Dissertation submission guidelines

You are required to submit one bound copy (red soft binding) of the dissertation and also an e-copy must be uploaded via the Masters e-submission webpage. It is unnecessary to include a copy of the enhanced feedback form or to anonymize the e-copy.

 

The dissertation must not exceed 12,000 words, exclusive of references, necessary tables and appendices. Appendices should be kept to a minimum.

Presentation of the Dissertation

Dissertations should be typewritten on A4 good quality paper, double-sided, double spaced,

with a margin of at least 4cm on the left hand side. Adequate margins should also be left on

the other three edges.

• Please ensure that your name and student ID number are on the title page
• Please use 12 point Arial or Times New Roman font
• Double spaced
• Double sided
• Page numbers should be included

You should carefully proof-read your dissertation for typographical errors and correct them before submitting the dissertation.

Title

The title should describe the content of the dissertation accurately and concisely.

Title Page

The title page should give the following information in the order listed:

1. Full title of the dissertation and the subtitle if any
2. Full name, followed, if so desired, by any qualifications, Warwick ID number
3. Statement: “Dissertation presented as a partial requirement for the award of MSc (Mathematics Education)/MA (Drama and Theatre Education)/MA (Educational Leadership and Innovation)/MA (Educational Studies)/MA (Religious Education)/MA Educational Research Methods of the University of Warwick”
4. Affiliation: Institute of Education
5. The month and year of submission.

Table of Contents

This should immediately follow the title page. It should list in sequence, with page numbers, all relevant subdivisions of the dissertation.

 

Acknowledgements

On the page following the table of contents.

Abstract

You must provide a summary of the dissertation not exceeding 300 words (1 page). Single spaced typing is permitted. This should be a synopsis of the dissertation and provide an indication of its nature and scope. A brief statement of the method of investigation together with the main argument and conclusion should be included.

 

Referencing Conventions

You should follow the version of the Harvard system of referencing recommended below. Inadequate referencing is one of the commonest faults in dissertations. The rule is that anything which is not either common knowledge or your own original work must be referenced. To fail to do so may constitute plagiarism, which will lead to severe penalties. (Please see the section on Cheating/Plagiarism later in this handbook for further information). The reference list which appears at the end of your assignment/dissertation should constitute the full list of reading material cited in your dissertation. Please do not include in your reference list texts not referred to in your dissertation.

Please model your own referencing on the examples provided below.

For quotations

In her study of primary school teachers, Nias writes that 'the tradition of the teachers who see themselves as “crusader” and “missionary” is a long-standing one in this country' (Nias, 1989, p.33).

OR

For references without direct quotation

Nias (1981) argues that teachers see themselves as committed to one or more of four things...

Secondary References

On occasion you may wish to make reference to work that is quoted or referred to in something you have read. This is known as secondary referencing. In this case the form to adopt is as follows:

Poppleton (cited in Nias, 1989) offers an incisive analysis of teacher satisfaction...

Your reference list will then contain details of Nias, not Poppleton.

The list of references should appear at the end but before any appendices. Please use the heading ‘References’. References should be in alphabetical order by surname. If several papers by the same author and from the same year are cited, a,b,c, etc. should be put after the year of publication (e.g. DES, 1989a). Please model your references on the examples provided below.

For books:

Scott, P. (1984) The Crisis of the University, London, Croom Helm.

For articles in journals:

Cremin, L. A. (1983).'The problematic of education in the 1980s: some reflections on the Oxford Workshop', Oxford Review of Education, Vol.9, No.2. pp 33-40.

For chapters within books:

Willis, P. (1983) 'Cultural production and theories of reproduction', in Barton, L. & Walker, S. (Eds) Race, Class and Education, London, Croom Helm, pp 17-37.

You may also wish to reference material you have found on the Internet. The precise conventions for doing this are not yet fixed, but the system we recommend is as follows. Note that all these references indicate the date on which you accessed the source. Material on the Internet has a tendency to be temporary rather than permanent and indeed much of it is undated. It is important therefore to place it in time.

For an online journal article:

Medwell, J. (2000) ‘Teachers learning to use the Internet: some insights from the United Kingdom experience’, Reading Online (Online Journal). Available at: http://www.readingonline.org/international/medwell/

Accessed on Jan 12th, 2004.

For a web site:

 

Wray, D. (undated) Literacy across the world (Web site). Available at:

http://www.warwick.ac.uk/staff/D.J.Wray/Wray.html

Accessed on Jan 12th, 2004.

For a section of a web site:

 

Wray, D. (undated) ‘An Approach to Standard English’ (Online article). Available at: http://www.warwick.ac.uk/staff/D.J.Wray/Standeng.html

Accessed on Jan 12th, 2004.

For a contribution to a discussion group

Rog, L. (17th Jan. 2000) ‘Excellent Reading Instruction’ (Contribution to the RTeacher discussion group RTEACHER@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU). Available at: http://listserv.syr.edu/archives/rteacher.html 

Accessed on Jan 12th, 2004.

 

 

 

 

Dissertation Binding

You are required to submit one copy of the dissertation in soft red binding to your Course Administrator : (Warwick Print will deliver your dissertation if you request this at the time of order)

Caroline Parker

c/o Avon Reception

Institute of Education

University of Warwick

Coventry CV4 7AL

Information on all printing and binding requests: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/retail/warwickprint/bookbinding/

When selecting your printing options ensure that your request red soft binding and double sided printing.

Finally please ensure that your name and student ID number are on the title page.