National College of Business Administration & Economics

DISSERTATION OUTLINE
1. Proposal
2. Title page
3. Signature page
4. Approval Sheet
5. Statement of Permission to Use
6. Preface
7. Acknowledgements page
8. Dedication page
9. Table of Contents
10. List of Tables, Charts, Figures
11. List of Symbols and Abbreviations
12. Abstract
13. Synopsis
14. Executive Summary
15. Introduction
a. Statement of the Problem
16. Hypothesis
a. Rationale
17. Literature Review
18. Methodology
a. Statistical Analysis
b. Data Collection
c. Subject Population
19. Conclusion
a. Results
b. Discussion
c. Recommendations
20. Endnotes
21. Bibliography, References, Works Cited
22. Appendices

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1. Proposal
The main purpose of a dissertation, thesis, or research proposal is to prove each of the
following:
a) the problem is significant enough to warrant investigation;
b) the method one plans to use is suitable and feasible;
c) the results are likely to be fruitful and will make an original contribution.
The proposal will provide a general idea of what one is proposing to research, but it
does not have to be a final, binding commitment. It can serve as a starting point for
discussions with one's supervisor about topic, methodology, and mechanics of
research.
While the structure of a standard dissertation proposal is not set in stone, a typical
proposal includes the following:
aims and objectives
significance
review of previous research in the area and justification for further research
proposed methods
expected outcomes and their importance
requirements for equipment, materials, field trips, and funding (if applicable)
approximate time by which each stage will be completed
The length of one's dissertation proposal can range from 34 pages to 3040 pages,
depending on the requirements of a particular department in a particular university. It
is essential for one to confirm the exact requirements with one's department.
2. Title Page
The student's name must appear on this page in exactly the same form as is registered
with the academic institution. The student's name should appear exactly as it does on
the abstract. The date on this page must be the date of the conferral of the degree, not
the date of the submission of the thesis or dissertation. This page is assigned Roman
numeral "i," although the number should not appear on the page.
3. Signature Page (Approval Sheet)
Each copy of the thesis or dissertation submitted to the academic institution should
include a signature page. This page should be the same size and type of paper as the
remainder of the thesis or dissertation. The font should also be the same size and face
as the remainder of the thesis or dissertation. The student's name on the signature
page and title page must appear in exactly the same form as is registered with the
academic institution. Although the duplicate signature pages may be copies, the
committee signatures must be original. The number of signature lines must equal the
number of committee members. The major and degree to be awarded must be exactly
those to which the student was admitted officially by the graduate school. The
signature page is not numbered or counted in any way.
4. Approval Sheet (Signature Page)
Each copy of the thesis or dissertation submitted to the academic institution should
include an approval sheet. This sheet should be the same size and type of paper as the

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remainder of the thesis or dissertation. The font should also be the same size and face
as the remainder of the thesis or dissertation. The student's name on the approval
sheet and title page must appear in exactly the same form as is registered with the
academic institution. Although the approval sheets may be copies, the committee
signatures must be original. The number of signature lines must equal the number of
committee members. The major and degree to be awarded must be exactly those to
which the student was admitted officially by the graduate school. The approval sheets
are not numbered or counted in any way.
5. Acknowledgements Page
A personal statement about the project may be included in the preface. The tone of a
preface, however, must be academic and appropriate to a scholarly work. The preface
is also used to thank those who have helped the student in obtaining the graduate
degree. In addition, the student may list permissions to quote copyrighted material
here, as well as acknowledgments for grants and special funding. The month and year
of submission to the supervising committee should be included at the bottom of the
page. This is the first page on which Roman numerals should appear.
6. Dedication Page
If the student wishes to dedicate the dissertation or thesis to an individual or group of
people, this is the appropriate place to do so. The text of the dedication page should
not exceed two or three paragraphs.
7. Table of Contents
The table of contents must accurately reflect the exact organization of the dissertation
or thesis. It may vary in style and amount of information. However, Chapter or
Section titles, the Bibliography (and/or Works Cited), the Appendix(es), if any, and
the Vita must be included. Page numbers given for the Bibliography and Appendix
should be those assigned to the separation sheet preceding each of those items. It is
not necessary to include all levels of headings, but there must be consistentcy. If a
particular level is included at any point, all headings of that level must be
included. Pages with Roman numerals should not be included; the Table of Contents
entries start with page 1.
8. List of Tables, Charts, and Figures
If there are five or more tables, charts, and/or figures, this list must be included.
Because plates are sometimes not part of the bound dissertation or thesis, a List of
Plates must be included if plates are used. There must be separate lists for tables,
charts, figures, and/or plates. Any tables or figures appearing in the appendix should
be included in the appropriate list. Each title must be different from the other
titles. Each title must appear in an appropriate list with the exact wording that appears
on the corresponding table, chart, figure, and/or plate.
9. List of Symbols and Abbreviations
If a dissertation or thesis contains specialized symbols and/or abbreviations that have
meanings outside of common knowledge, this list of definitions should be
included. Such information may also be placed in an appendix.

