One of the most daunting aspects of writing a dissertation or thesis can be knowing how to approach your data. Whether your project is about migration flows or contemporary cinema, the design of your research—and, in turn, the handling of your data—will have a profound effect on your work.
How you present your results will depend on your research questions. You may decide that a case study and literature review are the most appropriate methods for your project. However, if using a quantitative approach, you’ll probably need to use graphs, tables and charts to present the data.
Planning your research carefully is crucial. Take time to consider your choices in terms of the type of data you’re examining. If using a quantitative approach, you’ll also have to consider what kind of statistical analysis is appropriate.
Make sure you fully grasp the rationale of the data selection process and that you’re applying the appropriate tests to check the significance of the results. Allow your research questions to inform how you present your data and what statistical techniques you use.
It is also important that you allow yourself enough time to run a pilot experiment or small-scale analysis before you run the full one. This will provide an opportunity to weed out errors and refine your methodology.
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Always seek advice from your supervisor. If the first time your methods are being looked at by an academic is at the point of submission, you may be in trouble.
Regardless of the study type, it is essential that your results are presented in an organised and logical manner. This should reflect your research questions, objectives, and the theoretical framework set out at the start of your thesis.
TOP TIP: Go beyond simply describing your data by relating it back to your project aims, giving explanations for how you’ve interpreted the data.
For more information about writing a dissertation or thesis, read our full dissertation writing guide. Or If you want any help checking over your work when it’s done, why not send it to a professional proofreader for an expert opinion?
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