Dissertation on Music Therapy
Dissertation on Music Therapy
Planning your Postgraduate Dissertation
Following the completion of the proposal, the next important stage is
the submission of a draft dissertation.The draft should comprise of the
following:
1. A clear overall structure (though perhaps not correctly subdivided)
2. A full bibliography
3. A clear argument and manner of expression that ensure cohesion
4. A length of around 5000-7000 words
Some leeway will be allowed at this stage for mode of expression,
grammar and spelling.
The draft acts as a platform from which to write your dissertation. You
will not receive a separate mark for the final draft but it should
effectively prepare you for the final submission in terms of structure,
argument and bibliography.
Dissertation on Music Therapy
Some pointers for the final submission:
1. Use the referencing system which is recommended by the School, and do
so consistently. This is the Harvard referencing system. Your Module
Leader will advise you about this.
2. If work is produced in hard copy, avoid submitting loose-leaf or
stapled work. Have the work bound;
3. Avoid colloquialisms, but aim for a pithy, academic writing style;
4. Proof-read for grammatical errors and spelling errors;
5. Ensure you adhere to academic conventions, including a title, an
abstract, a contents page (referenced to page numbers), clear aims and
objectives, an appropriate methodology, numbered pages throughout (save
frontispiece), and clearly labelled examples, tables, and appendices
(including findings from empirical data);
6. Avoid descriptive commentary, but aim for pertinent analysis and deep
evaluation;
7. Include music examples to support your argument. These may be staff
notated and/or recorded on CD/DVD, the latter to be included in an appendix;
8. Structure the work carefully using chapters, sub-headings, etc; and
9. Avoid lists and bullet points, but instead construct full sentences
and paragraphs.