Writing your Dissertation

in the Discipline of Politics and International Studies

by Renske Doorenspleet

workshop MA dissertation May 2009

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How to write a dissertation? What do we need?

Elements of the research process (and your dissertation) structure!

(A) research design(B) topics(C) research questions(D) research strategies(E) theories and hypotheses(F) concepts, variables and measurements(G) case selection(H) data collection (I) data analyses(J) conclusion(K) writing of dissertation (including notes and bibliography)(L) submission of dissertation

(see also Blaikie 2005: p. 33)

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Definition:first step in research process, the logical structure and plan of research project

Function:to ensure that the evidence obtained enables us to answer the initial question as clearly as possible.tells you about what, why and how a topic will be studied!

(see also De Vaus 2001: Chapter 1)

(A) What is a research design?

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Definition:first step in research process, the logical structure and plan of research project

Function:to ensure that the evidence obtained enables us to answer the initial question as clearly as possible.tells you about what, why and how a topic will be studied!

(see also De Vaus 2001: Chapter 1)

(A) What is a research design?

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(B) Topics

ethnic identity, British politics, terrorism, democracy, social policy, war and conflict, AIDS, Sri Lanka, education, development aid, global warming, justice, United Nations, gender, Chile, international trade, Africa, ideology, welfare state

etc...... (see ‘dissertation topic’ workshop!)

Academic research has infinite number of topics ↔ applied research is limited

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(C) Research questions

Types of research questions:

What? descriptions

Why? explanations

How? change / mechanisms

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(C) Research questions

Role of research questions

organization, direction and coherence boundaries focus framework link with needed methods and data

(see also Punch 2005: Chapter 3)

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(C) Research questions

Criteria of good research questions

clear

answerability

interconnectedness

substantially relevant

(see also Punch 2005: Chapter 3)

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(C) Research questions

Why focus on a specific question?

personal (curiosity & career, taste & training)

academic (literature, theory, models)

social (people, politics and policy)

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(D) Research strategies

The linear model

Problem formulation

Design of final data collection

instrument

Design of final sample

Data analysis

Coding and checking

Pilot study

Design of data collection instrument

Sample design

Data specification

Data collection

(see also Burnham et al. 2004: p. 43)

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(D) Research strategies

but…

research is a seamless web

without a clear order and

without a defined beginning or end

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(D) Research strategies

The research wheelTheory

Research Questions

Concepts

New theory

Data analysis

Data collection

Case Selection

(see also Burnham et al. 2004: p. 46; de Vaus 2001: p.8)

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(E) What is a theory?

A theory is like a kaleidoscope:

A tube, a number of lenses and

fragments of coloured glass.

When you turn the tube,

the shapes and colours change.

Different lenses come into play and

the combinations of colour and

shape shift from one pattern to

another. (from O’Brien 1993)

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(E) What is a theory?

A theory is a systematic explanation for observations that relate to a particular aspect of life (Babbie 2006: Ch. 2)

A theory is a set of concepts used to define and/or explain some phenomenon (Silverman 2005: Ch. 7)

Examples: theories of revolutions, poverty, war , terrorism, social class, political leadership, voting behaviour

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(E) What is a theory?

Functions of theories:

FrameworkGuide Explanation of empirical observationsSystematizeNew ideasDebate, exchange of knowledge

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(E) What is a theory?

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(E) What is a theory?

Theoretical idea: Only in a wealthy society can a situation exist inwhich ‘the mass of the population could intelligently participate inpolitics and could develop the self-restraint necessary to avoidsuccumbing to the appeals of irresponsible demagogues. A societydivided between a large impoverished mass and a small favoredelite would result either in oligarchy (...) or in tyranny’ (Lipset 1959: 75).

A concrete example: Lipset’s explanation for democracy

Lipset’s research question:

Why are some countries democratic and other countries not?