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10. Abstract
The abstract should be a concise statement of the content and significance of the
dissertation or thesis. It should consist of continuous, coherent summary, not
disconnected notes or impertinent jargon.
The student must include an abstract with each copy of the dissertation or thesis
submitted to the college. Although the content of the abstract is determined by the
student and his or her graduate committee, the following information should be
included:
short statement about the area of investigation
brief discussion of the methods and procedures used in gathering data
condensed summary of the findings
conclusions reached in the study
Mathematical formulas and words in foreign languages should be identified clearly
and accurately so that they may be printed in Dissertations Abstracts International. If
there are errors or inconsistencies, the abstract may be temporarily withheld from
publication
until
the
author
can
be
reached
for
clarification.
The name appearing on the abstract must be the same as that on the title page. The
title of the abstract must be the same as that of the finished dissertation or thesis.
11. Synopsis
A brief outline or general view of the main points of the argument or theory behind a
dissertation or thesis; similar to an abstract or a summary.
12. Executive Summary
The Executive Summary is aptly namedit summarizes the dissertation or thesis in a
clear, concise, persuasive manner. It provides the reader with an introduction to the
purpose of the dissertation or thesis. Ideally, it will also serve to spark the reader's
interest. The Executive Summary should always be written last.
13. Introduction
The Introduction should identify the topic and explain why it is important. It must be
adequately informative, yet easy to follow. It should state the problem as simply as
possible, taking into account the broader view of the discipline as a whole.
The student should not overestimate the reader's familiarity with the topic. The
Introduction will be read by those who are somewhat acquainted with the general
area, but not all readers will be specialists in the particular topic. The student should
write in an intelligent, logical, concise manner, but the Introduction should be
presented in such a way that one who knows little of the literature or particular topic
will gain a solid understanding of the dissertation's purpose and subject matter.
The Introduction must be interesting, as well. If the reader becomes bored while
reading the first section of the dissertation or thesis, he or she is unlikely to regain
interest in the following sections. In fact, the reader may stop reading altogether! To

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prevent such disaster, tradition permits prose in the first few paragraphs that is less
dry than the formal, scientific or literary norm.
a) Statement of the Problem
There must always be a clear rationale for a student's hypothesis. Such
rationale is typically presented in the form of a problem statement that
explains what issue or controversy needs to be resolved. The writer's
hypothesis will make a prediction about the problem's likely resolution.
14. Hypothesis
The hypothesis section of a thesis or dissertation identifies the problem to be explored
and its importance to the field of study. It asserts that the student's research may help
to solve the problem under investigation. The writer's hypothesis is essentially a
statement of what he or she believes the study will prove and/or solve.
a) Rationale
The rationale for a study is based on the writer's belief in the need for
additional or completely new research on a unique problem in a given
field. The rationale should explain, defend, and/or prove that the current
literature (if any) and current findings (if any) on the given problem are
inadequate, outdated, and/or inaccurate. Basically, the rationale should
identify the student's reasoning and justification for writing a dissertation or
thesis on the particular subject.
15. Literature Review
The Literature Review is a thorough summary of the recognized facts and information
in academic literature about a given subject. Most cited sources in a dissertation or
thesis are listed in the Literature Review. The student must locate previous research
studies (usually found in professional journal articles) that have contributed to the
field in a manner similar to what his or her own thesis or dissertation proposes. If
little academic writing exists on a given subject, composing the Literature Review
will be a very difficult task. The standard Literature Review should:
justify the reason for the student's research. The student must convince the
reader that his or her research is important and beneficial.
allow the student to establish his or her theoretical framework and
methodological focus. The Literature Review often becomes the basis for the
entire thesis or dissertation.
summarize each piece of literature in a few sentences and identify the
approach taken by each author.
evaluate the approach of each author and put it into a context.
explain why each piece of literature was chosen as reference material for the
dissertation or thesis.
demonstrate the student's knowledge of the field. The student should not merely
report what he or she has read. Instead, the student must show that he or she has a
thorough, deep connection to the area of study; knows what the most important issues
are and their relevance to his or her investigation; understands the controversies;
recognizes what has been neglected; knows where previous studies have gone and
anticipates where the field will go as a result of his or her study.

