How to Write the Rationale for Your Dissertation

The rationale is an essential section in the introduction chapter of a dissertation. The word "rationale" is derived from the Latin "rationalis," which means "provided with reason." It justifies the significance of your study by briefly discussing why you are doing it, your objectives, and the implications of your findings.

Therefore, in approximately 250 words, you should provide background information that lays the foundation for your research, what you are aiming to achieve with your results, and how they will fit in the existing literature. For example, the study can contribute new information, support or oppose existing literature, address existing literature gaps, or provide solutions to highlighted challenges.

How to Write a Strong Rationale for Your Dissertation

A rationale should provide a persuasive justification, backed by evidence, for why you chose your research topic, expected outcomes, and approach to conducting the study. The rationale should consist of three main sections: foundation, research aims, and expected implications. First, the foundation provides brief information on past research and how it relates to your research topic. Besides, you can briefly highlight the gaps, limitations, and controversial findings from previous studies that form the basis of your research. Second, the research aims part explains what to expect in your findings. This explanation can easily be written by stating your objective or research question and the direction you will take. Third, the expected implications include how your findings can be implied and applied in real-world situations. Therefore, you should persuasively explain why research results are of great significance.

Can I get Professional Dissertation Rationale Help?

Absolutely, you can hire an expert to guide and assist you in writing a dissertation. A rationale statement briefly describes the significance of your research, i.e., the reason for choosing the topic, and the problem you will solve. It is also important to include the significance of the study and how the outcomes can be used in real-world situations. Therefore, the best option for students who don't know how to write the rationale is to get professional dissertation help.

When is a Rationale Written?

The rationale can be written before conducting the study as part of your proposal and after completing the study. Before the study, the rationale explains your reasoning and gives a head start on how you plan to conduct the study. On the other hand, after the study, the rationale is now an accurate representation of the aims of your study and how they relate to the derived outcomes, therefore providing an evidence-based justification for why you chose the particular research topic.

Example of a Research Rationale

The example below focuses on community policing and whether it is successful in different geographical contexts. The rationale example would be "Even though community policing has derived remarkable results in various US states, there exists little information on its effect on African cities. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and challenges of community policing programs in South African cities using crime data, surveys, and interviews. The findings will be significant in addressing the existing geographical research gap and inform policies that can be applied in strengthening trust and cooperation between the police and the community."