dissertation for m ed

71 Best Education Dissertation Topic Ideas

education dissertation topics ideas, explained below

It’s hard to choose and settle on a topic for your education dissertation. When I was choosing my topic, I was confused and uncertain. I wished I had a list like this that would help me out!

The topics below are best for undergraduate (B.A / B.Ed) or masters (M.A / M.Ed) students. Check out these 51 topic ideas, use them, and adapt them to create a topic that suits you.

The Lazy Man’s Top 10

before I dig in…

Here is a quick list of my top 9 favorite education dissertation topic ideas:

What skill development strategies can be observed in children’s play?
What evidence is there for the theory of multiple intelligences?
What are parents’ attitudes toward play-based learning in schools?
Is there a correlation between student stress levels and standardized exams?
What are the differences in teaching strategies between experienced and novice teachers?
What are the greatest challenges faced by teachers in their first 3 years in the profession?
What does the literature say about the differences between phonics and whole language learning?
What are the factors facilitating successful inclusion of students with behavioral disabilities?
What do teachers believe has been the effect of technology on students’ learning?

Read this First: 9 Tips for Choosing a Dissertation Topic

Education Dissertation Topic Ideas (List

1. dissertation ideas for studying early childhood education.

Structured and Unstructured Play: What are the perspectives of parents about the benefits of structured and unstructured play for children?
Transitioning to School: What do educators identify as the key challenges of transitioning from early childhood to compulsory schooling settings?
Children’s Book Representation: How do the 50 most popular children’s books of the 21 st Century promote gender norms? (For this one, consider also using the social graces concept to add a more analytical lens.)
Montessori Settings: What do teachers in Montessori educational settings perceive to be the benefits and limitations of a Montessori-style education?
Parents’ Anxieties: What are parents’ initial anxieties about sending their children to preschool?
Studying Promotional Literature: A semiotic analysis of the representation of the stages of play in early childhood learning center promotional literature.
Representation in News: How is the early childhood education and care (ECEC) profession represented in mainstream news?
Benefits of ECE: What do parent perceive to be the developmental benefits of early childhood education for their children?
Impact of Digital Technologies on Early Learning : Exploring how the use of tablets, educational apps, and digital storytelling influences cognitive and social development in preschool children.
Parental Involvement and Its Effects on Early Childhood Education : Examining the role of parental engagement in the educational outcomes and social development of preschool children.
Comparative Study of Outdoor Versus Indoor Play in Early Childhood Development : Assessing the impact of outdoor play environments versus traditional indoor classrooms on physical, emotional, and cognitive growth in young children.
Nutrition and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood : Investigating the correlation between nutritional intake and cognitive development in preschool-aged children.
Early Intervention Strategies for Children with Special Needs : Exploring effective early intervention techniques for children with developmental delays or disabilities in early childhood education settings.
The Role of Storytelling in Language Development : Analyzing how storytelling and narrative play contribute to language acquisition and literacy skills in early childhood.
Effects of Teacher-Child Ratio on Learning Outcomes : Evaluating the impact of teacher-to-child ratios in preschool settings on individual attention, learning outcomes, and overall classroom dynamics.
Exploring Play-Based Learning Versus Structured Curriculum in Early Education : Comparing the outcomes of play-based learning approaches to more structured, curriculum-based methods in early childhood education.
Social-Emotional Learning in Early Childhood Education : Investigating the integration and effectiveness of social-emotional learning programs in fostering emotional intelligence, empathy, and interpersonal skills in young children.
Cultural Diversity in Early Childhood Classrooms : Investigating how educators can integrate various cultural backgrounds and practices into their teaching to create an inclusive environment for children.

2. Dissertation Ideas for Studying Elementary Teaching

Piaget’s Stages: Are Piaget’s stages of development an accurate reflection of the abilities of children in the concrete stage of development?
Behavior Management Styles: What are teachers’ perspectives of authoritarian behavior management strategies ?
Behavior Management Strategies: What do teachers perceive as the most effective behavior management strategy for children aged 5 – 7?
Pros and Cons of Homework : What do parents perceive to be the benefits of no homework for children?
Autism in Classrooms: What are parents’ perceptions and concerns about integration of children with autism into mainstream classrooms?
Seating Arrangements: How do changes in seating arrangements from rows to table groups impact learning in a Grade 5 classroom?
Benefits of Play Breaks: According to educators, what are the benefits and limitations of regular play breaks for learning?
Phonics vs Whole Language Learning: What do teachers perceive to be the benefits and limitations of the phonics versus whole language learning approaches to literacy?
Development through Play: What skill development strategies can be observed in children’s play during recess breaks in schools?
Compulsory School Uniforms: What do educators in a school that has compulsory school uniforms see as the educational benefits or drawbacks of compulsory uniforms?
Sense of Belonging: What are the barriers and opportunities for promoting a ‘sense of belonging’ in primary school classrooms?
Technology Integration in Elementary Classrooms : Investigating the impact of integrating technology such as interactive whiteboards and educational software on student engagement and learning outcomes.
Differentiated Instruction Strategies : Evaluating the effectiveness of differentiated instruction in meeting the diverse learning needs of students in elementary school settings.
Parent-Teacher Communication : Analyzing the role of parent-teacher communication in student academic performance and behavioral development in elementary schools.
Impact of Bilingual Education : Exploring the cognitive, linguistic, and academic outcomes of bilingual education programs in elementary schools.
Teacher Perceptions of Standardized Testing : Investigating elementary school teachers’ views on the impact of standardized testing on teaching practices and student learning.
Social Skills Development Through Cooperative Learning : Examining the effectiveness of cooperative learning strategies in promoting social skills and teamwork among elementary school students.
Environmental Education in Elementary Curriculum : Analyzing the impact of incorporating environmental education into the elementary curriculum on students’ awareness and attitudes towards environmental issues.

Related: How to Write a Dissertation from Beginning to End

3. Dissertation Ideas for Studying Middle & High School Contexts

Homework vs Extracurricular Activities: What are students’ perceptions of the impact of homework on their after school extracurricular activities?
Nationalism in Curriculum Documents: How are nationalist ideologies reinforced and challenged in the current curriculum documents of [your jurisdiction]?
Preparation for Life: What are students’ perceptions of how well school prepares them for university / trades / real life?
Standardized Tests: What are students’ / teachers’/ parents’ perceptions of standardized tests in high school?
Mentorship: What do high school teachers in leadership positions perceive to be the best approaches to mentoring early career teachers?
Childhood Citizenship: Which models of childhood citizenship are evident in [your jurisdiction’s] curriculum?
Traits of Quality Teachers: What do parents perceive to be the traits of quality teachers in primary school vs. high school?
Students’ Perceptions of Teachers: What do adolescents see as the qualities of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ teachers?
Moral Values in Education: What do educators see as their role versus parents’ roles in promoting the moral values of children?
Migrant Challenges in the School System: What do parents of immigrant children see as the challenges their children face in schools in their new nation?

4. Educational Technology Dissertation Ideas

Use of Electronic Whiteboards: How prepared do pre-service teachers feel about teaching using Electronic White Boards?
Mobile Phones in the Classroom: What are parents’ perceptions of classroom mobile phone apps that are designed to increase parent-student interactions?
Impact of Technology on Learning: What are teachers’ perspectives of the impact of technology on student learning?
Gaming for Creative Writing: Can gaming help promote creative writing skills among boys aged 10-12?
Best Age for Introducing Technology: What age do parents perceive to be the best age for introducing children to technology?
Boys vs Girls Technology Usage: What are the differences between boys’ and girls’ technology usage habits during free time at school?
Online Learning Benefits and Challenges: What social, pedagogical and cognitive benefits and limitations do students face when learning online ?
Use of AI Large Language Models: How can Large Language Models like ChatGPT be beneficial for learning?

5. General Education and Teaching Dissertation Ideas

The Value of University: What do experienced educators perceive is the value of their university education?
Poverty and Education: What are teachers’ perceptions of the barriers and opportunities to learning for children in poverty?
Challenges faced by [Gender] Teachers: What challenges do male educators face in their first 5 years of teaching?
Anti-Bullying Policies: What are the main ways school leaders approach whole-school anti-bullying policy development?
Behavior Management for Developmental Delays: How do teachers differentiate their behavior management strategies for children with developmental delays?
Netiquette: What do teachers believe to be effective netiquette rules for online learning ?
Motivations for Taking a Promotion: What are the factors that impact teachers’ motivations for promotion into leadership positions in schools?
Reflective Practice: What do teachers perceive to be the role of reflection in their practice, and what are the most common reflective practice strategies among practitioners?
Theory Testing: What evidence is there for the theory of multiple intelligences?
Extroverts vs Introverts: How do Introverted and Extroverted Students Learn Differently?
Purpose of Schooling: What do parents perceive to be the purpose of schooling?
Experienced vs Novice Teachers: What differences are there in behavior management strategies for experienced versus novice teachers?
Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation: What do teachers believe are the benefits and challenges of intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation strategies ?

6. Ideas that Involve Interviewing your Classmates!

A lot of my students like to use this idea because they can use a snowball sampling method rather than having to seek out teachers or schools to interview and study:

Concerns in Entering the Teaching Profession: What do pre-service teachers see as their biggest worries about entering the teaching profession?
Feeling Unprepared: What do pre-service teachers perceive to be the major factors that their degree does not prepare them for, before entering the workforce?
Benefits of a Dissertation Project: What do a cohort of teacher education students see as the benefits of conducting a final dissertation project prior to entering the profession? (see also: cohort effect )
Differences in Perspectives (Freshman vs Senior): What are the differences between freshman (first year) and senior (final year) students’ perspectives of the role of the classroom teacher in the 21 st Century?

Read Also: 25 Sociology Dissertation Ideas

What to do once you Choose your Topic for an Education Dissertation

Hopefully by now you have highlighted or written down 3 topics that caught your eye.

I recommend for your next step that you organize a meeting with your dissertation supervisor. Your supervisor will talk with you about your three ideas and give you advice on which to choose and why.

Each university has different requirements, so you’ll need to get input from your supervisor. Your supervisor is the person who can help you to navigate the special requirements of your particular program of study.

You’ll find that you and your supervisor will be able to tailor your chosen topic to you and your needs.

Good luck, and please do leave a comment below if you found this post useful!

I’m also always looking for more ideas to add to this list so if you came up with another idea, share it below.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Social-Emotional Learning (Definition, Examples, Pros & Cons)
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is Educational Psychology?
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ What is IQ? (Intelligence Quotient)
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University

1 thought on “71 Best Education Dissertation Topic Ideas”

Thank you for this! These open-ended examples helped me to broaden my topic some!

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Education Dissertation Topics

Published by Grace Graffin at January 5th, 2023 , Revised On May 3, 2024

Introduction

Education as a subject helps in understanding the various learning approaches and different types of education. When you choose education as your major subject, you will be expected to develop a critical understanding of the issues surrounding education.

To choose an education dissertation topic, you can look into a wide array of topics, including public school education, holistic education, the role of ethnicity, gender and class on academic achievements, adult education, preschool and primary school education, college and university education, child development, distance learning, politics and policy in education, teacher education, and curriculum.

To help you get started with brainstorming for education topic ideas, we have developed a list of the latest topics that can be used for writing your education dissertation.

These topics have been developed by PhD-qualified writers of our team , so you can trust them to use them when drafting your dissertation.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting a brief research proposal from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an introduction to the topic, research question , aim and objectives , literature review along the proposed methodology of research to be conducted. Let us know if you need any help in getting started.

Check our dissertation examples to get an idea of how to structure your dissertation .

Review the full list of dissertation topics here.

Topic 1: Investigating the impact of COVID-19 on the learning experience of the students

Research Aim: The research aims to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the learning experience of the students.

Objectives:

To analyse the impact of Covid-19 on education delivery across schools.
To evaluate the impact of the pandemic on teaching delivery and learning outcomes of the students.
To investigate how the pandemic affected the learning experience of the students

Topic 2: An analysis of the impact of classroom interaction and participation on the personality development and confidence of the students.

Research Aim: The aim of the research is to analyse the impact of classroom interaction and participation on the personality development and confidence of the students.

To analyse the importance of classroom interaction for the students and how it contributes to personal development.
To investigate the impact of classroom participation on the confidence of the students.
To evaluate how classroom interaction and participation impact the personality development and confidence of the students.

Topic 3: The potential use of virtual reality for educational assessment of the students.

Research Aim: The research aims to analyse the potential use of virtual reality for the educational assessment of students.

To analyse the technologies available for student assessment across higher educational institutions.
To evaluate the role of virtual reality in education delivery and assessment.
To investigate how virtual reality influences the educational assessment of students to improvet their learning experience and knowledge.

Topic 4: An evaluation of the impact of the rising cost of academic education on students of lower-income backgrounds in the UK.

Research Aim: The aim of the research is to evaluate the impact of the rising cost of academic education on students of lower-income backgrounds in the UK.

To analyse the factors impacting the affordability of higher education in the UK.
To understand the challenges of lower-income background students in the UK.
To investigate the impact of the rising cost of academic education on the lower-income background students in the UK and how the meritorious students can be supported.

Topic 5: An investigation into the impact of interactions among students of multiple ethnicities on the cross-cultural communication and behaviour of the pupils.

Research Aim: The aim of the research is to investigate the impact of interactions among students of multiple ethnicities on cross-cultural communication and pupil behaviourt .

To analyse the impact of student interactions among different ethnicities.
To determine the importance of cross-cultural communication and tolerance of the students.
To examine the impact of interactions among students of multiple ethnicities on the cross-cultural communication and behaviour of the pupils.

Dissertation Topics in Education Dynamics

Topic 1: the need to use information and communication technology to study in public institutions in any country of your choice. a reflection on the impact of covid-19 on the education sector in the chosen country..

Research Aim: This research will focus on the lack of good information and communication technology equipment in public institutions of study and the need to find the education sector to meet the new standard of learning in work. It will also analyse the pandemic’s impact on students in public institutions at home throughout the pandemic without any academic activities.

Topic 2: The fear of maintaining social distancing in schools

Research Aim: This research aims to evaluate the fear of maintaining social distancing in schools. It will also suggest possible solutions to minimise the fear of parents, educators, and students.

Topic 3: Online Education- Increased screen time or quality education

Research Aim: This research aims to identify whether online education exposes students to increased screen time or quality education.

Topic 4: The emergence of coding courses for young children and their cognitive development and age. A comparative study.

Research Aim: This research aims to identify how far coding education is beneficial for children. What sort of positive and negative consequences are concerned with the future of young children with their access to such kind of advanced technology?

Topic 5: Data science and growing opportunities for data scientists

Research Aim: This research will focus on identifying the emergence of degrees and courses in data science, their importance, and growing opportunities for data scientists. Who can become a data scientist? What is its career scope?

Covid-19 Education Topics

Impacts of coronavirus on education.

Research Aim: This study aims to review the impacts of Coronavirus on education.

Online educational programs to educate students during COVID-19

Research Aim: The widespread Coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown have disrupted the education of many students, including school, college, and university levels. This study will identify the online programs offered through various platforms, schools, colleges, and universities. It will discuss how students can have access to these courses and how it will benefit them.

Impact of COVID-19 on educational institutes

Research Aim: This study will focus on identifying the impacts of COVID-19 on educational institutes. What steps can be taken to ensure a safe environment for the students and teaching staff?

Role of teachers and professors during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Research Aim: This study will focus on the contribution of teachers, professors, and institutions in providing education. What challenges are they facing? What would be the possible ways to improve the current education system?

The future of education post Coronavirus pandemic.

Research Aim: This study will collect information about current education methods during the pandemic and predict the future of education after the coronavirus pandemic.

Topic C1: How the Coronavirus pandemic is reshaping education?

