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• Dissertation

6 étapes incontournables pour réaliser une dissertation

Publié le 2 octobre 2019 par Justine Debret . Mis à jour le 31 janvier 2024.

En français, la dissertation est un exercice d’argumentation qui se construit en 6 étapes. Nous allons vous expliquer comment faire une dissertation de A à Z.

Pour faire une dissertation, c’est très simple :

• Lire et analyser le sujet
• Trouver la problématique
• Faire le plan de la dissertation
• Rédiger l’introduction
• Rédiger le développement
• Faire la conclusion

Pour tout comprendre sur comment faire une dissertation, nous allons utiliser un exemple concret issu des annales du Bac S de philosophie de 2019.

Table des matières

1. lire et analyser le sujet, 2. trouver la problématique, 3. faire le plan de la dissertation, 4. rédiger l’introduction, 5. rédiger le développement de la dissertation, 6. ecrire la conclusion, présentation gratuite.

Vous allez devoir produire une réflexion organisée sur un sujet spécifique qui vous est imposé.

Le sujet peut être :

• une question
• un thème ou concept
• une citation

Si vous avez le choix entre plusieurs sujets, sélectionnez celui qui vous inspire le plus et sur lequel vous avez le plus de connaissances. Il faudra le choisir rapidement si vous devez faire une dissertation lors d’un examen de quelques heures (dans les 10 premières minutes).

Une fois le sujet choisi, vous allez devoir définir chaque terme présent dans l’intitulé, afin de mieux le comprendre.

Exemple : Reconnaître ses devoirs, est-ce renoncer à sa liberté ?

Essayez ensuite de reformuler le sujet complètement à partir de vos définitions ou de synonymes.

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Lisez plusieurs fois la reformulation du sujet rédigée à partir de vos définitions. Au brouillon, écrivez toutes les idées qui vous viennent à l’esprit sur le sujet (exemples, auteurs, événements, …).

C’est à partir de ces connaissances et votre reformulation que vous allez pouvoir trouver votre problématique.

Petit conseil ! Utilisez cette question clé : à quel(s) problème(s) ces connaissances tentent-elles de répondre ?

Une question centrale va émerger et c’est à partir de cette dernière que votre dissertation va se construire pour créer un débat où s’affrontent des thèses divergentes.

Le plan d’une dissertation peut prendre diverses formes. L’important est qu’il réponde bien à votre problématique pour que vous évitiez le hors-sujet.

• Utilisez votre brouillon initial sur lequel vous avez noté vos idées.
• Classez ensuite ces idées par thématique ou argument.
• Normalement, vous pourrez arriver à deux ou trois idées principales, divisées en deux ou trois sous-parties qui seront illustrées par des exemples concrets.
• N’oubliez pas de rédiger une transition entre chaque grande partie (conclusion de la partie actuelle et introduction de la partie suivante).

I) Les devoirs de l’Homme, une soumission naturelle et nécessaire ?

1) Les devoirs, un concept pluriel et contextuel -> Expliquez ici quels sont les différents devoirs que nous rencontrons et en quoi il divergent en fonction des cultures et systèmes étatiques. -> L’existence de devoirs pluriels (travail, citoyenneté, devoir par rapport à la famille, devoir scolaire, droits et devoirs de l’Homme).

2) L’Homme contraint par nature ? -> Concept de contrainte imposée par la nature sur l’Homme (la nature de l’Homme). -> Hobbes et “l’Homme est un loup pour l’Homme” : il abandonne sa liberté et vit en société pour survivre car la nature de l’Homme est agressive.

3) L’Homme : un animal social contraint pour sa liberté ? -> Aristote parlait du concept d’”animal social”. -> Le devoir de morale et d’empathie chez Rousseau fait qu’un être est humain (naturellement) et sociable. -> Sartre et son concept de liberté et libre arbitre : l’Homme est libre et responsable de ses actes naturellement (c’est inné). C’est pour cela qu’il peut vivre en société.

– TRANSITION –

II) La libération de l’Homme par le devoir

1) La culture libératrice -> Le devoir nous permet de nous cultiver et donc de nous libérer de la nature qui est en nous (Kant). -> L’école et l’éducation, le vote, … sont des droits et devoirs qui nous libèrent de notre ignorance naturelle (innée) et de la contrainte du déterminisme. -> Freud et les pulsions de l’Homme qui sont contrôlées intérieurement pas le surmoi. La pression sociale et les devoirs sociaux nous permettent de nous libérer de nos pulsions et désirs en les rejetant dans le ca.

2) Le travail comme contrainte de libération quotidienne -> Le concept de travail comme contrainte/liberté (apporte l’estime de soi, mais nous contraint lourdement) avec Platon, Marx (“l’opium du peuple”) et Kant.

3) La reconnaissance comme liberté -> Kant définit l’autonomie comme la capacité à se donner ses propres règles et de les suivre. La liberté ne consiste donc pas à échapper à toute règle, à tout devoir, mais à se les donner et à y soumettre ses actes. -> Exemple du devoir de mémoire des survivants de la Seconde Guerre mondiale : processus de libération psychologique personnelle et rôle de devoir citoyen.

L’introduction d’une dissertation doit suivre une structure stricte. Elle introduit le sujet, la problématique et le plan.

Les parties d’une introduction de dissertation sont :

• Une amorce ou phrase d’accroche.
• L’énoncé du sujet.
• La définition des termes et reformulation du sujet.
• La problématique.
• L’annonce du plan.

Le droit de vote est considéré par les institutions comme un devoir moral pour les citoyens, comme le rappelle l’inscription figurant sur les cartes électorales : « Voter est un droit, c’est aussi un devoir civique ».

Les devoirs explicitent un comportement à suivre ou à ne pas suivre. Ils préconisent la conformité avec une règle. Cette notion semble en contradiction avec celle de la liberté, car le devoir s’opposerait à une impulsion ou un désir qui définirait notre liberté.

Toutefois, cette conception de la liberté est naïve et limitée, car être libre ne consiste pas à faire ce que l’on veut. De même, le devoir ne se limite pas à une contrainte imposée de l’extérieur. Il peut s’agit d’une obligation qu l’on décide de s’imposer librement.

Nous questionnons donc ces concepts en essayant de répondre à la problématique suivante : peut-on vraiment dire qu’on renonce à sa liberté quand on fait le choix de se soumettre à ses devoirs, quand on exerce donc sa liberté avec son libre-arbitre ?

Notre raisonnement questionnera tout d’abord les devoirs de l’Homme comme une soumission naturelle et nécessaire (I), avant d’interroger la possible libération de l’Homme par le devoir (II).

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Le développement d’une dissertation comporte toujours deux ou trois parties. Si vous faites une dissertation en deux parties, vous devrez rédiger trois sous-parties pour chacune (deux si vous faites trois grandes parties).

Chaque partie soutient une idée centrale qui répond à la problématique, alors que chaque sous-partie s’articule autour d’un argument qui soutient et illustre l’idée directrice.

Vos arguments doivent absolument être illustrés par un exemple !

Entre chaque partie, vous devez rédiger une transition qui conclut la partie précédente et annonce la partie suivante.

La conclusion d’une dissertation est une brève synthèse du développement en indiquant nettement la réponse à la question posée dans l’introduction. Il est aussi possible d’ajouter une ouverture à la fin.

Notre étude a montré qu’au-delà du poids contraignant des devoirs que l’on peut sentir au premier abord, ils n’entravent pas notre réelle liberté. Bien au contraire, nos devoirs nous libèrent de la nature humaine qui est en nous et qui nous rend esclave de nos pulsions, désirs et violence interne. Reconnaître ses devoirs et les accepter, contribue à entretenir notre puissance d’agir et donc notre liberté.

Le concept de devoir reste très lié à celui de droit dans les démocraties occidentales. Le droit de vote est-il libérateur ?

Voici une présentation que vous pouvez utiliser pour vous améliorer ou partager nos conseils méthodologiques sur la dissertation. N’hésitez pas à la partager ou à l’utiliser lors de vos cours :).

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Debret, J. (2024, 31 janvier). 6 étapes incontournables pour réaliser une dissertation. Scribbr. Consulté le 3 septembre 2024, de https://www.scribbr.fr/dissertation-fr/comment-faire-une-dissertation/

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Justine Debret

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Dissertation au bac de français : la méthode pas-à-pas !

Tu passes le bac de français ? CLIQUE ICI et deviens membre de commentairecompose.fr ! Tu accèderas gratuitement à tout le contenu du site et à mes meilleures astuces en vidéo.

♦ Le commentaire d’un texte littéraire

♦ Un sujet de dissertation sur l’une des œuvres au programme.

Je te montre ici la méthode pas-à-pas pour réussir la dissertation au bac de français .

Tu es déjà au point quant à la méthodologie ? Alors entraîne-toi avec mes exemples de dissertation ici ! 😉

I – Ce qu’on attend de toi dans une dissertation

1 – une argumentation de qualité.

La dissertation est un exercice argumentatif : tu vas convaincre le correcteur de la pertinence de ta réponse en avançant des arguments illustrés par des exemples.

Là où les choses se corsent, c’est que tu ne vas pas argumenter uniquement pour défendre ton point de vue sur la question.

Tu vas aussi envisager le point de vue adverse , et lui trouver, à lui aussi, des arguments et des exemples.

La dissertation est donc un exercice qui t’oblige à sortir de toi-même pour te faire l’avocat de points de vue que tu ne partages pas forcément tout en amenant le correcteur à adhérer à ta réponse finale.

Nous allons voir un peu plus bas comment réaliser cela dans un plan en trois parties !

2 – Une culture littéraire simple mais solide

Tu vas également être noté sur ta capacité à mobiliser ta culture littéraire pour répondre au sujet.

Je t’entends déjà pousser des cris d’orfraie : « Ma culture littéraire ? Mais je n’en ai paaaaas ! ».

Du calme. Si tu as passé tes dernières années au collège et au lycée, je t’assure que tu as davantage de culture littéraire que tu ne l’imagines.

Déjà, la question de dissertation porte sur l’une des 4 œuvres intégrales que tu as étudiées dans l’année.

Pour mettre toutes les chances de ton côté, réfléchis à ces parcours et travaille les œuvres en profondeur .

Tu dois ensuite essayer de mobiliser une culture plus large fondée sur les textes étudiés en classe et tes lectures personnelles.

Le but est de montrer que tu es capable d’utiliser dans ta dissertation des éléments empruntés à l’histoire littéraire.

Cela n’a rien d’impossible. Pour y parvenir, dresse l’inventaire de ta culture littéraire en faisant la liste des textes que tu connais et entraîne-toi toute l’année à mobiliser cet inventaire.

Je te montre comment faire à la fin de cet article 🙂

Passons maintenant à la méthodologie de la dissertation.

II – Comment analyser un sujet de dissertation ?

Un sujet de dissertation en français ne se traite pas comme une simple question de cours.

C’est toujours une question plus complexe qu’il n’y paraît, dont il faut analyser chaque terme et interroger les présupposés.

Lors de la découverte de ton sujet de dissertation, prends 10 minutes pour analyser le libellé du sujet :

1 – Délimite les frontières du sujet

Le sujet porte-t-il sur un genre particulier ? Une époque ? Contient-il des limites ?

Le respect des limites du sujet est essentiel car tout argument ou exemple qui sortirait de ces limites serait hors-sujet.

2 – Définis les mots clés du sujet

Utilise des synonymes et des antonymes pour définir chaque mot clé : opérer des rapprochements et des oppositions avec d’autres termes est une piste fructueuse pour mieux cerner ton sujet.

Interroge-toi aussi sur l’ étymologie des termes employés, le contexte de la phrase. S’il s’agit d’une citation , qui en est l’auteur ? Quel était le contexte de l’époque ?

3 – Fais le lien entre le sujet et l’œuvre intégrale

Au bac de français, les sujets de dissertation sont toujours liés à l’une des quatre œuvres intégrales que tu as étudiées dans l’année.

Prends le temps de t’interroger sur la façon dont tu vas pouvoir mobiliser cette œuvre intégrale pour répondre à la question.

4 – Identifie les éventuels présupposés de la question

Identifier les présupposés, c’est identifier les suggestions implicites, les sous-entendus de la question.

C’est une piste de réflexion à explorer.

5 – Étonne-toi face au sujet

Pose-toi des questions sur le sujet, sans te censurer.

Ces questions vont t’aider à mettre le doigt sur les problèmes posés par le sujet et donc sur la problématique qui deviendra le fil conducteur de ton devoir.

Pour aller plus loin, va voir mon article détaillé : comment analyser un sujet de dissertation ?

III – Comment faire un plan de dissertation ?

Pour le bac de français, tu dois te concentrer sur deux types de plan possibles : le plan dialectique et le plan thématique (également appelé plan notionnel).

Comment savoir quel plan choisir ?

L’astuce est de te demander si la question du sujet de dissertation est une question ouverte ou fermée :

1 – Si la question est fermée (on peut y répondre par oui ou par non) : opte pour un plan dialectique.

2 – Si la question est ouverte (on ne peut pas y répondre par oui ou par non) : opte pour un plan thématique . Tu formuleras alors des réponses possibles qui correspondront aux trois grandes parties de ton plan.

