REPUBLIC OF RWANDA

ULK POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

P.O BOX 2280 Kigali

Website: //www.ulkpolytechnic.ac.rw

E-mail: polytechnic.institute@ulk.ac.rw

ACADEMIC YEAR 2018/2019

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

&

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS

ENGINEERING

GUIDELINES FOR WRITING FINAL YEAR DISSERTAION

INTRODUCTION

A thesis or dissertation is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic

degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings. Research
involves a systematic investigation and study of materials and sources in order to establish
facts and reach new conclusions. There are different types of research: quantitative,
qualitative, pragmatic or participatory. A distinction can also pertain to pure and applied
research. Either way, the purpose of research is to inform action.

At the academic level, a compilation of the conducted research is done with the purpose of
which bringing forward the real and/or potential contribution to identification of that problem
of a general interest and the proposed solutions. The dissertation refers to this compilation.

The dissertation is considered as one of the final courses of the final year. It may be presented
in public and has 10 credits.

WRITING A DISSERTATION
The dissertation must be written in a concise and precise style, with 1.5-spacing, font size 12,
on duplicator paper. The emphasis should not be on length of the dissertation but on
straightforward, objective description of research and the interpretation of findings. However,
any work of less than fifty pages might be viewed as having insufficient information to pass
for a well-researched work on a particular topic. The dissertation will have two distinct parts.

PART I: PRELIMINARY PAGES

a) Cover/ Title Page (see Appendix 1)

b) Declaration

I declare that this work titled (full title of dissertation, in italic) is my own work, that it has not
been submitted for any degree or examination in any other higher learning institution, and that
all the sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by complete
references.

Full name……………………………………..Date…………………………..

Signature………………………………………..

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c) Certification

This is to certify that this work titled (full title of dissertation, in italic) is a study carried out
by (name of the student) under my guidance and supervision.

Supervisor……………………………………Date………………………………

Signature………………………………….

d) Dedication:

It must not exceed 1/2 page.

e) Acknowledgment

Acknowledgments should be on a single page.

f) Abstract

The Abstract should provide a crisp summary of what the dissertation undertakes and what
major conclusions are drawn. Someone reading the abstract must be able to form a fairly
accurate impression of what is in the dissertation.

The abstract must be structured and includes generally:

1) A brief statement of the problem,

2) The objectives of study,
3) Methodology
4) Major findings including key quantitative results, or trends,
5) Main conclusions.

N.B. 1. It should not exceed one page or 500 words.

2. The abstract could be done in one language: English

g) Key words:

In order for your dissertation to be taken up in the library data base, you need to provide at
least four keywords that capture the main concepts of your dissertation. The keyword should
give someone who has not read your dissertation a clear idea of the issues you tackle. Ensure
that you sequence the key words in a logical order, one that reflects the development of your

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argument. It is recommended to choose key words which are not in the title; that makes the
research more efficient.

h) Table of Contents

All chapter titles, sections, and paragraphs should be indicated in the table of contents with
page number. The pagination is done with the Roman numerals for the preliminary pages of
the study and Arabic numerals for the second part.

Example:

Table of Contents Page

Title page i

Declaration ii

Certification iii

Dedication iv

Acknowledgments v.

Introduction 1

References 51

i) List of abbreviations, acronyms and signs: in alphabetical order.

j) List of tables:

All tables are numbered in Arabic numerals in order of appearance in the text: Table 1.1,
Table 1.2; Table 2.1; Table 3.1;…………………………………….etc

Each table is accompanied by a title which is indicated in the list of tables as well as the page
where you can find it.

k) List of figures: Same as (j)

The list of figures includes graphs, diagrams, and photographs.

l) Lists of appendices: Arabic numerals

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PART II: MAIN STRUCTURE OF DISSERTATION

Chapter One: General introduction

It is a text that presents the statement of the problem of the study, situates it in the scientific
context and briefly outlines the plan of work. It must include the general and particular
aspects of the problem. But it is also necessary to evoke the previous studies in connection
with the subject and identify your originality. We can already see the quality of the study by
reading this introduction. The introduction usually includes:

1. Background to the study: The purpose of background section is to give the readers the
relevant facts about the chosen dissertation topic so that they understand the material or
case that you will write about later and how it links to your existing challenge in society.
This section provides the general context, by directing the readers’ attention to the
empirical details through which your research topic and questions are lived and made
relevant. As such, the background illustrates the need for and importance of your research.
The background should include a challenge and evidence of that unfair state of affairs.
This tells the reader the reason why you want to carry out the research. Evidence
demonstrates that the challenge (problem) actually exists rather than the researcher’s
thinking, which may biased or in error.

