VIA University College Denmark

 

Size of a dissertation:
Canīt be told exactly, however remember quality forth by quantity.

Frontpage:
From the frontpage shall appear : Heading of dissertation, own name (full name) name of school and month and year. Make an inviting frontpage and if a synopsis is selected on the frontpage this can by asset be framed.

Synopsis:
Summing up from the project and prior conclusions. The synopsis is optionally; however if a synopsis is wanted, it should be short, amid 10 lines. The synopsis is written to very last, and is recommended placed at the frontpage.

Preface:
Here are space for personal comments, thanksgiving to persons, institutions or firms, that somehow has assisted. You can also write how literature references, notes ect. are stated.
The preface are nearly always written finally, but must not be a synopsis.

Table of contents:
The table of contents indicating systematically chapter headers, part headers by numbering and page number.

Problem analysis:
In the problem analysis you analysis the problem:
- whatīs the problem?
- is it true that there is a problem? that is documentation in the form of numbers, tables, graphs,
literature references.
- is the problem consisting / possible rising? (prove)
- whatīs the reason to the problem?
- what is possible to do / how kan you remedy the problem?

Problem statement:
Here the questions are formulated that you try to answer in the report (avoid “yes/no” – questions). If the problem statement are precise it could be contented in one main question – otherwise subquestions are used. Beware to be precise, and do not ask to may questions. In case you during the written phase find out, that you canīt answer on the problem statement you has to rewrite it. A problem statement should always be answered.

Delimitation:
Here you should short and precisely write what do you want to include in the dissertation (that is you describe with words what yoy have encircled). The delimitation can be stated under consideration to time, missing literature on the province ect.
It could occur, that you during the writing process find out, that the problem statement should be delimitated futher. Remember itīs better to aim precisely than to shoot with hails.


Time schedule:
Itīs always a good idea to make an internal time shedule. In that case it is easier to keep self justice. A good time schedule are designed so you clearly can see and estimate planned and used time (example of an internal time schedule). The time schedule can if necessary incur as enclosed.

Introduction:
There should be introduced with a briefly introduction to the subject field. It could be of historic or social character.

The proper content of the dissertation (mail part):

By this means main sections and/or chapters.
A good chaper mapping out does the dissertation much more clearly, and see that you supplement the text with pictures/drawings/graphs ect.
Remember to put into perspective. Itīs important that the reader can see that there are reflection value in the dissertation. Make statements to the topics, and be critical. Keywords: Shine through.

Conclusion:
The conclusion is also a very important element in the dissertation. The conclusion can be seen as an answer to the problem statement and the delimitation.
Personal estimations, for example if the dissertation has been exiting or instructive is not a part of the conclusion, but belong to the evaluation.

Evaluation:
Here you could briefly go through, what went well or bad in the dissertation. After the evaluating it would be naturally to place: date and signature.

Source indication ("list of literature"):
All source indication in the dissertation shall be specified with italic, and there should be used bottom note.

If the source is an illustration, figure, table or similar it should be stated with a bottom note.

The source should be specified precisely and on the same place as used (it is not enough that the source is mentioned in the source indication).

Internet sources are specified with the fully address as shown in the example below:
http://www.dr.dk/arbejdsliv/forside/index.asp

Books are specified with: the name of author, the title of the book, the used pages and year of publication (in the mentioned sequence).
If a book has several authors only the first author is specified.

Articles are specified with: the name of author, the heading of the article, place of publication and date (in the mentioned sequence).
 
List of literature:
The used sources are specified in alphabetic order in relation to the surname of the author. The overall list of literature should give a true picture of the used sources. Only materials actually used in the dissertation must be specified.

Enclosure:
Enclosure should be numbered (chonological), and only enclosure parts referred in the report is included. The first enclosure part is given the number 1, the next number 2 etc. Enclosure is material that do not can or should enter in the main section of the dissertation. The two main reasons to place some materials as enclosure is that the form and extents of the materials make it unpractically to place in the dissertation and that the material is unreadable in direct relation to the text. The enclosure should act as documentation or supplement to the dissertation. Enclosure can be data sheets, legislative texts, summary of conversations etc.

NB! Enclosure materials should not be copied out, but should be pasted in originally to prevent loss of documentation value.