Pour en savoir plus, va voir ma méthode pour trouver ton plan de dissertation .

Le secret d’un plan réussi en dissertation :

@commentairecompose.fr Le secret pour réussir tes dissertations 🔑 C’est simple et pourtant peu appliqué par les élèves ! 🙃 #bacdefrancais #bacfrancais #dissertation #dissertations #methode #francais #prof #lycee ♬ son original – Amélie Vioux | Bac de français

Comment réussir l’introduction de ta dissertation ?

L’introduction est une étape clé de ta dissertation de français que je te conseille de rédiger au brouillon .

Pour la réussir, suis les 4 étapes suivantes :

1 – Une phrase d’accroche (également appelée amorce)

Il s’agit de l’entrée en matière de ta dissertation. Son but est d ‘accrocher l’attention de ton correcteur.

2 – La présentation du sujet

Le libellé de ton sujet de dissertation doit toujours être présenté dans ton introduction.

En d’autres termes, il faut procéder comme si ton correcteur ne connaissait pas le sujet traité : tu le lui présentes donc intégralement.

3 – La problématique

La problématique correspond à une ou plusieurs questions qui découlent de l’analyse du sujet et auquel ton devoir répond.

4 – L’annonce du plan

Pour l’annonce de plan, évite les formules lourdes (dans une première partie, dans une deuxième partie, dans une troisième partie…).

Ces formules sont dites trop « scolaires ». Comme tu es désormais au lycée, apprends à les alléger.

Je te donne des exemples dans ma méthode pour réussir ton introduction de dissertation .

Conseil : Si tu ne trouves pas d’amorce, saute la première étape, et prends soin de bien faire apparaître les étapes 2, 3 et 4 sur ta copie car elles sont indispensables.

IV – Comment réussir ta conclusion de dissertation ?

Pour réussir ta conclusion de dissertation, suis les trois étapes suivantes :

1 – Rappelle les jalons de ton développement 2 – Propose une réponse finale, ferme et définitive (cette réponse finale correspond normalement à ta troisième partie). 3 – Fais une ouverture sur un sujet proche

Prends soin de ne pas élargir sur une phrase trop générale ou une banalité.

Pour t’aider à trouver les bons mots pour ta conclusion, va voir ma méthode détaillée de la conclusion de dissertation .

@commentairecompose.fr Pour te démarquer au bac de français, teste ces 3 formules pour tes ouvertures 🚀 Que ce soit pour le commentaire ou la dissertation, l’ouverture est attendue dans ta conclusion: elle souligne ta culture littéraire et laisse ton correcteur sur une bonne impression. 📚✨ #bacdefrancais #conclusion #dissertation #commentaire #Apprendresurtiktok #profdefrançais #bonnenote ♬ son original – Amélie Vioux | Bac de français

V – La rédaction de ta dissertation

La dissertation est aussi un exercice de style qui doit respecter quelques règles académiques et typographiques.

Voici comment présenter ta dissertation avec succès :

1 – Soigne l’aspect « visuel » de ta dissertation

Aère ta copie de façon à ce que ton correcteur identifie en un coup d’œil le nombre exact de parties et sous-parties dans ton devoir :

– Saute deux lignes après ton introduction – Saute une ligne entre chaque grande partie de ton devoir – Saute deux lignes avant de commencer ta conclusion – Fais un alinéa au début de chaque paragraphe

Grâce à ces sauts de lignes et alinéas, ta copie sera plus claire et les étapes de ton argumentation plus évidentes.

2 – Rédige ton plan

Au baccalauréat, le plan de ta dissertation ne doit pas être apparent : il doit être rédigé .

Qu’est-ce que cela veut dire?

C’est simple.

N’écris pas (comme au brouillon) un plan apparent avec des numéros et des lettres tels que : I – On attend d’un roman qu’il nous plonge dans les pensées d’un personnage A – Les pensées d’un personnages sont un puissant moteur romanesque

Rédige tes thèses et arguments sous forme de phrases claires et simples , sans les faire précéder d’une lettre ou d’un numéro. Par exemple :

                       Le lecteur attend généralement d’un roman qu’il nous plonge dans les pensées d’un personnage.                      La pensée des personnages est en effet un puissant moteur romanesque. Ainsi, …

Vois-tu la différence ?

Le plan n’est pas visuellement apparent (avec les numéros des parties) mais il n’a pas disparu : mes thèses (les grandes parties) et mes arguments (les sous-parties) sont formulés sous forme de phrases brèves et claires.

3 – Fais des transitions

Les transitions sont des phrases qui soulignent l’ articulation logique entre les trois parties de ton plan.

Le rôle de la transition, c’est d’expliciter pourquoi tu passes d’une partie à une autre.

Pour plus de clarté, ta transition peut être isolée des grandes parties par un saut de ligne.

4 – Respecte les règles typographiques

Le non respect des règles typographiques est fréquent dans les copies et agace beaucoup les correcteurs.

Elles sont pourtant très simples à suivre :

a – Souligne les titres d’œuvres à la règle

Quand tu écris un devoir à la main , souligne les titres d’œuvres à la règle .

Par exemple :

Dès le premier chapitre du Rouge et le Noir , Stendhal dresse la satire de la bourgeoisie de Province à travers la description de la ville de Verrières.

Seuls les titres de poèmes, fables, chansons ou chapitres sont entre guillemets :

Le poème « L’albatros » issu du recueil Les Fleurs du Mal de Baudelaire fait un parallèle entre l’oiseau et le poète : tous deux souffrent de solitude et d’exclusion dans un monde insensible à la beauté.

Dans « Pauca meae », le quatrième livre des Contemplation s de Victor Hugo, le poète explore la douleur du deuil suite au décès de sa fille Léopoldine.

b – Les citations sont entre guillemets

Faire des citations dans une dissertation est toujours valorisé.

N’hésite pas à citer et commenter des phrases ou expressions clés d’une œuvre, mais sans oublier les guillemets .

Dans Le Rouge et le Noir, Stendhal définit le roman comme «  un miroir qui se promène sur une grande route «  .

5 – Varie ton vocabulaire et tes phrases

Au lycée, on te demande un effort d’expression écrite et il n’y a qu’une façon d’y parvenir : en variant ton vocabulaire et tes phrases.

On a tous quelques habitudes d’écriture dont il faut se défaire.

Par exemple, certains élèves utilisent trop souvent l’expression « Cette œuvre » ( Cette œuvre montre, cette œuvre indique, cette œuvre révèle ).

Or, l’expression « cette œuvre » peut être remplacée par : « ce passage », « cet extrait », « cette ligne », « ce vers », « cette strophe », « ce quatrain », « cet incipit », cet « excipit », « ce chapitre », « cette phrase », « cette formule », « cette proposition », « cette tirade », « cette réplique », « cette scène », « ce dialogue », etc.

Varie également les verbes. Un auteur ou un texte peut « révéler quelque chose », « dépeindre », « représenter », « communiquer », « dévoiler », « mettre en relief », « souligner », « esquisser », « exprimer », « indiquer », marquer », « donner l’impression que », « présenter », « témoigner de », « accentuer », « amplifier », « dénoncer », « critiquer », etc.

Prends l’habitude d’utiliser chez toi un dictionnaire des synonymes pour enrichir ton vocabulaire. Petit à petit, tu n’auras plus besoin de dictionnaire car les mots te viendront plus facilement à l’esprit.

Varie aussi tes débuts de phrase pour éviter la monotonie dans ton devoir . Par exemple, une phrase toute simple comme :

Le poème « Elle avait pris ce pli » semble adoucir la peine du poète par l’évocation de souvenirs heureux.

pourrait être réécrite de plusieurs façons :

Pour adoucir sa peine, le poète évoque des souvenirs heureux dans « Elle avait pris ce pli ».

Par l’évocation des souvenirs heureux dans « Elle avait pris ce pli », le poète parvient toutefois à adoucir sa peine.

Tu peux ainsi varier tes phrases pour éviter que se suivent plusieurs phrases ayant la même construction syntaxique. Ces variations rendront ta copie plus plaisante à lire.

VI – Comment travailler la dissertation efficacement dans l’année ?

La réussite en dissertation repose sur deux fondations : la qualité de ton argumentation et ta capacité à mobiliser l’œuvre intégrale au programme et ta culture littéraire.

Ce sont donc ces deux points que tu dois travailler tout au long de l’année pour être prêt le jour J.

1 – Entraîne-toi à l’argumentation

Lis attentivement mes articles de méthode sur les plans de dissertation et entraîne-toi régulièrement à réaliser des plans en trouvant au moins tes trois grandes parties.

Le plan dialectique, qui est le plus fréquent, nécessite de l’entraînement car tu dois apprendre à le formuler de façon nuancée et à proposer un dépassement en troisième partie.

Prends régulièrement 15-20 minutes pour réaliser des micro-entraînements sur des questions variées et t’entraîner ainsi à la dynamique argumentative.

Lis attentivement mes exemples de dissertations .

2 – Travaille les œuvres intégrales et leur parcours

La question de dissertation au bac de français porte sur l’une des œuvres intégrales au programme et à son parcours associé.

Pour mettre toutes les chances de ton côté, réfléchis à ces parcours et travaille l’œuvre intégrale en profondeur .

Dans ta dissertation, tu ne peux en effet pas te contenter d’une référence vague à l’œuvre intégrale : tes références devront être précises et développées .

Par exemple, si tu souhaites avancer que La Princesse de Clèves fait preuve de sincérité, prouve-le par une référence précise tirée de l’oeuvre. Indique par exemple que dans la troisième partie du roman, La Princesse de Clèves avoue à son mari son amour pour un autre, faisant ainsi preuve d’une sincérité qui la grandit.

Tu veux montrer que le poème « Automne malade » d’Apollinaire fait la jonction entre la tradition et la modernité ?

Prouve-le précisément .

Explique par exemple qu’Apollinaire reprend dans ce poème un motif lyrique traditionnel, celui de l’automne, saison de la mélancolie pour les romantiques, mais qu’Apollinaire le revisite à travers une forme poétique nouvelle dont la brièveté fait penser à un haïku.

Injecte ce niveau de précision dans tous tes exemples .

3 – Fais l’inventaire de ta culture littéraire

La consigne du sujet de dissertation t’invite à mobiliser ta connaissance d’une œuvre intégrale, mais aussi les textes et documents étudiés en classe ainsi que tu culture personnelle.

Si tu souhaites choisir  la dissertation au bac, fais l’inventaire de ta culture littéraire pour être en capacité de la mobiliser le jour J.

Pour chaque parcours, recense les œuvres et textes qui pourraient t’être utiles parmi :

– Les œuvres et textes lus et étudiés au collège et en seconde – Les textes étudiés en classe pour la préparation de l’oral – Les œuvres cursives lues pour la préparation de l’oral – Tes lectures personnelles – Les textes que tu as étudiés seul durant ton temps libre, dans un ouvrage scolaire ou sur mon site.

Bon à savoir : tu n’es pas obligé d’avoir lu une œuvre intégralement pour l’évoquer dans une dissertation. Tu peux lire des extraits d’œuvres clés, accompagnés de leur commentaire, comme ceux que je propose sur commentairecompose.fr, et intégrer ces textes à ton inventaire personnel.

Identifie au moins 10-15 œuvres ou textes par parcours : c’est une excellente base pour pouvoir répondre aux questions de dissertation.

4 – Entraîne-toi à mobiliser ta culture littéraire

Une fois ton inventaire réalisé, utilise-le régulièrement !

Prends des questions de dissertation, et pour chacune d’entre elles, demande-toi quels textes et œuvres de ton inventaire pourraient servir et comment .

Fais cet exercice régulièrement jusqu’à être parfaitement à l’aise avec ton inventaire.

Comme pour les œuvres intégrales, utilise tes références précisément . On ne te demande pas de saupoudrer ton devoir de quelques titres d’œuvres et d’auteurs, comme autant de cases à cocher. Chacune de tes références doit être développée pour être convaincante.

Tu passes le bac de français ? Regarde aussi :

♦ La méthode du commentaire composé ♦ La contraction de texte (pour les séries technologiques) ♦ L’essai (pour les séries technologiques) ♦ L’écrit de l’ancien bac de français

Les 3 vidéos préférées des élèves :

• La technique INCONTOURNABLE pour faire décoller tes notes en commentaire [vidéo]
• Quel sujet choisir au bac de français ? [vidéo]
• Comment trouver un plan de dissertation ? [vidéo]

Tu entres en Première ?

Commande ton livre 2025 en cliquant ici ⇓.

Qui suis-je ?

Amélie Vioux

Professeure et autrice chez hachette, je suis spécialisée dans la préparation du bac de français (2nde et 1re).

Sur mon site, tu trouveras des analyses, cours et conseils simples, directs, et facilement applicables pour augmenter tes notes en 2-3 semaines.

Je crée des formations en ligne sur commentairecompose.fr depuis 14 ans.

Tu peux également retrouver mes conseils dans mon livre Réussis ton bac de français 2025 aux éditions Hachette.