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16. Methodology
The Methodology section can vary significantly in length and content, depending on
the subject matter, type of experiment being conducted, and particular
requirements. Most academic institutions require this section to include a detailed
explanation of the subject population, procedures, timelines, objectives, limitations,
instruments, data collection, ethical considerations, tools, and statistical analysis. The
writer must be extremely thorough and detailed.
a) Statistical Analysis
Included in the methodology section should be a thorough explanation of data
and the methods by which data was obtained. Instruments of data collection
vary, but common methods include surveys, interviews, questionnaires, and
case studies. The writer must show methodological expertise through
analyzing the benefits and limitations of every method of data collection used
in preparing the project.
b) Data Collection
Included in the methodology section should be a thorough explanation of data
and the methods by which data was obtained. Instruments of data collection
vary, but common methods include surveys, interviews, questionnaires, and
case studies. The writer must show methodological expertise through
analyzing the benefits and limitations of every method of data collection used
in
preparing
the
dissertation
or
thesis.
Data collection must not conclude until a sufficient number of subjects are
evaluated, establishing a solid basis for assertions and the applicability of
findings for the subject population. The writer must display knowledge and
understanding of the differences between qualitative and quantitative data.
c) Subject Population
Included in the methodology section should be a thorough explanation and
definition of the subject population (person or thing being studied). The writer
must not only identify the subject population, associated demographics, and
resulting data, but also acknowledge any possible biases or irregularities
resulting from gender, age, race, sexuality, religious beliefs, political
affiliation, educational level, etc.
17. Conclusion
The conclusion may be the most important part of the project. The writer must not
merely repeat the introduction, but explain in expert-like detail what has been learned,
explained, decided, proven, etc. The writer must reveal the ways in which the paper's
thesis might have significance in society.
A conclusion should strive to answer questions that readers logically raise--"Why are
you telling me this? Why do you think I need to understand your main point?" The
conclusion may place the paper in a larger context, serve as a call for action, set forth
a warning or hypothesis, intentionally complicate the issues already introduced, raise
a question or questions, introduce a relevant quote, or tell an appropriate anecdote.

