Dissertation

PROJECT PHASE I
Why write a Dissertation?
Although Architectural education is mainly the design of buildings as executed through drawings,
models and other kinds of visual representation architecture is not only about images and
models.
Words too, are an integrated part of what architecture is all about.
Architecture is textual as well as visual and spatial.
Most obviously, words are a necessary explanation of what kind of architecture is referred to in
drawings and models.
Words are also a way of exploring new territories, new ideas, new kinds of architecture – from the
Roman architectural theorist Vitruvius to the modern Robert Venturi some of the most important
and influential works of architecture have been books and other kinds of writing.
What is a Dissertation?
Dissertation is best expressed as ‘Design in text’.

It offers an opportunity to look at the research component in architecture in various thrust areas such as history,
theory, design and other value based aspects through texts.

The topic of their interest may range from analyzing and a critique of the works of an architect, ideologies and
philosophies of architects that get transformed spatially, history, typological architecture, sustainability issues and so
on. the dissertation must comprise of an aim, the objectives, the scope and limitations of their dissertation,
hypothesis (if any), methodology followed by extensive review of literature through references and documentation.

The analysis of the work must be substantiated either empirically or through extensive arguments.

A dissertation could also be a Thesis preparation course and gives the student scope for independent study and
opportunity to explore specific area of interest which will form the basis of his/ her design thesis project in the next
semester.
“The dissertation is a place in which to enquire into an architectural
subject which is of interest to yourself.
It is a conscious and deliberate attempt to identify, define, explore and
articulate a subject of some relevance both to the architectural
discourse and to your own development as an architectural designer
and thinker.

An opportunity to focus for a relatively short period of time on a

particular aspect of architecture that appeals to you, and which you
think would be of benefit when thinking about what architecture is
now and might become in the future..”
Objectives
Exposure to the various thrust areas in architecture.

To inculcate the spirit of research in architecture by providing opportunities to read on various

issues.

Exploring the finer details of technical writing.

To provide a platform for a prelude to the ‘Design Thesis’.

Outcome
A Dissertation book which is based on accepted norms of technical writing.

An understanding leading to formation of thesis ideas.

Selecting a Dissertation Subject
What are your interests in architecture?

Identify by writing down a few key interests:

e.g. The way buildings weather over time? The idea of memory? The different kinds of people who
inhabit architecture? Advanced-technological systems? Political meanings of buildings? The inter-
relation between word and images? A particular architect’s life and work?

Your Portfolio- the connection between your design work and your dissertation subject.

Books, Magazines, Periodicals, Journal Articles, Everyday Life, Seminars, Lectures and
Conferences
Assessing a Dissertation Subject
Objects of study.
What are the particular objects that you are going to look at?

may be highly philosophical highly empirical, but what exactly are you going to study:

What buildings and architects, books and other media, specific events and historical periods,
ideas and concepts?

What exactly are you going to talk about and refer to?
Assessing a Dissertation Subject
Interpretative possibilities.
find something to study and also have something to say about it.

In short you need to know:

1 What kinds of issues and questions you want to investigate

2 How these issues relate to your chosen objects of study

3 How much, or how little, this will give you to discuss.

Assessing a Dissertation Subject
Nature of the investigation.
What kind of study you want to produce: descriptive or explanatory history? Critical history or
interpretation? Speculative theory or philosophical musings?

Have some idea of the approach you want to adopt. In other words, do you want to write a
documentary account, to find causes and explanations, to try to say something rather unusual
about your subject, write something that is only distantly related to architecture, or speculate in a
creative, propositional or hypothetical manner?

All these may be possible.

Assessing a Dissertation Subject
Academic context.
Although no dissertation can be wholly original, your research should contain a significant element
of research and interpretation that is unique to yourself.

First have an idea of what has already been studied in relation to your proposed dissertation
subject and, therefore, of how your own line of enquiry will make an original contribution to the
understanding of this topic.

Who else has already explored this subject, and what do they say or propose about it? Is this a
subject that has already been exhaustively covered, and/or can you add something relatively new?.
Practical issues
Size and scope of subject. Four high-risk dissertation projects are:

Availability and access to sources. 1. Historical research that tries to prove

something
Time
2. Research that relies on other people or a
Finance
particular set of data
Personal strengths and weaknesses.
3. Dissertations that make extremely unlikely
Risk connections.