J'ai également publié une version de ce livre pour les séries Techno ici.

42 commentaires

Bonjour, Je n’arrive pas à imprimer les études linéaires présentes sur le site. Faut-il payer pour pouvoir le faire? Je vous remercie

À la fin de chacun de chacune de mes analyses linéaires, tu as un bouton « print / pdf » qui te permet d’imprimer mes analyses 🙂

Bonjour, j’ai passé mon bac de français cette année et je suis heureuse de vous annoncer que j’ai eux 16 à ma dissertation et 18 à mon oral. Je tenais à vous remercier car ma grand-mère m’avait offert votre programme et cela m’a beaucoup aidé en plus des méthodes et analyses disponibles sur votre site. Donc voilà, je tenais à vous remercier et je voulais dire que vous faites un superbe travail !

Merci énormément pour ton retour qui me touche et bravo pour ces excellentes notes !

Peut on espérer une bonne note en dissertation si la troisième partie dans un plan dialectique n’est pas super? Merci.

Votre copie est appréciée dans sa globalité et même s’il est dommage de finir sur une troisième partie faible ou peu pertinente, les examinateurs sauront aussi valoriser les aspects positifs de ta copie, surtout si les deux premières parties sont pertinentes et illustrées.

Bonjour , avez-vous mis en vente des livres sur la dissertation??

Bonjour, Tu trouveras dans mon livre « Réussis ton bac de français » aux Editions Hachette toute une section sur la dissertation. Je n’ai pas d’autres ouvrages dédiées à la dissertation. Bonne journée !

Ho mon dieux merci merci merciiiiii ! Je te suis ultra reconnaissante pour tes conceils, pour tout ces fabuleux examples, et pour ton article génial. Il est 18h15 à l’heure où j’écris. Je viens juste de sortir de 4 HEURES de bac de français, et je peut dire que c’est grâce à toi que j’ai été aussi inspiré. Car oui, ton article a montré énormément de points que je n’avais même pas vus en classe. J’ai appris une méthode complètement nouvelle, que ma prof n’avait pas pris la peine d’expliquer en classe.

Lorsque j’ai allumé mon téléphone, je suis directement tombé sur cette page ( j’ai réviser pendant les 30 minutes de trajet haha) et la première chose à laquelle j’ai pensé, c’est de te remercier. Tout simplement.

De la part de Pamela ❤️❤️❤️

Merci Pamela ! Et bon courage maintenant pour l’oral !

Bonjour, J’ai une dissertation à faire et je suis un peu perdu. Le théâtre a-t-il pour fonction de tout dire, de tout expliquer au spectateur de la crise que vivent les personnages? Dans quelle mesure la pièce de jean-Luc Lagarce et le parcours associé vous permettent-ils d’éclairer cette interrogation? Je voudrais savoir si mon plan n’est pas hors-sujet : Thèse : (oui) – grâce aux mot comme les monologues le théâtre nous dévoile le secret des personnages – grâce aux choix du registres du langage (vulgaire la colère..) Antithèse (non mais) – certaines expressions phoniques nuancent la pièces, sous entendu – certaines informations ne sont pas révélées Synthèse : – importance des didascalies Importance des accessoires conclusion : Le théâtre n’est donc pas une succession de mot mais plutôt une association de plusieurs techniques, intonation, gestuel, musicalité….

Bonjour madame, j’ai une question: est ce que la liste des livres dont nous pourrions faire référence doit forcément être un roman sur le personnage, les valeurs et l’esthétique ?

Bonjour ! Je tenais juste à vous dire un grand merci pour le contenu que vous partagez sur ce site ! Je passe mon bac en tant que candidate libre, et ne souhaitant pas faire le CNED, j’ai décidé d’apprendre seule. Vos méthodes m’ont été d’une aide précieuse tout au long de ma première l’an dernier et j’ai pu obtenir un 19 à l’oral et un 20 à l’écrit !

Merci Gwendoline pour ce retour d’expérience !

Bonjour Amelie, je voulais vous remercier pour vos méthodes claires et précises qui m’ont permis de décrocher 18/20 à l’écrit (j’ai pris la dissertation sur Les Fleurs du Mal) et à l’oral du bac de français 2021. Je recommanderai bien sûr ce site à mon petit frère qui passera le bac de français en 2025 !

Bonsoir Amélie, J’ai vraiment besoin d’aide mes épreuves approche et j’ai une semaine pour savoir faire une dissertation. Que dois-je réviser en particulier ? S’il vous plait je suis vraiment perdu.

Bonjour Amelie, Je suis une élève allophone. Je suis en 1ere G. Pouvez-vous s’il vous plaît me donner des conseils. Je suis vraiment très triste car j’en ai 5 sur 20 au bac blanc. Comment puis-je m’améliorer en peu de temps parce que je suis très inquiet. Cordialements.

Merci beaucoup votre aide j’ai eu 18 au bac blanc !!!

bonjour 🙂 je dois faire une dissertation mais je ne comprends pas ce qu’est la phrase d’accroche dans l’introduction….est ce qu’il faut donner une définition , donner le contexte historique?

La phrase d’accroche c’est quand tu évoques le sujet sans parler de l’œuvre, par exemple, la découverte du nouveau monde et ses conséquences sur un sujet sur Montaigne.

Bonsoir, Comme phrase d’accroche on peut mettre une citation ?

c’est même recommandé, une citation en accroche, cela montre que tu as de la culture et que tu sais la mettre en pratique !

Merci beaucoup Amélie ! Grâce à vos cours, vos fiches, vos vidéos et votre livre que j’ai suivi tout au long de l’année, j’ai pu avoir 16 en dissertation à l’écrit et 20 à l’oral de mon bac de français. Je continuerai avec plaisir à vous suivre pour mon année de terminale. Encore merci !

Merci d’avoir pris le temps de me faire ce retour ! Et bravo pour ces excellentes notes 🙂

Bonjour Amelie je dois faire une dissertation sur les fables est ma question est : La qualité d’ambassadeur peut-elle s’abaisser à des contes vulgaires? Je ne sais pas trop quoi énoncer dans mes deux axes.

Y-a-t-il vraiment pas de Dieu en matière d’école dans les nations laïques ? Sinon je dirai seulement que Dieu vous bénisse chère Amélie pour votre gigantesque travail effectué ici pour les élèves.

Bonjour, Je dois faire une dissertation sur Ruy Blas, et montrer en quoi il est un héros romantique. Mon professeur nous a envoyé une méthode sur la dissertation, et a évoqué la possibilité d’introduire au début de l’introduction une citation. J’en ai trouvé une qui correspond assez bien, je trouve, à l’intrigue de l’oeuvre de Victor Hugo (« La vie est un sommeil, l’amour en est le rêve, et vous aurez vécu, si vous avez aimé », Alfred de Musset). Est-il possible que je l’écrive dans ma dissertation ou la citation doit obligatoirement provenir de l’oeuvre étudiée? Merci d’avance!

Bonjour Amélie, J’ai acheté ton livre et je ne trouve nulle part comment pour organiser mon temps. Pourrais- tu m’indiquer le temps à consacrer à chacune des étapes de la dissertation ? stp Merci beaucoup par avance.

Bonjour Madame, Malgré la méthode de ma prof de français et la vôtre, je n’arrive à comprendre quelles sont les limites d’un sujet de dissertation. Si vous pouviez me renseignez à ce sujet j’en serais ravie Merci d’avance

Bonjour Amélie,je vais avoir une dissertation à faire sur table en classe au sujet des fables de la Fontaine( et dont je ne sais la question problematisée ou la citation donné) et je me sens vraiment perdu car ce sera ma première dissertation écrite et notée.

Bonjour Amélie, J’aurais aimé savoir ce que les profs préféraient dans une dissertation, les choses qui rendent la copie différente des autres (figure de style, citations, propreté de la copie,etc…) ?

Bonjour Augustin, Ce qui fait la différence dans une dissertation, c’est la qualité du raisonnement (et donc du plan) et la présence d’exemples pertinents et développés qui soutiennent le raisonnement. Les copies doivent être propres et bien rédigées, mais pour un correcteur, cela va de soit.

Veuillez m’excuser du retard avec lequel je vous envoie ce message, j’ai passé mon bac de français cette année 2021. Je tenais à vous remercier pour vos contributions aux contenus internet à propos du bac de français. Il s’agit à mon avis du meilleur site de bac de français, le plus complet en tout cas. Grâce à votre site, j’ai pu obtenir une note de 19/20 à l’écrit (dissertation sur Baudelaire) et de 20/20 à l’oral (analyse linéaire sur Baudelaire et entretien sur Baudelaire également). Avec ces notes, je suis celui qui ai eu les meilleurs résultats au bac de français de mon établissement! Merci!

Bonjour, Est-ce que pour l’introduction d’une dissertation on reformule le sujet ou on le laisse tel quel ? Car mon sujet est une citation de Baudelaire qui fait 4 lignes … Merci d’avance.

Bonjour Lily, Une citation ne doit pas être reformulée, mais tu peux l’expliquer et l’expliciter. C’est la question qui suit qui peut être reformulée.

Bonjour Amélie, J’ai un sujet de dissertation portant sur la comédie du valet : Le Mariage de Figaro. Des idées me viennent mais je ne sais pas quel plan de dissertation je dois choisir parmi le plan dialectique et antithétique. Pourriez-vous m’aider ? Merci à vous. Cindy

Bonjour Cindy, Tu peux lire ici ma méthode pour savoir si ton sujet appelle un plan dialectique ou thématique .

Merci Amélie pour vos conseils. Cindy

Bonjour, j’ai une dissertation sur l’apport du regard éloigné en littérature. Je n’ai aucune idées, je suis perdu… Pourriez-vous me donner quelques pistes de recherches ?

Bonjour Pierre-Louis, Déjà, ta dissertation t’invite à faire un plan thématique, en réfléchissant à ce qu’apporte le regard éloigné en littérature. Si tu ne trouves pas d’idées, il faut partir des oeuvres étudiées en classe et réfléchir, très concrètement, à l’apport du regard éloigné dans ces œuvres précises . En quoi ce regard éloigné est-il plaisant, efficace ? En quoi permet-il souvent une critique détournée des mœurs occidentales ? En quoi amène-t-il le lecteur à une plus grande ouverture d’esprit ? Essaie de réfléchir à ces questions à partir de ta lecture des Lettres persanes , mais peut-être aussi de contes philosophiques de Voltaire que tu connais ( Candide , l’Ingénu , Micromégas …)

bonsoir Amélie j’apprécie bcp ton livre que j’ai acheté. Du coup ais je besoin de regarder tes vidéos? Mélodie

Bonjour Mélodie, Je te conseille de regarder les 10 vidéos gratuites car le fait d’avoir deux supports (livre + vidéos) vous aide à encore mieux retenir et comprendre l’essentiel. En revanche, tu n’as pas besoin de prendre des notes de mes 10 vidéos car tu as le livre comme support.

Laisse un commentaire ! X

Merci de laisser un commentaire ! Pour des raisons pédagogiques et pour m'aider à mieux comprendre ton message, il est important de soigner la rédaction de ton commentaire. Vérifie notamment l'orthographe, la syntaxe, les accents, la ponctuation, les majuscules ! Les commentaires qui ne sont pas soignés ne sont pas publiés.

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Thesis and Dissertation: Getting Started

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The resources in this section are designed to provide guidance for the first steps of the thesis or dissertation writing process. They offer tools to support the planning and managing of your project, including writing out your weekly schedule, outlining your goals, and organzing the various working elements of your project.

Weekly Goals Sheet (a.k.a. Life Map) [Word Doc]

This editable handout provides a place for you to fill in available time blocks on a weekly chart that will help you visualize the amount of time you have available to write. By using this chart, you will be able to work your writing goals into your schedule and put these goals into perspective with your day-to-day plans and responsibilities each week. This handout also contains a formula to help you determine the minimum number of pages you would need to write per day in order to complete your writing on time.

Setting a Production Schedule (Word Doc)

This editable handout can help you make sense of the various steps involved in the production of your thesis or dissertation and determine how long each step might take. A large part of this process involves (1) seeking out the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding specific document formatting requirements, (2) understanding research protocol limitations, (3) making note of deadlines, and (4) understanding your personal writing habits.

Creating a Roadmap (PDF)

Part of organizing your writing involves having a clear sense of how the different working parts relate to one another. Creating a roadmap for your dissertation early on can help you determine what the final document will include and how all the pieces are connected. This resource offers guidance on several approaches to creating a roadmap, including creating lists, maps, nut-shells, visuals, and different methods for outlining. It is important to remember that you can create more than one roadmap (or more than one type of roadmap) depending on how the different approaches discussed here meet your needs.

Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

*The Caveat *

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.  

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

• Acknowledgements page
• Abstract (or executive summary)
• Table of contents , list of figures and tables
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Literature review
• Chapter 3: Methodology
• Chapter 4: Results
• Chapter 5: Discussion
• Chapter 6: Conclusion
• Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

• The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
• The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
• The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
• The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

• Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
• Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
• Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

• The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
• The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
• Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or  mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

• Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
• Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
• Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
• Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

• Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
• Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
• Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
• Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

Table of contents

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

• What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
• Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
• What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
• What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
• How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
• How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

• What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
• Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
• How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
• How does your research contribute something original?
• How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

• Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
• Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings . In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

• Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the  Grad Coach Blog .