Research Aim: Coronavirus has offered a stark reminder of the very human nature of schools. Students have leapt into online learning but cannot wait to get back into her building. Being online, I don’t think you really get a true sense of whether a student is really engaged and has a proper understanding. This study will aim to understand the extent to which the coronavirus pandemic is reshaping education.

Topic C2: How Coronavirus could affect the well-being of people with intellectual disabilities

Research Aim: We are all feeling more anxious than usual. We may be worried about accessing food and services, going to work, enduring self-isolation, or catching COVID-19. While some anxiety is normal, some of us may be more resilient to changes in our routines and the general uncertainty the world is experiencing. But for the 1.5 million people in the UK with an intellectual disability, these effects may be much greater. This research will aim to establish how Coronavirus could affect the wellbeing of people with intellectual disabilities.

Topic C3: The impact of the 2019–20 Coronavirus pandemic on education

Research Aim: The 2019–20 Coronavirus pandemic has affected educational systems worldwide, leading to the widespread closures of schools and universities. As of 28 March 2020, over 1.7 billion learners were out of school due to school closures in response to COVID-19. According to UNESCO monitoring, over 100 countries have implemented nationwide closures, impacting nearly 90% of the world’s student population. This research will explore the impact of the 2019–20 Coronavirus pandemic on education.

Topic C4: What actions are being taken by universities in response to Coronavirus?

Research Aim: We have seen a growing number of decisions by universities to start implementing social distancing strategies, such as moving to more online teaching delivery and increasing homework by staff. At present, there is no government advice to universities about this. Therefore any operational decision by individual universities must be based on their local circumstances, which vary for various reasons. This research will examine some of the measures we see across the universities in response to the pandemic.

Topic C5: The impact of Coronavirus on international students and the response from universities

Research Aim: This research will explore the impact of Coronavirus on international students and the response from universities.

The Best Education Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: a comparison of wonderlic tests and standardised tests as means to assess academic performance..

Research Aim: Although there are many techniques and methods for assessing academic performance, this research will focus on the comparative analysis of Wonderlic and standardised tests. In the end, the research will conclude which approach would be better in different academic situations.

Topic 2: The theory and practice of educational games as a means to promote better learning.

Research Aim: In recent times, many pieces of research have focused on identifying different learning approaches to provide quality education. This research will analyse the concept of educational games for young children to promote and improve the learning mechanisms.

Topic 3: The impact of learning ability of a child: A case study of kindergarten students

Research Aim: With the emergence of technological advancements, many organisations, including education institutes, have started embracing innovative technologies. The main purpose of these advancements is to improvise the different ways of education. This research will focus on how the use of smart technology has improved the learning ability of kindergarten students.

Topic 4: Comparing and analysing the teaching approaches and mechanisms of privately owned schools and public school: Case of developing countries

Research Aim: Due to the rise of capitalist economies, many institutions have developed unique mechanisms to improve business operations and sales. The same is the case with educational institutes. However, the teaching mechanism and approach for private schools have been more effective than public schools. Therefore, this research will critically analyse the teaching approaches and mechanisms of privately owned schools and public schools and compare and analyse their teaching approaches.

Topic 5: Analysing the current curricular development of K12 students and how it can be linked with current economic issues

Research Aim: It has been found that the curriculum of the majority of educational institutes has become obsolete and monotonous. In other words, students are not being taught current affairs and the latest knowledge with respect to technology, etc. Therefore, the main aim of this research will be to analyse the current curricular development of K12 students and how it can be moulded to reflect the true economic conditions and issues of society.

Early Childhood Education Dissertation Topics

Early childhood education in the UK and many other countries refers to any form of education that children between 2 and 6 years obtain. Some early childhood education dissertation topics are listed below:

Topic 6: The effectiveness and implementation of early childhood education curriculum interventions

Research Aim: This research will discuss how effective curriculum interventions have been in early childhood education and how they can be effectively implemented.

Topic 7: Linking theory to practice and back again: The use of collaborative enquiry and video documentation to facilitate critical thinking in preservice teacher education

Research Aim: This research will provide theoretical and practical evidence to establish how collaboration inquiry and video documentation effectively affect critical thinking in preservice education.

Topic 8: Improving early childhood literacy development and English education through the use of multiple media tools

Research Aim: This research will analyse how effective medical tools are in early childhood education.

Topic 9: Supporting emergent literacy at the preschool level through the use of technology.

Research Aim: This research will present how supportive technology can be for emergent literacy at the preschool level.

Topic 10: Merging multimodality, technology, and literacy in the era of kindergarten digital storytelling

Research Aim: This research will explore the effectiveness of multimodality, literacy, and technology in today’s era of kindergarten storytelling.

Topic 11: Computer-based reading program with at-risk pre-kindergarten students

Research Aim: This research will discuss how computer-based reading programs are at risk with pre-kindergarten students.

Topic 12: Pre-school educational settings and the nature of children’s leadership

Research Aim: This research will analyse how educational settings in preschool help develop leadership skills in children.

Topic 13: How urban students’ academic accomplishments can be influenced by a school district’s preschool education policies

Research Aim: This research will discuss the academic accomplishments of children and how educational policies influence them.

Topic 14: Investigating the relationship between kindergarten achievement and classroom quality

Research Aim: This study will investigate the relationship between kindergarten students’ achievement and education quality.

Topic 15: Creating efficient learning environments to facilitate the process of early childhood education

Research Aim: This research will understand the learning environments that facilitate the process of childhood education.

Elementary Education Dissertation Topics

In the United Kingdom and other developed regions of the world, elementary education is the first level of compulsory education that children between the ages of 6 and 13 years obtain.

Primary or elementary education helps establish history, geography, mathematics, science, and other social sciences. In some countries, basic sexual education is also part of the elementary education curriculum. Some important primary education issues to explore are listed below:

Topic 16: Establishing the factors inhibiting and enhancing elementary school children’s creativity

Research Aim: This research will discuss the factors that help enhance children’s creativity in elementary school.

Topic 17: Developing life skills in elementary school pupils in the United Kingdom (or any other country of your choice)

Research Aim: This research will explore how life skills are developed in elementary school in the UK. (Country can be changed according to your choosing)

Topic 18: Monitoring and evaluating instruction in private elementary schools in China from the perspective of headteachers and teachers.

Topic 19: including children with special educational needs in a mainstream elementary educational institute – a case study of any elementary school.

Research Aim: This research will discuss inclusive education, i.e. including special needs students in elementary school. You are free to choose the school of your choice.

Topic 20: Implementing inclusive education in elementary/primary schools in Australia – The challenges and opportunities

Research Aim: This research will discuss the challenges and opportunities of implementing inclusive education in Australian elementary schools.

Topic 21: Classroom evaluation in England – Teachers’ practices and perceptions in Maths

Research Aim: This research will evaluate a typical classroom in England. It will assess the practices adopted by math teachers in elementary school.

Topic 22: Integrating outdoor learning activities with elementary curriculum in the United Kingdom

Research Aim: This research will analyse the results of integrating outdoor learning activities with curriculum activities.

Topic 23: Investigating the use of technology in elementary school physical education

Research Aim: This research will investigate and analyse the use of technology in elementary school physical education.

Topic 24: Investigating the impact of the age of information on current courses taught in primary school

Research Aim: This research will investigate the impact of information on courses taught in primary school.

Topic 25: Should primary schools allow their students to study more independently to achieve improved performance?

Research Aim: This research will assess whether elementary school students should be allowed to study independently and its impacts.

Read More About Elementary Education / Primary Education

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service , which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service !

Secondary Education Dissertation Topics

Secondary school education primarily covers formal education obtained by pupils between 13 and 18 years. Secondary education is compulsory in most countries, including the United Kingdom, and it may be taught in the form of Ordinary Levels, Advanced Levels, and SSC and HSC exams.

There is a wide array of research areas to be explored in this field of study, and any of the following research topics could be selected for your education dissertation.

Topic 26: Investigating the impact of teacher education on secondary education in the European Union

Research Aim: This research will investigate how secondary education in the EU is impacted by teacher education.

Topic 27: Investigating the impact of secondary school dual enrolment course participation on pupils’ academic accomplishments

Research Aim: This research will investigate the impact of dual course enrolment and its impact on academic accomplishments in secondary school.

Topic 28: The role of sustainability in learning and teaching in secondary schools to transform the soul of education

Research Aim: This study will explore the role of sustainable learning and teaching in secondary school, and it helps transform the soul of education.

Topic 29: Investigating secondary school teachers’ thinking in a professional development project

Research Aim: This research will analyse the teachers’ thinking with the help of a professional development project.

Topic 30: Betraying the college dream: How student aspirations are undermined by the disconnected post-secondary and K-12 education systems

Research Aim: The post-secondary schooling and K-12 education systems are misaligned. Thus, this research will investigate how this adversely impacts students, and as a result, more and more students are giving up on their college dreams.

Topic 31: Analysing supply & demand in light of the rising cost of secondary education

Research Aim: This research will assess and analyse the rising cost of education and its impact on the supply and demand for education.

Topic 32: To study the use of instructional and information technologies in teacher training in secondary schools and colleges in the United Kingdom

Research Aim: This research will study the use of technologies in teacher training and how they impact secondary education in the UK.

Topic 33: Should secondary school teachers emphasise today’s demanding issues such as energy conservation, sustainability, and environmental protection?

Research Aim: This research will study whether or not teachers should emphasise current issues like energy preservation, sustainability, and environmental protection.

Topic 34: How can religious and racial tolerance increase among pupils by reintroducing religious education in the secondary schooling system?

Research Aim: This research will explore whether introducing religious education in secondary education helps decrease religious and racial intolerance.

Topic 35: To investigate the benefits of teaching business management and entrepreneurship-related courses to secondary school students over social science courses.

Research Aim: This research will study the uses and benefits of teaching business management and entrepreneurship at the secondary schooling level. Read More About Secondary Education

Higher Education Dissertation Topics

Higher education or college/university education covers the formal education available to college, undergraduate and postgraduate students. Some interesting higher education dissertation topics are listed below.

Topic 36: International mobility of graduate and undergraduate students of mathematics, engineering, technology and science; Push and Pull Factors

Research Aim: This research will study and analyse the push and pull factors that impact the graduate and undergraduate students’ choice of university.

Topic 37: International graduate students and their decisions to stay or leave the US; The decisive factors

Research Aim: This study will explore the factors that lead students to decide whether they should stay or leave their universities in the US.

Topic 38: Aligning higher education to labour market requirements in the UK

Research Aim: This research will assess whether higher education in the UK should be aligned with the labour market requirements or not.

Topic 39: Internationalisation drivers, obstacles and rationales: A case study of any higher education institute in the UK

Research Aim: This research will analyse the internationalisation drivers, obstacles, and rationales of higher education institutes in the UK.

Topic 40: An investigation into the governance systems of academic planning in both private and public sector higher education institutes

Research Aim: This research will investigate the governance systems of academic planning in both, private and public higher education institutes.

Topic 41: Higher education system: Should all universities follow the same education pattern?

Research Aim: This research will explore whether every university should follow the same educational pattern.

Topic 42: Evaluating teaching quality in higher education schools from students’ perspective

Research Aim: This research will evaluate the performance of teachers based on students’ perspectives. Suggestions will be provided as to how it should be improved.

Topic 43: Identify the factors affecting student mobility in Europe – The quality aspect

Research Aim: This research will explore the factors that impact student mobility in Europe.

Topic 44: Assessing and Evaluating the Impact of Hiring, Firing and Retiring Professors in Higher Education System on Students

Research Aim: This research will evaluate the various impacts of hiring, firing and retiring professors in the higher education system on students.

Topic 45: Do university graduates perform better than those who do not obtain formal education but have practical work experience?

Research Aim: This research will evaluate and assess the performance of two sets of students. First, university graduates, second, will be those who have no formal education but have practical work experience. Also Read: Fashion and Culture Dissertation Topics

Teaching Method Dissertation Topics

The role of primary, secondary or higher education teachers is highly important, particularly considering the ever-increasing need to provide a growth-oriented academic environment to students. Some interesting teaching method dissertation research topics are listed below.

Topic 46: The influence of teaching methods on students’ academic success and achievements

Research Aim: This research will explore the influence of teaching methods on students’ academic success and achievements.

Topic 47: A Transactional Method to Learning and Teaching in an English Language Arts Methodologies Conference

Research Aim: This study will explore the transactional learning and teaching method in an English language arts methodologies conference.

Topic 48: How the effect of constructivist teaching methods can largely influence the algebraic understanding of primary and secondary school students

Research Aim: This research will understand how constructivist teaching methods affect primary and secondary school students.

Topic 49: Student learning of DNA and the effect of teaching methods

Research Aim: This research will study the impact of various teaching methods on students.

Topic 50: Teaching English through conventional and direct approaches – A qualitative study

Research Aim: This will be a qualitative study that will help assess the teaching of English as a subject through direct and conventional approaches.

Topic 51: Investigating the relationships of teachers’ pedagogical beliefs, knowledge and efficiency: A multimethod approach

Research Aim: This research will investigate the relationship between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs, efficiency, and knowledge.

Topic 52: Exploring the benefits of employing the Socratic methodology as an approach to learning

Research Aim: This research will investigate the benefits of the Socratic method of learning approach.

Topic 53: The benefits of introducing mathematics software to higher education mathematics teachers

Research Aim: This study will explore the benefits of introducing mathematics software to higher education math teachers.

Topic 54: The increasing importance of teachers training taking into consideration various threats to students such as weapons and drugs

Research Aim: This research will understand the importance of teachers’ training with respect to threats such as drugs and weapons.

Topic 55: Are the teachers more prone to violence at the hands of their students as compared to the past: How the profession of teaching has evolved over the last twenty years

Research Aim: Purpose: This research will compare the teaching profession in the past twenty years and will conclude on how it has changed. Read More About: Teaching Methods in the UK

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Education Leadership and Policy Studies Dissertation Topics

The role of leadership, politics, and policies cannot be overlooked. Education leadership and policy studies have two main roots, including organisational theory and political science. This may be an interesting area of research for your educational dissertation.

Topic 56: Implementing educational change in failing middle schools through examination of one’s fundamental leadership procedures and processes

Research Aim: This research will explore the impact of implementing educational change in failing middle schools by examining leadership procedures at the institutes.

Topic 57: Historical background and development of co-curricular transcripts

Research Aim: This research will date back to history and explore how co-curricular transcripts were developed, and will compare them to today’s processes.

Topic 58: Evaluating the self-efficiency of high-performing first-generation university students

Research Aim: This research will evaluate the self-efficiency of high performing university students.

Topic 59: The influence of spiritual growth on leadership development of college and university students

Research Aim: This research will explore the influence of spiritual growth on the leadership skills development of university students.

Topic 60: The peril and power of globalisation: The Higher education, the World Bank, and the Global Knowledge Economy

Research Aim: This research will focus on the globalisation aspect of education and will talk about how it has been impacted.

Topic 61: The self-reported impact of instructional coaching on middle school teachers’ practices

Research Aim: This research will investigate the impact of instructional coaching on middle school teachers’ practices.

Topic 62: An investigation into the policies designed to address bullying in schools of the UK: The beliefs, opinions and perceptions of teachers and principals

Research Aim: This research will explore in-depth the policies that are designed to address and eliminate bullying in UK schools.

Topic 63: Investigating the causes of under-representation of black students in advanced placement courses in the USA

Research Aim: This research will explore the racial issues in the educational system of the US, i.e. underrepresentation of black students.

Topic 64: Lecture note-taking skills of adolescents with and without learning disabilities

Research Aim: This research will understand the note-taking skills of adolescents and how they differ with respect to learning.

Topic 65: A qualitative study to evaluate the educational policies in the UK

Research Aim: This study will assess and evaluate the various educational policies in the UK. Read More About: Courses About International Education Leadership And Policy

Adult Education Dissertation Topics

Vocation-based or professional adult education has gained tremendous popularity in the academic world over the last couple of decades. Here is a wide range of research topics within this field of study to base your dissertation on.

