research topic/project and work under the guidance of a Supervisor

What is your Question? Sometimes you will be given a question to research, but often it is open to you to decide. Questions do not always have to be set in concrete – they can ‘adapt’ as your research & thinking evolves. Begin with the area of interest and then start to narrow your focus on one particular topic

Brainstorm Begin the project by brainstorming your topic – What do you already know? Are there any gaps in your knowledge? Who has written on this topic? Where are the controversies? Are there gaps in the research: if so, what are they?

Reading/Researching Never underestimate the importance of the reading you do! Take notes as you go be organised and systematic about your approach Begin writing, even if you do not feel you have the ‘final answer’. It will help you clarify your thinking Maintain some form of “version control” and regularly back your files up!

Planning Have a plan and keep referring back to it. Sometimes you will need to update and re-configure your plan depending on the influence your research is having.

Structure Identify and discuss the structure of your dissertation with your Supervisor. Check to see if there is a standard House Style for your discipline. See how previous students have structured similar studies. Ensure you conform to all the regulations. With longer dissertations they are likely to be split into chapters

Chapters Chapters are a little like paragraphs – each one ought to deal with a particular theme of your dissertation. The number and length of your chapters depends on the size and range of topics you need to cover. A basic contents page might look a little like this: Chapter 1 – Background and aims of the project Chapter 2 – Literature Review Chapter 3 – 1st substantive theme Chapter 4 – 2nd substantive theme Chapter 5 – 3rd substantive theme Chapter 6 - conclusion

Literature Review These are often the starting point for dissertation studies: who has already written on the subject of this dissertation? what have they found? What gaps are there in the literature? What areas for development of new ideas or processes or thinking are there?

Working with a Supervisor Aim to establish a good working relationship with your supervisor Meet with them at regular intervals Keep them updated on your progress Never be afraid to ask them questions Take a note of the things you discuss in your meetings Ensure you understand their expectations

DO NOT LEAVE EVERYTHING TO THE LAST MINUTE! Time-management With a long-term project it is important that you plan ahead and keep producing. Have a good working time-line or plan DO NOT LEAVE EVERYTHING TO THE LAST MINUTE!

And Finally… Any other questions? RLF Writing Fellows

Contacts The Academic Skills Team can be contacted through: www.dundee.ac.uk/castle E-mail: castle@dundee.ac.uk For other issues go to: www.dundee.ac.uk/studentservices