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Réservez dès maintenant

• C'est quoi une dissertation ?
• Comment faire une dissertation ?
• Comment faire un plan de dissertation ?
• Comment faire une introduction de dissertation ?
• Comment faire une conclusion de dissertation ? 
• Quelles sont les dissertations les plus demandées par les profs ?

Au lycée, la dissertation est toujours un exercice qui fait peur. Les consignes et les attentes des profs paraissent souvent abstraites. C’est pourquoi, lors de l’ épreuve du bac , les élèves choisissent majoritairement le commentaire de texte. Pourtant, la dissertation permet plus facilement de décrocher une mention. D’abord parce qu’on se démarque des autres et ensuite parce que les correcteurs sont souvent plus indulgents. Mais alors comment s’y prendre ?  Est-ce qu’il faut donner son avis ou simplement réciter son cours ? Comment construire un plan et rédiger l’intro ? GoStudent te guide dans toutes les étapes de ta dissertation !

1 - C'est quoi une dissertation ?

Dissertation définition .

La dissertation est un exercice d’argumentation qui consiste à répondre à la question posée en suivant un plan (généralement organisé en trois parties) et après avoir dégagé une problématique.

Petite histoire de la dissertation

La dissertation existait déjà au Moyen Âge ! Appelé « disputatio », l’exercice consistait en un débat durant lequel les étudiants devaient répondre à une question en trois grandes parties. C’est de là que vient le fameux plan « thèse / antithèse / synthèse ». 💡

Reprise par Descartes, la dissertation devient le symbole de la raison, valeur centrale de la pensée humaniste à la Renaissance.

Aujourd’hui, cet exercice n’est proposé qu’à partir du lycée. D’abord en français et en histoire-géographie, puis en philosophie. Le but n’est pas de réciter son cours. Il faut organiser sa pensée, suivre un fil conducteur, choisir des arguments pertinents et apporter des exemples. 

La dissertation au bac 

La dissertation de français est l’un des sujets proposés aux élèves de la série générale et technologique. L’autre étant le commentaire de texte . Concrètement, au bac de français, tu as quatre heures pour traiter un sujet, noté sur 20 et de coefficient 10.

Pour réussir, il est indispensable de bien maîtriser son cours et toutes les notions au programme. Par exemple, en Français, tu dois bien maîtriser les différents procédés littéraires et les figures de style. En philosophie, il faut connaître les concepts fondamentaux relatifs à des thèmes tels que l’État, la justice, le langage, la liberté, la vérité, etc.

À lire aussi : Comment rédiger un essai parfait ?

2 - Comment faire une dissertation ?

Pour un contrôle d’histoire-géo ou pour l’ épreuve du bac de Français , la méthode de la dissertation est assez comparable. 

Dans un premier temps, tu dois analyser le sujet. Est-ce une question à laquelle on peut répondre par oui ou par non, ou est-ce une question ouverte ?   Cela va influencer la façon de construire le plan. 🛠

Ensuite, tu peux commencer à traiter le sujet et à dégager un plan. Pour cela, il est conseillé de noter des arguments et des exemples au brouillon pour bien structurer tes idées et te permettre de rédiger une introduction.

1 - L’introduction

Si l’on suit la méthodologie de la dissertation , l’introduction a deux grands objectifs : attirer l’attention du lecteur, formuler et dégager une problématique.

2 - Le développement 

Les différentes parties du développement (deux ou trois) sont subdivisées en plusieurs paragraphes qui visent à répondre à la problématique grâce à des arguments.

3 - La conclusion 

La conclusion fait le bilan des grandes idées soutenues dans ton développement. 

Avant de rendre ta copie, l’étape de la relecture est nécessaire pour corriger toutes tes fautes de grammaire ! 🧐

Exemples de dissertation

Pour bien comprendre ce qu’on attend de toi et pour t’entraîner sur des sujets de dissertation , plusieurs sites validés par notre rédaction te propose des exemples de dissertation et leurs corrigés : 

• La référence dans le domaine est Annabac. En version Web ou papier, tu as accès à des fiches de révision sur tous les thèmes du programme ainsi qu’aux annales des dernières années.
• Studyrama te propose des exemples de dissertations corrigés en histoire-géo.
• la-philosophie.com publie également des sujets de dissertation et te guide étape par étape.

3 - Comment faire un plan de dissertation ?

Trois grands types de plan de dissertation s’offrent à toi pour organiser tes idées :

1 # Le plan dialectique est le plus connu : thèse / antithèse / synthèse. C’est celui qu’il faut choisir si le sujet est une question fermée. C’est un plan qui invite à la confrontation des idées. 🥊

Par exemple, pour le sujet « l’intérêt du roman est-il de décrire le réel ?», on pourrait suivre ce plan  :

I - Le roman permet de décrire le réel (on commence par soutenir cette thèse).

II - Mais un roman n’est pas réductible à description du réel (on nuance la thèse).

III - L’intérêt du roman n’est-il pas justement de donner une dimension réelle à l’imagination de l’auteur ? (On dépasse la contradiction).

2 #  Le plan thématique est utilisé en réponse à une question ouverte. Chaque partie présente une réponse possible à la question. Le but est donc de soutenir un point de vue en donnant des arguments. Il ne s’agit pas d’entrer dans une confrontation. En règle générale, il est conseillé d’organiser ses idées de la plus générale à la plus précise.

3 #  Le plan analytique n’est pas utilisé en Français, mais il peut l’être en SES ou en histoire-géo, par exemple. La structure typique se présente sous la forme « problème - causes - conséquences ». 

4 - Comment faire une introduction de dissertation ?

L’introduction de la dissertation est une partie décisive dans laquelle tu présentes le sujet, tu exposes la problématique et tu présentes les différentes parties de ton raisonnement. Il faut à la fois retenir l’attention du lecteur et montrer la pertinence du sujet. 📝

Structure de l'introduction

L’introduction elle-même se divise en plusieurs sous-parties :

• Une phrase d’accroche qui permet d’entrer dans le sujet. C’est souvent un chiffre, un fait divers ou une citation.
•  La reformulation du sujet . Il s’agit de reformuler la question avec tes propres mots pour présenter le sujet et montrer que tu as compris de quoi on parle.
• La problématisation consiste en une phrase qui pose le problème soulevé par la question.
• L’ annonce du plan . En une ou deux phrases, tu présentes les grandes parties de ton développement, en utilisant des connecteurs logiques : « dans un premier temps », « puis dans une seconde partie », etc.

Les erreurs à ne pas faire 

Parmi les pièges à éviter, il ne faut pas :

• Répondre à la problématique dès l’introduction.
• Oublier de suivre le plan annoncé.
• Faire une phrase d’accroche trop longue.
• Rédiger une problématique hors sujet.

5 - Comment faire une conclusion de dissertation ? 

Quelle que soit la discipline (français, philo, SES, etc.), rédiger une conclusion parfaite obéit toujours aux mêmes règles :

• En quelques phrases, tu fais la synthèse des idées que tu as développées dans  ta rédaction.
• Dans un second temps, il faut répondre à la problématique que tu as soulevé.
• Enfin, tu dois rédiger une phrase d’ouverture. Celle-ci consiste en un « élargissement » du sujet. Concrètement, il s’agit d’une nouvelle question que tu te poses à la fin de ton travail. Pour cela, tu peux à la fois te baser sur la dissertation que tu viens de faire et sur ta culture générale . 📚

N’oublie pas que la mise en forme de la conclusion d’une dissertation est aussi importante que pour le reste de la copie. Par exemple, il faut sauter deux lignes entre la fin de ta dernière partie et le début de ta conclusion,  faire des transitions et ne pas négliger l’orthographe.

6 - Quelles sont les dissertations les plus demandées par les profs ?

Parmi les nombreux sujets de dissertations, on retrouve quelques grands classiques que les professeurs donnent pendant l’année scolaire ou le jour du bac. 

Dissertation la princesse de Cleve

Au programme du bac de Français 2022, La Princesse de Clève est un roman écrit par Madame de La Fayette et publié anonymement en 1678. Pourquoi anonymement ? Parce qu’au 17ème siècle, il n’était pas admis qu’une femme puisse signer une oeuvre de son nom. 🚫

Pour t’entraîner sur un exemple de sujet, tu peux te rendre sur le site de sujetscorrigésbac.fr . 

Dissertation les fleurs du mal

Charles Baudelaire et Les fleurs du mal , recueil de poèmes publié en 1857, font partie de l’objet d’étude « Le roman et le récit du Moyen Âge au XXIe siècle », au programme de français dans le parcours « Alchimie poétique : la boue et l'or ». 

Et comme l’indique le nom du parcours, tu peux t’attendre à un sujet qui parle de boue et d’or ! 

Exemples de sujet : 

• « Tu m’as donné ta boue et j’en ai fait de l’or»
• « Le poète doit-il nécessairement tremper sa plume dans la boue ? » 
• « S’agit-il de tremper sa plume au plus profond de l’âme humaine pour en faire une œuvre d’art ?  »

Dissertation le malade imaginaire

Au programme de l’objet d’étude « Le théâtre du XVIIe siècle au XXIe siècle », parcours « Spectacle et comédie », Le malade imaginaire de Molière interroge les élèves sur le rapport au spectacle. 

Exemples de sujets de dissertation :

• « Toute comédie est-elle un divertissement ? »
• « Le Malade Imaginaire : une comédie fantaisiste ? »

Dissertation les fausses confidences

Toujours dans l’objet d’étude « Le théâtre du XVIIe siècle au XXIe siècle », Les fausses confidences est une comédie de Marivaux jouée pour la première fois en 1737. Tu pourras être interrogé sur un  sujet tels que : « Le stratagème est-il un ressort du comique ? »

Un dernier conseil

On te dit toujours de ne pas attendre la dernière minute pour réviser . Mais, on ne va pas se mentir, c’est difficile de se motiver. Surtout quand on voit le soleil qui brille dehors ! ☀️

Alors, pour te faire gagner du temps et pour mettre toutes les chances de ton côté, n’hésite pas à prendre quelques heures de soutien scolaire avec nos professeurs particuliers . Disponibles même au dernier moment, ils sauront répondre à toutes tes questions pour rédiger une super dissertation !

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Library Guides

Dissertations 4: methodology: methods.

• Introduction & Philosophy
• Methodology

Primary & Secondary Sources, Primary & Secondary Data

When describing your research methods, you can start by stating what kind of secondary and, if applicable, primary sources you used in your research. Explain why you chose such sources, how well they served your research, and identify possible issues encountered using these sources.  

Definitions  

There is some confusion on the use of the terms primary and secondary sources, and primary and secondary data. The confusion is also due to disciplinary differences (Lombard 2010). Whilst you are advised to consult the research methods literature in your field, we can generalise as follows:  

Secondary sources 

Secondary sources normally include the literature (books and articles) with the experts' findings, analysis and discussions on a certain topic (Cottrell, 2014, p123). Secondary sources often interpret primary sources.  

Primary sources 

Primary sources are "first-hand" information such as raw data, statistics, interviews, surveys, law statutes and law cases. Even literary texts, pictures and films can be primary sources if they are the object of research (rather than, for example, documentaries reporting on something else, in which case they would be secondary sources). The distinction between primary and secondary sources sometimes lies on the use you make of them (Cottrell, 2014, p123). 

Primary data 

Primary data are data (primary sources) you directly obtained through your empirical work (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2015, p316). 

Secondary data 

Secondary data are data (primary sources) that were originally collected by someone else (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2015, p316).   

Comparison between primary and secondary data   

Use  

Virtually all research will use secondary sources, at least as background information. 

Often, especially at the postgraduate level, it will also use primary sources - secondary and/or primary data. The engagement with primary sources is generally appreciated, as less reliant on others' interpretations, and closer to 'facts'. 

The use of primary data, as opposed to secondary data, demonstrates the researcher's effort to do empirical work and find evidence to answer her specific research question and fulfill her specific research objectives. Thus, primary data contribute to the originality of the research.    

Ultimately, you should state in this section of the methodology: 

What sources and data you are using and why (how are they going to help you answer the research question and/or test the hypothesis. 

If using primary data, why you employed certain strategies to collect them. 

What the advantages and disadvantages of your strategies to collect the data (also refer to the research in you field and research methods literature). 

Quantitative, Qualitative & Mixed Methods

The methodology chapter should reference your use of quantitative research, qualitative research and/or mixed methods. The following is a description of each along with their advantages and disadvantages. 

Quantitative research 

Quantitative research uses numerical data (quantities) deriving, for example, from experiments, closed questions in surveys, questionnaires, structured interviews or published data sets (Cottrell, 2014, p93). It normally processes and analyses this data using quantitative analysis techniques like tables, graphs and statistics to explore, present and examine relationships and trends within the data (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2015, p496). 

