Some clarification on dissertation project effort nature: a note

Some clarification on dissertation project effort nature: a note (information from poe.com)

My question 1: "I have some concerns about how to treat and name some of my dissertation research tasks. Kindly give me some advice:

Case 1: I use the descriptive content of a case study from an academic article and employs my chosen academic theories to analyse the case study, including using my own inductive and deductive reasoning approaches. In this case, is it a literature review exercise or is it a document study with qualitative data analysis?"

The reply: "In your case, it sounds like you are engaging in a combination of literature review and qualitative data analysis. Here’s a breakdown:

Literature Review: If your primary focus is on synthesizing existing knowledge, theories, and findings from the academic article to build a framework for your research, then it's appropriate to refer to this part as a literature review. This would involve critically analyzing the case study in the context of existing research.

Document Study with Qualitative Data Analysis: If you are analyzing the specific case study in detail and applying your theories to extract insights, employing inductive and deductive reasoning, this leans more towards a qualitative document study. Here, you would be treating the case study as a primary source of qualitative data.

Recommendation:

Title: You might consider naming it something like "Qualitative Analysis of Case Study Using Academic Theories" or "Integrative Literature Review and Qualitative Document Analysis of [Case Study Topic]."

Description: Clearly outline in your methodology how you are using the case study, including the theoretical framework and reasoning approaches.

This way, you acknowledge both the literature aspect and the qualitative analysis, giving a comprehensive view of your approach."

My question 2: "Tks for clarification; query of case 2:

If I download a government report from the Internet and apply my own quantitative analysis on the official statistics from that single government report, in this case, is it a document study with quantitative data analysis or is it a desk research method with quantitative data analysis?"

The reply: "In your case, it would be best to refer to it as a document study with quantitative data analysis. Here’s why:

Document Study: Since you are using a specific government report as your primary source of data, this aligns with the concept of a document study. You are analyzing the content and statistics presented in that report.

Quantitative Data Analysis: If you are applying statistical methods or quantitative techniques to the data contained within that report, this aspect is clearly quantitative data analysis.

Recommendation:

Title: You could use a title like "Quantitative Analysis of Government Report Statistics" or "Document Study and Quantitative Data Analysis of [Report Title]."

Description: In your methodology section, clarify that your analysis focuses on the data extracted from the government report and the quantitative techniques employed.

This approach accurately reflects your methodology while distinguishing it from broader desk research, which typically involves synthesizing information from multiple sources."

My question 3: "Tks. If I present a case study (of a company) and primarily recap the main analysis view points from an academic article, is it a literature review exercise or is it my own research methods findings and analysis?"

The reply: "In this scenario, if you are primarily recapping the main analysis viewpoints from an academic article without introducing your own original research or findings, it would be considered a literature review exercise. Here’s the reasoning:

Literature Review: If your focus is on summarizing and synthesizing the existing analysis provided in the academic article regarding the company case study, you are essentially conducting a literature review. This involves discussing the viewpoints and findings of others rather than presenting your own novel insights.

Own Research Methods Findings and Analysis: If you were to apply your own research methods, conduct original analysis, or present new findings based on your own data collection or theoretical application, that would constitute your own research.

Recommendation:

Title: Consider a title like "Literature Review on [Company Name] Case Study Analysis" or "Recap of Analytical Perspectives on [Company Name] from Academic Literature."

Description: Clearly state your intent to synthesize and summarize the viewpoints from the academic article, indicating that this is a review of existing literature rather than original research."

My question 4: "My last question: If I present a case study (of a company) and primarily recap the main analysis view points from an academic article, plus a few personal judgmental comments and recommendations from me about the case study, is it a literature review exercise or is it my own research methods findings and analysis?"

The reply: "In this case, your work would likely fall into a hybrid category that combines elements of both a literature review and your own analysis. Here's how to break it down:

Literature Review: Since you are recapping the main analysis viewpoints from an academic article, this portion aligns with a literature review. You are synthesizing existing knowledge and perspectives.

Personal Judgment and Recommendations: The inclusion of your own comments and recommendations indicates that you are introducing your own analysis and viewpoints, which moves it beyond a purely literature-based exercise. This aspect reflects your personal insights and interpretations regarding the case study.

Recommendation:

Title: You might consider something like "Analysis and Recommendations on [Company Name] Case Study: A Review of Existing Literature with Personal Insights."

Description: Clearly state that you are summarizing academic viewpoints while also providing your own analysis and recommendations based on that synthesis.

This approach acknowledges both the literature review aspect and your contribution as an analyst."

My question 5: "Tks what if the judgmental comments and recommendations are brief and not based on any theory driven analysis at all, where should I put this content in a dissertation report?"

The reply: "If your judgmental comments and recommendations are brief and not based on any theory-driven analysis, you might consider placing this content in a few potential sections of your dissertation report:

Discussion Section: If your dissertation includes a discussion section, this is a suitable place to incorporate your brief comments and recommendations. Here, you can contextualize them in relation to the findings and insights presented in your literature review or case study analysis.

Conclusion Section: You could also include your brief comments and recommendations in the conclusion. This section often summarizes your main findings and can naturally lead into personal reflections or suggestions for future practice or research.

Recommendations Section: If your dissertation has a dedicated recommendations section, that would be the most straightforward place to include your thoughts. Even if they are brief, this section can highlight actionable insights based on your analysis.

Recommendation:

Clearly label the section where you include your comments and recommendations.

If you choose to add them in the discussion or conclusion, make sure to indicate that they are based on your observations rather than a formal theoretical analysis.

This will help maintain clarity and ensure your dissertation effectively communicates both your analytical work and personal insights."

Reference: a collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.