How to Choose the Right Type of Dissertation? A Step-by-Step Guide

Master Henry Education October 26, 2024

Writing a good dissertation is pivotal for high academic achievement. For this purpose, you must choose the right type of dissertation. However, choosing an appropriate dissertation type is an important phase for any researcher, as it directly influences the structure and methodology of the entire study.

Choosing a suitable dissertation type depends on various factors, including your research interest, the research question, the academic discipline, and the resources available. Making an informed choice requires a clear understanding of these factors and how they align with the researcher’s goals and interests.

This article will uncover all expert tips that guide you in making an informed decision about selecting the right type of dissertation.

6 Tips for Choosing the Right Dissertation Type

After learning about the many dissertation methods and research types, some students still require clarification. They continue to need clarification on which dissertation research type is best for them. Each student must determine their goals for their degree.

Simultaneously, think about the appropriate dissertation research method. There are a few factors to take into account. Thus, they are: What drives you, either professionally or personally? What educational objectives do you have? Still, if you need clarification in finding the answers to such questions, simply buy a dissertation online from professionals by telling them your requirements.

Let’s explore these steps further to help you choose the right option for your dissertation writing.

1. Understand Different Types of Dissertations

Before choosing an appropriate dissertation type, it is pivotal for students to well know the different types of dissertations available. Actually, dissertation writing has two main and broad categories:

Empirical Dissertational (Involves collecting original data through experiments, surveys, and observations)
Non-Empirical Dissertation (rely on existing data, literature, and theoretical frameworks rather than collecting new data)

2. Identify Your Research Interests

However, choosing the appropriate dissertation type requires an understanding of your research interests. For this purpose, ask yourself:

Are you interested in conducting critical research to collect and analyse primary data?
Do you prefer to take help from existing literature, theories, and concepts?

These self-asking questions will help you choose the appropriate dissertation type. If you are likely to collect fresh data and analysis, an empirical dissertation will be best.

However, if you are inclined toward existing knowledge and theoretical argument, a non-empirical dissertation might be best.

3. Consider Your Academic Field

Your academic field frequently determines the appropriate dissertation type for you to select. However, different fields are prioritised by different methodologies. Considering your interest area, critically analysing career prospects, and staying open to opportunities help you identify a well-informed choice that aligns with your goals and academic standards.

To maintain academic integrity, you must consult with your committee member or supervisor to understand the expectations of your discipline.

4. Examine Available Resources

Remember, your decision must be influenced by the resources at your disposal. Ask yourself:

Do you have access to the necessary and required equipment for empirical research?
Does a non-empirical dissertation have access to enough theoretical frameworks and literature?

If one lacks the time, funding, or tools for data collection, a non-empirical dissertation may be more suitable.

5. Evaluate Your Research Skills

Your research credibility and expertise also play a crucial role in choosing the appropriate type of dissertation. How?

Take into consideration the following questions:

Is it feasible for you to conduct experiments, surveys, or interviews?
Do you have expertise in analysing quantitative or qualitative data?
Do you prefer reading, interpreting information, and synthesising existing literature?

In short, if you have experience in strong analytical skills and prefer working with data, an empirical dissertation is a good choice. If your expertise relies on critical thinking and argumentation, a non-empirical dissertation will be a good approach.

6. Identify Your Research Goals

Your research goals determine your choice of dissertation type. By considering these questions:

What kind of impact do you intend to have on your field?
Have you aimed to provide new empirical evidence, test a theory, or offer a new interpretation of existing knowledge?

An empirical dissertation is typically the best option for individuals seeking to test theories or provide updated information. If your purpose is to establish or analyse theoretical frameworks, a non-empirical dissertation will be more acceptable.

Common Types of Dissertations

When discussing the types of dissertations, there are three basic types: empirical, non-empirical, and mixed.

1. Empirical Dissertation

As per Brenau University, rather than drawing information from theory or belief, the empirical research method finds its origin in observations and examined actions. An empirical dissertation is research-based academic writing in which researchers collect real data for their findings and analyse it to test hypotheses or answer research questions.

This approach is very helpful for investigating the solution of real-world problems because the researcher draws his conclusion based on his collected data rather than merely analysing theories or literature studies.

However, empirical dissertation research proposes a structured methodology. This research methodology includes composing research questions, collecting data, analysing data using statistical methods, and drawing conclusions based on the data analysis.

Let’s take a look in detail:

Research Question: An empirical dissertation begins with a specific research question or problem, often in the form of a hypothesis. This question is asked to understand the nature of problem complexity.
Data Collection: There are many forms of data collection, such as surveys, interviews, experiments, and observation. In surveys, data is collected from people’s opinions through questions. Interviews help to get detailed data through simple discussions or question-answers. Perform scientific testing about something in a controlled environment to gather data. Interrupting a process or people’s behaviour without putting them into practice.
Data Analysis: When data is collected, the next phase of the empirical research method is data analysis. Data analysis can be done quantitatively (numeric) or qualitatively (non-numeric). Statistical analysis is used for quantitative data, while qualitative data is understood through coding or thematic analysis.
Results & Discussion: After critically analyzing the data, the researcher shares his findings and tells whether the findings support his research question or hypothesis. At this point, the researcher compares his results with already existing theories and can even propose new theories if necessary.
Conclusions: The last part of the empirical dissertation is the conclusion in which the researcher gives the results of his research and gives recommendations for future research.

2. Non-Empirical Dissertation

This dissertation method does not depend on collecting real data. In this stage, the researcher derives the basis of his research by analysing already published works, existing theories, concepts, and literature. This type of dissertation is theoretical and is based only on secondary sources.

