Dissertation Launch Pad
Learn the PIC formula for social science dissertations and create a shortlist of elements for your own dissertation. Develop a literature review strategy and formulate a focused title question. Perfect for sociology, criminology, social policy, and business studies students.
What you’ll learn
- Understand the PIC formula for social science dissertations, be able to describe and explain each element.
- Implement the PIC formula to create a shortlist of people, issues or interests and contexts for your own dissertation.
- Evaluate the options, select your three elements and formulate your own dissertation title question.
- Apply the PIC formula in developing a literature review strategy structured around a series of key questions.
“I don’t know what to do my dissertation on!”
“Is it too late to change my dissertation topic?”
“I hate my dissertation!”
If any of the above sound familiar, you are not alone!
Dissertations aren’t supposed to be easy, but they certainly shouldn’t be impossible either.
The key to ensuring that you can not only complete your dissertation, but actually enjoy the process, lies in identifying the right dissertation topic or title question.
This course ensures that you start off on the right path by identifying the three essential elements in any social sciences dissertation topic title: people, issue or interest, and context or “PIC” as I call it!
Far too often, students are missing one or more of these elements, and that sets them up to get stuck further down the line, wanting to change topic, getting lost, handing in something they’re not proud of, or even failing to submit their thesis at all.
In my 20 years supporting social science dissertation students at UK universities, I have developed the PIC formula and taught it to all of the students I have supervised. My students have graduated with First Class honours at undergrad level, Distinctions at Masters taught postgrad level, and have developed the most impactful PhDs by learning the PIC formula and using it to shape their dissertations.
PIC is not only essential in developing a title question. It will help you structure your literature review too. It forms the backbone of your dissertation and ensures that you don’t lose motivation. It sets you up to win and it’s the gift that keeps on giving, throughout your dissertation process.
This course will get you to a focused title question that reflects your passions and interests, and on track to produce a thesis you can be proud of, so let’s get started!
Who this course is for:
- Undergraduate and postgraduate students in sociology, criminology, criminal justice, social policy, politics or business studies.