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Again, the writer should not depend on the conclusion to sum up the body
paragraphs. Paragraphs should flow naturally into one another and connections
should be made among them. Summary can be an important function of a conclusion,
but this part must be brief; readers know what they've just read. The writer should
point out the importance or implications of the research on an area of societal
concern. The writer could also mention the lack of conclusion in the field. This
demonstrates understanding of the subject's complexity. The writer may choose to
propose what may be the natural next step to take in light of what the argument is
attempting to convince. The conclusion should not end with a quotation or statement
that could very well be the subject of another paper. The former deflects attention
away from one as writer and thinker; the latter deflects attention from what one is
conveying in the paper.
a) Results
The results section is not the place for opinion or conjecture. The writer
should limit this section to clear, concrete facts. The findings and results
should be completely and accurately stated, regardless of whether or not they
support the writer's hypothesis.
b) Discussion
The writer must critically analyze the unbiased results of the research. One
should present statistical data and analyze the resulting figures in an attempt to
judge the suggestions inherent in his or her findings. The writer may also
reference the Literature Review in order to show how his or her research
builds upon previous work in the field of study.
c) Recommendations
This section should be included in a report when the results and conclusions
indicate that further work must be done or when the writer needs to discuss
several possible options to best remedy a problem. The writer should not
introduce new ideas in the recommendations section, but rely on the evidence
presented in the results and conclusions sections. Via the recommendations
section, the writer is able to demonstrate that he or she fully understands the
importance and implications of his or her research by suggesting ways in
which it may be further developed.
18. Endnotes and Footnotes
Endnotes (citations and reference lists gathered at the end of each chapter or at the
end of the paper) have been popular among academic writers, primarily because they
make the transition from a submitted manuscript to published resource so much
easier. Even so, parenthetical documentation styles (and their corresponding "Works
Cited" and/or "Bibliography" list) have supplanted both footnotes and endnotes in
most academic disciplines. Because of its relative ease in both writing and reading,
parenthetical documentation is greatly preferred by most instructors.
For writers in some disciplines, howevermost notably in some of the humanities
disciplines such as music, art, religion, theology, and even historyfootnotes are still
widely in use. A student must check with his or her instructor to make sure that
parenthetical documentation is an acceptable method of citing resources.
If used, the placement of footnotes can be at the bottom of the page, the end of the

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chapter, within the text (e.g., Johnson, 2003), or combined at the end of the text of the
thesis, depending on the manuscript style. The writer must be consistent,
however. An advisor or professor should approve of the footnote style. Remember, if
consistent with the style sheet, footnotes or endnotes can be single-spaced.
Footnotes and endnotes appear with their corresponding superscript number and are
written with the first line indented.
19. Bibliography and Works Cited
The bibliography lists books, articles, or other works consulted in preparing the
paper. It must be included even if endnotes or footnotes are used. The arrangement
of the bibliography and the information in each entry is determined by the chosen
style (MLA, APA, Harvard, Turabian, Chicago, etc.).
In the Works Cited section, all cited sources should be listed in alphabetical
order. These sources may include books, articles, magazines, newspapers, electronic
resources, audio-visual materials, etc. Within the text of the paper, parentheses
should show readers where the writer found each piece of cited information. These
textual citations allow the reader to refer to the Works Cited page(s) for further
information. Following are recommended format for various types of referencing;
a. Book:
LastName,FirstLetter.(Year). Title of the Book. (Edition). City: Publisher e.g.
Russell, S., & Norvig, P. (1995). Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Apporach
(2nd ed.). London: Printice Hall
LastName, F. (Year). ChapterTitle. In BFirst. BMiddle. BLastName,
BookTitle (pp. 99,99,99). City: Publisher.
b. Journal:
LastName, F. (1999). PaperTitle. JournalName, 99-99 e.g.
Aleksander, I., & Dunmall, B. (2003). Axioms and Tests for the Presence
of Minimal Consciousness in Agents. (I. O. Imprint, Ed.) Machine
Consciousnes.
c. Report:
LastName, F. (1999). ReportTitle. City: Publisher.
d. Web Site:
LastName. F. (1999,01 31). NameofWebPage. Retrieved from
NameofWebsite: http://www.detailurl.of.website
e. Conference Paper:
LastName, F. (1999). PaperTitle. ConferenceName (pp. 99-99). City:
Publisher

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20. Appendix(ces)
Materials that are peripheral but relevant to the main text of the project should be
placed in appendices. These may include survey instruments, additional data,
computer printouts, details of a procedure or analysis, a relevant paper written by the
student, etc. Appendix material must meet the same requirements of page
composition, pagination, legibility, and paper quality as the text itself. On the first
page of each appendix the page number is placed at the bottom of the page, centered
between the margins.
Appendices should be designated A, B, C, etc. If there is only one appendix, it is
simply called Appendix, not Appendix A. Each appendix and its title are listed in the
Table of Contents. A separate display page, giving the appendix designation and title,
may precede each appendix. If used, the page number of the display page is the one
listed in the Table of Contents.