diss startup seminar qatar 2011-12

8/16/2019 Diss Startup Seminar Qatar 2011-12

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6CN010 Dissertation6CN010 Dissertation

Start-up Seminar Start-up Seminar

BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying (BCAS, Qatar)BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying (BCAS, Qatar)

D!"! Sear#e


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$ntro%uction

• What is research

• What is a dissertation

• Overview of format• Selection of a topic

• The need for originality

• Dissertation assessment• Undertaking the dissertation in stages

• What next?


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&esearc' (1)

*'at is it+

Systematic !i"e" methodical# well organi$ed%investigation towards increasing the s&m ofknowledge !'rom (ham)ers *nglish Dictionary ascited )y 'ellows and +&i !2,,-%

Systematic investigation.in order to esta)lish factsand reach new concl&sions !(oncise OxfordDictionary# /001%

voyage of discovery !'ellows and +&i# 2,,-%


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*'at it isnt+

4&st gathering of information

4&st looking for information

(opying facts from so&rces

(ons&ltancy5cons&lting i"e" providing

specialist advice in a field

&esearc' ()


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*'y con%uct researc'+

6enerally to ac7&ire knowledge

*sta)lishing things already known

8roviding things we do not know

&esearc' ()


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.vervie/ o researc' process

$%entiy ro2#em 3no/#e%ge$%entiy ro2#em 3no/#e%ge

4ap4ap

Determine &esearc'Determine &esearc'Question(s)Question(s)

State Aim 5 .2ectivesState Aim 5 .2ectives

&evie/ 7iterature&evie/ 7iterature

Deve#op &esearc' #an (&esources 5 8et'o%)Deve#op &esearc' #an (&esources 5 8et'o%)

Co##ect an% Ana#y9e DataCo##ect an% Ana#y9e Data

ro%uce %issertationro%uce %issertation

&esu#ts %iscussion 5 Conc#usions&esu#ts %iscussion 5 Conc#usions

&ecommen%ations (:urt'er researc' 5 imp#ementation)&ecommen%ations (:urt'er researc' 5 imp#ementation)

dapted from S*:( !/0-2% and ;ryman < (ramer !/003% dapted from S*:( !/0-2% and ;ryman < (ramer !/003%


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*'at is a Dissertation+

• level six >proect@ mod&le st&died over threesemesters

• n in-%ept' researc' investigation of a topica#igne% to yo&r degree

• :e7&ired to )e completed )efore a st&dent can7&alify for an 'onours degree

• :epresents a su2stantia# piece of work re7&iringinitiative and commitment on the part of thest&dent

• Unlike any other mod&le A emphasis is onin%epen%ent #earning and researc' en;uiry"

• N.< B


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Content o t'e %issertation

• The recognised str&ct&re of a logically presented#written report !i"e" dissertation% contains three

componentsC A 1! t'e 2eginning i!e, intro%uctory?

A ! t'e mi%%#e i!e! origina#, main 2o%y o t'ereport? an%

A ! t'e en%, i!e! conc#usions• This is %ynamic and prone to c'ange depending on

s&)ect# research methods# etcB


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Se#ection o a topic

• ot an easy taskB

• (onsider for exampleC

A Stu%y area, su2ect %omain, re#evance toyour a/ar%

A area o interest

A avai#a2i#ity o inormation

A amount vo#ume o researc' re;uire%(time)

A %ata co##ection met'o%(s)

A ;uantitative or ;ua#itative

Aemp#oyers co##a2orators


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Dissertation Assessment n &ndergrad&ate dissertation is a su2stantia# piece of

work assessed against the following criteriaC

A St&dents initiative and planning !7&ality of the

Dissertation 8roposal%E A Fnformation search and critical review !n&m)er 5

7&ality of references%E

A Design and implementation of the work &ndertaken!research methodology incl&ding compliance withethical proced&res%E

A (ritical disc&ssion of work &ndertaken !res&lts#concl&sions and recommendations%E