Topic 66: Investing social and personal benefits and costs of basic adult education from students’ perspective

Research Aim: This research will investigate the social and personal benefits and costs of basic adult education.

Topic 67: The perception of adult learners regarding their satisfaction with their educational experiences

Research Aim: This research will explore the perception of adult learners regarding their educational experiences.

Topic 68: Use of bounded agency approach to promoting participation in adult education programmes

Research Aim: This research will discuss the bounded agency approach to promote participation in adult education programs.

Topic 69: A psychoanalytic investigation to explore adult teaching and learning theory

Research Aim: This research will conduct a psychoanalytic investigation in order to explore adult teaching and learning.

Topic 70: Comparing the perception of adult learners in face-to-face and online courses

Research Aim: This research will compare the perception of adult learners in online and face to face courses.

Topic 71: Use of Hatcher-Assagioli Synthesis to analyse practices, principles, and goals for community-based adult education

Research Aim: This research will utilise Hatcher Assagioli Synthesis to analyse community-based education practices, principles, and goals.

Topic 72: A review of the UK government spending on adult education over the last two decades

Research Aim: This research will review the UK government’s spending on adult education for two decades.

Topic 73: The relationship between unemployment and government funding for adult education – A quantitative analysis

Research Aim: This research will explore the relationship between government funding and unemployment for adult education.

Topic 74: The impact of entrepreneurship, wealth building and personal finance-related courses in adult education

Research Aim: This study will study the impact of courses like entrepreneurship, personal finance et. For adult education.

Topic 75: Frequent career changes over working life and the increasing importance of adult education in today’s world

Research Aim: This research will assess the importance of adult education and how it influences students to change their career choices frequently.

Private School Education Dissertation Topics

Private schools have become a large profit-making industry in both the developed and developing world. More and more parents want to send their children to private schools even though the expenses associated with private education are constantly on the rise. Following are some suggestions for your education dissertation research:

Topic 76: Evaluating the effectiveness of management in private schools in the UAE

Research Aim: This research will evaluate the effectiveness of private school management in the UAE.

Topic 77: To study the level of cooperation between home schools, public schools and private schools in the United Kingdom

Research Aim: This research will explore the cooperation level in home schools, and private and public schools in the UK.

Topic 78: A qualitative analysis to determine the causes of why parents choose to send their children to private schools in South Asian countries

Research Aim: This research will conduct qualitative analysis to determine why parents send their children to private schools in Asia.

Topic 79: Investigating the policies concerning the fee structure of private schools in Shanghai

Research Aim: This research will investigate the various policies that concern the fee structure of private Shanghai schools.

Topic 80: An empirical analysis of the impacts of the universal primary education policies on educational performances in South Asia

Research Aim: This research will conduct an empirical analysis to understand the impact of universal primary education policies on educational performance in the South Asian region.

Topic 81: Use of information technology and teaching tools in private schools in the UK

Research Aim: This research will explore the use of technology in private schools and assess its effectiveness.

Topic 82: Schooling for money – The Impact of the Profit motive on Swiss Educational Reform

Research Aim: This research will study the Swiss educational reform and its impact on the system.

Topic 83: Challenges and experiences of children with disabilities in private schools in India

Research Aim: This research will evaluate the challenges and experiences of children with disabilities in Indian schools.

Topic 84: Why are private school students considered to have the edge over public schools – A qualitative study

Research Aim: This will be a qualitative study on why private school students are preferred over public school students.

Topic 85: Emphasis on personality formation and character in private schools – Are private school students more competitive than public school students?

Research Aim: This research will study the personality formation and character building of private school students. Read More About Private School Fee Increase for First Time.

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Public School Education Dissertation Topics

Most schools in the developed world are publicly funded, offering elementary, secondary, and higher education. There is a wide array of topics of research under this field of study that can be explored. Some of them are suggested below:

Exploring the Funding of Public Schools – How they can be improved. This research will explore the ways through which public schools are funded and will study what can be done to improve them.

Topic 86: Investigating the impact of teacher leadership in public schools in the UK

Research Aim: This research will study the impact of teacher leadership in UK public schools.

Topic 87: Is it true that public schools are better able to prepare their students to face the challenges of the real world as compared to private schools

Research Aim: This research will explore a common misconception that public school students are better prepared to face real-world challenges than private school students.

Topic 88: Can publicly-funded religious schools help to counter radicalisation and terrorism?

Research Aim: This study will explore an important topic, i.e. can terrorism and radicalisation be countered with public funding of schools.

Topic 89: Encouraging values and morals in the younger generation by reintroducing religious education in public schools in the UK

Research Aim: This research will study how reintroducing religious education help encourage values and morals in the younger generation in the UK.

Topic 90: Healthy eating habits and the role of public schools offering courses such as meal choice, cooking and home economics

Research Aim: This research will explore the benefits of cooking and home economic courses and promote healthy eating.

Topic 91: How public school students can be encouraged to participate in sporting activities?

Research Aim: This research will assess how public school students can be encouraged to participate in sporting activities.

Topic 92: The perception of special education administrators on the use of paraprofessionals in the education of students with disabilities

Topic 93: the perception of special education administrators on the use of paraprofessionals in the education of students with disabilities.

Research Aim: This research will discuss special education administrators and how they help offer quality education to disabled students.

Topic 94: Educating students with disabilities and the beliefs of public school principals

Research Aim: This research will explore the beliefs of public school principals and how these beliefs help offer quality education to disabled students.

Topic 95: Advanced teaching tools in public school classrooms – How they Help Improve Quality Education

Research Aim: This research will explore how quality education is provided by implementing innovative technology in classrooms.

Read More About Public Schools in the UK

Home Schooling Dissertation Topics

Homeschooling is a highly growing educational phenomenon in developed countries. Any form of education that children obtain within their home setting under the supervision of their parents/adults is classified as homeschooling. Some interesting home school dissertation topics are suggested below:

Topic 96: A qualitative study to understand the significance of the role of information technology in homeschooling

Research Aim: This research will assess the importance of information technology for homeschooling through qualitative research.

Topic 97: The advantages and disadvantages of home schooling – Do home children perform with the top private and public school students?

Research Aim: This research will assess the pros and cons of home-schooling. It will also assess the performance of home schooled-students as compared to private and public school students.

Topic 98: A qualitative analysis of socialisation and academic accomplishments among home schooled university students

Research Aim: This research will be a qualitative analysis with respect to socialisation and academic accomplishments with respect to home schooled university students.

Topic 99: Factors motivating students to choose home schooling over conventional schooling systems

Research Aim: This study will explore the factors that motivate students to opt for homeschooling over the conventional schooling system.

Topic 100: A qualitative study to understand the parental motivation for home-schooling

Research Aim: This will be a qualitative study to assess the parental motivation to home-school their children.

Topic 101: Are partnerships available in homeschooling? Exploring their Effectiveness

Research Aim: This research will explore whether partnerships are available in homeschooling or not and how beneficial they prove to be.

Topic 102: A qualitative analysis to understand the educational beliefs of home schooled pupils and their parents

Research Aim: This research will conduct a qualitative analysis to assess the educational beliefs of homeschooled students and their parents.

Topic 103: A qualitative analysis of the relationship between financial literacy and homeschooling

Research Aim: This research will assess whether there is a relationship between homeschooling and financial literacy or not.

Topic 104: The duties and responsibilities of parents concerning the homeschooling of their children

Research Aim: This research will explore the duties and responsibilities of parents with respect to the homeschooling of their children.

Topic 105: Do Homeschool Children Develop Personalities and Characters Like Private and Public Schooled Children?

Research Aim: This research will explore whether homeschooled children build strong character and confident personalities just like private and public schooled students or not.

Latest Education Dissertation Topics

A Comparative Study on the Impact of Technology Integration on Student Learning Outcomes
The Role of Teacher Feedback in Student Academic Achievement
Efficacy of Differentiated Instruction in Diverse Classroom Settings
Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on Educational Attainment
Investigating the Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Learning in Science Education
Promoting Critical Thinking Skills Through Literature-Based Instruction
Examining the Relationship Between Parental Involvement and Student Success
Implementing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Urban Schools
The Impact of Early Childhood Education Programs on Long-Term Academic Success
The Effects of Gender Bias in Classroom Interactions on Student Achievement
Impact of School Climate on Student Well-being and Academic Performance
The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Teacher Effectiveness
The Influence of Motivation on Student Engagement and Achievement
The Impact of Peer Tutoring on Academic Achievement in Mathematics
Exploring the Relationship Between Student-Teacher Rapport and Classroom Behaviour

Simple Ordering Process

A system that works for everyone, important notes:.

As a student of education looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment with existing education theories – i.e., to add value and interest to your research topic.

The field of education is vast and interrelated with so many other academic disciplines. That is why creating an education dissertation topic that is particular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field is imperative.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic; it is the basis of your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, and there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in writing your dissertation , as you may end up in a cycle of rejection at the very initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best education dissertation topics that fulfils your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalizing your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Take a look at some of our sample education dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure Your Education Dissertation

A well-structured dissertation can help students to achieve a high overall academic grade.

A Title Page
Acknowledgements
Declaration
Abstract: A summary of the research completed
Table of Contents
Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems. An outline of the structure of a dissertation can also be added to this chapter.
Literature Review : This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analysing published and unpublished literature available on the chosen research topic in light of research questions to be addressed. The purpose is to highlight and discuss the relative weaknesses and strengths of the selected research area while identifying any research gaps. A breakdown of the topic and key terms can positively impact your dissertation and your tutor.
Methodology: The data collection and analysis methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter, which usually includes research design, research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods, and data analysis strategy .
Findings and Analysis: The findings of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include graphs , charts, and tables in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
Discussion and Conclusion: The researcher presents his interpretation of the results in this chapter and states whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section is to establish the link between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regard to the implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
References: Make sure to complete this in accordance with your University’s requirements
Bibliography
Appendices: Any additional information, diagrams, and graphs used to complete the dissertation but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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To find education dissertation topics:

Research recent educational issues.
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Select a topic aligning with your passion and research goals.

168 Dissertation Topics In Education To Check Out!

Education considers different methods of teaching and learning to promote positive changes in human life and behaviors. The field instills a gradual process of learning, unlearning, and relearning to transfer values and mold human behaviors.

Generally, education is formal, informal, and non-formal. But education as a discipline cuts across several aspects. There is alternative education as well as self-directed education. Education can also be evidence-based, open learning, and electronic.

In this article, we cover all topics regarding education and how you can get on them for your dissertations. These topics are grouped for easy selection. If you’ve been looking for compelling education topics, this article is your answer.

What Are the Characteristics of a Good Dissertation Paper?

A thesis is a long work of research that gets unreadable when poorly structured; likewise a dissertation. If you want to score excellently well in your research, then your dissertation on education should be fun and engaging. Here are features of a good dissertation paper:

Accuracy: Your dissertation paper must be accurate. By accuracy, we mean it should be factual and reflect real values. It should be devoid of misleading information. Clarity: Writing a dissertation does not mean it has to be negligent of clarity. Ambiguous terms should be broken down to allow improved readability. Conciseness: You can write in two or three short sentences rather than in blocks of paragraphs. Splitting sentences makes for more conciseness. Validity: Your dissertation should be valid and produce the needed results. It should also be topically relevant. Verifiability: If your research cannot be verified, it has failed in providing solutions. Your dissertation should be fact-checked before publication. Organization: No professor will score a poorly organized dissertation. An engaging paper should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

While writing a good dissertation should follow the features above, it should also have a good topic. Below are possible dissertation topics in education you can explore.

Interesting Educational Topics

When your dissertation paper is interesting, it means it engages all senses of the readers and introduces them to new knowledge. Whether you’re writing your PhD thesis or an undergraduate dissertation about education, here are a few most interesting dissertation ideas in education you can choose from:

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of sex education to youths.
Examine the benefits and impacts of technology on education.
Trace the evolution of educational approaches in history.
What are the implications of virtual education on traditional students?
What are your opinions on same-sex schools and their impact on sexuality?
Theoretical education or practical education; which would you go for?
Is apprenticeship necessary for developing educational systems?
What are your perspectives on grade calculation using the Bell Curve?
Virtual education: what are the ways to keep students engaged?
Education and dress code: are some of the rules outdated?
Principles and approach: what makes the modern teacher?
How to help students navigate through the huge virtual library.
The role of education in curtailing the classroom and cyberbullying.
Detail the history of some of the greatest schools in the world.
Explore the contributions of some of the greatest teachers in the world.
What are the functions of education in dealing with school violence?
Discuss character building as the primary role of education.
Explain how the concept of basic education differs from one country to another.
Racism and discrimination: how schools contribute to the crisis.
Should there be a radical change to the modern curriculum?
Review how homeschooling negatively impacts students.
What do you think are factors responsible for school dropouts?
Uniformity in schools and how it has overstayed its roles.
Should schools move to offer courses that only meet the future?
Bilingual education: meaning, roles, benefits, and effects.

Fascinating List of Dissertation Topics in Education

Education topics can be fascinating, but you’ll need to be intentional about them. We mean you can get topics on education that charm your readers and delight your professors. If this is what you want, here is a list of education dissertation topics we consider highly fascinating:

What do you think about ability grouping enhancing academic performance?
Blended learning: what are the effects of online education mixed with traditional education?
Examine the impact of bringing students through the same buses on academic outcomes.
How does a bigger class size influence academic performance?
Digital literacy and how it affects students’ learning and capabilities.
How essential is preschool to academic development?
Do homeschoolers perform better than traditional students?
How can schools and institutions devise learning styles that engage students?
Should teachers receive standard salaries or be paid based on performance?
The unfairness of standard testing in deciding academic potential.
Is distance learning the future of education learning?
Diversity in schools and how students can benefit from it.
Should the use of smartphones in classrooms be banned?
Why should the level of education inform employment?
Why do people with degrees get paid less in the 21st century?
What considerations make education a fundamental human right?
How does the level of education influence social and economic status?
What are the benefits and risks of learning a second language while in school?
What is the usefulness of soft skills in the modern-day workplace?
What are the impacts of globalization on the online education system?
What is the role of the school towards ensuring the good mental wellbeing of students?
Discuss the historical bias in western education systems against blacks.
Probe the gender bias of school policies and explain the way forward.
Factors responsible for the decline of ethics in schools.
Why there should be a balance between extracurricular activities and students’ academics.

Controversial Dissertation Topics in Education

Sometimes, it gets controversial when issues become opinionated. But controversy can be fun, too, especially when the topics are about education. These dissertation topics below, themed on education, will give you the needed heat to enjoy the dynamism of education:

Girls or boys: which gender does better at school?
At what years should children start learning in school?
Should young people leave school at an early age to join the workforce?
Education should only be mandated for the selected few and not for all.
Explain why teachers should be tested regardless of their qualifications.
Women or men: who become better teachers and why?
School bullies should be sent out of schools and homeschooled instead.
School bullying: should we blame the parents, teachers, or society?
Reasons school uniforms should be scrapped from schools.
Excluding religious studies from schools is the right decision against terrorism.
All western schools should prohibit any forms of religious wear.
Inclusiveness in schools should not consider religious beliefs.
Should the school take up guns to protect the students?
Would you rather be homeschooled or follow the traditional education system?
Education system: online education vs. traditional education.
Analyze how students in mixed schools perform better than those in same-sex schools.
Which is more important: practical education or theoretical education?
Should the government spend more on education than other sectors?
Is it necessary for teachers to have parenting skills?
Why should the world drive towards a global education system?
Should grades be retained or scrapped?
Should students learn how to type rather than how to write?
Probe why foreign languages should be allowed at schools.
What are your opinions on sex education classes?
Should students be mandated to learn how to code?

