Theoretical Dissertation: information technology and new trends in the tourism

Assignment Brief: MA Dissertation (theoretical)
Submission deadline: 10 Sept 2021, 4 pm via KEATS (with a coversheet)

Aims/context

The objective of a theoretical
dissertation to produce new knowledge
by providing a new or more complex
understanding of an issue.

The content and structure of
theoretical dissertations may be

different across individual projects
and should be agreed with your
supervisor.

Theoretical research usually intends to
add new angles to or improve already
existing theories or conceptual
frameworks. It may propose a novel
combination of two separate theoretical
approaches. It may also present
completely new theories or solutions
for particular problems. It therefore
works with already existing theories,
theoretical frameworks, data and
research results and uses this
secondary data to synthesise the
literature and offer an original analysis
of the question you pose. In so doing,

you can offer a heightened
understanding of an issue from multiple
perspectives, based on the theoretical
framework you invoke.

Your approach needs to be critical and
analytical: the paper can put forward an
argumentative proposal of your own
opinion and solution of the problem, or

it can offer a descriptive and
interpretive analysis of the issue
investigated.

You do not use an empirical approach
to collect original data, but instead rely
on already existing materials and/or
use data creatively to illustrate the
points made to support your

argument/description/interpretation.

Assessment requirements

You must write a dissertation of up
to 15,000 words that uses original
argumentation and draws from
academic sources. Your format will
usually consist of an introduction,
literature review, research design,
analysis, conclusion, reference list
and, where relevant, appendices.
Your reference list needs to be
complete and both your bibliography
and in-text references need to be
consistent in style. The Harvard
reference style is encouraged

(https://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/
ddh/study/handbook/assessment/taugh
t/ddh-harvard-style-guide.docx).

Example dissertation
structure

The word counts and structure
suggested below are indicative
approximations only. They are not
set in stone. You may find you need
more (or fewer) words than specified
for different parts of your dissertation .

Remember that these are guidelines
only. Structure, content and
organisation of the dissertation
should be discussed with and
approved by the dissertation
supervisor.

1. Introduction (2000 words)

The function of the introduction is to
make sure that your reader will be
able to find the answers to the

following questions:

• What is your dissertation about?

• What are the main aims and
objectives of your research?

• How will you approach the
research to fulfil those objectives?

• What is your main argument and
why is it relevant/interesting?

• How does your analysis relate to
your argument/ interpretation?

• How does your dissertation relate
to other work in the field?

The introduction will also give a brief
overview of the structure of your
dissertation.

2. review (4000-5000
words)

The literature review is the

culmination of your background
research about the project. It is a
place to review the existing
literature and identify relevant
scholarly debates, but also to
identify gaps in the existing
scholarship. As such, a good
literature review should already be an
argument justifying your approach

and putting it in perspective. Your
literature review will usually be
divided into a few thematic
sections.

A theoretical dissertation will often
have a research design section,
where you can include the rationale
for pursuing your argument the way

you did.

Your literature review should

conclude with your research

question, which will stem from the
themes in literature identified so far.

3. Analysis (5000-6000 words)

This section may consist of a number
of separate sections/chapters,
depending on the identified themes and

emerging arguments.

Here you will not only describe your
argument and provide relevant
examples, but also relate this to the
literature review, theories and
concepts, and to your research
question. You should also discuss
implications of the argument and its

possible empirical applications.

The section should build upon the work
of other researchers in the field, and
should be carried out based on the
theoretical/conceptual framework
described in the previous chapter.

All arguments/claims put forward by the

author must be accompanied by
supporting evidence from literature.

This section ends with a critical
evaluation of the proposed theoretical
solution, addressing its strengths and
limitations, and/or with a summary of
the main findings of the analysis in
answer to the research question(s).

4. Conclusion (1000-2000 words)

A strong conclusion will answer the

following questions:

• Did your dissertation meet its aims
and answered the research

question?

• What are your recommendations in
relation to your research question?

• Where should further research be
focused?

5. References
(Not counted in your word count!)

6. Appendices

An appendix is where you put any
material that is related but
supplementary to your main
argument. You can use as many
appendices as you need. If in doubt
whether specific content should be in
an appendix, in the main text, or
should not appear, discuss with your

supervisor. See the MA Dissertation
Brief about word limits, appendices,
online submission and penalties for
exceeding the word count.

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