Dissertation Example

What is a Dissertation?

A dissertation is the set of ideas that serve to support a doctrine or thesis, and/or to go against a contrary doctrine or thesis. It is an exhibition on a subject, topic, or proposal, in which the object of the exhibition is dealt with in a coherent and logical way, in which other than proposing some response or action plan, the audience is invited to make their own analysis and draw particular conclusions.

A dissertation is generally an oral presentation, which moves away from the rigidity of a previously written presentation; in this case, the topic statement is treated with a more dynamic language and flow of ideas. This does not mean that the oral presentation is said from memory or impromptu. In general, it relies on some materials that the exhibitor uses, such as notes or guide sheets, as well as materials that he shares with the audience, such as slides, graphics and images.

There are also written dissertations, in which, with ideas expressed in a logical and fluid way, the opinion or proposal on a topic is issued, inviting the reader to reflect. These exhibitions can also be accompanied by supporting graphic material, although it is not always necessary.

The presentation should generally be of the mayeutic type, instead of giving all the answers to the audience, the presentation of the subject will arouse their curiosity, ask questions, investigate and draw their own conclusions.

Parts of the Dissertation:

A dissertation, oral or written consists of 5 parts which are

Entry:

The issue or problem to be analyzed is established. It also seeks to attract the attention and curiosity of the audience, and in the case of the oral presentation, create a bond of closeness.

Exhibition:

This part briefly explains the point of view, the approach or the elements that will be taken as a basis for reflecting on the subject.

Development:

It is the exhibition itself. The logical premises or the base points, the ideas to be dealt with and can be supported by examples or practical cases are exposed. Both in the oral and written presentation, the audience is invited to propose their answer, to draw their own conclusion on each point or example proposed.

Summary:

After the development, a brief summary is made of the main aspects that have been exposed, to reiterate their importance.

Conclusion:

In the dissertation, the conclusion is not a categorical statement or premise. In this case, the conclusion is the question or approach that is left to the audience, so that each one reaches their own conclusions or reflections.

An Example of Dissertation:

Should we believe in climate change?

(Entry) Climate change is an issue that has been on the political, economic and ecological agendas around the world, for at least the last three decades. However, there are also detractors who consider that this is only part of a natural process that has occurred and will continue to occur cyclically, without affecting the will of the human being.

(Exhibition) To understand a little more about this issue, we will briefly look at the views of climate change advocates and opponents and why they consider this phenomenon to be avoidable or inevitable.

(Development) Since the time of the Big Bang, when solar systems were formed and the condensation of cosmic dust that originated the planets, the entire universe has had a dynamic system of transformation and interaction between stellar energy sources, the suns or stars, and the planets that orbit around it.

The energy radiated by each star is received on the planetary surface, causing a change in temperature. And since the planets have a spherical shape and a rotary motion on their axis, this radiation is not uniform over the entire surface, or at all times. To this we add some characteristics that influence the conservation or dissipation of that heat, the atmosphere being the most important.

(Topic for reflection) Did you know that the surface of the Moon, when it receives solar radiation, reaches a temperature that can reach 120 ° C, and at night, that is, when it does not receive light, less than 230 ° C below zero?

The atmosphere is a layer of gases that surrounds our planet, and that fulfills many functions, two of which are essential: it retains the oxygen generated by the photosynthesis process, and filters solar radiation, at the same time that it retains and distributes the heat generated.

Geological discoveries have revealed that the earth has not always had the same temperature. In its beginnings, it was a sphere of incandescent material, basically, lava which gradually cooled down. They also explain that this cooling was produced by the accumulation in that primitive atmosphere of carbon monoxide gases, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. These gases served as a double barrier, filtering solar radiation, and retaining heat. In the periods equivalent to winters, this layer retained the low temperatures, which caused the surface to cool down, and the water to condense. This process lasted several thousand years until the atmosphere consolidated and the temperature dropped.

It was also discovered that the afterlife began to form on earth, long before the Mesozoic era, the earth froze completely, it was a ball of ice, also caused by gases present in the atmosphere. In contrast, as the earth thawed and life evolved, the next hottest period on the planet was towards the end of the age of the dinosaurs, due again to greenhouse gases.

(Topic for reflection) What polluting industries do you imagine the dinosaurs had, to cause this global warming?

After this, came the extinction of the dinosaurs and a new ice age. During the quaternary period, which is the geological era in which we live, and long before human beings created the first cultures, a series of warming and glaciations took place over thousands of years.

The first human cultures developed in the warm equatorial areas, in the middle of an ice age, and it is considered that the first settlers of America crossed the frozen area of the Bering Strait, about 10,000 years ago. In the history of the earth, 10,000 years is nothing, and humanity is just a moment at the end of an ice age.

For more than 20 years, the global warming process has been studied, with forecasts, such as that by the year 2050, the sea level will generally rise more than 1 meter, which, although it sounds little, would make places disappear like Holland or the Yucatan Peninsula.

And this is where the debate arises: Based on temperature measurements since the industrial revolution, it has been observed that the temperature around the world has increased in the last 300 years. Scientists agree that this is due to the accumulation of gases, which affect temperature and serve as a barrier to heat dissipation. And since that time, human activity has focused on the use of fossil fuels (oil and derivatives). This is where opinions are divided: A part of scientists consider that human activity is what causes warming. A more moderate opinion considers that although it does not cause it, it does accelerate it. And the third group, who believes that the planet has its cycles of warming and glaciation, which according to them is independent of the existence of humanity,

(Summary) So we have the knowledge that the gases around the earth allow us to maintain temperature with fewer oscillations than if the atmosphere did not exist. We also know that there are gases that function as a vault, enclosing the temperature and preventing its dissipation.

(Conclusion) This is the point at which we must reflect as individuals, as a society, and as a species: Is global warming an irreversible process independent of human activity? Or on the contrary, is it our fault and we must, although we still do not know how, to reverse it, stop it or at least make it slow down? And regardless, is it beneficial for us as a species, to adopt technologies that are less aggressive with the environment?