How to Write a Dissertation: A Full Roadmap with Smart Tips
Writing a dissertation is the most challenging phase for every final year undergraduate or postgraduate student. United surveys find that 10-12% of students had their dissertations rejected due to a lack of guidance and no clear roadmap. It is natural to feel anxiety and confusion when crafting this academic document.
It is a time-consuming and overwhelming task that requires critical thinking, research, and writing skills. This ultimate guide will walk you through the common types, elements, and mistakes of a dissertation. We aim to provide a roadmap to write a dissertation from the introduction to the final submission of this document.
What is a Dissertation
A dissertation is a long academic document written by a student for the research they conducted to get an academic degree. Students choose the research questions by themselves and present their key findings in a dissertation. This academic task is given to students to analyze the research skills they have gained in their university life.
Students first write a dissertation and submit it with their supervisors’ help. Then the experts in that field review and analyze whether it qualifies for the degree. After passing through this phase, students give an oral presentation of their research questions, called a dissertation defence.
Common Types of Dissertation
Students write the dissertation based on their various methods of research.
Empirical dissertations are often used in the science fields. In this type, students collect the data from original surveys, research, and observation. They collect new data instead of collecting it from existing research.
In the non-empirical method, students understand, expand, and develop data from existing research. Students don’t collect new data but spend their time understanding existing frameworks to develop new theory.
Mostly, students use mixed-method research for their dissertations. This type contains both empirical and non-empirical data research. Dissertation editing services often use this method as it is legitimate.
Crucial Components of an Effective Dissertation
According to the DiscoverPHDs report, only 5% of the students successfully submit their dissertations, while the remaining 95% face minor or major amendments. The low success rate is due to unawareness of the rules and components of this document. You must know the following essential components to achieve success in submitting a dissertation.
A title page is the first page of the dissertation and is straightforward. It contains the introduction of our research work, written clearly. Wite a title of your dissertation in the middle of the title page. For your ownership, add your name right after the title page, then show your affiliation with the university by adding the university name. In the end, write submission data with the month and year.
It is a section thanking institutions and individuals for their help with this academic research. This section is not necessary but considered courteous. If you are adding, start by thanking the supervisor for his support. Then mention the names of your family members and friends who helped you in this academic research. In the end, pay gratitude to the institutions for their resources.
The section of the abstract provides a summary of your overall research work, including the aims, objectives, methods, results, and conclusion. Abstract contains the purpose of the research, key findings, and implications. It is the most critical and challenging part of the dissertation. If you don’t know how to write it, you can search for cheap dissertation writing services UK to get it done. Abstractmust be limited to 200-250 words.
The table of contents is the outline of the whole document, including the list of chapters, headings, and subheadings in the order they appear. It makes it easy for the reader to understand the flow and structure, and helps them find the specific sections easily. TOC contains the heading and chapters along with their page numbers, and update them as you edit and write them.
If you have integrated images in your dissertation, you must have to ass alist of figures to help readers easily find them. Include a caption and page number of each figure in this list.
The primary foundation of any dissertation is the chapters. A general dissertation contains five basic chapters:
- Introduction
- Literature Review
- Methods
- Results and Discussion
- Conclusion
Add the references list at the end of the dissertation document. In this section, add references to all the citations you have used in the dissertation. References are added in various styles, including APA, MLA, or Chicago style. Use the format required by your institution. List your references alphabetically and ensure to use the same format throughout the document.
The Appendices section contains additional content from the dissertation, such as the questionnaires, interviews, or collected data. Ensure to add the information correctly and label each thing. Must follow the institution’s guidelines for the word count limit of the appendices.
Step-by-Step Guide to Write a Dissertation
Successfully getting the degree for graduate or doctoral degree requires writing a pro-level dissertation. Many students in the UK often buy dissertation writing services to save time and get their dissertations approved. The weightage of the chapters for writing a dissertation is below:
- Introduction 10%
- Literature Review 30%
- Methodology 15%
- Results 5%
- Discussion 30%
- Conclusion 10%
You can divide your word count according to this weightage. Follow the below dissertation writing tips for success and get approved.
