Practical significance is a mandatory element of a dissertation's introduction, alongside the relevance of the topic, the aim, the objectives and the scientific novelty. In this section, the scholar shows where and how the results of the research can be applied beyond the academic work itself – in industry, education, management or production. How convincing the formulation is affects both the assessment of the dissertation council and how the work is perceived by reviewers and opponents.
What is the practical significance of a dissertation?
Practical significance is a criterion that shows the real benefit of the research results and answers the question of who might need them and where. Unlike scientific novelty, which records what has been done for the first time, and theoretical significance, which reveals the work's contribution to the development of a scientific field, practical significance concerns specifically the application of results beyond the dissertation itself.
A convincing formulation of practical significance always has a specific addressee: a department, a relevant enterprise, an educational organisation, a governing body or an industry as a whole. General phrases about “benefit for science”, without specifying who will use the results and how, reduce the value of this section in the eyes of the dissertation council.
The results of a dissertation may find application in the following forms:
- methodological recommendations and guidance materials for educational organisations
- proposals for improving regulatory acts and management decisions
- models, algorithms and methods applicable in industry practice
- analytical materials used by enterprises and organisations
- a basis for further scientific research on the dissertation topic
The place of practical significance in the introduction
Practical significance is placed in the introduction of the dissertation after the aim, objectives, object and subject of the research, scientific novelty and theoretical significance, and it precedes the statements submitted for defence. One paragraph of several sentences is usually enough to present it – a more detailed account is given in the main body of the work and in the conclusion.
The structure of a dissertation introduction in the Kyrgyz Republic is set by the Higher Attestation Commission (HAC KR), and practical significance is included in the list of mandatory elements of this section. For dissertations of an applied nature, confirmation of practical significance is often provided by implementation acts, approved by the head of the organisation where the implementation took place.
For dissertations of a theoretical nature, recommendations for using the scientific conclusions obtained are formulated instead of implementation acts.
How to formulate the practical significance of a dissertation?
To make the formulation of practical significance convincing for the dissertation council, it is advisable to follow the sequence of steps below.
- Identify the problem that the research results solve.
- Specify a concrete addressee – who exactly will benefit from the findings of the work.
- Describe the form of practical application – a method, a model, recommendations or a development.
- Link the formulation to the aim and objectives set out in the introduction of the dissertation.
- Confirm the significance with data on testing or implementation documents, where these exist.
It is convenient to begin the formulation with the phrase “The practical significance of the research lies in the fact that...” – this construction is accepted in the academic community and makes the text easier for members of the dissertation council and opponents to follow.
Confirming practical significance with results
The practical significance stated in the introduction should be confirmed in the conclusion of the dissertation, where the scholar briefly summarises the results of the work and relates them to the objectives set. Further confirmation is provided by testing of the results – publications on the dissertation topic, presentations at scientific conferences, and, for applied work, implementation acts within the activities of specific organisations.
The more specific and varied the forms of confirmation, the greater the dissertation council's confidence in the stated practical significance of the work. The absence of such confirmation is one of the common reasons why a dissertation council sends work back for revision.
Which formulations weaken the persuasiveness of this section?
Typical shortcomings in describing practical significance include vague formulations that do not specify an addressee or a form of application, the substitution of practical significance with scientific novelty or theoretical conclusions, and a lack of connection between the stated significance and the actual results presented in the conclusion. The section is also weakened by an excessively broad formulation that leaves it unclear which specific problem the dissertation solves.
A well-formulated statement of practical significance demonstrates that the dissertation research goes beyond a theoretical exercise and brings concrete benefit to an industry, an organisation or the education sector. A clear formulation of this section makes the dissertation council's work easier and increases the chances of a successful defence.
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