International School of Business & Media

Pune

Dissertation Writing Guidelines

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Title Page

(PEG LOGO)

A Dissertation Report on

(Project Title) (Font size 18)

Submitted by

Student Name (16)

Under the guidance of
Supervisors Name (16)

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of

2- year Post Graduate Diploma in Management (14)

International School of Business & Media, Pune (16)

2012

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Inside first Page

(PEG LOGO)

A Dissertation Report on

(Project Title) (Font size 18)

Submitted by

Student Name (16)

Under the guidance of
Supervisors Name (16)

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of

2- year Post Graduate Diploma in Management (14)

International School of Business & Media, Pune (16)

2012

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1. Declaration or Certificate
Supervisors Declaration: A dissertation is to be submitted for the purpose of examination.
It must obtain prior declaration by the supervisor on the standard and quality of the dissertation.
2. Declaration Page
Students Declaration: This page should contain declaration by the student on originality of
the dissertation. The declaration should be signed.
3. Acknowledgement
The student may acknowledge the assistance of various individuals or organizations in
successfully producing the dissertation. This should be written in one page.
Table of Contents Page (Format attached at last)
The Table of Contents page must start on a new page. It should list all sections, chapters
and sub-headings. The titles must be written using the same words as those written in the text.
List of Tables
This page should list all the tables found in the dissertation. The page number of the table must
also be included. The table numbers should be arranged according to the chapters.
List of Figures
Diagrams, photographs, drawings, graphs, charts and maps are included as figures. The list
should be written similar as the List of Tables
List of Appendices
All appendices should be listed on this page.
4. Abstract or Executive Summery
The abstract should be brief, written in one paragraph and not exceed 300 words. An abstract
is different from synopsis or summary of a dissertation. It should states the field of study,
problem definition, methodology adopted, research process, results obtained and conclusion
of the research. The abstract can be written using single or one and a half spacing.
5. CHAPTERS
A dissertation must be divided into chapters. A title must be given and it should reflect
Its content. A new chapter must begin on a new page. A chapter must be divided into sections. These sections must be given appropriate titles and numbered. Texts must be written in
paragraphs. Long paragraphs should be avoided. Each paragraph must describe an issue or
subject. There must be continuity between paragraphs.
I

INTRODUCTION
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(Max. pages. 5-10)

gives the background of the project and the rationale for conducting the
study
Background of the Study
- Should be the platform for the significance of the study
- Should identify information gap
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Statement of the Problem

- identifies the research gaps
- justifies the conduct of the study
- states the questions that the study hopes to answer
- serves as a guide in formulating the specific objectives
Objectives of the Study
- states the general and specific objectives
- should be consistent with the problem
- should be clearly stated and logically presented
Hypotheses of the Study
- states the researchers expectations concerning the relationships between
the variables in the research problem
Significance of the Study
- points out the vital contribution of the results of the study and who
will benefit from it.
Scope and Limitations of the Study
- sets the delimitations and establishes the boundaries of the study (delimits the study in terms of size and area of coverage)
- states what the study will not cover or will not do
- identifies the weaknesses and constraints which may affect the results of
the study
II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

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consists of both the research and conceptual literatures

subsections can be included, which are based on objectives. All
subtopics must be italicized and boldly written.
- rules on paragraphing must be strictly followed. A paragraph should
have at least two sentences. It should not be too long.
- should consist of at least 10 pages
III

RESEARCH QUESTIONS & OBJECTIVES

It contains
-Main Objectives of the Study
-Hypothesis of Study
-Significance of Study
-Statement of Problem
(For details refer to Introduction part)

IV

METHODOLOGY
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describes how the study was conducted

Research Design
- specifies whether descriptive, causal/explanatory, correlational, comparative, exploratory, evaluative or combination of two or more designs

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Sources of Data
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specifies the sources of primary and/or secondary data

Method of Data Collection/Data Collection Procedure

- indicates the sampling procedures (if primary data) and the data collection
methods such as survey, questionnaire, and others
Analytical Procedures/Methods of Analysis
- indicates the most appropriate statistical tools used in analyzing both
quantitative and qualitative data
- mathematical expressions must be italicized and numbered accordingly
- all models/equations must be properly numbered
- all major/key variables must be properly measured/categorized indicating
their specific units of measure. The sources of formulas must be indicated
in the text.
V