Childhood Education Dissertations Topics

We all have childhood memories without which a lot of things wouldn’t have been. But what better way to improve them if not to research them? Childhood education talks about the cognitive and behavioral growth of children. Here are thesis topics in education that boldly reflect that:

Academic performance of children with disabilities through the use of technology.
Perception of parents towards play-based learning in schools.
Relationship between children’s grades and the race for excellence.
A comparative analysis of children’s phonics and whole language learning.
Effect of technology on children’s academic behaviors.
How should teachers teach children gender norms and identity?
Explore Piaget’s theory and contributions to childhood education.
Should schools adopt authoritarian strategies towards children’s behavior management?
Challenges confronting the integration of autistic children into mainstream classrooms.
What are the impacts of seating arrangements on children’s academic performance?
What are the barriers responsible for effective classroom inclusion?
Should children be taught the essence of diversity?
Impacts of homework on low-income black children’s grades?
A critical review of teachers’ and parents’ roles on children’s moral upbringing.
Problems faced by children of immigrant parents in schools.
At what age should the school allow parents to introduce children to technology?
How are male teachers different from female teachers in considering children’s education?
Discuss how schools should attend to drug use tendencies among poor children.
What are the impacts of a negative community on poor children?
Challenges faced by teachers in teaching an inclusive class in lower schools.
The emergence of coding and the need to teach children as early as possible.
Explain the theory and practice of video games in improving children’s academic performance.
Creating an efficient school environment in developing early childhood education.
Combining outdoor learning with a basic curriculum to develop children’s cognitive brilliance.
Should children rather be taught in schools, homeschooled, or enrolled in virtual education?

Special Education Dissertation Ideas

Special education suggests the instructional needs of students with disabilities. It cuts across the classroom, hospital, learning institutions, and other educational settings. This form of education fosters learning inclusion. Below are topics that capture special education dissertation ideas:

Detail the history of special education in the United States.
What role do parents play in the education of children with special needs?
The social networking of children with behavioral and emotional disabilities.
Technological growth and the support of children with special education.
How can Artificial Intelligence improve the educational development of children with special needs?
The challenges of integrating children with disorders and functioning children.
How students with mental disabilities can improve academic performance.
Impacts of classroom bullying on disabled students.
What are the problems to reducing Assistive Technology for children with autism?
Is disability a threat to teaching and classroom inclusion?
Including children with learning differences and the promotion of learning experiences.
Videogames as a learning tool for children with disabilities.
Deaf students and their exclusion from learning in lower schools.
Threats to inclusive education and the way forward.
Why teachers should be trained to be more inclusive in perspective transformation.
An analysis of teacher support programs in guiding children with an emotional disorder.
The significant relationship between urban areas and children’s emotional disturbance.
A critical study of emotional issues faced by marginalized students.
Sign languages and the drive for its global adoption in schools.
Problems of speech-recognition software on students with exceptionalities.
What are your opinions on expelling students identified as emotionally disturbed?
Should students with special needs be provided with personal digital assistants?
The need for personal care assistants in special education schools.
What are the most effective therapies for students with emotional disturbance?
Understanding special education support and impact on inclusive learning.

Physical Education Thesis Topics

Physical education teaches the development of students’ physical competence and mental well-being. For students to perform a wide range of activities, they need to be in the right physical and mental mindset. We have listed below engaging physical education thesis topics for an impressive dissertation:

How essential is physical literacy to the academic performance of students?
Integration of motor skill assessments into the academic curriculum.
Explain how exercises improve self-confidence in students with special needs.
Should augmented physical education be introduced to schools?
Discuss how teachers’ involvement in physical activities improves academic welfare.
Threats to planning a comprehensive physical activity program in schools.
Impacts of physical education on the social skills of students.
What is the correlation between teaching behaviors and physical activities?
How can physical education promote peace and inclusion in schools?
How exercises lead to effective rehabilitation of students with emotional disturbance.
A critical study of how physical education improves general well-being is students.
Impacts of sports on the development of educational infrastructure.
The relationship between exercises and positive grade performance.
Analyze the impacts of computerized sports on students’ fitness performance.
What are the impacts of observational learning in sports on academic performance?
Soft skills acquisition through active engagement in physical exercises.
Role of physical activity and dietary supplements on the performance of students.
Investigating the role of aerobic capacity and muscular exercises on undergraduate students.
Prison education: understanding the need for policy changes in health and physical education.
Role of inclusive physical education towards diversity tolerance.
Impacts of physical education on the learning performance of elementary students.
A critical evaluation of sporting facilities in the education sector.
Teaching physical fitness improves self-perception in adolescents. Discuss.
How methods conflict with the boundaries of physical education.
What are your opinions on physical education as a tool to curtail crime rates?

Higher Education Dissertation Topics

Higher education is tertiary education that awards an academic degree. It is the next level of education after secondary education. Below is a list of higher education dissertation topics you can use for your research:

What factors are responsible for the decline in the Humanities?
Account for the discrepancy in students’ job preparation and skill development?
What reasons cause the rising debt of students in higher education?
The institutionalization of racism and discrimination in western universities.
The prevalence of enrollment agreements in distance learning.
Detail the need for a flexible, modular system in higher education.
Why is the modern workplace no longer accepting college degrees?
What factors are responsible for the divide between faculty and staff?
What new models or instruments should measure academic efficacy?
What are your opinions on the autonomy of students in language education?
Account the prevalence of cheating in high schools and corrective measures.
Is distance learning the university of the future?
Evaluating the social and digital skills of teachers after the pandemic.
How effective are course portfolios at improving higher education learning?
The adoption of integrative learning approaches and interactive digital strategies.
What are the challenges confronting modern colleges and what is the way forward?
What is your perspective on the de-privatization of higher education?
Reasons the workplace should no longer regard university grades as a criterion for jobs.
What are the benefits and risks of alternative higher education?
What do you understand by ‘meaningful’ learning and why does it matter?
Would you argue against skill or degree?
How does the consumer approach to higher education affect traditional universities?
What does economics education mean and what factors predate it?
What can students’ attitudes towards e-learning be measured?
Do teachers need a degree before becoming professionals in the field?

Is Your Dissertation in Education Too Challenging?

Education is a wide discipline and it stretches into several areas of academics. But to write a very good dissertation, you’d need to follow some features and keep good notes on dissertation topics on education.

However, if you feel too overwhelmed to get your education dissertation done, we have experts who could help you with it. Why post, ‘write my thesis?’ when our thesis help is fast, reliable, and attentive to details. Our writers are degree holders and provide awesome, custom dissertations at the best prices. Book our online help now!

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An Investigation of the Factors that Motivate Students in Algebra II Math Class at a Selected High School in Tennessee.

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5 Tips for Choosing Your EdD Dissertation Topic

Faculty Insights Industry Advice Education

Associate teaching professor Corliss Thompson shares her top tips for choosing your EdD dissertation topic.

You’ve learned more about why you should earn your Doctor of Education (EdD), and now you’re ready to apply. As part of the Northeastern application process, however, you’re required to submit a problem of practice that you want to pursue throughout the course of your doctoral program.

But how do you arrive at that problem of practice and narrow your area of interest down into a specific dissertation topic? Here are some tips to keep in mind.

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Tips for Choosing a Dissertation Topic

1. pick a topic you’re passionate about..

A lot of work goes into your dissertation—from the literature review, where you’re conducting a critical analysis of what’s been published on your topic, to interviewing stakeholders and actually writing the dissertation itself. Each of those steps take time, so you want to choose a topic that will keep you engaged and hold your interest.

When trying to decide your area of focus, consider the challenges you’re motivated to address and the difference you want to make both during and at the end of your EdD program. The goal is that you will continuously build off your dissertation research and leverage the work in a way that positively impacts your organization and/or community.

2. Ensure your topic is manageable.

You want to select a topic you can complete during the duration of your EdD program that is also aligned with your budget. If you need to travel or perform longitudinal research, your idea might not be achievable. Find what available, attainable data you can, and use that to narrow down your research into a dissertation that’s more manageable.

3. Embrace the unknown.

Although you’re passionate about your topic and it’s manageable, there will still be lingering questions about your subject. Be prepared to explore what you don’t know and deepen what you already do know. Strong research typically results in more questions.

Be ready to ask questions of yourself, others, and the literature, and get comfortable with not knowing the answer. As you’re thinking about your dissertation, keep track of inquiries that emerge around different ideas. Those may help you hone in on a topic.

4. Leverage your peers.

One benefit of enrolling in an EdD program is the diversity of backgrounds and opinions you’ll find within your cohort. At Northeastern, EdD instruction is primarily online, which enables students to connect and collaborate with professionals from around the world.

Vasiliki Goudanas Mavroudhis, a recent graduate of Northeastern’s EdD program, emphasized this benefit in her piece on what it’s like to be in an online doctoral program , saying:

The ability to not only have a cohort-based network, but one that crossed cohorts and continents, allowed me to have a far richer and deeper experience. I learned from students with different perspectives who came from different industries across a number of countries.

When fleshing out your dissertation, use that global network to your advantage. Ask your peers for constructive feedback. It’s likely they’ll have suggestions on how you can approach your topic from different cultural perspectives.

5. Know it’s OK to change your topic.

It’s natural for your dissertation topic to evolve the more research you complete and experts you interview. Actually, it’s expected.

Switching topics halfway through the program might seem like more work, but you will have already gone through the research process once and laid the foundation for your dissertation. As you approach your topic from different perspectives, it’s understandable if your own viewpoint changes a bit.

If you’re in need of inspiration, here are some examples of doctoral research Northeastern students have recently conducted:

“The Drop Out Decisions of Latino College Students”
“Changing the Experiences of African Refugee Youth”
“Supporting Students Through Mindful Mentoring”
“The Transitioning Student Veteran: Finding Your Civilian Career Through Academic Success”
“Bridging the Gap Between Training and Educating in Adult Learning”
“Watch out for Shards from the Glass Ceiling: A Study of Women Higher Educational Administrators’ Leadership Development Experiences”

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Dissertation Topics in Education: The Complete List for 2022

by Antony W

February 24, 2022

Choosing a dissertation topic in education does take time, but it doesn’t have to be difficult at all. Once you find the right topic to explore, it should be easy to formulate a research question, do your research, and write the paper within the deadlines indicated by your professor.

It’s important to understand that the topic you choose can make or break your dissertation. That’s why we recommend in our guide to choosing dissertation topics that you should focus on a specific topic that’s equally interesting to investigate.

In this guide, we share with you 50+ dissertation topics in education that you can start exploring right away. Whether you feel stuck at the topic selection stage or you need more ideas to add to your checklist before narrowing down to one interesting subject, you will find the topic ideas shared in this guide extremely useful.

Let’s get to it.

How to Choose the Best Education Topics for Dissertation

There are four things you need to keep in mind when choosing dissertation topics in the education space. In general, the topic you select should:

Be relevant: For relevance, you’ll have to determine what research already exists on the topic and then determine how you can expand that study. This is where you look into history and the conclusions made by education researchers who came before you. Of course, you can expect some studies to be dogmatic and some will equally need rethinking.
Have a scientific significance: If you found an interesting topic to explore, but it doesn’t have scientific significance, there’s a high chance it’s not worth exploring. You do need to make sure that the topic you select allows you to write the goals and objectives of the research.
Correspond to the right structure: Whatever education dissertation topic you choose, you need to make sure that it can allow you to structure the assignment based on the acceptable guidelines.
Have practical applications: Does your topic of interest in education have a practical significance? You should first determine who will benefit from the research or what the results will be and where exactly you can apply them.

Given these conditions, it should be clear that there are restrictions on the topics that you can choose for your dissertation assignment.

Dissertation Topics in Education: 30+ Examples You Can Explore Further

Here’s a list of 30+ education topics that can fit your dissertation project:

Education Leadership Dissertation Topics

Monitoring teachers’ professional abilities in the context of a paradigm shift in education
The willingness of teachers to engage in innovative activities as a factor in the correction of professional conservatism
Modernization of domestic and international general education in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Scientific and methodological assistance for teachers’ professional and personal growth in educational institutions
Pedagogical model for adaptive quality control of student educational activities
preparing future educators to apply statistical approaches in their professional activities
Experience in educational engagement with the country’s young subcultures

General Education Dissertation Topics

The primary goal of an educational organization is to foster a democratic culture among teenagers.
Harassment of younger pupils in interpersonal connections in the educational setting
Preparation of high school pupils for dealing with harsh events
The Internet’s influence on students’ social and spiritual values
Interaction processes between students in small groups based on a customized approach
High school students’ cultural self-determination in the teaching of social and humanitarian subjects
Students’ pedagogical evaluation utilizing virtual reality technology
The fundamental criterion for building a value-based attitude toward health among kids is joint activities for teachers and parents.

Dissertation Topics for Public School Education

Are public schools better able to prepare kids for real-world issues than the protected world of private schools?
Is public education in the United Kingdom on the decline?
Schools for children with special needs should be entirely public in the interests of society and the children themselves.
Is parents’ unwillingness to take their children to public schools in the United Kingdom linked to drug and weapon offences and deteriorating test performance?
Additional food technology courses, focused on cooking, meal planning, and preparation, should be provided in public schools to promote healthy eating.
Should children in public schools be required to participate in sports?

Dissertation Topics in Higher Education

The development of cultural foundations for classical university education
Interactive strategies for developing interest for the study of foreign languages among students from non-core subjects
Conceptual basis for building a personalized educational path for students in the university’s digital educational environment
Using time management approaches, students’ self-education motivation may be developed.
Through social activities, law students’ self-education motivation is being developed.
Formation of the student’s civic stance in the university’s educational activities
Students’ self-education motivation can be increased by using the university’s scientific library.

Pre-school Education Dissertation Topics

Do preschoolers benefit from their social relationships with their teachers?
Is home-based early childhood education and care beneficial or detrimental to learners and practitioners?
What effect does pre-school education have on young children’s social skills and personal development?
What advantages do children who start pre-school at the age of two years have over children who do not start pre-school?
Is pre-school education designed to equip and prepare pupils for the rigors of primary school?

Dissertation Topics on Home Schooling

Should children who are homeschooled follow the National Curriculum?
Is it good that children who are home schooled are generally educated by either parent rather than a governess or another certified educator?
Should conventional schools implement programs in which kids may engage from home, through the Internet, rather of visiting school every day, and would this have any influence on reducing teen delinquency, dropout rates, and other issues?
Should the growing trend of homeschooling be permitted to continue in the absence of further legislation governing oversight and monitoring?
Children who are homeschooled have less behavioral issues than those who attend traditional schools. What is the reason behind this?

If none of the topics that we’ve shared in this guide interest you, you should consider getting inspiration from other sources as well.

Consider looking up for topics from the most recent studies in your field or read some dissertations of previous students in your college.

Your supervisor can also be a good source of inspiration, so all you have to do is ask them to share some ideas with you.

It’s important that you choose a topic that you’re interested in exploring so you can start and finish the project without procrastinating in between sessions.

Also, we strongly suggest making sure that your topic is relevant and specific with respect to science and applicability.

About the author

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

Dissertation structure and layout - the basics

The Caveat

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

Acknowledgements page
Abstract (or executive summary)
Table of contents , list of figures and tables
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Literature review
Chapter 3: Methodology
Chapter 4: Results
Chapter 5: Discussion
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

A dissertation's structure reflect the research process

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
How does your research contribute something original?
How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings? In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the Grad Coach Blog .