2. Statement of the problem: A researcher must identify the problem and formulate it so
that it becomes susceptible to research. A research problem, in general, refers to some
difficulty which a researcher or society experiences in the context of either a theoretical or
practical situation where the researcher establishes causes of those challenges and seeks to
obtain a solution for them. We can, thus state the components of a research problem as
under:
a) There must be an individual or a group which has some difficulty, challenge or a
problem which is not being addressed or being addressed inadequately such that it
remains injurious to the suffering individual or society.
b) There must be some objective(s) to be obtained at the end of study. If one wants
nothing, one cannot have a problem.
c) There must be alternative means (other courses of action) for obtaining the
objective(s) one wishes to attain. This means that there must be at least two means
available to a researcher for if he has no choice of means, he cannot have a problem..

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 d) There must remain some doubt in the mind of a researcher with regard to the
selection of alternatives. This means that research must answer the question
concerning the relative efficiency of the possible alternatives.
e) There must be some environment(s) to which the difficulty pertains.

3. Objectives of the study: Purpose and rationale for the investigation of the dissertation.
The purpose of research is to establish answers to questions through the application of
scientific procedures. The main aim of research is to find out the knowledge which is
hidden and which has not been discovered as yet. However each research study has its
own specific purpose.

4. Research questions: The research questions guide the researcher in carrying out his/her
study. They must be clear and concise. A dissertation research question that is clear and
concise is easily understood by anyone who reads it. To help promote clarity in your
dissertation research question make sure your question(s) is (are) short, and conceptually
straight forward. In order to make your dissertation research question as conceptually
clear as possible do not use too many variables. If your dissertation research question is
examining more than four variables you may need more than one dissertation research
question. 

5. Scope and limitation of the study: This section limits the subject in time and space as
well as the subject matter. It briefly indicates also the case of study.

6. Significance of the study: This section of the dissertation focuses on the interest of the
study and the reason behind its choice. It includes:

(a) A brief statement of the reasons for the selection of the problem,

(b) The relation of the principal literature to the proposal and

(c) An explanation of the study's importance to the advancement of knowledge and its
significance to the student. The problem selected should be substantial enough to
constitute a good example of a report of a scholarly investigation.

7. Structure or organization of the study: This section briefly outlines the plan of the
dissertation.

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Chapter Two: Literature review

The student should present the literature review connected to his topic. This is a review of
what is already known and of the main themes or issues. It covers past research and studies
and articles from relevant journals, books, newspapers, etc. It is a summary of what other
people have written and published around the theme of his research. It is very important that
you acknowledge other people's works in the same discipline.

It is important to do the following procedures:

 Begin by indicating the boundaries of your literature review. You can’t review everything,
so indicate how you decided to demarcate the field of scholarly work to be included in
your literature review.
 All research has key concepts around which the study is built. You will need to clarify the
way in which you interpret and use these concepts as early on in the study as possible.
 Present the literature you have consulted in an organized and structured manner. Avoid
mere repetition or lists of points. Remember, you need to give your reader a clear and
succinct idea of what the various authors are saying and how the various inputs contribute
to the development of the issue you are investigating.
 End your chapter with an overview of the main points that have emerged from your
literature review. This is an important step because it will provide the basis for the
development of your research.
Chapter Three: Research Methodology

This is a description and evaluation of the methods, techniques, procedures, and case study
used in the investigation1.

Methodology is a systematic process to probe the research problem. It is a comprehensive

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step by step process ranging from why a research problem has been undertaken to why
specific techniques have been used. It involves all the methods which are used by the
researcher with categorical logic for using them. Researcher has to be very clear about which
method or technique will be relevant for his study and why others will not. Research
methodology is therefore much more than just a collection of research methods. It has several
dimensions and research methods are just a part of it.
Quite often the word techniques and methods are differently used. Research methods are more
general and in a way we can say that research methods include techniques of collecting data.
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It describes the scope and aims of the dissertation in some detail. It is also very important that
you justify the methods used.

