USAP

USAP – Dissertation Aug-Dec 2010
Some thoughts about the purpose of the course and about guidance required by
students:
The Dissertation course is a sequel to the Seminar course.
The emphasis of the Seminar course is on developing the skills of assembling

information on a particular subject from a variety of sources and presenting the findings
as “a structured understanding” of the subject. In this process one is also expected to
learn the standard formats used in academic papers – such as title, index, chapterisation,
citing sources, illustrations and figures, bibliography etc.
The work will require first - framing a subject with some clarity - and then devising an
organizational structure of concepts, ideas, facts etc to bring together the range of
information that has been gathered. It will call for summarizing and drawing out
essentials from a plethora of information. It would require establishing an order of
importance or significance - highlighting or emphasizing important facts. It will require
identifying similarities, contradictions, inconsistencies, absences and gaps etc with some
commentary. It may conclude with some points for discussion and for further thinking on
the subject.
At one level a Seminar is like writing a piece for Wikipeadia.

At another level a Seminar would be a precise and brief presentation on a well defined
subject that provides a basis for discussion with and comments from an informed
audience.
The emphasis of the Dissertation course is on reflection on and interrogation of

received knowledge and/or information or observable facts. This implies a familiarity and
a fairly good understanding of a subject area as a start - within which an issue is found or
a question is raised.
Therefore it is a good idea to see if the knowledge gained during the Seminar work can
serve the purpose. Alternatively, there is also all the knowledge gained through the theory
courses and electives or “Projects”. Generally, it will be difficult to launch on a
completely new subject on which one has little or no knowledge.
Being knowledgeable about a subject means that one has read up on it and one has access
to a collection of relevant articles, books, case studies, drawings and maps etc. This is a
pre-requisite to embarking on the work for a Dissertation. A Dissertation requires
academic rigour, precise knowledge and clear conceptualization. It cannot be written on
the basis of “ some ideas and observations from general knowledge and common sense”.
A Dissertation is an academic paper which contributes a new insight or throws new

light on an existing area of knowledge and practice through processes of research,
analysis, questioning, evaluation and argument.
USAP, GGSIPU
Dissertation Proposal
A dissertation proposal is arrived at after selecting an area of interest and a few rounds of
discussion based on a tentative written pieces about the possible subject(s) for a
dissertation. During this process literature on the subject is gathered and read, from
which an issue is identified or or an incisive question is framed.
The formal Dissertation Proposal is to be submitted if the format given below:

Submission date: 9th. September 2010
Name of Student : …………………………………………..
Dissertation Title : ……………………………………………
Name of Guide : ……………………………………………...
Introduction - (150 to 200 words)

This will discuss the subject area or the area of interest bringing out its relevance to
architecture and/or the built environment. It would refer to existing writings and theory
about the subject area. It will refer to the literature on the subject area which has been
surveyed and read. It would lead the reader up to the dissertation topic.
Dissertation Topic - (50 to 100 words)

This will frame the issue that the dissertation would explore or question it will seek to
answer - an issue or question that is brought out from the discussion on the subject area in
the Introduction – something that will be the focus of the Dissertation requiring analysis
and evaluation.
Methodology – (50 to 100 words)

This is the creative part of the Dissertation. It lays out the procedure or “thinking steps”
that are needed to explore the issue of the dissertation or to answer the question that is
being posed.
Bibliography -
List of relevant books – identifying relevant chapters or sections
Articles from magazines and journals
Papers written for conferences
Newspaper articles
Resource Documents – eg Census of India, National Building Code, Charter for
Conservation in India
Web Sites

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USAP – Dissertation Aug-Dec 2010

The Dissertation course is a sequel to the Seminar course.

The emphasis of the Seminar course is on developing the skills of assembling

At one level a Seminar is like writing a piece for Wikipeadia.

The emphasis of the Dissertation course is on reflection on and interrogation of

A Dissertation is an academic paper which contributes a new insight or throws new

The formal Dissertation Proposal is to be submitted if the format given below:

Name of Student : …………………………………………..

Dissertation Title : ……………………………………………

Name of Guide : ……………………………………………...

Introduction - (150 to 200 words)

Dissertation Topic - (50 to 100 words)

Methodology – (50 to 100 words)

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