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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The acknowledgements section of a thesis/dissertation

36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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A great topic is certainly the foundation of a successful research project. If you seek help with, say, a dissertation topic or guidance with developing a relevant & researchable topic , we got you.
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M.Ed Thesis Topics – Most Appropriate Ideas & Samples

➫ Finding applicable and new topics for an M.Ed thesis paper is not an easy task; however, by using a professional research guide for education, you can be enabled to appropriately identify some gaps in the education field that need to be researched. But then, it might also be hard for you to find or identify those research gaps even after reading a research guide since there are several factors that have to be put into consideration. You should be in a position to ascertain whether the gaps you are identifying are not currently being researched or not already researched in other related fields. This now shows that finding unique Master of Education thesis topics & ideas is not an easy task. Do not worry if you feel that you do not know how to identify the best ideas for your thesis project. Whether you are specializing in M.Ed education psychology, M.Ed special education, M.Ed education counseling, or any other Master of Education field, Research Topic Help experts can assist you with the most appropriate ideas for M.Ed research projects. Our professionals will be ready to offer you professional help. Mark you; you will be given a comprehensive list of M.Ed thesis topics that will help you to develop a nice research project.

M.Ed Research Proposal Topics for a Final Thesis Project

Sometimes before writing the main project, you need to develop a research proposal and defend it. Below is a list of titles that can help develop interesting M.Ed research proposal topics and get easy approval.

Adult education: How economic degradation leads to the acquisition of new living skills
How the education system addresses the problem of teachers shortage in public schools
Home-schooled kids have lesser challenges behaviorally
The reality and dreams of Eco-Justice
A critical analysis of university multilateral partnerships
An assessment of the contribution of education to economic development
Developing programs for resolving conflicts in the education system
A study of portfolios and interviews as assessment methods
A case study of the effects of gender issues on education
Investigating the effects of physical activity on the social skills of children with health disorders

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A strong foundation, will, and hard work in your Education course are what have finally led you to undertake your Master of Education (M.Ed). Truth be told, you might have encountered a lot of challenges in your master's course, especially in identifying the best ideas for M.Ed research. This should not scare you though, though every scholar faces difficulties when writing their master's project papers. This is because they have got a lot of commitments to deal with. Such commitments may include jobs, responsibilities, or a heap of other assignments whose deadlines are approaching very fast. Nonetheless, the difference between a scholar who performs poorly and that one that scores highly comes about from the actions that each scholar takes. Most scholars who perform highly seek professional M.Ed thesis topic ideas help whereby they receive help in the areas that they cannot understand. On the other side, scholars that perform poorly are skeptical about seeking expert help and they end up submitting shoddy projects. Over the years, we have continued to support those pursuing a Master of Education degree to generate good research ideas. We have developed sample ideas and thesis topic examples for researchers & scholars to get ideas and even provided links to resourceful books and materials.

M.Ed Dissertation Topics in Education & Research Topics in Education

Education is a constantly evolving field, with new research and developments happening all the time. There are a wide variety of topics in education, each with the potential to improve our understanding of how people learn and to inform the development of more effective educational practices. Some of the most important and promising research topics suitable for research various disciples of education include the following:

The role of technology in education: With the rapid advancement of technology, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how technology can be used to enhance learning and teaching. This is one of the latest masters-level project topics for students exploring how different technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and big data, can be used to create more engaging and personalized learning experiences.
Learning and the brain: Our understanding of how the brain processes information and how people learn continues to evolve. Researchers are studying the neural mechanisms of learning and memory, as well as the impact of different teaching methods on learning outcomes. This research topic in education has the potential to inform the development of more effective teaching strategies and educational materials.
The impact of socio-economic status on education: Research has shown that socio-economic status is a major predictor of educational achievement. This is one of the dissertation topics for M.Ed students focusing on the ways in which poverty, income inequality, and other socio-economic factors impact students' academic performance, as well as the most effective ways to mitigate these effects.
The impact of culture on education: Culture plays a significant role in shaping educational experiences and outcomes. Researchers are studying the ways in which different cultural backgrounds, languages, and values impact students' academic performance and engagement in the classroom. This is one of the popular topics focusing on the development of more culturally responsive teaching practices and materials.
The impact of student diversity on education: The student body in schools and universities is becoming increasingly diverse, with students from different ethnic, linguistic, and socio-economic backgrounds. Definitely among the interesting topics for a Master of Education student on the ways in which this diversity impacts students' academic performance and engagement in the classroom, as well as the most effective ways to support and celebrate diversity in the classroom.
The impact of school design on student learning: Research has shown that the physical design of schools can have a significant impact on student learning. Researchers are studying the ways in which different school designs, such as open classrooms, flexible spaces, and natural lighting, impact student engagement and learning outcomes.
The impact of teacher quality on student learning: Teachers are one of the most important factors in determining student learning outcomes. This is one of the research topics in education that seeks to study the ways in which different teacher characteristics, such as subject matter expertise, classroom management skills, and cultural competence, impact student academic performance and engagement in the classroom.
The impact of parental involvement on student learning: Parental involvement is a key factor in student academic success. This among other project topics in education addresses the ways in which different forms of parental involvement, such as volunteering in schools, communicating with teachers, and reading to children, impact student academic performance and engagement in the classroom.
Professional development for teachers: Professional development is crucial for teachers to improve their skills and knowledge. Researchers are studying the most effective professional development programs for teachers, including mentoring, coaching, and online learning.
Special Education: Research in special education is focused on understanding the unique characteristics of students with disabilities, their needs, and how to provide them with appropriate education. Researchers are studying the effectiveness of different teaching methods and interventions for students with disabilities, including inclusive classrooms and specialized educational programs.

Ideally, research in education is a vital process that helps to improve our understanding of how students learn and inform the development of effective teaching practices. The above-mentioned M.Ed dissertation topics in education are the most important and promising areas, with the potential to significantly impact the way we teach and learn in the future.

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Educational Research Topics for M.Ed -Synopsis for M.Ed. Research

Curriculum development: This research topic idea is focused on the design and implementation of educational programs. M.Ed. scholars can research different curriculum models, such as the traditional model, the backward design model, or the integration model. They can also investigate how curriculum development can be tailored to meet the needs of different student populations, such as English language learners or students with special needs.
Teaching methods: This can serve as a synopsis topic for m.ed research by examining the various approaches and techniques used by teachers to instruct students. One can research the effectiveness of different teaching methods, such as direct instruction, inquiry-based learning, or project-based learning. They can also study the impact of technology on teaching and learning, such as the use of online resources or virtual classrooms.
Assessment and evaluation: This topic focuses on the methods used to measure student learning and progress. One can research the strengths and weaknesses of different assessment methods, such as traditional tests and quizzes, performance assessments, or formative assessments. They can also investigate the use of data to inform instruction and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching methods.
Educational technology: This topic examines the use of technology in education, including the development and implementation of online resources, virtual classrooms, and educational software. M.Ed. students can research the effectiveness of different technologies, such as online learning platforms, adaptive learning software, or educational games, in improving student learning outcomes.
Professional development for teachers: This topic is focused on the training and support provided to teachers to help them improve their practice. M.Ed. students can research the most effective professional development programs and methods, such as mentoring, coaching, or workshops, and how these can be used to support the ongoing learning and development of teachers.
Inclusive education: This can be a good educational synopsis topic since it is focused on providing equal educational opportunities to all students, regardless of their abilities or background. One can research effective strategies for creating inclusive classrooms, such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and how to support the unique needs of students with disabilities, English language learners, and other marginalized groups.
Student engagement: This topic examines the ways in which students are actively involved in their own learning, and the factors that influence their engagement. Students can research different methods for promoting student engagement, such as student-centered instruction, group work, or cooperative learning, and how these can be used to increase student motivation and achievement.
Parent and community engagement: This topic is focused on the role of parents and community members in supporting student learning and success. One can research effective strategies for building partnerships with families and community organizations, such as parent-teacher conferences, volunteer programs, or community-wide events, and how these can be used to support student learning and success.

These are just a few of the many educational research topics for M Ed students. By researching these topics, M.Ed. students can gain a deeper understanding of key issues in education and develop the skills and knowledge necessary to improve the learning experiences of students. They can also contribute to the development of new and effective educational practices and policies.

M.Ed Research Topics - (Research Topics for M.Ed Students)

Research topics for M.Ed (Master of Education) students span a wide range of areas within the field of education, aiming to contribute new insights, methodologies, or interventions. These topics can fall under various categories such as curriculum development, educational technology, teacher education, educational psychology, school administration, and educational policy, among others. Some specific topics might include the impact of remote learning on student engagement, the role of emotional intelligence in teaching effectiveness, approaches to multicultural education, or the efficacy of different assessment tools. The research often blends theoretical inquiry with practical application, aiming to solve real-world educational challenges. The choice of research topic may depend on various factors including the student's interest, the relevance to current educational settings, and the scope for meaningful contribution to the field.

We have compiled some more of the latest & most suitable topic suggestions to consider for a Master’s in Education Research Project.

An Investigation into the Extent to which University School System Prepares Students for the Pending Labor Shortage
The Role of Video Games in Early Childhood Development and Education.
The Impact of Online Learning compared to In-person Classes on Student Performance
The Benefits of Employing Alternative Learning Styles to Address Individual Child Needs.
An Investigation into the Benefits of Increasing Payment for Special Education Teachers
The Importance of Cross-Class Interactions between Younger and Older Students.
The Study on the Benefits of Parental Involvement in Modern Education
An Investigation into the Effects the Life quality of students in Rural Areas has on Their Education.
The benefits the Use of Computers and AI tools have in Special Education Classrooms.
The Effectiveness of Relating Teacher Performance Evaluation to Student Achievement.
A Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Education Systems in Africa and Europe.
An Investigation into the Impact of Political Issues on the Public Education System.
The Effectiveness of Promoting Educational Games as a Means of Promoting Better Learning.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Education and Student Achievement.

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Guide to the Doctor of Education (EdD) Dissertation

The Doctor of Education (EdD) dissertation is considered a central component of EdD programs. The EdD dissertation is a five-chapter document that investigates an issue in education, reviews the existing literature on this issue, adds additional insight through a qualitative and/or quantitative research study, and proposes one or more solutions. It is considered the culmination of a student’s knowledge of education systems and his or her training in the academic research process. Most EdD programs require students to formally publish their dissertation and/or present their findings to a group of faculty and peers.

The dissertation and dissertation defense are two of the most challenging experiences students will have during their program, but are also two of the most engaging and rewarding from an intellectual perspective. The dissertation allows students to truly apply all the skills and knowledge they have gained during their graduate work to an education issue in which they are invested. Below is a more detailed description of EdD dissertations and the important steps students should take to successfully prepare for, complete, and defend their dissertation.

Doctorate of Education Dissertations

EdD dissertations are students’ opportunity to contribute original research on and insight into an issue in education, such as educational disparities, curriculum development or instruction challenges, school funding problems, college counseling and guidance, job skills development, or standardized testing. For their dissertation, students complete research under the guidance of a research mentor, and receive academic credit for this work. Students typically attend seminars and/or other classes that provide structure around the processes of developing a research question, formulating a research plan, reviewing existing academic literature, and writing about their findings. Many programs require students to present their findings to a committee and/or publish their dissertation in an academic journal.

The Structure of EdD Dissertations

As mentioned previously, dissertations are traditionally divided into five chapters: Introduction, Literature Review, Research Methodology, Results and Analysis, and Discussion and Conclusions. A brief description of each chapter section is below:

Introduction : The introduction includes background information about the topic of study and its purpose, the significance of the student’s research, and existing literature on the subject. It also provides a summary of the results of one’s study, and their implications.
Literature Review : This section explains the existing literature on the student’s topic of study, and places the student’s work in the context of existing theoretical frameworks that are relevant to one’s research.
Research Methodology : This chapter focuses on how the student gathers qualitative and/or quantitative data regarding his or her research query.
Results and Analysis : This section explains in detail the results of the student’s study, and analyzes it to arrive at actionable conclusions.
Discussion and Conclusions : This chapter places the student’s findings in the context of the educational system(s) of focus (e.g. private or public education, secondary or post-secondary) to illustrate how the student’s research contributes to the larger understanding of the educational issue at hand. This section also makes recommendations for the application of the student’s findings to real-world education practice as well as further research on the subject.

Dissertations are typically very long, in-depth works. Many dissertations are between 100 and 200 pages in length or longer, and seek to comprehensively investigate a specific issue or problem in education. Due to the intensive nature of dissertation research and writing, students must plan their research query and methodology well in advance, and seek the support of research mentors and other faculty throughout the process.

Overview of the EdD Dissertation Completion Process

In general, students begin thinking about their dissertation topic during the second year of their program. The second year is also when students begin taking courses in research and data analysis. The term prior to the beginning of their independent research, students typically take a dissertation seminar, during which they discuss potential research topics to explore and learn more about the academic research process. During their third year, students delve into independent research, while still receiving guidance from their selected faculty research mentor. Students generally submit several drafts to a dissertation committee for review and revision suggestions before they finalize their paper. Upon the completion of their dissertation, students may be required to publish their writing and/or present on their research.

Below is a general timeline of the dissertation completion process, followed by a description of the eight steps to successfully completing an EdD dissertation. The timeline below should be used for example purposes only, as programs vary in terms of when they have students complete their requisite research courses.

The Steps to Completing an EdD Dissertation

Choose a research topic and review the existing literature.

During their classes, students should take note of the topics within education that interest them and the issues that they have encountered during their work in education that they would like to see resolved. These areas are often rich with potential research questions. Conducting research within these areas of interest by reading academic articles is an important step in finding a potential question or issue in education that merits further investigation. It is important that students select a research question that is specific enough to allow for in-depth research, is not overwhelming, and is engaging enough to students to carry them through over a year of independent research.

After identifying their field of focus and preliminary research query, students must gain a thorough understanding of the existing literature concerning their field, as well as the theoretical frameworks and conceptual models that have shaped current research methodologies. In general, students should start with articles that have been published within the last 3-5 years, and then review less recent studies that are considered flagship works that have shaped the field in important ways. While reading through this research, students should stay organized with their notes, the conclusions they draw from their literature review, and how these conclusions impact their research study, as they will have to write about these topics in their dissertation.

Select a Research Advisor and Committee

One of the most important parts of students’ research process is selecting a dissertation advisor and committee. Students’ dissertation advisors are faculty members within the school’s EdD program who work closely with students to ensure that they select a research question and project that are manageable in scope, meet certain research and writing deadlines, and have the support and mentorship they need to succeed.

The dissertation committee is comprised of a group of faculty members and instructors who are qualified to read through and provide feedback on a student’s dissertation. The chair of the committee is a student’s dissertation advisor, and the student selects other members based off of their work and expertise in their area of research. Many schools have guidelines around the individuals students can select to be a part of their committee. For example, an EdD program may require students to select one more faculty member from within the EdD program (in addition to their faculty advisor), one individual outside of the department who works in a related field, and one subject matter expert from inside or outside the department who can give in-depth advice regarding the student’s research project. Students must obtain approval from their program for their committee member selections.

A student’s dissertation committee not only provides feedback and support on a student’s research, but also serves as a collective evaluator of a student’s research progress and final product. For example, the committee generally sets dissertation chapter completion and submission deadlines to keep students on track, and also listens to and evaluates students’ dissertation defense, which is a requirement for graduation.

Create and Defend Research Proposal

After students receive approval of their dissertation committee, they work individually and with their dissertation chair/advisor to develop a formal research proposal. The proposal typically includes the first three chapters of a student’s dissertation: the Introduction, the Literature Review chapter, and the Research Methodology chapter. In this proposal, students must outline their specific research query and its relevance to and impact on different spheres of education. They must also explain the work that has already been done in their area of research, their methodologies for the study they will conduct, and their tools and plans for analysis.

Once students have written these three chapters and formalized their research proposal, they must meet with their committee to present and defend their research proposal. This defense is meant to identify any issues with a student’s research objective, review of the literature, or study methodology, so that the student can address these issues prior to conducting their research.