A Standard of presentation


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Dissertation roposa#

• (ontri)&tes towards yo&r overall mark for the

dissertation

• :epresents a detailed indication of the proposedresearch

• See Naoums text )ook for f&rther examples


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"t'ica# Approva# (1)

• Ff yo&r dissertation involves h&mans !incl&ding7&estionnaires and interviews% and 5 or animals#then yo& will need to o2tain et'ica# approval 2eore cond&cting the data collection

• This is to protect the interests of the participants to

yo&r research !e"g" interviewees# respondents to a7&estionnaire s&rvey# the general p&)lic# etc# etc%


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"t'ica# Approva# ()

• copy of yo&r comp#ete% "t'ics an% Saety :orm

will need to )e incl&ded with yo&r &esearc'roposa# s&)mission

• :efer to the g&idance and forms !look at the mod&leg&ide pack for f&rther information%

• 'ail&re to comply will res&lt in a ai#ure in yo&rdissertationB


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/1/1

=n%erta@ing t'e %issertation in stages (1 o

) Dea%#ine or comp#etion Apri# 01


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/9/9

=n%erta@ing t'e %issertation in stages ( o

) Dea%#ine .cto2er 01


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The 7&estions involved areCThe 7&estions involved areC

What? Selection of topic

Why? :e7&ired for degree5)y employer5forinterest5career development etc

Where? Gatar# University# ind&stry# li)rary# visits toexperts etc

When? Timing and time availa)le is normally specified A manage this time

How? >Iethodology@

Whom? The researcher# the sample personnel# others?

How m&ch? :eso&rces A time# cost etc

Se#ection o a topic


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Se#ection o a topic

Jery often# the most %iicu#t task for any researcher is to

select a topic for st&dy and then reine that topic to prod&c

a proposal# which is via)le"

Su2ect se#ection

Ft is &sef&l to )egin )y constr&cting certain listsC

+ist /C Topics of interest

+ist 2C 8ersonal strengths and weaknesses

+ist C Topics of c&rrent interest in practice

+ist 3C ccess to data

+ist 1C :esearch limitations


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"Gercise in your o/n time

Construct your list on the 5 headings. For each

rank each on their level of importance or ease ascale of 1 to 5

List 1: Topics of interest

List 2: Personal strengths and weaknesses

List 3: Topics of current interest in practice

List 4: Access to data

List 5: Research limitations


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*'at neGt+ :rom no/ unti# anuary01• :eflect# consider# explore# eval&ate a potentialdissertation proect

• Work on the 1 lists• :ead the recommended text )ook !ao&m# 2,,=%!aoum" #$%$ 2&&'( )issertation Research and *riting for

+onstruction #tudents" 2nd ,dition$ -.ford: /utterworth 0einemann$

& '5& 2 (

(omplete 6CN010 D$SS"&


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*'at neGt+ - anuary to Apri# 01

Develop a set of aims < o)ectivesconsisting of a single aim !form&latedfrom the research 7&estion% < 3 K 1

o)ectives"


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• 8roposal and ethics form is d&e pril 2,/2#completion )y Octo)er 2,/2 (see mo%u#e

gui%e or temp#ates)

• +ect&res on the dissertation will take placed&ring each academic visit over the year

• Lo& will )e ta&ght elements of research atappropriate times# )&t the key is read# readreadB

*'at neGt+ - neGt aca%emic year


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• There will )e a s&pervision team !led )y myself% whichwill consist of UoW t&tors who already teach on theGatar programme"

• fter the proposal has )een s&)mitted yo& will )eallocated a %e%icate% supervisor who will take yo&thro&gh from proposal to final s&)mission A will )esomeone who teaches on the Gatar degree"

• Distance s&pport !with UM t&tors via eKmail < Skype%

• Ft is the st&dents responsi)ility to lead on this# we arethere )&t in a passive role onlyB

Support avai#a2#e


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diss startup seminar qatar 2011-12

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