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

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VI

summarizes the data collected and the statistical results in sufficient

detail to justify conclusions
uses tables and graphs to supplement the text
all figures must be numbered consecutively with their labels written
below the figures
the allowable font sizes for the figures are 10-14. All figures must be
placed immediately after the page where a particular figure number is
mentioned. All figures must be well explained in the text and all
figure numbers must be mentioned properly in the text.
includes information about the obtained magnitude or value of the test statistic, degree of freedom, probability, and the direction of the effect
evaluates/interprets the implications of the original hypothesis
emphasizes any theoretical consequences of the results and compares
results with the work of others)
subtopics and their sequencing must follow the specific objectives of
the study
mostly in the past tense; some are in the present tense

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summarise what you have achieved.
Evaluation
Stand back and evaluate what you have achieved and how well you have met
the objectives. Evaluate your achievements against your objectives Demonstrate that you have tackled the project in a professional manner.
Recommendations
You can provide actions to solve a problem, show where further research is
required to create better understanding, and then direct the future research or
topics to completely solve the topic of the paper.

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Future Work
Explain any limitations in your results and how things might be improved.
Discuss how your work might be developed further. Reflect on your results in
isolation and in relation to what others have achieved in the same field. This
self-analysis is particularly important. You should give a critical evaluation of
what went well, and what might be improved.
References and Bibliography
-should be alphabetically arranged
-all the references cited in the text must be included in this section
APPENDIXES
- may include verbatim instructions to participants; original scales or
questionnaires, and raw data; statistical calculations; and instrument
used.
Add: CV (Optional)

Guidelines about Text & Figures:

Citation in the Text
Citation is a means of formally recognizing within the text, the resources from which the information or idea were obtained. The purpose is to acknowledge the work of others, to
demonstrate the body of knowledge in which the work is based on and to lead others.
Quotations in the Text
A quotation must be written in a separate paragraph. If the quotation is in a different language,
it must be written in italic.
Tables in the Text
All tables must be numbered using numeric value. A caption should be positioned at the top
of the table. If the caption is written in a single line, it should be centered. If the caption is
written more than one line, it should be align to the left. Tables must be numbered with respect
to the chapter.
Figures in the Text
Illustrations such as maps, charts, graphs, drawings, diagrams, and photographs are referred as
figures. All figures must be clear and of high quality. Figures must be numbered using Arabic
numeric. A caption should be located at the bottom of the figure. If the caption is written in a
single line, it should be centered. If the caption is written in more than one line, it should be
align to the left. Figures are numbered with respect to the chapter. A figure should be positioned after it has being cited for the first time in the text. All figures in the chapter can also be
grouped together and positioned at an appropriate location. All figures must be listed in the
List of Figures page.
References and Bibliography
References are detailed description of items from which information were obtained in preparing the dissertation. All references must be listed at the end of the text in the following manner.
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 Book:Take the information from the title page and the reverse of the title
page:SUR NAME, INITIAL(S) (for first author), INITIAL(S) SUR NAME
(for other authors). Year. Title. Place ofpublication: Publisher.
ADAMS, A.D. 1906. Electric transmission of water power. New York:
McGraw.
KANE, M. and W. TROCHIM. 2007. Concept mapping for planning and
evaluation. Thousand Oaks: SagePublications p. 89
Book (edited)Write ed. or eds. after the editor's name(s):SURNAME, INITIAL(S). ed. Year. Title. Place of publication: Publisher.CRANDELL, K.A.
ed. 1999. The evolution of HIV. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press.
Book (electronic) SUR NAME, INITIAL(S). Year. Title [online]. Place of
publication: Publisher. [Date accessed]. Available from: URL.HOLLENSEN,
S. 2004. Global marketing: a decision oriented approach [online]. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall.[Accessed 18 February 2009]. Available
from:http://www.myilibrary.com/Browse/open.asp?ID=60094.
Blog: SUR NAME, INITIAL(S). Year. Title of blog entry. Date blog entry
written. Title of blog [online]. [Date accessed].Available from:
URL.BROTHERTON LIBRARY. 2009. Leeds Read 2009. 17 February. Brotherton blog [online]. [Accessed 28 February 2009]. Available from:
http://brothertonblog.blogspot.com/.
Census statistics: a. for print statistics see Book. b. For electronic statistics
see Website.
Chapter in an edited book: Use the title page and reverse title page of the
book and the chapter heading itself: SUR NAME, INITIAL(S). Year. Chapter title. In: INITIAL(S) SUR NAME OF EDITOR(S), ed(s). Title of book.
Placeof publication: Publisher, Page numbers.
COFFIN, J.M. 1999. Molecular biology of HIV. In: K.A. CRANDELL, Ed.
The evolution of HIV. Baltimore: Johns HopkinsPress, pp.3-40.
Conference paper or Conference proceedings: Use the title page and reverse
title page of the full proceedings and the headings for the paper:SUR NAME,
INITIAL(S) (for first author), INITIAL(S) SUR NAME (for other authors).
Year. Title of paper. In:
ROBERTSON, J. 1986. The economics of local recovery. In: The other economic summit, 17/18 April 1986, Tokyo.London: The Other Economic
Summit, pp.5-10.
Conversation: See Personal communication.
Email: See Personal communication.