Develop a Timeline for Research and Writing

Students work with their dissertation committee to establish timelines for the completion of certain chapters and milestones in their study (e.g. the conducting of surveys or the compilation and analysis of data or records). A reasonable timeline may have students writing the first three chapters during the fall term of their third year, and the fourth and fifth chapters during the spring term of the same year. However, dissertation timelines will vary depending on whether students are pursuing their degree full-time or part-time, how early in their program they are able to take the requisite research courses prior to starting their independent work, how soon they are able to identify a research question, and other factors.

Apply for Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

The Institutional Review Board protects the rights and well-being of human subjects of research studies by working to ensure their consent to certain research procedures, and assuring their ethical treatment during the research process. All EdD research projects must receive IRB approval before proceeding. The IRB approval application is generally comprised of any study subject consent forms; copies of any surveys, questionnaires, or other data collection methods and tools to be used; a completed application form; and proof of IRB Training completion. IRB Training is typically completed through an online course module that is delivered through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) program.

Conduct Study and Analyze Results

Once students have received IRB approval, they are ready to proceed with their planned study. Data collection methods vary depending on the nature and scope of one’s research project, but may include sending out surveys, conducting interviews, conducting student or teacher assessments, compiling student performance metrics from public records, and other methods of collecting relevant data to try and answer their research query. Once students have gathered sufficient data, they move to the analysis of this data to try and find trends or patterns that help answer their research question. Throughout this process, students consult with their advisor and with members of their dissertation committee as necessary.

Complete Dissertation and Submit for Review and Revision

Once students have completed their analysis, they must write the Results and Analysis and Discussion and Conclusions sections of their dissertation. The Results and Analysis chapter is a straightforward explanation of one’s study results and the conclusions that can be drawn from them. The Discussion and Conclusions section places the study results in the context of the larger educational issue(s) affected by one’s research, makes recommendations for the application of one’s findings, and also provides suggestions for further research in the area of study. Upon the completion of a full dissertation manuscript, students submit their work to their committee for review and commentary. Students may go through several revisions and then final edits of their dissertation prior to their final defense and formal manuscript submission.

Conduct Dissertation Final Defense

A milestone in the EdD student’s graduate school career is the dissertation final defense, which is a formal presentation that students make to their dissertation committee, in which they explain their research objectives, methodology, and findings. During and after their presentation, committee members ask questions in an effort to identify any weaknesses, inconsistencies, or other issues in the student’s research. When faced with these questions, students must answer clearly and defend the validity of their research methods, results, and conclusions. After the presentation and questions are over, the committee confers to decide whether the student has passed his or her final defense and will receive the doctoral degree.

Before completing their dissertation defense, it is recommended that students prepare well in advance by attending the defenses of other students within the same program and discussing their dissertation manuscript with their advisor and asking any questions regarding what to expect during the defense. Students should craft a strong and well-organized presentation, and also anticipate questions that their committee members may ask them.

Submit Dissertation for Formal Review

The final step students need to take to complete their dissertation is to submit their fully edited manuscript for formal review by their dissertation committee, after making any necessary modifications in response to recommendations given during their dissertation defense. Some programs require students to publish their dissertation in an academic journal, which requires students to format their manuscript according to journal guidelines.

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Dissertation Topics

Updated on
Apr 24, 2023

The final step in a PhD or Master’s course is the submission of a dissertation . A dissertation is a research paper that summarises the research conducted and includes findings either on a question or a topic chosen by the student. It is important as it demonstrates a student’s knowledge of the subject and ability to use research methods to define a topic. Students are required to select a dissertation topic of their choice. Choosing a topic can be confusing so this blog helps you understand how to narrow down a dissertation topic and provides a list of dissertation topics in various disciplines.

This Blog Includes:

Empirical dissertation, non-empirical dissertation, different types of research methods for dissertation, how to choose a dissertation topic, list of dissertation topics subject-wise, economics dissertation topics, mba dissertation topics, medical dissertation topics, arts and humanities dissertation topics, law dissertation topics, science dissertation topics, social science dissertation topics, psychology dissertation topics, dissertation topics in education, what makes a good dissertation topic, types of dissertation.

There are mainly two types of dissertations- empirical and non-empirical. The choice of the dissertation depends mainly on your field of study.

An empirical dissertation involves collecting data and researching through methods where conclusions of the study are strictly drawn from concretely empirical evidence, and therefore “verifiable” evidence. It focuses on collecting and analyzing original data. Students can conduct research using qualitative and quantitative research methods like case studies, surveys, observation, laboratory experiments, and interviews. Empirical research tests hypotheses in order to arrive at valid research outcomes and assumptions are tested.

A non-empirical dissertation involves the use of theoretical data and working with existing research or other texts, presenting original analysis, and argumentation, but there is no original data. It focuses more on theories, methods, and their implications for educational research. Non-empirical research theorizes the logical assumptions of research variables and assumptions are entirely theorized.

Also Read: Dissertation Topic in Finance

Two types of primary research for the dissertation include qualitative and quantitative research methods:

Quantitative Research Methods gather information through numerical data. It is used to quantify opinions, behaviors, or other defined variables. It can be used to study a large group of people. The information is gathered by performing statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques. Examples of quantitative research methods include surveys, experimental research, correlational research, longitudinal study, cross-sectional, causal-Comparative research, descriptive research, etc
Qualitative research methods gather non-numerical data. It is used to find meanings, opinions, or underlying reasons from its subjects. It is associated with studying human behavior from an informative perspective. It aims at obtaining in-depth details of the problem. Examples of qualitative research methods include case studies, Observational methods, one-on-one interviews, focus groups, text analysis, etc
Mixed method research is where quantitative and qualitative methods of research are combined

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University of Michigan Library
Research Guides

Microsoft Word for Dissertations

Introduction, Template, & Resources
Formatting for All Readers
Applying a Style
Modifying a Style
Setting up a Heading 1 Example
Images, Charts, Other Objects
Footnotes, Endnotes, & Citations
Cross-References
Appendix Figures & Tables
Table of Contents
List of Figures/Tables
Chapter and Section Numbering
Page Numbers
Landscape Pages
Combining Chapter Files
Commenting and Reviewing
The Two-inch Top Margin
Troubleshooting
Finalizing Without Styles
Preparing Your Final Document

Help with Microsoft Word

Members of the University of Michigan community can get dissertation & thesis formatting assistance from the experts at ScholarSpace:

Please visit this link to make an appointment , or send an email to [email protected].

We're here to solve any formatting problems you've run into, and can give you guidance about captioning figures, solving numbering issues, creating a List of Tables/Figures/Appendices, and more.

Contact Information

Introduction to Word for Dissertations

Formatting your dissertation (or thesis) will likely take more time than you expect. But using the special features described in this Guide will save you a great deal of work , particularly if you use our template (available in the box below). The earlier you begin to use these tools, the more time you'll save and the less stress you'll have as your submission deadline approaches. Students at the University of Michigan are also encouraged to contact the experts at the Library's ScholarSpace anytime you run into a problem or have a question.

To meet Rackham’s Dissertation Formatting Guidelines you will need to modify the standard settings that Microsoft Word uses. This guide will show you how to use the tools to make the necessary modifications. While we do follow the requirements from Rackham’s formatting guidelines to demonstrate the tools, in the end, you are responsible for verifying that your document meets the requirements that Rackham sets.

To save yourself time and effort , please consider using our Dissertation Template (link available in the box below). Many of the settings discussed in this Guide are already included in that document.

Please note that, as a University of Michigan student, you have free access to the Microsoft Office suite of tools -- including Microsoft Word. Visit this link to learn more and to download Office to your own computer.

Dissertation Template and other Resources

ScholarSpace Template for Dissertations This Microsoft Word document comes with many of the Rackham formatting guidelines built in, and can be used for dissertations and theses. Please note that this template doesn't follow the formatting direction of any particular Style Guide. It is your responsibility to make sure you are following the Style Guide predominant in your field, and to make any relevant formatting changes to heading styles, numbering, captions, etc... How to make many of those changes is described throughout this Guide.
Rackham Dissertation Handbook Rackham's Dissertation Guidelines and Handbook
Dissertation Formatting Checklist Rackham's list of formatting issues to watch out for in your dissertation.
Using Microsoft Word for Large Documents (non-dissertation specific) Handout (This document was written for an older -- much older -- version of Word, but nearly all of the information is still accurate and useful)
Guide to Copyright for Dissertations

A word about LaTeX

LaTeX is a writing and markup language often used in science and engineering documents because it allows for great control in creating complex equations and formulas. ScholarSpace does not maintain a template for dissertations created with LaTeX, and we can only provide very limited support for it. That said, there is a community of U-M folks who actively maintain this LaTeX template to keep it in line with Rackham's guidelines .

Here are some other very useful resources:

Video recording of a UM Library Workshop on Dissertation Formatting with LaTeX
Documentation for LaTeX and Overleaf
Bibiliography Management with LaTeX
How to Write a Thesis in LaTeX
A huge collection of LaTeX resources

Can I use Google Docs for my dissertation?

No. Google Docs can get you pretty far down the road to something that looks like what Rackham requires, however, it's going to take a lot more work to get that far, and as you approach the finish line there will be obstacles that Google Docs just won't be able to get around. The issue is that Google Docs was not designed for complicated documents like a thesis or dissertation. To get it to do many of the special things that Rackham requires, you'll have to do a lot of work that Word will just do for you . A few examples:

Rackham requires 1" margin on all pages, but a 2" margin at the top of each new section. You'll have to manually adjust every relevant page yourself in Docs to get this, but Word will just do it automatically.
Docs gives you three choices for how your Table of Contents will look, none of which are suitable for Rackham. While you can adjust the format, many aspects of it (such as spacing) will revert to the original every time you update it. With Word, you're in charge of what your ToC looks like.
In Docs, you'll have to manually type in your figure numbers ("Figure 3.6") and change them every time you add or move them. But Word will manage numbering and caption placement for you, it will renumber figures or tables as you add or move them, and it will create your List of Figures/Tables automatically – correct page numbers and all.
With Word's figure/table numbering, you can also insert cross-references so when you refer to "(see Figure 4.2)" but then you add some new figures before that, not only will Figure 4.2 renumber itself automatically, but anywhere you've referred to it will be updated, too. No more anxiety about whether you've updated everything accurately.
Page numbers: Rackham wants the first two pages to have no page numbers, the rest of the frontmatter to have small roman numerals, and the body of the document to have arabic numerals. Docs just plain can't do that.

If you're concerned about the learning curve of using Word, please know that this Guide goes over how to do everything, AND the Word template found here has nearly everything already set up for you. We also regularly offer a workshop that serves as an introduction to the most useful features, and you can set up a meeting with a ScholarSpace expert anytime you run into something that you can't figure out.

Writing Assistance

This Guide is all about how to properly format your dissertation -- how to make it look the way Rackham wants it to look. But what if you need help with the actual composition of your content? Our friends at the Sweetland Writing Center offer such assistance, through their Writing Workshop program. From their website:

These are just a few quick but especially important tips to help you get started. See our more expansive Tips & Troubleshooting section for suggestions that are a little more complex.

Save early , save often, and create backup versions as you go along. Consider setting up Microsoft OneDrive (you have free access with your umich login credentials). With this, you can turn on "Autosave" in Word to automatically save your document at regular intervals.

Use our template (available above), it will save you lots of time. Nearly all of the difficult formatting stuff we discuss in this Guide is already built into the template. Consider doing all of your writing in it -- even if you're working in separate files for each chapter, you can use a copy of the template for each one of those chapters.
Set the margins including the two-inch margin for chapters titles ( Setting Margins ) .
Define styles for Headings 1-3, Normal, Captions, and Quotes – these are most common; you may need others ( Working with Styles ).
If headings need to be numbered (for example, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, etc.), define a multi-level list ( Automatic Numbering ).
If captions need to include the chapter number, define a multi-level list ( Automatic Numbering ).
Share your file(s) with your advisors using Track Changes ( Commenting and Reviewing ) .
If you use EndNote to manage your citations and create your bibliography, use only one EndNote library for your entire dissertation (see our EndNote Basics guide).
Did we mention that you really ought to try out our template (available above)?

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Sub: TNTEU – M.Ed. Dissertation – Finalisation of titles for Individual Students – Sending the 3 titles with Guide Names – Reg Government College of Education for Women

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Kaharuddin Arafah

This research is expost facto which aims to determine the influence: i) the teacher pedagogical competence towards physics learning result; ii) emotional intelligence towards physics learning result; iii) the teacher pedagogical competence towards achievement motivation; iv) emotional intelligence towards achievement motivation; and v) achievement motivation towards physics learning result. The populations in this study were all students of XI IPA SMAN 1 Watansoppeng as many as 175 students. The process of collecting data using questionnaires and tests of physics learning outcomes that have been tested empirically. Data of the research result were by using analysis method of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with technique of Analysis of Moment Structural (AMOS). The analysis procedure is performed with descriptive analysis and inferential analysis, factor analysis and verification of structural model AMOS. Through the model can be concluded that: i) the teacher pedagogical compete...

This research is expost-facto research which aims to determine the influence of: (1) the teacher professional competence towards physics learning result; (2) interpersonal intelligence towards physics learning result; (3) the teacher professional competence towards learning motivation; (4) interpersonal intelligence towards learning motivation; and (5) learning motivation towards physics learning result. The populations in this study were all students of XI MIA Grade SMA Negeri 1 Pangkajene as many as 173 students. The sample taken by using Slovin technique with 122 students. The process of collecting data using questionnaires and test of physics learning result that have been tested empirically. Data of the research result were analyzed by using analysis method of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with technique of Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS). The analysis procedure is performed with descriptive analysis and inferential analysis, factor analysis and verification of struct...

Assem Humphrey Darkeh

Student achievement has become a hot topic in education today, especially with increased accountability for classroom teachers. The ultimate goal for any teacher is to improve the ability level and prepare students for adulthood. Defining student achievement and factors that impact progress is critical to becoming a successful teacher. Student achievement measures the amount of academic content a student learns in a determined amount of time. Each grade level has learning goals or instructional standards that educators are required to teach. There are many variables that can impact successful student achievement, but the most critical are learning disabilities and teaching methods. Teaching Method can best be defined as the type of principal & methods used for Instruction. There are many types of teaching methods, depending on what information or skill the teacher is trying to convey. The objective of this present study was investigating the effect of Teaching method on the Academic Achievement of school going children " semi urban area's schools of Lucknow city. A sample of 60 students of 9 th class in semi urban area's schools-Jivan jyoti academy and divine public school. A questionnaire to elicit information on general and specific Information pertaining to the respondent. The data obtained was considered & analyzed manually. The percentage with respect to various independent variables & dependent variable were calculated manually. Introduction Teaching Method can best be defined as the type of principal & methods used for Instruction. There are many types of teaching methods, depending on what information or skill the teacher is trying to convey. Class participation demonstration, recitation and memorization are some of the teaching methods being used. When a teacher deciding in their method, they need to flexible and willing to adjust their style according to their student, student success in their academic achievement based on effect on effective teaching methods. According to study statistically significant difference teaching strategies of teacher used by the learner & the teacher. While the relationship between the compensation strategy & the academic success of the student was found to have a negative meaningful relation with academic success. However, the students the teachers were met cognitive strategies & compensation strategies. For effective teaching to take place, a good method must be adopted be a teacher. A teacher has many options when choosing a style, by which to teach. The teacher may write lesson plan of their own, borrow plans from other teacher, or search online, or within book for lesson plan. When deciding what method to use, a teacher needs to consider student background, knowledge, environment & learning goals. Teacher are aware that student's have different way of absorbing information & of demonstrating their knowledge. Teacher often use to techniques which cater to multiple learning style to help students retain information & strength in understanding. A variety of strategies & method are used to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to learn. A lesson plan may be carried out in several ways.