4. Dissertations that are purely speculative

 Writing a Proposal
The purpose of Proposal is to give yourself a clear and definite idea of what you are going to do, how you
are going to do it, and when you are going to do it.
Title and subject matter-give the title and sub-title of the dissertation. Try to be as specific as possible.
Statement of research problem.
1 Identification of the objects of study. What buildings, which architects, which cities and/or whose films
do you intend to study?
2 The significance of what you are investigating. What is interesting about it, and what ideas do you
intend to pursue?
3 The kind of approach adopted. How are you exploring and assessing the subject, and with what
methodology?
 Writing a Proposal
Academic context. Who else has written about this subject already, and what kinds of things have they
said? How does your proposed study differ from theirs?
● Contents list. You should list here the titles of each of the main ‘chapters’ of your dissertation.
● Sources. You need to state here where you are getting your information from. List the main libraries,
archives, key texts, people, buildings etc. that are of use to your project.
● Timetable. Give some indication of time. How far have you progressed with the work? When will the
rest be done? If there are key events which need to take place make sure to identify these also.
The proposal is not an actual part of your dissertation, but forms the main specification for what it is
going to be and how you propose to do it.
It should be no longer than 1 000 words or 2–3 pages of documentation
Structuring a Dissertation
1 SAY WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY

2 SAY IT

3 SAY THAT YOU HAVE SAID IT

● Introduction

● Main argument, divided into a number of sections or chapters

● Conclusion.
Title
A short title to the point explaining the topic in a few words which is its essence
Abstract
a short paragraph about the topic
describing briefly the extent of
study
 Introduction
● Objects of study-briefly summarise the subject, indicating the main objects of study. This can be a simple statement

identifying the main architects, buildings, texts, other cultural media etc. that the dissertation investigates.

● Interpretive ideas-introduce the main theoretical and other intellectual ideas you are bringing to bear on the subject.

What are the main themes you investigate? Are there any particular sets of ideas that you use to do this?

● Academic context -you should briefly identify other works already completed by other historians and theorists, and note how

your own work is different. In short, what work has already been done on this subject, and what new ground are you covering?

● Methodology -briefly summarise the procedure you will be adopting. Is this a piece of history, theory or personal writing?

Is it a piece of politicised history or a social science investigation?

● Dissertation structure. This is simply a description of each section in turn

 Introduction
Introduction- Presenting the topic to a lay reader
in a page trying to say what the topic is all about

Aim- the aim of the topic - what is going to be

the end product an how we can express our aim
to do certain tasks through the topic of research
in a single sentence.

Objectives- What are the points considered the

objectives or the points of interest which are
different from the aim.

Objectives is a few sentences.

Literature Study and Case Studies
Review of literature like books,
conference proceedings, magazines
etc related to the topic and study of
case examples related to the topic.

Hypothesis- The crux of the

research in the form of a statement
likely to be justified or falsified
Research
An architectural Originality is examining material never before studied The result is then a
or providing new interpretations of well-known material. dissertation which:
dissertation should
rely on research that ● The study of some specific architectural objects, e.g. ● Provides new
is: persons, ideas, buildings or drawings
information and/or
● The application of some interpretive or analytical interpretations about
● Original, undertaken framework architecture
by yourself
● Explores a particular theme or asks a specific ● Allows you to learn more
● Acknowledges other question about architecture about architecture yourself
people’s ideas and ● The writing or other exploration of these ideas in a ● Makes a contribution to
work as appropriate. way that conveys your investigation to yourself and to
architectural knowledge in
others.
general.
Research Methodology
Methodology- The representation of research methods
exercise like quantitative or qualitative methods for
example co relative research, practice based research
etc. like executing the questionnaires on users or various
groups that may be involved.
Philosophies- exploration of philosophies which are
useful to establish the hypothesis- for example
phenomenology, structuralism, post modernism,
semiotics etc.
Justification- Justifying or falsifying the hypothesis
through the use of the philosophies.
Historical and Critical Methodology
Empiricism-History can be constructed simply by setting out the facts, with the historian
maintaining an ‘objective’ distance from their subject.

