Educational Studies Blog

Curated by EDST Students

Dissertation Training Series, Post 2 – From Jumble Sale to Funnel: Planning Your Dissertation for Clarity and Flow

Part 2 of the 10-part EDST Dissertation Training Series

By Ella Wright | Blog Editor, EDST | Insights from Dr. Autumn Knowlton

The Problem of the Jumble Sale

Many doctoral students describe their early dissertation writing as a jumble sale—a mix of good ideas, strong quotes, and scattered thoughts that somehow need to become a structured academic document. It is overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you organize all that material? How do you help your reader make sense of it?

In Workshop 1, Dr. Autumn Knowlton reminded us that good dissertations are not written—they are organized. And the tool that makes this possible is structure.

Structure is Your Best Friend

A well-structured dissertation helps both you and your reader. It provides a roadmap for the ideas you want to communicate and ensures that the reader is never left wondering, “Where is this going?”

Dr. Knowlton emphasized that structure is about care. You are holding hands with the reader, walking them through your thinking. You do not need to explain everything at once. Instead, plant the seeds of your project and guide your reader step by step.

Ask yourself: “Am I making this clearer or more confusing?” If it is harder to follow, simplify.

The Funnel Approach

The funnel is one of the most useful tools for structuring academic writing. Here’s how it works:

  • Start broad. Begin with the wider context, general issues, or foundational literature.
  • Narrow down. Gradually lead the reader to your specific topic, your research question, and your unique focus.
  • Expand again. At the end, reflect on how your work connects to broader conversations or implications.

This funnel logic applies within your introduction, within chapters, and across your entire dissertation.

APA7 Can Help You Think Clearly

Dr. Knowlton encouraged students to see APA7 not just as a citation style, but as a tool for clarity. APA7 helps you:

  • Use consistent headings and subheadings to organize your writing.
  • Create a table of contents that shows the logic of your dissertation at a glance.
  • Communicate your main ideas and supporting ideas hierarchically.

By following APA’s structure, you also train yourself to think like an editor—identifying main points, supporting evidence, and the relationship between sections.
Tip: A strong heading structure in APA7 can make even complex arguments easier to follow.

Chicago/Turabian: A Different Approach to Structure

While APA7 is common in the social sciences, many EDST students writing in the humanities or interdisciplinary fields choose Chicago Style (Turabian). Dr. Knowlton explained that Chicago offers more flexibility, especially in how you handle citations and structure.

Key features of Chicago/Turabian style:

  • Footnotes are used for citations, allowing your writing to flow without constant in-text references.
  • Footnotes can also include explanatory notes or asides, giving you room to expand on ideas without disrupting your main argument.
  • Headings and structure are still important, but Chicago relies more on prose clarity and paragraph flow than formal hierarchy.

Chicago may feel less rigid, but it requires careful planning so your ideas remain clear and easy to follow. Students choosing Chicago should still ensure their chapter structure, transitions, and logic guide the reader.

Tip: Autumn talked about how if you’re using footnotes to reflect relational or Indigenous epistemologies (different worldviews), Chicago can offer the space to honour complexity, voice, and narrative while meeting academic standards.

Write With the Reader in Mind

Remember: your reader will likely read one chapter at a time. This means you should:

  • Include clear introductions and conclusions in each chapter.
  • Use transitions to explain how chapters and ideas connect.
  • Repeat key ideas when helpful—this is not redundancy, it is reader care.

“Do you offer the reader the information they need, when they need it?”
That question should guide your structure.

Planning Tools and Mental Mapping

Many students benefit from visual planning tools, such as:

  • Gantt charts for timelines
  • Outlines with headings and subheadings
  • Chapter planning documents that map each section’s purpose

You do not need to know everything at the beginning. The goal is to mentally map the terrain so you can write with direction, not just reaction.

Key Takeaways

  • Structure is your ally. It brings order to chaos and supports your reader.
  • Use funnel logic to guide your reader from broad to specific and back again.
  • APA7 is more than a citation guide—it helps you organize and clarify.
  • Write with the reader in mind, assuming they read one chapter at a time.
  • Use planning tools to map your chapters and stay on track.

Explore the Full Dissertation Training Series

Resources

Dissertation Preparation and Policies

Writing Support and Self-Guided Modules

Free One-on-One Writing Support

Workshop Recording and Presenter

Explore More

UBC EDST students can access free tools and support through the Thesis Writing Module and the Developing a Dissertation module. For writing and referencing help, book a free graduate writing consultation.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Spam prevention powered by Akismet