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 Eprint or preprint SUR NAME, INITIAL(S). Year. Title of article. Journal

title, Volume (issue number), page numbers. Prefix. Eprintnumber.
KLEINBLOCK, D. and G. MARGULIS. 1998. Flows of homogenous spaces
and Diophantine approximation on manifolds. Annals of mathematics, 148(2),
pp.339-360. ArXiv:math.NT/9810036.
Film or video: Title. Year. Material designation. Subsidiary originator (director is preferred). Place of production: Production Company.
Interview : SUR NAME, INITIAL(S). Year. Interview with [name of interviewer]. Date. Place.
THOMPSON, D. 2008. Interview with J. Smith. 4 August. Leeds.
Journal article : Use the title page of the journal volume or issue and the article:
SUR NAME, INITIAL(S) (for first author), INITIAL(S) SUR NAME (for
other authors). Year. Title of article. Journaltitle. Volume(issue number), page
numbers.
PAJUNEN, K. 2008. Institutions and inflows of foreign direct investment: a
fuzzy-set analysis. Journal of internationalbusiness studies. 39(4), pp.652-669.
N.B. Use p. to reference a single page, and pp. if it is a range of pages.
Journal article (electronic) : Use information from the website and the article:SUR NAME, INITIAL(S) (for first author), INITIAL(S) SUR NAME (for
other authors). Year. Title of article. Journal
title [online]. Volume(issue number), [Date accessed], page numbers. Available from: URL.
ROYALL, C.P., B.L.THIEL, and A.M. DONALD. 2001. Radiation damage of
water in environmental scanning electronmicroscopy. Journal of microscopy
[online]. 204(3), [Accessed 17 March 2009], pp.185-195. Available from :
http://0-www3.interscience.wiley.com.wam.leeds.ac.uk/.
Magazine article : See Journal article.
Newspaper article : SUR NAME, INITIAL(S). Year. Title of article. Newspaper title. Date, page number of your quotation.
WEBSTER, B. 2006. New speed camera puts more drivers in the frame.
Times, 24 May, p.1.
Thesis or dissertation : Use the title page of the thesis:SUR NAME, INITIAL(S). Year. Title. Type of qualification, academic institution.
DANG, V.A. 2007. Three essays in financial economics. Ph.D. thesis, University of Calfiornia.

