Your Undergraduate Dissertation

After twenty years in architectural practice in Scotland, England and Switzerland designing a wide range of buildings, industrial, commercial, residential, and renovating and restoring historic buildings, I returned to academic activities when I embarked on a Ph.D. at Oxford Brookes University.  My university teaching and examining experience has been at all levels, with the preponderance at postgraduate level. I have supervised to successful completion twenty Ph.D. students and two MPhils, 1 KTP, and examined 13 Ph.D. candidates. I have published several popular textbooks and guides on construction aspects and on how to do research for students and practitioners and how to write Ph.D. theses, Masters and Undergraduate dissertations.  As Senior Researcher, Oxford Institute of Sustainable Development – Architectural Engineering Group, my research was based mainly on the technology of building construction - innovative, existing and historic, on vernacular architecture, and issues regarding accessibility in buildings and surroundings. My published papers and reports are read internationally and have been presented at international conferences.

• What′s It All For?What Types of Studies are Suitable for a Dissertation?What Will It Be About?How Do I Get Started?What′s All This about Philosophy?How Do I Write a Proposal?What About Working and Planning My Time?How Can I Find and Review the Literature?How Can I Manage All the Notes?What′s All This about Ethics?What Sorts of Data Will I Find?How Do I Collect Data?How Do I Analyse Quantitative Data?How Do I Analyse Qualitative Data?Why Do I Need Arguments?How Can I Manage Such a Long Piece of Writing?What About Referencing?How Can I Make My Work Look Interesting and Easy to Read?Who Else Might Be Interested in My Writing?ReferencesIndex

′This book is one of the most helpful I have seen in terms of helping undergraduate students understand the methods and principles involved in carrying out research for the final dissertation which many degree courses require. In essence it is a complete guide, covering every aspect of the process, outlining each step from selecting a theme to final writing and submission′ - ESCalate