The dissertation is often promoted as a means of advancing autonomous learning. It is said to offer the potential for students to move along a continuum from dependence to independence. This research used interviews with a small sample of students to obtain a better understanding of the way students approach the dissertation process. The study…

The literature suggests that members of the working class value informal ("hot") information rather than formal ("cold") information. They are also said to lack a future orientation; have a fatalistic (and pessimistic) attitude to life; and have low aspirations. These values should influence the way students from working-class backgrounds approach…