How to write an Dissertation

The advice given here is very general in nature: you must always check with your supervisor and with course documentation what the specific requirements are on your course.

A good dissertation will: 
have a clear objective, based on a well worked out thesis or central question.be well planned and widely researched.show that the student has a good grasp of relevant concepts and is able to apply these in their own work.include analysis, critical evaluation and discussion, rather than simple description.contain consistent and correct referencing.be structured and expressed in an appropriate academic way.show your tutors that you have learnt something on the course and have been able to use this to produce a well argued extended piece of academic work.

A mediocre dissertation will: 
have a very general or unclear title.be poorly planned, with a narrow field of research.rely heavily on source material, with little or no attempt to apply this to the student's aims.be mostly descriptive.contain little or no referencing, perhaps in an incorrect format.be poorly structured, with possible plagiarism of source material.not convince your tutors that you have learnt much.

Structure Of Dissertation
A basic framework would be:

Title page 
Title, your name, course name, date, name of supervisor 

Abstract 
One paragraph summarising the whole dissertation 

Acknowledgements 
Thanks to those who have assisted you 

Table of contents 
Chapters and/or sections & sub-sections with page numbers 

Table of figures 
If appropriate 

Introduction 
A presentation of your question/problem/thesis, with a brief outline of the structure of your work 

Main body/discussion 
The facts, evidence, analysis, evaluation and discussion. All very well structured: arts/social sciences tending towards paragraphs; sciences/engineering towards sections; business a mixture of the two. 

Conclusion/findings 
Where you bring it all together, stating very clearly your answer to your central question and if appropriate making recommendations, suggestions etc. 

Bibliography 
A complete list of your sources, correctly formatted. 

Appendices 
Any information not central to your main text or too large to be included: 
for example, complete questionnaires, copies of letters, maps etc.

Other sections you may be asked to include could be terms of reference, procedure, methodology, executive summary, literature review or recommendations.