Qualitative research  

Qualitative research is generally undertaken to study human behaviour and psyche. It uses methods like in-depth case studies, open-ended survey questions, unstructured interviews, focus groups, or unstructured observations (Cottrell, 2014, p93). The nature of the data is subjective, and also the analysis of the researcher involves a degree of subjective interpretation. Subjectivity can be controlled for in the research design, or has to be acknowledged as a feature of the research. Subject-specific books on (qualitative) research methods offer guidance on such research designs.  

Mixed methods 

Mixed-method approaches combine both qualitative and quantitative methods, and therefore combine the strengths of both types of research. Mixed methods have gained popularity in recent years.  

When undertaking mixed-methods research you can collect the qualitative and quantitative data either concurrently or sequentially. If sequentially, you can for example, start with a few semi-structured interviews, providing qualitative insights, and then design a questionnaire to obtain quantitative evidence that your qualitative findings can also apply to a wider population (Specht, 2019, p138). 

Ultimately, your methodology chapter should state: 

Whether you used quantitative research, qualitative research or mixed methods. 

Why you chose such methods (and refer to research method sources). 

Why you rejected other methods. 

How well the method served your research. 

The problems or limitations you encountered. 

Doug Specht, Senior Lecturer at the Westminster School of Media and Communication, explains mixed methods research in the following video:

LinkedIn Learning Video on Academic Research Foundations: Quantitative

The video covers the characteristics of quantitative research, and explains how to approach different parts of the research process, such as creating a solid research question and developing a literature review. He goes over the elements of a study, explains how to collect and analyze data, and shows how to present your data in written and numeric form.

Link to quantitative research video

Some Types of Methods

There are several methods you can use to get primary data. To reiterate, the choice of the methods should depend on your research question/hypothesis. 

Whatever methods you will use, you will need to consider: 

why did you choose one technique over another? What were the advantages and disadvantages of the technique you chose? 

what was the size of your sample? Who made up your sample? How did you select your sample population? Why did you choose that particular sampling strategy?) 

ethical considerations (see also tab...)  

safety considerations  

validity  

feasibility  

recording  

procedure of the research (see box procedural method...).  

Check Stella Cottrell's book  Dissertations and Project Reports: A Step by Step Guide  for some succinct yet comprehensive information on most methods (the following account draws mostly on her work). Check a research methods book in your discipline for more specific guidance.  

Experiments 

Experiments are useful to investigate cause and effect, when the variables can be tightly controlled. They can test a theory or hypothesis in controlled conditions. Experiments do not prove or disprove an hypothesis, instead they support or not support an hypothesis. When using the empirical and inductive method it is not possible to achieve conclusive results. The results may only be valid until falsified by other experiments and observations. 

For more information on Scientific Method, click here . 

Observations 

Observational methods are useful for in-depth analyses of behaviours in people, animals, organisations, events or phenomena. They can test a theory or products in real life or simulated settings. They generally a qualitative research method.  

Questionnaires and surveys 

Questionnaires and surveys are useful to gain opinions, attitudes, preferences, understandings on certain matters. They can provide quantitative data that can be collated systematically; qualitative data, if they include opportunities for open-ended responses; or both qualitative and quantitative elements. 

Interviews  

Interviews are useful to gain rich, qualitative information about individuals' experiences, attitudes or perspectives. With interviews you can follow up immediately on responses for clarification or further details. There are three main types of interviews: structured (following a strict pattern of questions, which expect short answers), semi-structured (following a list of questions, with the opportunity to follow up the answers with improvised questions), and unstructured (following a short list of broad questions, where the respondent can lead more the conversation) (Specht, 2019, p142). 

This short video on qualitative interviews discusses best practices and covers qualitative interview design, preparation and data collection methods. 

Focus groups   

In this case, a group of people (normally, 4-12) is gathered for an interview where the interviewer asks questions to such group of participants. Group interactions and discussions can be highly productive, but the researcher has to beware of the group effect, whereby certain participants and views dominate the interview (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2015, p419). The researcher can try to minimise this by encouraging involvement of all participants and promoting a multiplicity of views. 

This video focuses on strategies for conducting research using focus groups.  

Check out the guidance on online focus groups by Aliaksandr Herasimenka, which is attached at the bottom of this text box. 

Case study 

Case studies are often a convenient way to narrow the focus of your research by studying how a theory or literature fares with regard to a specific person, group, organisation, event or other type of entity or phenomenon you identify. Case studies can be researched using other methods, including those described in this section. Case studies give in-depth insights on the particular reality that has been examined, but may not be representative of what happens in general, they may not be generalisable, and may not be relevant to other contexts. These limitations have to be acknowledged by the researcher.     

Content analysis 

Content analysis consists in the study of words or images within a text. In its broad definition, texts include books, articles, essays, historical documents, speeches, conversations, advertising, interviews, social media posts, films, theatre, paintings or other visuals. Content analysis can be quantitative (e.g. word frequency) or qualitative (e.g. analysing intention and implications of the communication). It can detect propaganda, identify intentions of writers, and can see differences in types of communication (Specht, 2019, p146). Check this page on collecting, cleaning and visualising Twitter data.

Extra links and resources:  

Research Methods  

A clear and comprehensive overview of research methods by Emerald Publishing. It includes: crowdsourcing as a research tool; mixed methods research; case study; discourse analysis; ground theory; repertory grid; ethnographic method and participant observation; interviews; focus group; action research; analysis of qualitative data; survey design; questionnaires; statistics; experiments; empirical research; literature review; secondary data and archival materials; data collection. 

Doing your dissertation during the COVID-19 pandemic  

Resources providing guidance on doing dissertation research during the pandemic: Online research methods; Secondary data sources; Webinars, conferences and podcasts; 

• Virtual Focus Groups Guidance on managing virtual focus groups

5 Minute Methods Videos

The following are a series of useful videos that introduce research methods in five minutes. These resources have been produced by lecturers and students with the University of Westminster's School of Media and Communication. 

Case Study Research

Research Ethics

Quantitative Content Analysis 

Sequential Analysis 

Qualitative Content Analysis 

Thematic Analysis 

Social Media Research 

Mixed Method Research 

Procedural Method

In this part, provide an accurate, detailed account of the methods and procedures that were used in the study or the experiment (if applicable!). 

Include specifics about participants, sample, materials, design and methods. 

If the research involves human subjects, then include a detailed description of who and how many participated along with how the participants were selected.  

Describe all materials used for the study, including equipment, written materials and testing instruments. 

Identify the study's design and any variables or controls employed. 

Write out the steps in the order that they were completed. 

Indicate what participants were asked to do, how measurements were taken and any calculations made to raw data collected. 

Specify statistical techniques applied to the data to reach your conclusions. 

Provide evidence that you incorporated rigor into your research. This is the quality of being thorough and accurate and considers the logic behind your research design. 

Highlight any drawbacks that may have limited your ability to conduct your research thoroughly. 

You have to provide details to allow others to replicate the experiment and/or verify the data, to test the validity of the research. 

Bibliography

Cottrell, S. (2014). Dissertations and project reports: a step by step guide. Hampshire, England: Palgrave Macmillan.

Lombard, E. (2010). Primary and secondary sources.  The Journal of Academic Librarianship , 36(3), 250-253

Saunders, M.N.K., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2015).  Research Methods for Business Students.  New York: Pearson Education. 

Specht, D. (2019).  The Media And Communications Study Skills Student Guide . London: University of Westminster Press.  

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• Next: Ethics >>
• Last Updated: Sep 14, 2022 12:58 PM
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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation
• Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates

Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates

Published on June 7, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on November 21, 2023.

A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical early steps in your writing process . It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding the specifics of your dissertation topic and showcasing its relevance to your field.

Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:

• Your anticipated title
• Your abstract
• Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review, research methods, avenues for future research, etc.)

In the final product, you can also provide a chapter outline for your readers. This is a short paragraph at the end of your introduction to inform readers about the organizational structure of your thesis or dissertation. This chapter outline is also known as a reading guide or summary outline.

Table of contents

How to outline your thesis or dissertation, dissertation and thesis outline templates, chapter outline example, sample sentences for your chapter outline, sample verbs for variation in your chapter outline, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis and dissertation outlines.

While there are some inter-institutional differences, many outlines proceed in a fairly similar fashion.

• Working Title
• “Elevator pitch” of your work (often written last).
• Introduce your area of study, sharing details about your research question, problem statement , and hypotheses . Situate your research within an existing paradigm or conceptual or theoretical framework .
• Subdivide as you see fit into main topics and sub-topics.
• Describe your research methods (e.g., your scope , population , and data collection ).
• Present your research findings and share about your data analysis methods.
• Answer the research question in a concise way.
• Interpret your findings, discuss potential limitations of your own research and speculate about future implications or related opportunities.

For a more detailed overview of chapters and other elements, be sure to check out our article on the structure of a dissertation or download our template .

To help you get started, we’ve created a full thesis or dissertation template in Word or Google Docs format. It’s easy adapt it to your own requirements.

 Download Word template    Download Google Docs template

It can be easy to fall into a pattern of overusing the same words or sentence constructions, which can make your work monotonous and repetitive for your readers. Consider utilizing some of the alternative constructions presented below.

Example 1: Passive construction

The passive voice is a common choice for outlines and overviews because the context makes it clear who is carrying out the action (e.g., you are conducting the research ). However, overuse of the passive voice can make your text vague and imprecise.

Example 2: IS-AV construction

You can also present your information using the “IS-AV” (inanimate subject with an active verb ) construction.

A chapter is an inanimate object, so it is not capable of taking an action itself (e.g., presenting or discussing). However, the meaning of the sentence is still easily understandable, so the IS-AV construction can be a good way to add variety to your text.

Example 3: The “I” construction

Another option is to use the “I” construction, which is often recommended by style manuals (e.g., APA Style and Chicago style ). However, depending on your field of study, this construction is not always considered professional or academic. Ask your supervisor if you’re not sure.

Example 4: Mix-and-match

To truly make the most of these options, consider mixing and matching the passive voice , IS-AV construction , and “I” construction .This can help the flow of your argument and improve the readability of your text.

As you draft the chapter outline, you may also find yourself frequently repeating the same words, such as “discuss,” “present,” “prove,” or “show.” Consider branching out to add richness and nuance to your writing. Here are some examples of synonyms you can use.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Research bias

• Anchoring bias
• Halo effect
• The Baader–Meinhof phenomenon
• The placebo effect
• Nonresponse bias
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• Machine learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Supervised vs. unsupervised learning

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When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation .

The title page of your thesis or dissertation goes first, before all other content or lists that you may choose to include.

A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.

• Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review , research methods , avenues for future research, etc.)

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• What Is a Research Methodology? | Steps & Tips

What Is a Research Methodology? | Steps & Tips

Published on 25 February 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 10 October 2022.

Your research methodology discusses and explains the data collection and analysis methods you used in your research. A key part of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper, the methodology chapter explains what you did and how you did it, allowing readers to evaluate the reliability and validity of your research.

It should include:

• The type of research you conducted
• How you collected and analysed your data
• Any tools or materials you used in the research
• Why you chose these methods
• Your methodology section should generally be written in the past tense .
• Academic style guides in your field may provide detailed guidelines on what to include for different types of studies.
• Your citation style might provide guidelines for your methodology section (e.g., an APA Style methods section ).

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Table of contents

How to write a research methodology, why is a methods section important, step 1: explain your methodological approach, step 2: describe your data collection methods, step 3: describe your analysis method, step 4: evaluate and justify the methodological choices you made, tips for writing a strong methodology chapter, frequently asked questions about methodology.

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Your methods section is your opportunity to share how you conducted your research and why you chose the methods you chose. It’s also the place to show that your research was rigorously conducted and can be replicated .

It gives your research legitimacy and situates it within your field, and also gives your readers a place to refer to if they have any questions or critiques in other sections.

You can start by introducing your overall approach to your research. You have two options here.

Option 1: Start with your “what”

What research problem or question did you investigate?

• Aim to describe the characteristics of something?
• Explore an under-researched topic?
• Establish a causal relationship?

And what type of data did you need to achieve this aim?

• Quantitative data , qualitative data , or a mix of both?
• Primary data collected yourself, or secondary data collected by someone else?
• Experimental data gathered by controlling and manipulating variables, or descriptive data gathered via observations?

Option 2: Start with your “why”

Depending on your discipline, you can also start with a discussion of the rationale and assumptions underpinning your methodology. In other words, why did you choose these methods for your study?

• Why is this the best way to answer your research question?
• Is this a standard methodology in your field, or does it require justification?
• Were there any ethical considerations involved in your choices?
• What are the criteria for validity and reliability in this type of research ?

Once you have introduced your reader to your methodological approach, you should share full details about your data collection methods .

Quantitative methods

In order to be considered generalisable, you should describe quantitative research methods in enough detail for another researcher to replicate your study.

Here, explain how you operationalised your concepts and measured your variables. Discuss your sampling method or inclusion/exclusion criteria, as well as any tools, procedures, and materials you used to gather your data.

Surveys Describe where, when, and how the survey was conducted.

• How did you design the questionnaire?
• What form did your questions take (e.g., multiple choice, Likert scale )?
• Were your surveys conducted in-person or virtually?
• What sampling method did you use to select participants?
• What was your sample size and response rate?

