Key points at a glance
- Identify whether you need to describe, understand, compare or test an effect.
- Check what data you can actually obtain.
- State the limits of inference before collection.
Start with the kind of answer needed
Interviews can help explain experiences; a frequency claim needs a defined population and suitable sampling. Testing an effect requires an appropriate comparison and attention to confounding. Familiarity with a tool is not a research rationale.
Test access early
Example: administrative records could address a question about course withdrawal, but you may not have permission to see them. Check approvals, recruitment and deadlines. If you can only interview volunteers, revise the question rather than claiming population prevalence.
Sketch the complete chain
Write a few lines on unit of analysis, selection, collection, analysis and ethics. Ask what alternative explanation a critical reader might offer. A design joins these decisions; it is not a menu of unrelated methods.
Compare feasible options with your supervisor
Present two plausible approaches and their trade-offs. Confirm that the scope meets programme standards. If access falls through, adjust question, method and claims together, and check whether formal approval must change.
Final submission context
Formal details can feel like a separate writing task, but they matter just as much for a printed submission. Anything missing, misplaced or inconsistently formatted in the document will also appear in the bound copy.
Use this guide together with your cover page, table of contents, page numbers, source notes and appendices. Prepare the final PDF for printing and binding only after the complete file has been checked.
Practical check before PDF export
- Do headings, chapter structure and page numbers match?
- Are sources, figures and tables included completely?
- Are required elements such as declarations, appendices or the cover page included where required?
- Did you open and check the final PDF after exporting it?
Checklist
- Type of claim identified.
- Data access checked.
- Selection and analysis linked.
- Inference limits written down.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a method before the question.
- Generalising from a convenience sample.
- Leaving permissions until collection starts.
Prepare the finished thesis for submission
Once the content and university requirements are checked, review your PDF and the available printing and binding options.
Review printing optionsRelated content
Explore related guidance on thesis structure, sources, formatting and final submission.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest design?
There is no universal answer; feasibility and fit to the question matter.
Can I combine qualitative and quantitative evidence?
Yes, if both parts have a purpose and you plan their integration.
May I change the design later?
Often, but discuss academic registration and ethics implications first.