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 Website: Take the information from the webpage itself or the associated homepage:SUR NAME, INITIAL(S). Year. Title [online]. [Date accessed].
Available from: URL.
Wikis: WIKI NAME. Year. Title of article [online]. [Date accessed]. Available from: URL.
WIKIPEDIA. 2007. Socrates [online]. [Accessed 23 January 2007]. Available
from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Socrates&action=history.
YouTube video : SCREEN NAME. Year. Title [online]. [Date Accessed].
Available from: URL.
YANGSTER391991. 2007. Kunfu mix wit breakdance!!! [online]. [Accessed
23 February 2007]. Available from:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qMZoZsRZxKY.
Font
Times New Roman, 12 Space 1.5 Normal format Headings Bold 14 Times New Roman,
Space 1.5 Normal format

Pages: Total 80-100 pages

Penalties for the late submission of Dissertation:

In order for your assessed coursework to be complete, both the hard copy and the soft copy
must have been submitted. Both copies must be submitted before 5 P.M. prompt on the deadline date. Failure to submit both copies before this time will result in a late penalty being
applied. Students whose work is late by (up to) one day will lose 10 marks for that work, with
each extra calendar day late adding a further 2 marks to the penalty.

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Table of Contents (Format)

The table of contents below is automatically generated from the paragraphs of style Heading N
and Unnumbered N. To update this after revisions, right-click in the table and choose Update
Field for the entire table.
Certificate.............................................................................................................................3
Acknowlements....................................................................................................................4
Abstract ................................................................................................................................. 5
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. 6
List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... 10
1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 11
1.1 Background and Context ........................................................................................ 20
1.2 Scope and Objectives ............................................................................................. 12
1.3 Achievements ......................................................................................................... 13
1.4 Overview of Dissertation ....................................................................................... 15
2 Review of Literature ...................................................................................................... 16
3 Methodology .................................................................................................................. 42
3.1 First Section ........................................................................................................... 44
3.1.1 First Subsection ................................................................................................. 48
3.1.1.1 First Subsubsection.................................................................................... 56
3.1.2 Second Subsection ............................................................................................ 58
3.2 Second Section ....................................................................................................... 60
4 Conclusion & Recommendation ................................................................................... 61
4.1 Summary ................................................................................................................ 62
4.2 Evaluation .............................................................................................................. 67
4.3 Future Work............................................................................................................ 75
References ........................................................................................................................... 78
Appendix 1 .......................................................................................................................... 82
Appendix 2 ...................................................................................................................... 84

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Research Proposal
Components of a Research Proposal
The following components should be provided in a synopsis of Dissertation. The details may,
however, vary according to the field of study.
Title Page: Topic of Dissertation
Submitted by: A.B.C
Roll No. 1234 Section ABC
International School of Business & Media, Pune
Topic
The topic for Dissertation should be selected carefully. It should be specific and about
the general and current issues at national or international level.
Introduction
It should provide a brief description to explain the area of the proposed dissertation
work by the Student.
Review of Literature
A review of the relevant literature is another very important part of the synopsis,
showing the work done previously in the area of proposed research is essential to plan
further research effectively and in a proper way. The information given in the review
should be supported by references.
Justification and Likely Benefits
It is important to provide justification for undertaking the proposed dissertation topic,
it could be area of interest or placement point of view. It should be possible in most
cases to predict the specific and general benefits likely to be achieved as a result of
completion of the proposed dissertation topic.
Main Objectives of the Study
Broad objectives to be achieved should be clearly mentioned and these should be
itemized. These objectives will indicate the major aspects of the study to be undertaken.
Hypothesis of Study
Hypodissertation is statement which is to be tested for possible acceptance or rejection. Hypodissertation are of two types i.e. Null (Ho) and Alternative (H1). Null
hypodissertation is tested for possible rejection, where as alternative hypodissertation
is tested for possible acceptance.

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 Significance of Study
It emphasized on the significance/ importance of the research work/study i.e. why we
selected the topic under discussion.
Statement of Problem
The researcher has to clearly identify the problem/issue selected for dissertation.
Research Design & Methodology
Indicates the sampling procedures (if primary data) and the data collection methods
such as survey, questionnaire, Testing methods etc.

Length of a synopsis
It will be difficult to define an overall length for a synopsis for MBA Dissertation in
such varied fields of study. Whereas it should be concise as far as possible and avoid
repetitions, it should also provide sufficient details on the various aspects mentioned
above to show that the research involved has been well understood and planned, and it
is of an acceptable academic merit. The total length of a synopsis may run from 1,000
to 1500 words.

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