1. Begin with a Solid Introduction
The first question that often arises in your mind is how to write the introduction. An introduction should be strong and concise, as it is the gateway to your research work. If you have already written a good proposal, you have a great head start. Include a brief background, current problem statement, research questions, significance of the study, and an outline of the structure of the overall research.
2. Work on Literature Review
A literature review is the section where previous research data is gathered related to your title. It provides theoretical work that identifies controversies, gaps, and areas requiring further work. A literature review should be conducted before formulating the research questions to identify significant gaps. Identify the current state of research, mention unresolved issues, interlink research, and add practical contexts. To write a dissertation, conduct in-depth research, evaluate resources, identify research gaps, outline literature, and write it.
3. Write Research Methodology
Methodology is the process of how you have conducted the research for your dissertation. This section contains how you collected information, analyzed the data, the reasons to choose this method, and the tools used for this research. Subsections of the research methodology are:
- Research Approach and Research Methodology.
- Data collection method.
- Details from where you have collected information.
- Data analysis method.
- Equipment and tools you have used.
4. Present Your Findings in the Results Section
The result is the center section of the dissertation, which shows what you have discovered in the research. This part contains the findings, including visual elements such as charts and graphs. Empirical dissertations contain individual findings, while non-empirical dissertations shows finding related to specific trends, patterns, and themes. Your results section should include qualitative data with descriptive statistics and explain how the results relate to the questions.
5. Craft a Discussion
In the discussion section, you highlight the findings that you have described in the previous sections. The discussion describes the research findings in detail and checks whether the results meet expectations. It mentions that the existing material is related to your research field. State your research problem and summarize the results; write an interpretation that connects with the research; and add limitations to make your research credible.
6. End with a Conclusion Plan
Your dissertation conclusion describes everything briefly. It explains your research arguments and answers the research’s main question. It also shows how valuable your research is to your field. Start your research with the main research questions, a clear and concise demonstration, the reasons for conducting this research, how it meets expectations, and the practical implications and future recommendations.
Common Mistakes to Avoid While Writing a Dissertation
A dissertation is an important document for an academic degree that should be free of errors. A flawless document is crucial to being credible. Proofreading and editing are two critical steps to be completed before thesis submission. They are helpful to rectify errors and creating high-quality thesis. The following are the common pitfalls you should avoid while writing or editing a dissertation.
- Uneven Content: Students often edit their papers but forget to review them against the criteria. This is the biggest mistake to ensure the content is even.
- Language-Related Error: A student whose first language is not English often makes the languageerrors in a thesis or dissertation. Even those who have English as their first language also make minor spelling or grammar mistakes. Not correcting these mistakes during editing makes a poor impression and fails to follow high-quality academic standards.
- Poor Formatting: Students should follow the institute’s guidelines for proper formatting, as this impacts their grades. Whether you search for “Write My Dissertation For Me” and pick services, ensure they follow the proper rules of formatting.
- Long Abstract: Writing an abstract without focusing on word count, thinking that it is separate from a full document, is the most common mistake. You must be able to explain the whole dissertation within a word limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to begin writing a dissertation?
The process of writing a dissertation is long, but challenging and time-consuming. It requires effective strategies and planning.
- Start by choosing your topic.
- Work on the literature review.
- Specify research methodology.
- Identify and research primary and secondary sources.
- Collect informative data related to your research.
- Begin to write a dissertation.
Can I write a dissertation within 2 weeks?
The time required to write a dissertation completely depends on the complexity and length. It usually takes 6-10 weeks to complete a dissertation of 15,000 words with strong research.
What are the challenges students face while writing a dissertation?
Students often face various difficulties in writing, but some common challenges are:
- Briefly describing and narrowing the topic
- Managing time to complete it
- Staying motivated and focused
- Handling overwhelming data and research
To Summarize
Writing a dissertation is crucial for getting a degree in your academic journey. This is compiled from research that students have conducted in their final year. It can be challenging to write, but with proper knowledge, strong research, and smart tips, you can craft your dissertation effectively.
Ensure to follow your university guidelines and edit and proofread your document before submitting. Must integrate the crucial components in your dissertation to prevent rejections and amendments. Follow each step and write in the order of each chapter, including all the areas. Avoid the common mistakes while editing your document.
Now you have understood each step, tips, and common pitfalls. Following them can help you to get your dissertation approved.