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Dominant theory to explain democracy

Modernization theories (Lerner 1958; Lipset 1959)

Several alternative explanations for democracy

Dependency theories(Frank 1967; Amin 1976; Cardoso 1973)

World-system theories (Wallerstein 1979)

Historical structural theories(Moore 1966; Rueschemeyer et al. 1992)

Actor-oriented approaches(Rustow 1970; O'Donnell et al. 1986; Przeworski 1991)

(E) What is a theory?

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(E) What is a hypothesis?

A testable proposition (Silverman 2005: Table 7.2)

A statement that can be tested in research (Babbie 2006: 47)

Hypothesis testing is designed to detect:

• significant differences between two or more variables: differences that did not occur by random chance

• significant relationships between two or more variables: relationships that did not occur by random chance

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(E) What is a hypothesis?

Good examples on basis of Lipset’s 1959 article:

‘The more economic development, the more democracy in a country’

‘Economic development is postively related to democracy, with more developed countries being more democratic than less developed countries’

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(E) What is a hypothesis?

Bad examples on basis of Lipset’s 1959 article:

‘Poor countries are not democratic’

‘Rich countries are democratic’

Not hypotheses, but more statements!

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(E) What is a hypothesis?

Good examples from other research:

‘Gender is related to income, with men having a higher income than women’

‘Men are more likely to earn a high income than are women’

(See also Babbie 2006: 47)

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(E) What is a hypothesis?

Bad examples from other research:

‘Gender is positively related to income’

‘Men are positively related to income’

(See also Babbie 2006: 47)

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(E) Theories are crucial !!!

Translation of Dutch cartoon:

Fokke and Sukke know what it is all about in science.

Fokke: ‘Very impressive, colleague, but does it also work in theory?’

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(F) Concepts and measurements

A concept is an idea deriving from a given model

(Silverman 2005: Ch. 7)

Concepts on basis of Lipset’s 1959 article:

DemocracyEconomic development Dependency and world-system role Class structure Actors Democratic diffusion Civil society

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(F) Concepts and measurements

Measurements on basis of Lipset’s 1959 article:

Level of democracy Polity data

Level of economic development GNP per capita

Level of dependency trade as % of GDP

Type of class structure

Level of democratic diffusion

Size of civil society

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(G) case selection

- What are your cases? Countries? Social movements? Ethnic groups?

- One case? Justification of case selection needed!

- Two or more cases? Justification of cases and comparisons needed

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(H) data collection and (I) data analyses

- Quantitative or qualitative?

- Which methods and techniques?

- Literature review

- Field research

- Interviews

- Quantitative statistical analyses

(see also Burnham et al. 2004 for overview methods and techniques)

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(J) conclusion

Dissertation needs a clear conclusion

with

answers to research question

strengths and weaknesses of own research

implications for existing knowledge

direction for future research

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Build on existing studies: do not reinvent the wheel !Open to change directionThink critically about own approachAdd something

conceptmethodsthird variablenew datacombine theories etc

Think about implications for future research

Doing your own research: some additional advice

Criteria original research

(J) conclusion

(see also Silverman 2005: Chapter 5)

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Try to be originalnot copied, not imitated or translated from anything elsenovel, independent, critical thinking

But don’t try to be a genius

Doing your own research: some additional advice

(J) conclusion

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See slides of this presentation

Selection of relevant literature from this presentation:Babbie, E., (2006). The Practice of Social Research, Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing CompanyBryman, A., (2004). Social Research Methods, Oxford University PressBurnham, P., Gilland, K., Grant, W. and Layton-Henry, Z., (2004). Research Methods in Politics, PalgraveSilverman, (2005). Doing Qualitative Research, London: Sage

Additional literature on writing process:Greetham, B. (2001) How to Write Better Essays, PalgraveDunleavy, P. (2003) Authoring a PhD, How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation, PalgraveSee also: www.skills4study.com

Notes, references and bibliography: see MA handbook (pp. 45-53)

(K) writing of dissertation

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Submission process: see MA handbook (p. 7 and pp. 35-43)

Plagiarism = cheating = fraud = penalty! see MA handbook (pp. 39 – 40)

Grading system and criteria of different marks: see MA handbook (pp. 54-58)

(L) submission of dissertation