Dr.Chelliah Arulmoly

Moheeta Khan

In Indian education system for senior secondary students of any board i.e., central, any university or any state board physics is a core subject. But besides being one of the most important subjects it remains one of the most difficult subjects at school curriculum. The difficulty of a subject may be due to several institutional, psychological, personal, familial, environmental or teacher related factors which effects a student's achievement in any subject. Among these factors, personal factors such as study habits and self-concept play a vital role and are great predicators of a student's achievement in any subject. As study habits include the habitual manners a student plans his study and self-concept is one's own perception about himself , both could be good predictors of a student's achievement in subject physics as well. The present study is an attempt to study the relation of physics achievement with study habits and self-concept of senior secondary school students. A sample of 204 senior secondary school students comprising 100 boys and 104 girls was collected. Two standardized tools along with student's achievement in physics subject were used to collect data, and the results are analyzed by ANOVA and co-relational techniques.

This research is expost–facto research which aims to determine the influence of: (1) the class climate towards physics learning result, (ii) class climate towards achievement motivation, (iii) self concept towards physics learning result, (iv) self concept towards achievement motivation, and (v) achievement motivation towards learning result. The population in this study were all students of XI IPA Grade SMA Negeri 1 Kahu as many 181 students. The sample taken by using Slovin technique with 126 students. The process of collecting data using questionnaires and test of physics learning result that have been tested empirically. Data of the research result were analyzed by using analysis method of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with technique of Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS). The analysis procedure is performed with descriptive analysis and inferential analysis, factor analysis and verification of structural model AMOS. The result of research showed that the structural equati...

Learning Community

sunita magre

Students’ academic performance is affected by several factors which include students’ learning skills, parental background, peer influence, teachers’ quality, learning infrastructure among others. The researcher in this research has used four factors – Parents attitude, Student’s attitude towards learning, Peers attitude and Teacher’s attitude. The research was conducted on the secondary school students of Mumbai and Thane. The survey conducted was validated and the study confirmed that none of the variables had significant relationship with the academic achievement of students. The results thus interpreted were that the factors did not necessarily affect the academic achievement of secondary school students. Further, the researcher correlated the factors, it was found that there was significant relationship between the factors where one factor increases the other factor too increased. Keywords: Academic achievement, Parents attitude, Student’s attitude, Peers attitude and Teacher’s attitude

Journal of Indian Education

kunnathodi abdul gafoor

Amid worldwide studies indicating declining students’ interest in physics during the secondary stage, especially among girls, this study explores boys’, and girls’ interest in physics and changes thereof as students go up the educational ladder, on a sample of 1509 boys and 1727 girls in upper primary to higher secondary schools in Kerala. It employed a combination of cross-sectional and longitudinal designs of the survey. Interest in physics was measured as sum of preference scores on a set of physics topics at upper primary, high school and higher secondary stages. Irrespective of gender, interest in physics topics is highest at the upper primary stage, with a slight advantage for girls. In general, by high school, there is a 12% decline in interest in physics and a further 14% decline by higher secondary stage; decline is more among girls than boys. The decline in interest of girls is more in physics than interest in science in general; decline in interest of boys is less in physics than interest in science in general. The findings are discussed in view of self-related knowledge of students, achievement and instructional practices.

Measurement and analysis of change in research scholars’ knowledge and attitudes toward statistics after PhD coursework

Mariyamma Philip 1

BMC Medical Education volume 24 , Article number: 512 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Knowledge of statistics is highly important for research scholars, as they are expected to submit a thesis based on original research as part of a PhD program. As statistics play a major role in the analysis and interpretation of scientific data, intensive training at the beginning of a PhD programme is essential. PhD coursework is mandatory in universities and higher education institutes in India. This study aimed to compare the scores of knowledge in statistics and attitudes towards statistics among the research scholars of an institute of medical higher education in South India at different time points of their PhD (i.e., before, soon after and 2–3 years after the coursework) to determine whether intensive training programs such as PhD coursework can change their knowledge or attitudes toward statistics.

One hundred and thirty research scholars who had completed PhD coursework in the last three years were invited by e-mail to be part of the study. Knowledge and attitudes toward statistics before and soon after the coursework were already assessed as part of the coursework module. Knowledge and attitudes towards statistics 2–3 years after the coursework were assessed using Google forms. Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was also sought.

Knowledge and attitude scores improved significantly subsequent to the coursework (i.e., soon after, percentage of change: 77%, 43% respectively). However, there was significant reduction in knowledge and attitude scores 2–3 years after coursework compared to the scores soon after coursework; knowledge and attitude scores have decreased by 10%, 37% respectively.

The study concluded that the coursework program was beneficial for improving research scholars’ knowledge and attitudes toward statistics. A refresher program 2–3 years after the coursework would greatly benefit the research scholars. Statistics educators must be empathetic to understanding scholars’ anxiety and attitudes toward statistics and its influence on learning outcomes.

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A PhD degree is a research degree, and research scholars submit a thesis based on original research in their chosen field. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees are awarded in a wide range of academic disciplines, and the PhD students are usually referred as research scholars. A comprehensive understanding of statistics allows research scholars to add rigour to their research. This approach helps them evaluate the current practices and draw informed conclusions from studies that were undertaken to generate their own hypotheses and to design, analyse and interpret complex clinical decisions. Therefore, intensive training at the beginning of the PhD journey is essential, as intensive training in research methodology and statistics in the early stages of research helps scholars design and plan their studies efficiently.

The University Grants Commission of India has taken various initiatives to introduce academic reforms to higher education institutions in India and mandated in 2009 that coursework be treated as a prerequisite for PhD preparation and that a minimum of four credits be assigned to one or more courses on research methodology, which could cover areas such as quantitative methods, computer applications, and research ethics. UGC also clearly states that all candidates admitted to PhD programmes shall be required to complete the prescribed coursework during the initial two semesters [ 1 ]. National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) at Bangalore, a tertiary care hospital and medical higher education institute in South India, that trains students in higher education in clinical fields, also introduced coursework in the PhD program for research scholars from various backgrounds, such as basic, behavioral and neurosciences, as per the UGC mandate. Research scholars undertake coursework programs soon after admission, which consist of several modules that include research methodology and statistical software training, among others.

Most scholars approach a course in statistics with the prejudice that statistics is uninteresting, demanding, complex or involve much mathematics and, most importantly, it is not relevant to their career goals. They approach statistics with considerable apprehension and negative attitudes, probably because of their inability to grasp the relevance of the application of the methods in their fields of study. This could be resolved by providing sufficient and relevant examples of the application of statistical techniques from various fields of medical research and by providing hands-on experience to learn how these techniques are applied and interpreted on real data. Hence, research methodology and statistical methods and the application of statistical methods using software have been given much importance and are taught as two modules, named Research Methodology and Statistics and Statistical Software Training, at this institute of medical higher education that trains research scholars in fields as diverse as basic, behavioural and neurosciences. Approximately 50% of the coursework curriculum focused on these two modules. Research scholars were thus given an opportunity to understand the theoretical aspects of the research methodology and statistical methods. They were also given hands-on training on statistical software to analyse the data using these methods and to interpret the findings. The coursework program was designed in this specific manner, as this intensive training would enable the research scholars to design their research studies more effectively and analyse their data in a better manner.

It is important to study attitudes toward statistics because attitudes are known to impact the learning process. Also, most importantly, these scholars are expected to utilize the skills in statistics and research methods to design research projects or guide postgraduate students and research scholars in the near future. Several authors have assessed attitudes toward statistics among various students and examined how attitudes affect academic achievement, how attitudes are correlated with knowledge in statistics and how attitudes change after a training program. There are studies on attitudes toward statistics among graduate [ 2 , 3 , 4 ] and postgraduate [ 5 ] medical students, politics, sociology, ( 6 – 7 ) psychology [ 8 , 9 , 10 ], social work [ 11 ], and management students [ 12 ]. However, there is a dearth of related literature on research scholars, and there are only two studies on the attitudes of research scholars. In their study of doctoral students in education-related fields, Cook & Catanzaro (2022) investigated the factors that contribute to statistics anxiety and attitudes toward statistics and how anxiety, attitudes and plans for future research use are connected among doctoral students [ 13 ]. Another study by Sohrabi et al. (2018) on research scholars assessed the change in knowledge and attitude towards teaching and educational design of basic science PhD students at a Medical University after a two-day workshop on empowerment and familiarity with the teaching and learning principles [ 14 ]. There were no studies that assessed changes in the attitudes or knowledge of research scholars across the PhD training period or after intensive training programmes such as PhD coursework. Even though PhD coursework has been established in institutes of higher education in India for more than a decade, there are no published research on the effectiveness of coursework from Indian universities or institutes of higher education.

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of PhD coursework and whether intensive training programs such as PhD coursework can influence the knowledge and attitudes toward statistics of research scholars. Additionally, it would be interesting to know if the acquired knowledge could be retained longer, especially 2–3 years after the coursework, the crucial time of PhD data analysis. Hence, this study compares the scores of knowledge in statistics and attitude toward statistics of the research scholars at different time points of their PhD training, i.e., before, soon after and 2–3 years after the coursework.

Participants

This is an observational study of single group with repeated assessments. The institute offers a three-month coursework program consisting of seven modules, the first module is ethics; the fifth is research methodology and statistics; and the last is neurosciences. The study was conducted in January 2020. All research scholars of the institute who had completed PhD coursework in the last three years were considered for this study ( n = 130). Knowledge and attitudes toward statistics before and soon after the coursework module were assessed as part of the coursework program. They were collected on the first and last day of the program respectively. The author who was also the coordinator of the research methodology and statistics module of the coursework have obtained the necessary permission to use the data for this study. The scholars invited to be part of the study by e-mail. Knowledge and attitude towards statistics 2–3 years after the coursework were assessed online using Google forms. They were also administered a semi structured questionnaire to elicit details about the usefulness of coursework. Participation was voluntary, and consent was also sought online. The confidentiality of the data was assured. Data were not collected from research scholars of Biostatistics or from research scholars who had more than a decade of experience or who had been working in the institute as faculty, assuming that their scores could be higher and could bias the findings. This non funded study was reviewed and approved by the Institute Ethics Committee.

Instruments

Knowledge in Statistics was assessed by a questionnaire prepared by the author and was used as part of the coursework evaluation. The survey included 25 questions that assessed the knowledge of statistics on areas such as descriptive statistics, sampling methods, study design, parametric and nonparametric tests and multivariate analyses. Right answers were assigned a score of 1, and wrong answers were assigned a score of 0. Total scores ranged from 0 to 25. Statistics attitudes were assessed by the Survey of Attitudes toward Statistics (SATS) scale. The SATS is a 36-item scale that measures 6 domains of attitudes towards statistics. The possible range of scores for each item is between 1 and 7. The total score was calculated by dividing the summed score by the number of items. Higher scores indicate more positive attitudes. The SAT-36 is a copyrighted scale, and researchers are allowed to use it only with prior permission. ( 15 – 16 ) The author obtained permission for use in the coursework evaluation and this study. A semi structured questionnaire was also used to elicit details about the usefulness of coursework.

Statistical analysis

Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, number and percentages were used to describe the socio-demographic data. General Linear Model Repeated Measures of Analysis of variance was used to compare knowledge and attitude scores across assessments. Categorical data from the semi structured questionnaire are presented as percentages. All the statistical tests were two-tailed, and a p value < 0.05 was set a priori as the threshold for statistical significance. IBM SPSS (28.0) was used to analyse the data.

One hundred and thirty research scholars who had completed coursework (CW) in the last 2–3 years were considered for the study. These scholars were sent Google forms to assess their knowledge and attitudes 2–3 years after coursework. 81 scholars responded (62%), and 4 scholars did not consent to participate in the study. The data of 77 scholars were merged with the data obtained during the coursework program (before and soon after CW). Socio-demographic characteristics of the scholars are presented in Table 1 .

The age of the respondents ranged from 23 to 36 years, with an average of 28.7 years (3.01), and the majority of the respondents were females (65%). Years of experience (i.e., after masters) before joining a PhD programme ranged from 0.5 to 9 years, and half of them had less than three years of experience before joining the PhD programme (median-3). More than half of those who responded were research scholars from the behavioural sciences (55%), while approximately 30% were from the basic sciences (29%).

General Linear Model Repeated Measures of Analysis of variance was used to compare the knowledge and attitude scores of scholars before, soon after and 2–3 after the coursework (will now be referred as “later the CW”), and the results are presented below (Table 2 ; Fig. 1 ).

Comparison of knowledge and attitude scores across the assessments. Later the CW – 2–3 years after the coursework

The scores for knowledge and attitude differed significantly across time. Scores of knowledge and attitude increased soon after the coursework; the percentage of change was 77% and 43% respectively. However, significant reductions in knowledge and attitude scores were observed 2–3 years after the coursework compared to scores soon after the coursework. The reduction was higher for attitude scores; knowledge and attitude scores have decreased by 10% and 37% respectively. The change in scores across assessments is evident from the graph, and clearly the effect size is higher for attitude than knowledge.

The scores of knowledge or attitude before the coursework did not significantly differ with respect to gender or age or were not correlated with years of experience. Hence, they were not considered as covariates in the above analysis.

A semi structured questionnaire with open ended questions was also administered to elicit in-depth information about the usefulness of the coursework programme, in which they were also asked to self- rate their knowledge. The data were mostly categorical or narratives. Research scholars’ self-rated knowledge scores (on a scale of 0–10) also showed similar changes; knowledge improved significantly and was retained even after the training (Fig. 2 ).

Self-rated knowledge scores of research scholars over time. Later the CW – 2–3 years after the coursework

The response to the question “ How has coursework changed your attitude toward statistics?”, is presented in Fig. 3 . The responses were Yes, positively, Yes - Negatively, No change – still apprehensive, No change – still appreciate, No change – still hate statistics. The majority of the scholars (70%) reported a positive change in their attitude toward statistics. Moreover, none of the scholars reported negative changes. Approximately 9% of the scholars reported that they were still apprehensive about statistics or hate statistics after the coursework.

How has coursework changed your attitude toward statistics?

Those scholars who reported that they were apprehensive about statistics or hate statistics noted the complexity of the subject, lack of clarity, improper instructions and fear of mathematics as major reasons for their attitude. Some responses are listed below.

“The statistical concepts were not taught in an understandable manner from the UG level” , “I am weak in mathematical concepts. The equations and formulae in statistics scare me”. “Lack of knowledge about the importance of statistics and fear of mathematical equations”. “The preconceived notion that Statistics is difficult to learn” . “In most of the places, it is not taught properly and conceptual clarity is not focused on, and because of this an avoidance builds up, which might be a reason for the negative attitude”.

Majority of the scholars (92%) felt that coursework has helped them in their PhD, and they were happy to recommend it for other research scholars (97%). The responses of the scholars to the question “ How was coursework helpful in your PhD journey ?”, are listed below.

“Course work gave a fair idea on various things related to research as well as statistics” . “Creating the best design while planning methodology, which is learnt form course work, will increase efficiency in completing the thesis, thereby making it faster”. “Course work give better idea of how to proceed in many areas like literature search, referencing, choosing statistical methods, and learning about research procedures”. “Course work gave a good idea of research methodology, biostatistics and ethics. This would help in writing a better protocol and a better thesis”. “It helps us to plan our research well and to formulate, collect and plan for analysis”. “It makes people to plan their statistical analysis well in advance” .

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the existing coursework programme in an institution of higher medical education, and investigated whether the coursework programme benefits research scholars by improving their knowledge of statistics and attitudes towards statistics. The study concluded that the coursework program was beneficial for improving scholars’ knowledge about statistics and attitudes toward statistics.

Unlike other studies that have assessed attitudes toward statistics, the study participants in this study were research scholars. Research scholars need extensive training in statistics, as they need to apply statistical tests and use statistical reasoning in their research thesis, and in their profession to design research projects or their future student dissertations. Notably, no studies have assessed the attitudes or knowledge of research scholars in statistics either across the PhD training period or after intensive statistics training programs. However, the findings of this study are consistent with the findings of a study that compared the knowledge and attitudes toward teaching and education design of PhD students after a two-day educational course and instructional design workshop [ 14 ].