Experiments Share full details of the tools, techniques, and procedures you used to conduct your experiment.

• How did you design the experiment ?
• How did you recruit participants?
• How did you manipulate and measure the variables ?
• What tools did you use?

Existing data Explain how you gathered and selected the material (such as datasets or archival data) that you used in your analysis.

• Where did you source the material?
• How was the data originally produced?
• What criteria did you use to select material (e.g., date range)?

The survey consisted of 5 multiple-choice questions and 10 questions measured on a 7-point Likert scale.

The goal was to collect survey responses from 350 customers visiting the fitness apparel company’s brick-and-mortar location in Boston on 4–8 July 2022, between 11:00 and 15:00.

Here, a customer was defined as a person who had purchased a product from the company on the day they took the survey. Participants were given 5 minutes to fill in the survey anonymously. In total, 408 customers responded, but not all surveys were fully completed. Due to this, 371 survey results were included in the analysis.

Qualitative methods

In qualitative research , methods are often more flexible and subjective. For this reason, it’s crucial to robustly explain the methodology choices you made.

Be sure to discuss the criteria you used to select your data, the context in which your research was conducted, and the role you played in collecting your data (e.g., were you an active participant, or a passive observer?)

Interviews or focus groups Describe where, when, and how the interviews were conducted.

• How did you find and select participants?
• How many participants took part?
• What form did the interviews take ( structured , semi-structured , or unstructured )?
• How long were the interviews?
• How were they recorded?

Participant observation Describe where, when, and how you conducted the observation or ethnography .

• What group or community did you observe? How long did you spend there?
• How did you gain access to this group? What role did you play in the community?
• How long did you spend conducting the research? Where was it located?
• How did you record your data (e.g., audiovisual recordings, note-taking)?

Existing data Explain how you selected case study materials for your analysis.

• What type of materials did you analyse?
• How did you select them?

In order to gain better insight into possibilities for future improvement of the fitness shop’s product range, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 returning customers.

Here, a returning customer was defined as someone who usually bought products at least twice a week from the store.

Surveys were used to select participants. Interviews were conducted in a small office next to the cash register and lasted approximately 20 minutes each. Answers were recorded by note-taking, and seven interviews were also filmed with consent. One interviewee preferred not to be filmed.

Mixed methods

Mixed methods research combines quantitative and qualitative approaches. If a standalone quantitative or qualitative study is insufficient to answer your research question, mixed methods may be a good fit for you.

Mixed methods are less common than standalone analyses, largely because they require a great deal of effort to pull off successfully. If you choose to pursue mixed methods, it’s especially important to robustly justify your methods here.

Next, you should indicate how you processed and analysed your data. Avoid going into too much detail: you should not start introducing or discussing any of your results at this stage.

In quantitative research , your analysis will be based on numbers. In your methods section, you can include:

• How you prepared the data before analysing it (e.g., checking for missing data , removing outliers , transforming variables)
• Which software you used (e.g., SPSS, Stata or R)
• Which statistical tests you used (e.g., two-tailed t test , simple linear regression )

In qualitative research, your analysis will be based on language, images, and observations (often involving some form of textual analysis ).

Specific methods might include:

• Content analysis : Categorising and discussing the meaning of words, phrases and sentences
• Thematic analysis : Coding and closely examining the data to identify broad themes and patterns
• Discourse analysis : Studying communication and meaning in relation to their social context

Mixed methods combine the above two research methods, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches into one coherent analytical process.

Above all, your methodology section should clearly make the case for why you chose the methods you did. This is especially true if you did not take the most standard approach to your topic. In this case, discuss why other methods were not suitable for your objectives, and show how this approach contributes new knowledge or understanding.

In any case, it should be overwhelmingly clear to your reader that you set yourself up for success in terms of your methodology’s design. Show how your methods should lead to results that are valid and reliable, while leaving the analysis of the meaning, importance, and relevance of your results for your discussion section .

• Quantitative: Lab-based experiments cannot always accurately simulate real-life situations and behaviours, but they are effective for testing causal relationships between variables .
• Qualitative: Unstructured interviews usually produce results that cannot be generalised beyond the sample group , but they provide a more in-depth understanding of participants’ perceptions, motivations, and emotions.
• Mixed methods: Despite issues systematically comparing differing types of data, a solely quantitative study would not sufficiently incorporate the lived experience of each participant, while a solely qualitative study would be insufficiently generalisable.

Remember that your aim is not just to describe your methods, but to show how and why you applied them. Again, it’s critical to demonstrate that your research was rigorously conducted and can be replicated.

1. Focus on your objectives and research questions

The methodology section should clearly show why your methods suit your objectives  and convince the reader that you chose the best possible approach to answering your problem statement and research questions .

2. Cite relevant sources

Your methodology can be strengthened by referencing existing research in your field. This can help you to:

• Show that you followed established practice for your type of research
• Discuss how you decided on your approach by evaluating existing research
• Present a novel methodological approach to address a gap in the literature

3. Write for your audience

Consider how much information you need to give, and avoid getting too lengthy. If you are using methods that are standard for your discipline, you probably don’t need to give a lot of background or justification.

Regardless, your methodology should be a clear, well-structured text that makes an argument for your approach, not just a list of technical details and procedures.

Methodology refers to the overarching strategy and rationale of your research. Developing your methodology involves studying the research methods used in your field and the theories or principles that underpin them, in order to choose the approach that best matches your objectives.

Methods are the specific tools and procedures you use to collect and analyse data (e.g. interviews, experiments , surveys , statistical tests ).

In a dissertation or scientific paper, the methodology chapter or methods section comes after the introduction and before the results , discussion and conclusion .

Depending on the length and type of document, you might also include a literature review or theoretical framework before the methodology.

Quantitative research deals with numbers and statistics, while qualitative research deals with words and meanings.

Quantitative methods allow you to test a hypothesis by systematically collecting and analysing data, while qualitative methods allow you to explore ideas and experiences in depth.

A sample is a subset of individuals from a larger population. Sampling means selecting the group that you will actually collect data from in your research.

For example, if you are researching the opinions of students in your university, you could survey a sample of 100 students.

Statistical sampling allows you to test a hypothesis about the characteristics of a population. There are various sampling methods you can use to ensure that your sample is representative of the population as a whole.

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Writing a Methodology for your Dissertation | Complete Guide & Steps

What is a methodology.

The methodology is perhaps the most challenging and laborious part of the dissertation . Essentially, the methodology helps in understanding the broad, philosophical approach behind the methods of research you chose to employ in your study. The research methodology elaborates on the ‘how’ part of your research.

This means that your methodology chapter should clearly state whether you chose to use quantitative or qualitative data collection techniques or a mix of both.

Your research methodology should explain the following:

• What was the purpose of your research?
• What type of research method was used?
• What were the data-collecting methods?
• How did you analyse the data?
• What kind of resources were used in your research?
• Why did you choose these methods?

You will be required to provide justifications as to why you preferred a certain method over the others. If you are trying to figure out exactly how to write methodology or the structure of a methodology for a dissertation, this article will point you in the right direction.

Students must be sure of why they chose a certain research method over another. “I figured out” or “In my opinion” statements will not be an acceptable justification. So, you will need to come up with concrete academic reasons for your selection of research methods.

What are the Standard Contents of a Research Methodology?

The methodology generally acts as a guideline or plan for exactly how you intend to carry out your research. This is especially true for students who must submit their methodology chapter before carrying out the research.

Your methodology should link back to the literature review and clearly state why you chose certain data collection and analysis methods for your research/dissertation project.

The methodology chapter consists of the following:

• Research Design
• Philosophical Approach
• Data Collection Methods
• Research Limitations
• Ethical Considerations (If Any)
• Data Analysis Methods

For those who are submitting their dissertation as a single paper, their methodology should also touch on any modifications they had to make as their work progressed.

However, it is essential to provide academic justifications for all choices made by the researcher.

How to Choose your Dissertation Methodology and Research Design?

The theme of your research methodology chapter should be related to your literature review and research question (s).

You can visit your college or university library to find textbooks and articles that provide information about the commonly employed research methods .

An intensive reading of such books can help you devise your research philosophy and choose the appropriate methods. Any limitations or weaknesses of your chosen research approach should also be explained, as well as the strategies to overcome them.

To research well, you should read well! Read as many research articles (from reputed journals) as you can. Seeing how other researchers use methods in their studies and why will help you justify, in the long run, your own research method(s).

Regardless of the chosen research approach, you will find researchers who either support it or don’t. Use the arguments for and against articulated in the literature to clarify why you decided to choose the selected research design and why the research limitations are irrelevant to your research.

How to Structure your Dissertation Methodology?

The typical structure of the methodology chapter is as follows:

• Research Design And Strategy
• Methods Of Data Collection And Data Analysis
• Ethical Considerations, Reliability , Limitations And Generalisability

In research jargon, generalisability is termed external validity . It means how generalisable your research findings are to other contexts, places, times, people, etc. External validity is expected to be significantly high, especially in quantitative studies.

According to USC-Research Guides (2017) , a research design’s primary function is to enable the researcher to answer the research questions through evidence effectively. Generally, this section will shed light on how you collected your data.

The researcher will have to justify their choice of data collection methods, such as the one that was reviewed, the use of data tools (interviews, phone surveys, questionnaires, observation, online surveys , etc.) and the like.

Moreover, data sampling choice should also be clearly explained with a focus on how you chose the ethnicity, group, profession and age of the participants.

• What type of questions do you intend to ask the respondents?
• How will they help to answer your research questions ?
• How will they help to test the hypothesis of the dissertation?

It is recommended to prepare these questions at the start of your research. You should develop your research problem and questions. This approach can allow the room to change or modify research questions if your data collection methods do not give the desired results.

It’s a good practice to keep referring to your research questions whilst planning or writing the research design section. This will help your reader recall what the research is about; why you have done what you did. Even though this technique is recommended to be applied at the start of every section within a dissertation, it’s especially beneficial in the methodology section.

In short, you will need to make sure that the data you are going to collect relates to the topic you are exploring. The complexity and length of the research design section will vary depending on your academic subject and the scope of your research, but a well-written research design will have the following characteristics:

• It sheds light on alternative research design options and justifies why your chosen design is the best to address the research problem.
• Clearly specifies the research questions that the research aims to address or the hypothesis to validate.
• Explain how the collected data will help address the research problem and discusses your research methodology to collect the data.

Philosophical Approach Behind Writing a Methodology

This will discuss your chosen philosophy to strengthen your research and the research model. Commonly employed philosophies in academia are

• Interpretivism,
• Positivism/Post-Positivism
• Constructivism

There are several other research philosophies that you could adopt.

The choice of philosophy will depend on many factors, including your academic subject and the type and complexity of the research study. Regardless of which philosophy is used, you will be required to make different assumptions about the world.

Once you have chosen your research philosophy, the next step will describe your research context to answer all the questions, including when, where, why, how and what of your research.

Essentially, as a researcher, you will be required to decide whether you will be using a qualitative method, a quantitative method or a mix of both.

Did you know?

Using both qualitative and quantitative methods leads to the use of a mixed-methods approach. This approach also goes by another seldom-used name: eclectic approach.

The process of data collection is different for each method. Typically, you would want to decide whether you will adopt the positivist approach, defining your hypothesis and testing it against reality.

If this is the case, you will be required to take the quantitative approach, collecting numerical data at a large scale (from 30 or more respondents) and testing your hypotheses with this data.

Collecting data from at least 30 respondents/participants ensures reliable statistical analysis . This is especially true for quantitative studies. If the data contains less than 30 responses, it won’t be enough to carry out reliable statistical analyses on such data.

The other option for you would be to base your research on a qualitative approach, which will point you in a direction where you will be investigating broader areas by identifying people’s emotions and perceptions of a subject.

With a qualitative approach, you will have to collect responses from respondents and look at them in all their richness to develop theories about the field you are exploring.

Finally, you can also use a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods (which is becoming increasingly popular among researchers these days). This method is beneficial if you are interested in putting quantitative data into a real-world context or reflecting different perspectives on a subject.

Research philosophy in the ‘research onion.’

Methods of Data Collection and Data Analysis

This section will require you to clearly specify how you gathered the data and briefly discuss the tools you used to analyse it. For example, you may choose to conduct surveys and/or interviews as part of the data collection process.

Similarly, if you used software such as Excel or SPSS to process the data , you will have to justify your software choice. In this section of your methodology chapter , you will also have to explain how you arrived at your findings and how reliable they are.

It is important to note that your readers or supervisor would want to see a correlation between your findings and the hypothesis/research questions you based your study on at the very beginning.

Your supervisor or dissertation research assistant can play a key role in helping you write the methodology chapter according to established research standards. So, keep your supervisor in the loop to get their contributions and recommendations throughout the process.

In this section, you should briefly describe the methods you’ve used to analyse the data you’ve collected.

Qualitative Methods

The qualitative method includes analysing language, images, audio, videos, or any textual data (textual analysis). The following types of methods are used in textual analysis .

Discourse analysis:

Discourse analysis is an essential aspect of studying a language and its uses in day-to-day life.