The non-empirical research process is based on various steps mentioned below:

Literature Review: Grasping the concept of a literature review is essential to determine the gaps in current research and understanding how your research work can professionally contribute to the current knowledge. The researcher studies already existing knowledge in detail. This includes Books, journal articles, reports, and academic papers are reviewed in it. The researcher summarises and analyses what has already been done regarding a particular research topic.
Critical Analysis: The most crucial part of the non-empirical dissertation is critical analysis. At this stage, researchers look at a theory or concept from a new perspective or make comparisons between already existing theories. It highlights the weaknesses and strengths of theories and understands their relationship to each other.
Argument Development: In this process of research, the researcher uses only secondary sources to support his arguments. Its purpose is to defend your point using theories or existing knowledge or contribute new insights.
Theoretical research work: The researcher prefers a theoretical framework in his non-empirical dissertation, which develops an organised structure that helps analyse his research work. To establish this framework, the researcher uses several theories and concepts.
Conclusion: Non-empirical dissertation methods prefer the discussion and analysis of literature and theories for research rather than collecting real data. Researchers explain what results their theoretical analysis reached and how it may contribute a new perspective to existing literature or theories.

3. Practice-Based Dissertation

The practice-based dissertation method is research that, along with theoretical research, practical work, or creative process, also plays a crucial role. These dissertations are often written in creative and professional fields, such as fine arts, design, architecture, performing arts, and education. In this research, the researcher presents his practical work as the central focus and also analyses its theoretical or academic aspects.

However, practice-based dissertations have two following key components.

Practical Work: In this process, the researcher performs a practical project or creative work, which is the core part of his research. This practical work can be presented in different ways, such as creative writing (for literature and innovative fields)
Theoretical Analysis: In this section, the researcher writes a written thesis or dissertation based on his practical research practice, which explores academic and theoretical aspects. However, researchers explain how their creative or practical process challenges theories, supports them, or proposes new theoretical insights.

In short, a practice-based dissertation serves as a balanced mix of practical and theoretical work, which helps to create something new within the study field and then integrates and discusses it in an academic context.

4. Mixed Method Dissertation

Mixed dissertation research methods are a research approach in which the researcher uses two methods to obtain an in-depth understanding of a phenomenon:

Qualitative research approach
Quantitative research approach

This dissertation is quite comprehensive because there is more diversity of data in it, and the researcher has the opportunity to answer the research questions from different angles.

Qualitative Research Method

The qualitative method is a research strategy that emphasises understanding and utilising non-numeric data. However, this mixed method type aims to explore a phenomenon, issue, or human behaviour in depth, and it mostly uses open-ended questions. This research approach seeks to answer questions that relate to “how” and “why” and has a central focus on understanding people’s experiences, perspectives, and emotions.

Qualitative research is generally preferable, especially in fields that prioritize data-driven conclusions. Because it entails the gathering and examination of actual facts, it offers tangible proof and is frequently seen as more reliable.

The SAGE Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 254-255.

Common Qualitative Research Methods

The following list includes the main components of the qualitative research method, which help to gain deep insights into people’s expertise and perspectives by studying social structures and human behaviour.

Interviews: During the interview, the researcher responds to questions from people either live or remotely. These open-ended questions help the researcher understand people’s personal experiences.
Observations: In the observation stage, the researcher examines the research behaviour and actions of people in a specific setting without disturbing that setting.
Case Studies: A case study refers to a detailed study of a particular subject, such as an individual or group. This research looks in depth to understand a specific case, and the researcher focuses on a specific example.
Content Analysis: In this, researchers analyse written or visual content (like books, articles, and videos) to understand specific patterns, themes, and messages.

Quantitative Research Method

The quantitative research method collects and analyses numerical data. It aims to measure a phenomenon, understand its patterns or trends, and interpret them through mathematical, statistical, or computational tools.

This type of research is often done to answer questions like “how much,” “when,” and “who had until.” In quantitative research, large-scale data is collected so that the results can be generalised.

Fundamental Characteristics of Quantitative Research

The following list outlines the characteristics of quantitative research:

Numeric Data: In this research method, data is always in numbers or quantities that are measurable. These may be in the form of statistical records.
Research Objectivity: However, the objectives of the quantitative research process entail the gathering and examining of numerical data to measure and quantify particular circumstances.
Structured Data Collection: This method uses previously defined tools and methods, such as close-ended questions for surveys or structured procedures for experiments.

Image Source: Studocu

5. Narrative Dissertation

This research-based academic writing adopts a central focus on stories or personal experiences. This method is often part of qualitative research, in which the researcher collects and explains an individual’s personal information to understand a phenomenon, event, or issue. The focus of this method is on people’s experiences, their stories, and the impact those experiences have on society.

Key Characteristics of a Narrative Dissertation

Here are the key characteristics of a narrative dissertation:

Subjectivity: Subjectivity is of great importance in the narrative dissertation method. Researchers capture people’s personal views, emotions, and perspectives. In this, the aim is to deeply understand the human experience.
Presentation: Stories are often presented in chronological order. This means that the researcher presents the events in the order in which they occur so that the process of development and transformation takes place in society.
Contextual meaning: Context is very important in a narrative dissertation. The researcher tries to integrate each narrative into its social, cultural, and historical context so that a broader understanding can result.

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Conclusion

Finally, examining the correct dissertation is a vital step that changes the entire research process. Its basis is often based on your research interest, research questions, academic discipline, available resources, and lastly, supervisor guidance. Dissertations have a variety of types, such as empirical, non-empirical, practice-based, and mixed-methods, each of which uses its own method of data collection and analysis.

If the researcher’s goal is to collect data, an empirical or mixed-methods dissertation is preferable. At the same time, if the objective is to critically evaluate the existing literature, a non-empirical approach may be appropriate. This decision should only meet the objectives of the research and follow its purpose so that the content of the dissertation is solid and can make a significant or clear contribution to its field.