Dissertation Writing Tips
For many, writing a dissertation can seem like a daunting task. In order to achieve the goal of a well written dissertation, it's necessary to break the task down into smaller chunks. These tips give ideas that should help to make the dissertation writing process go that much more smoothly:Tips on Planning the Dissertation
Many students are tempted to start writing as soon as possible. However, planning is time well spent. A dissertation that has been well planned out beforehand will be better organised and the arguments will be better structured.Two ideas that can be particularly useful for sorting information according to topic are both mind maps and the use of index cards. Mind maps allow students to get a good overview of where the dissertation will be going once the writing stage begins. Index cards can be used to prepare necessary quotes and references for each section.
Pre-Research Planning Tips
A useful tip is to start planning the dissertation prior to, or very early on in the research stage. If the subject is one that the student is not overly familiar with, then a good tip is to read a basic book on the subject, to get an overview. The purpose of pre-research planning is to have an idea of what topics will be covered and what research and information will be needed.Research Tips
Once students are clear about what topics will be covered in the dissertation, the research stage will be more organised. Relevant information and quotes can be placed directly into the section for that topic thus saving much time later on.An important tip for saving time and for avoiding falling into plagiarism by mistake, is to take care to reference while taking notes. Whether it's a quote or ideas formatted into the student's own words, the sources need to be acknowledged. Better to do that from the beginning than to have to be searching for the references later on. Likewise many tutors will tip their students to do their bibliography as they go along.
Post-Research Planning Tips
Before beginning to write it's a good idea to consolidate the planning and ensure that there is enough material for each argument that will be made. When this is done then the dissertation writing is actually relatively easy, as time isn't wasted trying to work out what to say.Dissertation Writing Stage Tips
The dissertation needs to have an introduction, different chapters or sections according to topic and a conclusion. The basic premise is to say what will be said, then say it, then summarise what's been said. An important tip is to make the introduction interesting, as tutors probably have a pile of dissertations to read and at the very least it will make their job less tedious. It will also give them a favourable first impression of your work. Start writing whatever chapter is most inspiring. Introductions are often best written after the main body of the dissertation has been written. Back up arguments, cite sources and try to follow a logical structure. Leave plenty of time for proofreading and revision so that by the time the dissertation is completed, it's the best that it could be. Good luck!This article was written on behalf of ukdissertations.com; Struggling with any aspect of your dissertation? Get help by our expect dissertation writers.