Content analysis:

It is a method of studying and retrieving meaningful information from documents Thematic analysis:

It’s a method of identifying patterns of themes in the collected information, such as face-to-face interviews, texts, and transcripts.

Example: After collecting the data, it was checked thoroughly to find the missing information. The interviews were transcribed, and textual analysis was conducted. The repetitions of the text, types of colours displayed, and the tone of the speakers was measured.

Quantitative Methods

Quantitative data analysis is used for analysing numerical data. Include the following points:

• The methods of preparing data before analysing it.
• Which statistical test you have used? (one-ended test, two-ended test)
• The type of software you’ve used.

Ethical Considerations, Reliability and Limitations of a Dissertation Methodology

Other important sections of your methodology are:

Ethical Considerations

Always consider how your research will influence other individuals who are beyond the scope of the study. This is especially true for human subjects. As a researcher, you are always expected to make sure that your research and ideas do not harm anyone in any way.Discussion concerning data protection, data handling and data confidentiality will also be included in this brief segment.

• How did you ensure your participants’/respondents’ anonymity and/or confidentiality?
• Did you remove any identifiable markers after conducting the study (post-test stage) so that readers wouldn’t be able to guess the identity of the participant/respondent?
• Was personal information collected according to the purpose of the research? (For instance, asking respondents their age when it wasn’t even relevant in the study). All such ethical considerations need to be mentioned.

Even though there is no established rule to include ethical considerations and limitations within the methodology section, it’s generally recommended to include it in this section, as it makes more sense than including it, say, after the discussions section or within the conclusion.

This is mainly because limitations almost always occur in the methodology stage of research. And ethical considerations need to be taken while sampling, an important aspect of the research methodology.

Here are some examples of ethical issues that you should be mindful of

• Does your research involve participants recalling episodes of suffering and pain?
• Are you trying to find answers to questions considered culturally sensitive either by participants or the readers?
• Are your research, analysis and findings based on a specific location or a group of people?

All such issues should be categorically addressed and a justification provided for your chosen research methodology by highlighting the study’s benefits.

Reliability

Is your research study and findings reliable for other researchers in your field of work? To establish yourself as a reliable researcher, your study should be both authentic and reliable.

Reliability means the extent to which your research can yield similar results if it was replicated in another setting, at a different time, or under different circumstances. If replication occurs and different findings come to light, your (original) research would be deemed unreliable.

Limitations

Good dissertation writers will always acknowledge the limitations of their research study. Limitations in data sampling can decrease your results’ reliability.

A classic example of research limitation is collecting responses from people of a certain age group when you could have targeted a more representative cross-section of the population.Be humble and admit to your own study’s limitations. Doing so makes your referees, editors, supervisors, readers and anyone else involved in the research enterprise aware that you were also aware of the things that limited your study.

Limitations are NOT the same as implications. Sometimes, the two can be confused. Limitations lead to implications, that is, due to a certain factor being absent in the study (limitation) for instance, future research could be carried out in a setting where that factor is present (implication).

Dissertation Methodology Example

At this point, you might have a basic understanding of how to craft a well-written, organised, accurate methodology section for your dissertation. An example might help bring all the aforementioned points home. Here is a dissertation methodology example in pdf to better understand how to write methodology for a dissertation.

Sample Dissertation Methodology

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Types of Methodologies

A scientific or lab-based study.

A methodology section for a scientific study will need to elaborate on reproducibility and meticulousness more than anything else. If your methods have obvious flaws, the readers are not going to be impressed. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your chosen research methodology is vigorous in nature.

Any information related to the procedure, setup and equipment should be clearly stated so other researchers in your field of study can work with the same method in the future if needed.

Variables that are likely to falsify your data must be taken into the equation to avoid ambiguities. It is recommended to present a comprehensive strategy to deal with these variables when gathering and analysing the data and drawing conclusions.

Statistical models employed as part of your scientific study will have to be justified, and so your methodology should include details of those statistical models.

Another scholar in the future might use any aspect of your methodology as the starting point for their research. For example, they might base their research on your methodology but analyse the data using other statistical models. Hence, this is something you should be mindful of.

Behavioural or Social Sciences-Based Dissertation

Like scientific or lab-based research, a behavioural and social sciences methodology needs to be built along the same lines. The chosen methodology should demonstrate reproducibility and firmness so other scholars can use your whole dissertation methodology or a part of it based on their research needs.

But there are additional issues that the researcher must take into consideration when working with human subjects. As a starting point, you will need to decide whether your analysis will be based on qualitative data, quantitative data or mixed-method of research, where qualitative data is used to provide contextual background to quantitative data or the other way around.

Here are some questions for you to consider:

• Will you observe the participants undertaking some activity, ask them to fill out a questionnaire, or record their responses during the interviews ?
• Will you base your research on existing evidence and datasets and avoid working with human subjects?
• What are the length, width, and reach of your data? Define its scope.
• Is the data highly explicit to the location or cultural setting you carried your study in, or can it be generalised to other situations and frameworks (reliability)? What are your reasons and justifications?

While you will be required to demonstrate that you have taken care of the above questions, it is equally important to make sure that you address your research study’s ethical issues side-by-side.

Of course, the first step in that regard will be to obtain formal approval for your research design from the ethics bodies (such as IRBs – institutional review boards), but still, there will be many more issues that could trigger a sense of grief and discomfort among some of the readers.

Humanities and Arts Dissertation Project

The rigour and dependability of the methods of research employed remain undisputed and unquestionable for humanities and arts-based dissertations as well. However, the way you convince your readers of your dissertation’s thoroughness is slightly different.

Unlike social science dissertation or a scientific study, the methodology of dissertations in arts and humanities subjects needs to be directly linked to the literature review regardless of how innovative your dissertation’s topic might be.

For example, you could demonstrate the relationship between A and B to discover a new theoretical background or use existing theories in a new framework.

The methodology section of humanities and arts-based dissertations is less complex, so there might be no need to justify it in detail. Students can achieve a seamless transition from the literature review to the analysis section.

However, like with every other type of research methodology, it is important to provide a detailed justification of your chosen methodology and relate it to the research problem.

Failing to do so could leave some readers unconvinced of your theoretical foundations’ suitability, which could potentially jeopardise your whole research.

Make sure that you are paying attention to and giving enough information about the social and historical background of the theoretical frameworks your research methodology is based on. This is especially important if there is an essential difference of opinion between your research and the research done on the subject in the past.

A justification of why opposing schools of thought disagree and why you still went ahead to use aspects of these schools of thought in your methodology should be clearly presented for the readers to understand how they would support your readings.

A Dissertation in Creative Arts

Some degree programs in the arts allow students to undertake a portfolio of artworks or creative writing rather than produce an extended dissertation research project.However, in practice, your creative research will be required to be submitted along with a comprehensive evaluative paper, including background information and an explanation that hypothesises your innovative exercise.

While this might seem like an easy thing to do, critical evaluation of someone’s work is highly complex and notorious in nature. This further reinforces the argument of developing a rigorous methodology and adhering to it.

As a scholar, you will be expected to showcase the ability to critically analyse your methodology and show that you are capable of critically evaluating your own creative work.Such an approach will help you justify your method of creating the work, which will give the readers the impression that your research is grounded in theory.

What to Avoid in Methodology?

All chapters of a dissertation paper are interconnected. This means that there will undoubtedly be some information that would overlap between the different chapters of the dissertation .

For example, some of the text material may seem appropriate to both the literature review and methodology sections; you might even end up moving information from pillar to post between different chapters as you edit and improve your dissertation .

However, make sure that you are not making the following a part of your dissertation methodology, even though it may seem appropriate to fit them in there:

A Long Review of Methods Employed by Previous Researchers

It might seem relevant to include details of the models your dissertation methodology is based on. However, a detailed review of models and precedents used by other scholars and theorists will better fit in the literature review chapter, which you can link back to. This will help the readers understand why you decided to go in favour of or against a certain tactic.

Unnecessary Details Readers Might Not be Interested In

There is absolutely no need to provide extensive details of things like lab equipment and experiment procedures. Having such information in the methodology chapter would discourage some readers who might not be interested in your equipment, setup, lab environment, etc.

Your aim as the author of the document will be to retain the readers’ interest and make the methodology chapter as readable as possible.

While it is important to get all the information relating to how others can reproduce your experiment, it is equally important to ensure your methodology section isn’t unnecessarily long. Again, additional information is better to be placed within the appendices chapter.

The methodology is not the section to provide raw data, even if you are only discussing the data collection process. All such information should be moved to the appendices section.

Even if you feel some finding or numerical data is crucial to be presented within the methodology section, you can, at most, make brief comments about such data. Its discussion, however, is only allowed in the discussions section .

What Makes your Methodology Stand Out?

The factors which can determine if your dissertation methodology is ‘great’ depend on many factors, including the level of study you are currently enrolled in.

Undergraduate dissertations are, of course, less complex and less demanding. At most universities in the UK, undergraduate students are required to exhibit the ability to conduct thorough research as they engage for the first time with theoretical and conceptual frameworks in their chosen research area.

As an undergraduate student, you will be expected to showcase the capacity to reproduce what you have learnt from theorists in your academic subject, transform your leanings into a methodology that would help you address the research problem, and test the research hypothesis, as mentioned in the introduction chapter.

A great undergraduate-level dissertation will incorporate different schools of thought and make a valuable contribution to existing knowledge. However, in general, undergraduate-level dissertations’ focus should be to show thorough desk-based and independent research skills.

Postgraduate dissertation papers are much more compound and challenging because they are expected to make a substantial contribution to existing knowledge.

Depending on the academic institute, some postgraduate students are even required to develop a project published by leading academic journals as an approval of their research skills.

It is important to recognise the importance of a postgraduate dissertation towards building your professional career, especially if your work is considered impactful in your area of study and receives citations from multiple scholars, enhancing your reputation in academic communities.

Even if some academics cite your literature review and conclusion in their own work, it is a well-known fact that your methodology framework will result in many more citations regardless of your academic subject.

Other scholars and researchers in your area of study are likely to give much more value to a well-crafted methodology, especially one they can use as the starting point for their own research.

Of course, they can alter, refine and enhance your methodology in one way or another. They can even apply your methodological framework to a new data set or apply it in a completely new situation that is irrelevant to your work.

Finally, postgraduate dissertations are expected to be highly convincing and demonstrate in-depth engagement. They should be reproducible and show rigour, so the findings and conclusions can be regarded as authentic and reliable among scientific and academic communities.

The methodology is the door to success when it comes to dissertation projects. An original methodology that takes into consideration all aspects of research is likely to have an impact on the field of study.

As a postgraduate student, you should ask yourself, Is my dissertation methodology reproducible and transferable? Producing a methodology that others can reproduce in the future is as important as answering research questions .

The methodology chapter can either make or break the grade of your research/dissertation paper. It’s one of the research elements that leave a memorable impression on your readers. So, it would help if you took your time when it comes to choosing the right design and philosophical approach for your research.

Always use authentic academic sources and discuss your plans in detail with your supervisor if you believe your research design or approach has flaws in it.

Did this article help you learn how to write a dissertation methodology and how to structure a dissertation methodology? Let us know in your comments.

Are you struggling to create a thorough and well-rounded dissertation methodology?

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How to Write a Dissertation Methodology in 7 Steps

A methodology section explains the entire process of data collection and analysis based on logic and philosophy. This section is an unavoidable part of a dissertation or a research paper. Considering errors in the methodology section enervates the entire dissertation. Here, we bring you a general guide on the steps to compose a flawless methodology section for a dissertation.

This brief guide shows you how to write a methodology section for a dissertation. To give you an opportunity to practice proofreading, we have left a few spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors in the text. See if you can spot them! If you spot the errors correctly, you will be entitled to a 10% discount.

The term ‘‘methodology’’ itself invokes its definition. However, it is not just describing the methods. A perfect research methodology for a dissertation carries out the solid philosophical ground along with explaining the methods used. In simple words, a methodology section explains the entire process of data collection and analysis based on logic and philosophy. Initially, a methodology is written to provide enough information on how the entire research is completed.

The methodology is an unavoidable part of a dissertation or a research paper. Considering errors in the methodology section enervates the entire dissertation. Here, we bring you a general guide on the steps to compose a flawless methodology for a dissertation.

Steps to writing a perfect methodology for a dissertation

1. Give an outline of the research design

On the Internet, you may find various guides that completely overlook this integral part. Before writing a methodology for a dissertation, you need to clarify which research design you are utilizing. There are multiple aspects of research designs . The following three designs are considered the most common research designs used in academic studies and dissertations.

Experimental designs

Descriptive designs

Experimental design discusses the process in which the participants are divided into two or more groups to execute the same topics.

Descriptive designs explore the idea and connection between two inventions. Simply, its purpose is to state any topic precisely and systematically.

The review discusses the insights gained in secondary research. It also carries out how these insights influence research policies.

2. Don’t forget to define the philosophy behind the research

Research philosophy is the essence of any research. We often notice that some researchers knowingly or unknowingly avoid this part. They just put force on the collection and scrutiny of data. If your dissertation cannot connect to the philosophy of the reader, it is hard for readers to get the essence of the research. It not only makes the paper easier to understand but engaging enough to communicate with the readers. According to a study , there are mainly four types of research philosophies.