 Explain the research design, sample design, sampling techniques used and the criteria for
the choice of sample size.

 Give full details of your data collection processes (time, dates, techniques used, etc.) as
well as problems you may have had.

 Describe your data-editing and data-coding procedures. Describe measures used to

minimize error, to counter-check findings, etc.

 Describe the rationale behind the selection of your data analysis procedures as well as the
actual procedures used.

 End your chapter with a discussion of the possible limitations, gaps, etc. in data collection
and analysis.

Chapter Four: Results and discussion

4.1. Systematic presentation of the data

The results section contains the data collected during research. The results section is the heart
of the dissertation. In this section, much of the important information may be in the form of
tables or graphs.

We present the results of our research in a form that is easy for the reader to understand. The
form might be graphical such as tables, graphs, lists or might be in concise text. Those results
must be connected to the objectives of study and the used methods and should respond to the
research questions. The author should appreciate the objectivity or subjectivity of results.

Its construction allows it to meet several objectives:

(1) The first is to answer the problem, and

(2) The second is to compare the results with those of previous literature (earlier works).

4.2. Discussion, analysis and interpretation of the data

a) Interpretation of findings. What patterns have emerged?

b) The difference between your findings and those of other people.

c) How do the main points you are making change the way you think about the topic? 

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Chapter Five: Conclusion and recommendations

The conclusion chapter is where conclusions are drawn about whether the results support or
fail to support the hypothesis. In conclusion, recommendations are also made. Consider the
following when writing this chapter:

 Summarize and discuss major findings.

 Draw together your findings with literature you have reviewed.
 Discuss anomalies, surprise findings, deviations and suggest possible reasons for these.
 If appropriate, show the larger relevance of your study, as well as aspects that need further
research.
 Discuss some of possible implications of your study, either for policy or practice.

References/Bibliography (See Appendix 2)

Appendices

Appendices must be numbered in Arabic numerals.

MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS

Language

English UK is the language used in the dissertation.

Page Numbering

Small Roman numerals must be used for the preliminary section. The title page is understood
to be ‘i’ but no number appears on this page.

Arabic numerals began with the first page of the body of thesis. Numbering continues
consecutively through the appendices.

Layout

• Follow punctuation exactly. If the model shows caps and lower case (Instrumentation), do
not change the pattern (INSTRUMENTATION would be incorrect). Do not underline or put
quotation marks around the title of your own document.

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Format

• For all pages, leave a 2.5 cm margin on all sides of the page.

• Except for the title page, 1.5 spacing is used on all text as previously mentioned.

• Hit the return key once at the end of a paragraph, not twice.

• Use 12-point type except for headings and subheadings.

• Use a roman (serif) typeface, not gothic (sans serif). Serifs are the little horizontal lines on
the tops and bottoms of letters that guide your eyes horizontally across the page. Times,
Times New Roman, and Palatino are good choices of roman typefaces. You may use a gothic
typeface in section headings but not text.

References

1. Beaud, M. (2001). L’art de la thèse : Comment préparer et rédiger une thèse de

doctorat, un mémoire de DEA ou de maîtrise ou tout autre travail universitaire, Paris
XIIIe : Edition La Découverte

2. Creaney, N. (2009).  How to Use the Harvard Style of Referencing [Online] Available
at the World Wide Web: < http://knol.google.com/k/-/-/1hzaxtdr9c09g/14# >, [2009,
May 20], consulted on 2010, March 21.
3. Khotari, C.R. (2008). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. 2nd ed., New
Delhi: New Age Techno Press.
4. Krathwohl, David R. 1988. How to Prepare a Research Proposal: Guidelines for
Funding and Dissertations in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Syracuse University
Press.
5. Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). (2010).
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
6. UCD Library, 2011. Harvard Referencing Style. [Online] (Created July 2011),
Available at: http://www.ucd.ie/t4cms/Guide69.pdf [Accessed 05 March 2013].

7. University of South Australia (2002). How to write a bibliography, 6th ed., [Online]
Available
at: http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/learningconnection/student/learningAdvisors/doc
uments/harvard-referencing.pdf> [2008, March 1]

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8. University of Western Cape (2001). Thesis Guide, March 2001.