Iconography and Iconology?- tries to identify particular ideas or themes as they recur in buildings
over time.

Hegelian History and Theory - ideas of progress is being achieved by specific individual architects
(often men) in particular countries

Politicised History and Theory - relating architecture to wider conditions and circumstances outside
of the architectural profession and interpreting that context in relation to a particular political
philosophy or position.
Historical and Critical Methodology
Operative History and Theory - deliberately use their writings to support a particular architect or
kind of architecture

Theorised and Interdisciplinary Studies - look to other disciplines to find interpretative frameworks,
research methods, primary sources and secondary literature in order to explain architectural
issues

Personal Writing - author takes a highly subjective and often quite poetic approach to architecture

Visually-based Studies - These range from studies which are largely design-based explorations, to
those which use photographs, diagrams and other visual forms of analysis
Research Techniques
Note-taking Visiting Architecture Libraries and Archives

Recording Notes Recording Sources Books

Filing Materials Reviewing Thoughts Journals and Magazines

Photocopy Timetabling Special Collections

Illustrations On-line Resources

Interviews, Surveys and Other Libraries and Archives

Questionnaires
The Internet
 Main Argument
● Sub-division. Divide the main body of the dissertation into approximately three to seven chapters or
sections. Each of these sections should deal with a distinct aspect of the dissertation in turn.
● Section focus. Each section should be carefully focused on its selected topic. Select your particular
theme for each section and pursue it.
● Section size. Keep each section to approximately the same size.
● Section linking. Link each section with the next. It is often helpful to the reader if they are guided
through the dissertation. Provide linking paragraphs at the end and/or beginning of each section
● Section writing. Work out exactly what you want to put in each section, and then write each in turn.
This helps to cope with only one issue or question at a time and also allows you to keep a careful eye on
how well you are progressing.
 Main Argument
Justification- Justifying or falsifying the
hypothesis through the use of the
philosophies.
Scope- What is the scope of using the topic
for further applications expanding the nature
of enquiry to other areas and how the topic
reflects its use across the panorama of
applications
Deliverables- What are the outcomes of the
research process that are going to be
expressed as processes and applications
Conclusion
Summary statement. You simply need to remind the reader of your argument and interpretations,
drawing out the most salient points.

Speculation. The conclusion is also the place where you might speculate upon the value of your
investigations for architecture in general, and perhaps outline any work that might be done in the
future.

Sometimes, particularly with dissertations that deal with contemporary topics, you can introduce a
piece of ‘late-breaking news’ here, providing another twist or turn to the events that you have been
covering
Working Methods
Reviewing Notes
Writing
Arranging Thoughts
Referring to the Subject
Assessing Work
Dissertation Size
Grammar and Spelling
Illustrations
Referencing
An important part of any architectural dissertation is the referencing system – footnotes,
references and bibliography – adopted in order to inform the reader as to where your information
and main ideas have been derived from.

● Footnotes. Footnotes are extra pieces of information that provide additional clarification or
comment to that which is contained in the main body of the text. In general, footnotes should be
kept to a minimum.

● References. References are shorter pieces of information that state the source for the facts or
ideas concerned. In particular, references should be given for all quotations, specific pieces of
information and for ideas that you have found in other texts.
 Bibliographies
Content Format

The bibliography to a dissertation should contain ● Books. author(s) and editor(s), title of book, place
two kinds of information: of publication, publisher, revised edition (if
appropriate), and date. The names of translators,
● References from main text. This includes all where appropriate, are also often included.
books, journal articles etc. that are included in your ● Book essays and chapters. author, title of essay,
footnotes and references, and any other sources together with the place of publication, i.e. editor(s),
mentioned in the main body of the dissertation. title of book, place of publication, publisher, revised
edition (if appropriate), date and page range.
● Other sources. This includes other books, articles,
archives etc. that you have consulted, but which ● Journal articles. For articles in journals, you
otherwise do not appear in your footnotes and should include author, title of article, together with
references. the place of publication, i.e. title
Plagiarism
Using someone else’s ideas and words directly, while presenting them as if they were your own.

Prevention

Research

Quotations

Other Data

If you include distinctive phrases, sentences or paragraphs from other authors, you must put this
text into quotation marks, and acknowledge the source with a reference.