However, apart from these four, postmodernism is also a very popular philosophical idea that rejects the concept of gaining objective knowledge.

3. Mention the research approach

A perfect methodology is incomplete without mentioning the research approach. It is initially divided into two approaches: ‘‘deductive approach’’ and ‘‘inductive approach.’’

The deductive approach generally discusses a scientific investigation or specific theory. Though it is well-suited with the positivist philosophical theory, it is compatible with other philosophies too. The researchers need to study other researchers and also phenomenal theories on his or her topic in this approach.

Contrarily, inductive research is about exploring a specific phenomenon and utilizing the results to execute a new theory. It works with interpretivism or even with postmodernism.

In simple words, deductive research includes theory-based attempts, and inductive research consists of a findings-led approach.

4. Introduce the research methods

The methodology must introduce the research methods used in the dissertation whether it is quantitative or qualitative.

Quantitative research:  Quantitative research method is mainly utilized to collect numerical data. The method is specifically used when you are counting, categorizing, or tracing any data pattern. Students or researchers find quantitative data through experiments, existing data, and surveys. Simply, quantitative data are used in the statistical calculation.

Qualitative research: Qualitative research technique is utilized to find non-statistical data. Here, the researchers require categorizing the information based on data collection rather than utilizing numeric to generate graphs or charts. While developing a hypothesis , this research paper plays a crucial role. Researchers can collect data from interviews, focus groups, and personal observation.

Take note that choosing the research methods largely depends on the requirements of your research. However, after completing the methodology, make sure to get it checked by professional proofreaders and editors.

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5. Note these points to highlight in the methodology

No matter what methodology you have chosen, you have to focus on the following points:

Explain sampling strategy.

Clearly state the procedure of the research paper.

Mention how you collect the data. (Data collection)

Explain how data are analyzed for your research. (Data analysis). Suppose you have written in qualitative strategy like thematic analysis, mention the researcher you have followed.

Mention the validity of the data and result.

Discuss all ethical aspects of your research paper.

6. Avail professional proofreading and editing services

As we always mention it is common for humans to make mistakes. In dissertation writing, editing and proofreading services are essential to ensure the credibility of the content. There can be several mistakes related to grammar, punctuation, syntax, sentence construction, and other minor errors. Consulting an expert for amending such errors doesn’t only save your time but also ensures consistency and error-free writing in your dissertation.

Moreover, if your dissertation is traced with some major mistakes, an editor plays an exceptional role in editing the part and rewrite it for you. Where proofreading deals with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other minor errors, editing deals with the analysis and core amendments, including formatting, referencing, and many more. Irrespective of native or non-native speakers, it is a smart decision to seek assistance from experts.

7. Most important tips to compose an impactful methodology for a dissertation

Don’t drift from your objective and the purpose of your dissertation.

Explore scholarly research papers and their methodology sections to have a better idea.

Plan a proper writing structure.

Understand your audience and target group.

Don’t make mistakes in citing relevant sources. You may use APA and MLA citation

Refer to all the hurdles you have experienced while writing your dissertation.

Make sure to rectify grammatical and punctuation errors.

Ensure that the section is readable and doesn’t consist of long and complex sentences. Long sentences can hamper the tone of the methodology.

Take note that experts review your research paper for any mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and sentence construction, etc., and fix all the issues to ensure the highest quality. Moreover, a professional service like Best Edit & Proof ensures that this part is free from plagiarism.

If you need us to make your manuscript shine, contact us unhesitatingly!

Best Edit & Proof expert editors and proofreaders focus on offering manuscripts with proper tone, content, and style of  academic writing,  and also provide an upscale  editing and proofreading service  for you. If you consider our pieces of advice, you will witness a notable increase in the chance for your research manuscript to be accepted by the publishers. We work together as an academic writing style guide by bestowing subject-area editing and proofreading around several categorized writing styles. With the group of our expert editors, you will always find us all set to help you identify the tone and style that your manuscript needs to get a nod from the publishers.

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You can also avail of our assistance if you are looking for editors who can format your manuscript, or just check on the  particular styles  for the formatting task as per the guidelines provided to you, e.g.,  APA,  MLA, or Chicago/Turabian styles. Best Edit & Proof editors and proofreaders provide all sorts of academic writing help, including editing and proofreading services, using our user-friendly website, and a streamlined ordering process.

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Writing your Dissertation: Methodology

A key part of your dissertation or thesis is the methodology. This is not quite the same as ‘methods’.

The methodology describes the broad philosophical underpinning to your chosen research methods, including whether you are using qualitative or quantitative methods, or a mixture of both, and why.

You should be clear about the academic basis for all the choices of research methods that you have made. ' I was interested ' or ' I thought... ' is not enough; there must be good academic reasons for your choice.

What to Include in your Methodology

If you are submitting your dissertation in sections, with the methodology submitted before you actually undertake the research, you should use this section to set out exactly what you plan to do.

The methodology should be linked back to the literature to explain why you are using certain methods, and the academic basis of your choice.

If you are submitting as a single thesis, then the Methodology should explain what you did, with any refinements that you made as your work progressed. Again, it should have a clear academic justification of all the choices that you made and be linked back to the literature.

Common Research Methods for the Social Sciences

There are numerous research methods that can be used when researching scientific subjects, you should discuss which are the most appropriate for your research with your supervisor.

The following research methods are commonly used in social science, involving human subjects:

One of the most flexible and widely used methods for gaining qualitative information about people’s experiences, views and feelings is the interview.

An interview can be thought of as a guided conversation between a researcher (you) and somebody from whom you wish to learn something (often referred to as the ‘informant’).

The level of structure in an interview can vary, but most commonly interviewers follow a semi-structured format.  This means that the interviewer will develop a guide to the topics that he or she wishes to cover in the conversation, and may even write out a number of questions to ask.

However, the interviewer is free to follow different paths of conversation that emerge over the course of the interview, or to prompt the informant to clarify and expand on certain points. Therefore, interviews are particularly good tools for gaining detailed information where the research question is open-ended in terms of the range of possible answers.

Interviews are not particularly well suited for gaining information from large numbers of people. Interviews are time-consuming, and so careful attention needs to be given to selecting informants who will have the knowledge or experiences necessary to answer the research question.  

See our page: Interviews for Research for more information.

Observations

If a researcher wants to know what people do under certain circumstances, the most straightforward way to get this information is sometimes simply to watch them under those circumstances.

Observations can form a part of either quantitative or qualitative research.  For instance, if a researcher wants to determine whether the introduction of a traffic sign makes any difference to the number of cars slowing down at a dangerous curve, she or he could sit near the curve and count the number of cars that do and do not slow down.  Because the data will be numbers of cars, this is an example of quantitative observation.

A researcher wanting to know how people react to a billboard advertisement might spend time watching and describing the reactions of the people.  In this case, the data would be descriptive , and would therefore be qualitative.

There are a number of potential ethical concerns that can arise with an observation study. Do the people being studied know that they are under observation?  Can they give their consent?  If some people are unhappy with being observed, is it possible to ‘remove’ them from the study while still carrying out observations of the others around them?

See our page: Observational Research and Secondary Data for more information.

Questionnaires

If your intended research question requires you to collect standardised (and therefore comparable) information from a number of people, then questionnaires may be the best method to use.

Questionnaires can be used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data, although you will not be able to get the level of detail in qualitative responses to a questionnaire that you could in an interview.

Questionnaires require a great deal of care in their design and delivery, but a well-developed questionnaire can be distributed to a much larger number of people than it would be possible to interview. 

Questionnaires are particularly well suited for research seeking to measure some parameters for a group of people (e.g., average age, percentage agreeing with a proposition, level of awareness of an issue), or to make comparisons between groups of people (e.g., to determine whether members of different generations held the same or different views on immigration).

See our page: Surveys and Survey Design for more information.

Documentary Analysis

Documentary analysis involves obtaining data from existing documents without having to question people through interview, questionnaires or observe their behaviour. Documentary analysis is the main way that historians obtain data about their research subjects, but it can also be a valuable tool for contemporary social scientists.

Documents are tangible materials in which facts or ideas have been recorded.  Typically, we think of items written or produced on paper, such as newspaper articles, Government policy records, leaflets and minutes of meetings.  Items in other media can also be the subject of documentary analysis, including films, songs, websites and photographs.

Documents can reveal a great deal about the people or organisation that produced them and the social context in which they emerged. 

Some documents are part of the public domain and are freely accessible, whereas other documents may be classified, confidential or otherwise unavailable to public access.  If such documents are used as data for research, the researcher must come to an agreement with the holder of the documents about how the contents can and cannot be used and how confidentiality will be preserved.

How to Choose your Methodology and Precise Research Methods

Your methodology should be linked back to your research questions and previous research.

Visit your university or college library and ask the librarians for help; they should be able to help you to identify the standard research method textbooks in your field. See also our section on Research Methods for some further ideas.

Such books will help you to identify your broad research philosophy, and then choose methods which relate to that. This section of your dissertation or thesis should set your research in the context of its theoretical underpinnings.

The methodology should also explain the weaknesses of your chosen approach and how you plan to avoid the worst pitfalls, perhaps by triangulating your data with other methods, or why you do not think the weakness is relevant.

For every philosophical underpinning, you will almost certainly be able to find researchers who support it and those who don’t.

Use the arguments for and against expressed in the literature to explain why you have chosen to use this methodology or why the weaknesses don’t matter here.

Structuring your Methodology

It is usually helpful to start your section on methodology by setting out the conceptual framework in which you plan to operate with reference to the key texts on that approach.

You should be clear throughout about the strengths and weaknesses of your chosen approach and how you plan to address them. You should also note any issues of which to be aware, for example in sample selection or to make your findings more relevant.

You should then move on to discuss your research questions, and how you plan to address each of them.

This is the point at which to set out your chosen research methods, including their theoretical basis, and the literature supporting them. You should make clear whether you think the method is ‘tried and tested’ or much more experimental, and what kind of reliance you could place on the results. You will also need to discuss this again in the discussion section.

Your research may even aim to test the research methods, to see if they work in certain circumstances.

You should conclude by summarising your research methods, the underpinning approach, and what you see as the key challenges that you will face in your research. Again, these are the areas that you will want to revisit in your discussion.

Your methodology, and the precise methods that you choose to use in your research, are crucial to its success.

It is worth spending plenty of time on this section to ensure that you get it right. As always, draw on the resources available to you, for example by discussing your plans in detail with your supervisor who may be able to suggest whether your approach has significant flaws which you could address in some way.

Continue to: Research Methods Designing Research

See Also: Dissertation: Results and Discussion Writing a Literature Review | Writing a Research Proposal Writing a Dissertation: The Introduction

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Dissertation Research Methods

DOI link for Dissertation Research Methods

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Dissertation Research Methods: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Up Your Research in the Social Sciences focuses specifically on the methodology for planning, writing and submitting your dissertation thesis. Written by two methodology experts in the social sciences, the book provides a step-by-step guide through each stage of the dissertation process. 　

It covers all aspects of the methodological considerations needed, from choosing a topic or research question, developing a literature review, identifying research gaps, accessing potential study participants, utilizing the right sampling strategies, analyzing data and writing up findings. Readers are introduced to the main research methods normally used in dissertations and their characteristics, and they are guided to choose an appropriate research method for their study, provide a substantial description of the selected method and articulate strong arguments in support of it. The book is filled with templates, exemplars and tools to help students write about methodology in their thesis and to equip readers to successfully troubleshoot any methodology challenges they may face. 　

This compact book will be of use to all graduate students and their supervisors in the Social Sciences and Education and Behavioural Sciences who are looking for a guide to working with robust and defensible methodological principles in their dissertation research and theses.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1 | 8  pages, planning your dissertation, chapter 2 | 24  pages, conducting a literature review and developing a theoretical/conceptual framework, chapter 3 | 14  pages, understanding the types of dissertation research, chapter 4 | 27  pages, choosing an appropriate research methodology, chapter 5 | 11  pages, understanding the seven types of research gaps, chapter 6 | 10  pages, developing the research problem, chapter 7 | 10  pages, developing the purpose statement, chapter 8 | 16  pages, developing the research statement and research questions, chapter 9 | 15  pages, research alignment, chapter 10 | 11  pages, understanding limitations and delimitations, chapter 11 | 12  pages, understanding assumptions and how to write them in a study, chapter 12 | 15  pages, understanding the differences between contributions and the significance of a study, chapter 13 | 13  pages, deciding on the source of data, chapter 14 | 15  pages, understanding the different kinds of data collection strategies, chapter 15 | 36  pages, planning and implementing the data collection process, chapter 16 | 27  pages, understanding populations and sampling, chapter 17 | 32  pages, planning and implementing the data analysis process, chapter 18 | 25  pages, ensuring quality in the study, chapter 19 | 20  pages, writing your dissertation, chapter 20 | 10  pages, chapter 21 | 41  pages, chapter 22 | 29  pages, chapter 23 | 20  pages.

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