9. University of Western Cape (2003). Guide for Academic Writing, September 2003.

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APPENDIX 1. TITLE PAGE

TITLE OF DISSERTATION (in capitals)

Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of ……….. in partial

fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Bachelor’s Degree in
……………………

Submitted by

Name of the student

Supervisor:

Name of the supervisor

Kigali, month, year

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APPENDIX 2. REFERENCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Regulations for the bibliography or list of references:

There is a difference between bibliography and references: A list of References includes only
those works (reference indicators) you have noted in your text. A Bibliography lists all the
works you have consulted for your writing, both those noted in your text as well as those that
have informed your thinking about the topic you have written on, but which you have not
referred to directly in your text.

The Bibliography or References comes immediately after the conclusion, it is the last section
of the dissertation.

The Bibliography or list of references is arranged alphabetically by authors’ surnames.

Alphabetical order enables a reader to locate details of all the sources cited quickly and
efficiently. If a work has no identifiable author or organization, the alphabetic arrangement is
by name of the editor(s) or by the first main word of the title.

1.1. List of references

At the end of your essay, place a list of the references you have cited in the text. Arrange this
in alphabetical order of authors' surnames, and then chronologically (earliest publication date
first) for each author where more than one work by that author is cited. The author's surname
is placed fist, followed by initials or first name, and then the year of publication is given. If
the list contains more than one item published by the same author(s) in the same year, add
lower case letters immediately after the year to distinguish them (e.g. 1983a). These are
ordered alphabetically by title disregarding any initial articles (a, an or the).

 The reference list includes only the sources you have used in any submission. APA
Style requires reference lists, not bibliographies.
 The reference list begins a new page with the centered heading - References
 Double-space all reference entries.
 Reference list entries should be indented half an inch (five to seven spaces) on the
second and subsequent lines of the reference list for every entry - a hanging indent is
the preferred style. (i.e. entries should begin flush left, and the second and subsequent
lines should be indented).
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  Arrange entries in alphabetical order by the surname of the first author as the letters
appear (e.g. M, Mac, MacD, Mc).
 If there is no author, the title moves to the author position (filed under the first
significant word of the title). If the title in this instance begins with numerals, spell
them out.

1.2. The APA referencing system

This guide draws from the:

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American

Psychological Association (6th ed.).

1.2.1. Books (print and online)

General forms (when DOIs are assigned, use them):

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work.doi:xx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. Location: Publisher.

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. Retrieved from http://www.xxxxxxxxxxx

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work. Retrieved from xxxxxxxxxxxx database.

Include subtitles. All titles must be italicized.

Information about editions (if other than the first), series, volume numbers or chapter page
ranges should be included in parentheses ( ) after the title - not in italics but before the full
stop.

Other descriptive information may also follow the title and any parenthetical information in
brackets [ ] also before the full stop.

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Online books

A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is a unique name assigned by the International DOI
Foundation that provides a persistent link to its location on the Internet. When a DOI is
available, no further retrieval information is needed to locate the content.

Leaver, B. L., Ehrman, M., &Shekhtman, B. (2005). Achievingsuccess in second language

acquisition. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511610431

Schiraldi, G. R. (2000). The post-traumatic stress disordersourcebook: A guide to healing,

recovery, and growth[Adobe Digital Editions version]. doi:10.1036/0071393722

When a DOI is not available, use the URL.

Burton, R. (1832). The anatomy of melancholy. Retrievedfrom

http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/b/burton/robert/melancholy/

Use "Available from" when the URL leads to information on how to obtain the cited material
(rather than to the material itself).

Tyler, G. W. (n.d.). Evolution in the systems age. Availablefrom

http://www.onlineoriginals.com/showitem.asp?itemID=46&page=2

Up to seven authors: List all authors’ names.

Calder, A. (2009). Compliance for green IT: A pocket guide. Cambridge shire: IT
Governance.

Curwen, B., Palmer, S., & Ruddell, P. (2000). Brief cognitive behavior therapy (Brief
Therapies Series). London: Sage.

More than seven authors: List the first six and then the last.

Midgley, C, Maehr, M. L., Hruda, L., Anderman, E. M., Freeman, K. E., Gheen, M., Urdan,
T. (2000).Manual for the patterns of adaptive learning scales (PALS). Ann Arbor, MI:
University of Michigan.

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