Statistics educators need not only impart knowledge but they should also motivate the learners to appreciate the role of statistics and to continue to learn the quantitative skills that is needed in their professional lives. Therefore, the role of learners’ attitudes toward statistics requires special attention. Since PhD coursework is possibly a major contributor to creating a statistically literate research community, scholars’ attitudes toward statistics need to be considered important and given special attention. Passionate and engaging statistics educators who have adequate experience in illustrating relatable examples could help scholars feel less anxious and build competence and better attitudes toward statistics. Statistics educators should be aware of scholars’ anxiety, fears and attitudes toward statistics and about its influence on learning outcomes and further interest in the subject.

Strengths and limitations

Analysis of changes in knowledge and attitudes scores across various time points of PhD training is the major strength of the study. Additionally, this study evaluates the effectiveness of intensive statistical courses for research scholars in terms of changes in knowledge and attitudes. This study has its own limitations: the data were collected through online platforms, and the nonresponse rate was about 38%. Ability in mathematics or prior learning experience in statistics, interest in the subject, statistics anxiety or performance in coursework were not assessed; hence, their influence could not be studied. The reliability and validity of the knowledge questionnaire have not been established at the time of this study. However, author who had prepared the questionnaire had ensured questions from different areas of statistics that were covered during the coursework, it has also been used as part of the coursework evaluation. Despite these limitations, this study highlights the changes in attitudes and knowledge following an intensive training program. Future research could investigate the roles of age, sex, mathematical ability, achievement or performance outcomes and statistics anxiety.

The study concluded that a rigorous and intensive training program such as PhD coursework was beneficial for improving knowledge about statistics and attitudes toward statistics. However, the significant reduction in attitude and knowledge scores after 2–3 years of coursework indicates that a refresher program might be helpful for research scholars as they approach the analysis stage of their thesis. Statistics educators must develop innovative methods to teach research scholars from nonstatistical backgrounds. They also must be empathetic to understanding scholars’ anxiety, fears and attitudes toward statistics and to understand its influence on learning outcomes and further interest in the subject.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the participants of the study and peers and experts who examined the content of the questionnaire for their time and effort.

This research did not receive any grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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This study used data already collected data (before and soon after coursework). The data pertaining to knowledge and attitude towards statistics 2–3 years after coursework were collected from research scholars through the online survey platform Google forms. The participants were invited to participate in the survey through e-mail. The study was explained in detail, and participation in the study was completely voluntary. Informed consent was obtained online in the form of a statement of consent. The confidentiality of the data was assured, even though identifiable personal information was not collected. This non-funded study was reviewed and approved by NIMHANS Institute Ethics Committee (No. NIMHANS/21st IEC (BS&NS Div.)

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Philip, M. Measurement and analysis of change in research scholars’ knowledge and attitudes toward statistics after PhD coursework. BMC Med Educ 24 , 512 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05487-y

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05487-y

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As the adage goes, a good dissertation is a done dissertation, and the goal is for you to find balance in your writing and establish the steps you can take to make the process smoother. Here are some practical strategies for tackling the PhD dissertation.

Write daily

This is a time to have honest conversations with yourself about your writing and work habits. Do you tackle the most challenging work in the morning? Or do you usually start with emails? Knowing your work routine will help you set parameters for the writing process, which includes various elements, from brainstorming ideas to setting outlines and editing. Once you are aware of your energy and focus levels, you’ll be ready to dedicate those times to writing.

While it might be tempting to block a substantial chunk of time to write and assume anything shorter is not useful, that is not the case. Writing daily, whether it’s a paragraph or several pages, keeps you in conversation with your writing practice. If you schedule two hours to write, remember to take a break during that time and reset. You can try:

The Pomodoro Technique: a time management technique that breaks down your work into intervals
Taking breaks: go outside for a walk or have a snack so you can come back to your writing rejuvenated
Focus apps: it is easy to get distracted by devices and lose direction. Here are some app suggestions: Focus Bear (no free version); Forest (free version available); Cold Turkey website blocker (free version available) and Serene (no free version).

This is a valuable opportunity to hone your time management and task prioritisation skills. Find out what works for you and put systems in place to support your practice.

Resources on academic writing for higher education professionals
Stretch your work further by ‘triple writing’
What is your academic writing temperament?

Create a community

While writing can be an isolating endeavour, there are ways to start forming a community (in-person or virtual) to help you set goals and stay accountable. There might be someone in your cohort who is also at the writing stage with whom you can set up a weekly check-in. Alternatively, explore your university’s resources and centres because there may be units and departments on campus that offer helpful opportunities, such as a writing week or retreat. Taking advantage of these opportunities helps combat isolation, foster accountability and grow networks. They can even lead to collaborations further down the line.

Check in with your advisers and mentors. Reach out to your networks to find out about other people’s writing processes and additional resources.
Don’t be afraid to share your work. Writing requires constant revisions and edits and finding people who you trust with feedback will help you grow as a writer. Plus, you can also read their work and help them with their editing process.
Your community does not have to be just about writing! If you enjoy going on hikes or trying new coffee shops, make that part of your weekly habit. Sharing your work in different environments will help clarify your thoughts and ideas.

Address the why

The PhD dissertation writing process is often lengthy and it is sometimes easy to forget why you started. In these moments, it can be helpful to think back to what got you excited about your research and scholarship in the first place. Remember it is not just the work but also the people who propelled you forward. One idea is to start writing your “acknowledgements” section. Here are questions to get you started:

Do you want to dedicate your work to someone?
What ideas sparked your interest in this journey?
Who cheered you on?

This practice can help build momentum, as well as serve as a good reminder to carve out time to spend with your community.

You got this!

Writing is a process. Give yourself grace, as you might not feel motivated all the time. Be consistent in your approach and reward yourself along the way. There is no single strategy when it comes to writing or maintaining motivation, so experiment and find out what works for you.

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Graduate leadership institute dissertation enhancement grants.

Posted by Kate Stuart on Thursday, May 9, 2024 in Announcements .

The Russell G. Hamilton Graduate Leadership Institute provides awards of up to $2000 for research expenses related to student’s dissertation (previous awardees) . These grants are designed for PhD Students with outstanding potential to accelerate progress on their research, adding depth or breadth to their work. They are granted on a competitive basis. See full information on their site.

*Due to the gap around the end of the Fiscal Year, applications that include June & July expenses that can be pre-paid (hotels, airfare, registration fees, etc.) will be considers, but recipients must expense those costs by June 14th.

Eligibility

Preference will be given to Ph.D. candidates engaged in full-time dissertation research. However, all Ph.D. students in good academic standing are eligible to apply .
Student must have authorization from their department.
Students are allowed one GLI Dissertation Enhancement Grant per academic year and they may receive this award no more than twice during their career at Vanderbilt .
Grants are limited to $2000 and all charges must comply with Vanderbilt reimbursement policies .
The GLI reserves the right to award less than the full sum requested by successful applicants, based on the degree of need demonstrated by the proposal and budget, the number of successful applications, and the total available funds.
These awards are not a substitute for, nor a supplement to, graduate stipends, and they may not be used to fund credit-bearing coursework.
Award funds will either be provided directly to vendors via the Oracle procurement system, or will be provided to award recipients in the form of reimbursement for eligible expenses .
Awards cannot be applied retroactively. No expense incurred before the date the award is issued can be reimbursed.
Funds may only be used as proposed in the application.
Proposed research activities must be completed, and expense reports submitted, within the funding period outlined above.
Applicants MUST be prepared to move forward with the proposed work if awarded a grant.
We ask that students be responsible stewards of GLI resources. If the awardee cannot move forward with the proposed work, they must notify the GLI immediately. Recipients who fail to use their funding, barring extenuating circumstances, will be ineligible for future GLI DEGs.

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Jinny yang defends may 14 at 2pm.

Jinny Yang is an active ITiMS student. Join us at her dissertation defense next week!

Learn more about her research.

"Dissecting Impacts of Host-microbiome Interactions on Phytoplankton Microbiome Assembly"

a dissertation defense by Jinny Yang (PhD Student, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology)

Advisor: Vincent Denef

Tuesday, May 14, 2024 | 2:00 PM

1010 Biological Sciences Building ( map )

Email [email protected] for access to this seminar virtually.

Jinny Yang Dissertation Defense May 14.jpg

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COMMENTS

71 Best Education Dissertation Topic Ideas (2024)
Here's 51 education dissertation topics to choose from or modify for your own dissertation. It's hard to find a topic, so use this list to get started! ... (M.A / M.Ed) students. Check out these 51 topic ideas, use them, and adapt them to create a topic that suits you. The Lazy Man's Top 10.
Dissertation Topics in Education
Students who are pursuing an M.Ed degree must be very careful while writing a dissertation as it contributes a lot to their skills and it is the only way they'll be able to obtain a Masters's Degree. In choosing the right topic for the M.Ed dissertation submission on time, all the above-mentioned aspects must be given equal importance.
120+ Education Dissertation Topics
The Best Education Dissertation Topics. Topic 1: A comparison of Wonderlic tests and standardised tests as means to assess academic performance. Topic 2: The theory and practice of educational games as a means to promote better learning. Topic 3: The impact of learning ability of a child: A case study of kindergarten students.
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Contact the Office of Graduate Studies in Education 2100 (Reception) or check with your departmental secretary. Office of Graduate Studies W. W. Wright Education Building Room 2100 201 North Rose Avenue Bloomington, IN 47405-1006 812-856-8504 (phone) 812-856-8566 (TDD) [email protected].
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The PhD dissertation writing process is often lengthy and it is sometimes easy to forget why you started. In these moments, it can be helpful to think back to what got you excited about your research and scholarship in the first place. Remember it is not just the work but also the people who propelled you forward.
Graduate Leadership Institute Dissertation Enhancement Grants
The Russell G. Hamilton Graduate Leadership Institute provides awards of up to $2000 for research expenses related to student's dissertation (previous awardees). These grants are designed for PhD Students with outstanding potential to accelerate progress on their research, adding depth or breadth to their work. They are granted on a competitive basis. See full information on their...
Jinny Yang defends May 14 at 2pm
a dissertation defense by Jinny Yang (PhD Student, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) Advisor: Vincent Denef. Tuesday, May 14, 2024 | 2:00 PM. 1010 Biological Sciences Building . Email [email protected] for access to this seminar virtually.

71 Best Education Dissertation Topic Ideas

Education Dissertation Topic Ideas (List

2. Dissertation Ideas for Studying Elementary Teaching

3. Dissertation Ideas for Studying Middle & High School Contexts

4. Educational Technology Dissertation Ideas

5. General Education and Teaching Dissertation Ideas

6. Ideas that Involve Interviewing your Classmates!

What to do once you Choose your Topic for an Education Dissertation

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Education Dissertation Topics

Introduction

Topic 1: Investigating the impact of COVID-19 on the learning experience of the students

Topic 2: An analysis of the impact of classroom interaction and participation on the personality development and confidence of the students.

Topic 3: The potential use of virtual reality for educational assessment of the students.

Topic 4: An evaluation of the impact of the rising cost of academic education on students of lower-income backgrounds in the UK.

Topic 5: An investigation into the impact of interactions among students of multiple ethnicities on the cross-cultural communication and behaviour of the pupils.

Dissertation Topics in Education Dynamics

Topic 2: The fear of maintaining social distancing in schools

Topic 3: Online Education- Increased screen time or quality education

Topic 4: The emergence of coding courses for young children and their cognitive development and age. A comparative study.

Topic 5: Data science and growing opportunities for data scientists

Covid-19 Education Topics

Online educational programs to educate students during COVID-19

Impact of COVID-19 on educational institutes

Role of teachers and professors during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The future of education post Coronavirus pandemic.

Topic C1: How the Coronavirus pandemic is reshaping education?

Topic C2: How Coronavirus could affect the well-being of people with intellectual disabilities

Topic C3: The impact of the 2019–20 Coronavirus pandemic on education

Topic C4: What actions are being taken by universities in response to Coronavirus?

Topic C5: The impact of Coronavirus on international students and the response from universities

The Best Education Dissertation Topics

Topic 2: The theory and practice of educational games as a means to promote better learning.

Topic 3: The impact of learning ability of a child: A case study of kindergarten students

Topic 4: Comparing and analysing the teaching approaches and mechanisms of privately owned schools and public school: Case of developing countries

Topic 5: Analysing the current curricular development of K12 students and how it can be linked with current economic issues

Early Childhood Education Dissertation Topics

Topic 6: The effectiveness and implementation of early childhood education curriculum interventions

Topic 7: Linking theory to practice and back again: The use of collaborative enquiry and video documentation to facilitate critical thinking in preservice teacher education

Topic 8: Improving early childhood literacy development and English education through the use of multiple media tools

Topic 9: Supporting emergent literacy at the preschool level through the use of technology.

Topic 10: Merging multimodality, technology, and literacy in the era of kindergarten digital storytelling

Topic 11: Computer-based reading program with at-risk pre-kindergarten students

Topic 12: Pre-school educational settings and the nature of children’s leadership

Topic 13: How urban students’ academic accomplishments can be influenced by a school district’s preschool education policies

Topic 14: Investigating the relationship between kindergarten achievement and classroom quality

Topic 15: Creating efficient learning environments to facilitate the process of early childhood education

Elementary Education Dissertation Topics

Topic 16: Establishing the factors inhibiting and enhancing elementary school children’s creativity

Topic 17: Developing life skills in elementary school pupils in the United Kingdom (or any other country of your choice)

Topic 18: Monitoring and evaluating instruction in private elementary schools in China from the perspective of headteachers and teachers.

Topic 20: Implementing inclusive education in elementary/primary schools in Australia – The challenges and opportunities

Topic 21: Classroom evaluation in England – Teachers’ practices and perceptions in Maths

Topic 22: Integrating outdoor learning activities with elementary curriculum in the United Kingdom

Topic 23: Investigating the use of technology in elementary school physical education

Topic 24: Investigating the impact of the age of information on current courses taught in primary school

Topic 25: Should primary schools allow their students to study more independently to achieve improved performance?

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

Secondary Education Dissertation Topics

Topic 26: Investigating the impact of teacher education on secondary education in the European Union

Topic 27: Investigating the impact of secondary school dual enrolment course participation on pupils’ academic accomplishments

Topic 28: The role of sustainability in learning and teaching in secondary schools to transform the soul of education

Topic 29: Investigating secondary school teachers’ thinking in a professional development project

Topic 30: Betraying the college dream: How student aspirations are undermined by the disconnected post-secondary and K-12 education systems

Topic 31: Analysing supply & demand in light of the rising cost of secondary education

Topic 32: To study the use of instructional and information technologies in teacher training in secondary schools and colleges in the United Kingdom

Topic 33: Should secondary school teachers emphasise today’s demanding issues such as energy conservation, sustainability, and environmental protection?

Topic 34: How can religious and racial tolerance increase among pupils by reintroducing religious education in the secondary schooling system?

Topic 35: To investigate the benefits of teaching business management and entrepreneurship-related courses to secondary school students over social science courses.

Higher Education Dissertation Topics

Topic 36: International mobility of graduate and undergraduate students of mathematics, engineering, technology and science; Push and Pull Factors

Topic 37: International graduate students and their decisions to stay or leave the US; The decisive factors

Topic 38: Aligning higher education to labour market requirements in the UK

Topic 39: Internationalisation drivers, obstacles and rationales: A case study of any higher education institute in the UK

Topic 40: An investigation into the governance systems of academic planning in both private and public sector higher education institutes

Topic 41: Higher education system: Should all universities follow the same education pattern?

Topic 42: Evaluating teaching quality in higher education schools from students’ perspective

Topic 43: Identify the factors affecting student mobility in Europe – The quality aspect