Proper Formatting for Dissertations

One of the important aspects of a successful dissertation is the use of the proper dissertation format. Dissertation writing has to be accomplished in an orderly manner in conforming with university standards. Below is an outline of sections that a dissertations contains and the common guidelines of dissertation formatting. It is arranged according to how the section appears in the dissertation.

1. Title Page – This part contains the name of the university, dissertation title, author's name, major and the date. The title page does not contain any numbers.
2. Acknowledgement – This is probably the easiest part of the dissertation to make. Here, the writer will acknowledgement all people and organisations who have helped to complete the dissertation. Although this section may contain a personal message, the dissertation writing should still be formal.
3. Abstract – This gives a summary of the dissertation in less than 350 words, giving an overview of what the study is about and what it hopes to contribute to a particular field of study. It is written on a separate page.
4. Introduction – This will summarize the background information on the subject being studied and will introduce the reader to the thesis statement and the problem.
5. Literature Review – This chapter analyses and summarizes all information and relevant studies on the subject.
6. Methodology – This chapter reveals the research design implemented on the study. It will also provide an explanation as to how the data was obtained, the population, sampling and data analysis.
7. Discussion and Results – This part will discuss in detail the results of the investigation or experiment.
8. Conclusion – This provides a summary of the entire dissertation, especially the findings. This will also provide the recommendations of the author as a result of the study.
9. Reference – This part gives a detailed list of all works cited and quoted within the dissertation. There are several referencing styles that a student can use depending on the university and his/her programme.
10. Appendix – This part gives additional supplemental information which are important to the dissertation, but was not included in the body.

Most universities and colleges release a document called a dissertation guide to explain the acceptable rules in dissertation writing, including the dissertation format. The font size and style, line and paragraph spacing, and margin requirements are included in this dissertation guide.