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Dissertations: a (very) brief guide

Published on 30 January 13

Writing a dissertation can be one of the best experiences of your time at university, and it can also be one of the most difficult. whatever stage you're at, our brief guide can set you off on the right path.

Are you:

Considering writing a dissertation; Choosing a topic; Writing your research proposal; Conducting your research; Presenting your findings; Starting your postgraduate dissertation?

Considering writing a dissertation

Take a look at 10 things I wish I’d known before I started my dissertation for an insight into some of the stages that students may feel when they’re embarking upon their dissertation.

Consult your School for information about particular dissertation requirements on your degree programme and be aware that not everyone is given a choice in whether or not to write a dissertation.

Choosing a topic

Once you have an idea about what area you would like to study, narrowing down what you want to research requires some thought. This is a great time to meet with one of your academics; you can discuss your interests and, with their help, you may be able to pin down the best topic. Take a look at Focussing on a Topic for more help.

Dr Sean Crawford, lecturer in Philosophy Speaking to academics during their office hours is a very good idea, you can have the academic all to yourself, there can be a very focussed and uninterrupted exchange of ideas that can advance and deepen your understanding of a particular issue in a relatively short space of time.

Writing your research proposal

Your research proposal should cover the following areas:

A general overview of the subject – showing some preliminary research on key concepts.

Describing a research problem – Here you can begin to formulate your research question.

Why the research is important – This is where you need to convince your supervisor that your research is worth doing.

Your methodology – What are your plans, this can just be a rough idea.

The Social Sciences intranet has some useful advice on writing a research proposal that is useful regardless of your degree, but you may be able to find some tailored advice on your School intranet.

Remember that each School and course has different conventions for writing reserach proposals and dissertations. Always check with your course administrator if you're unsure.

Conducting your research

Starting your research can be very daunting and it can take a lot of thorough preparation, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time. Your supervisor will be able to help you here, you should let them know about what you’re planning on doing whether you’re feeling confident about your plans or if you’re losing all hope – your supervisor can help.

The library run courses that you may find useful when it comes to starting your research. Take a look at the support for your dissertation courses.

Presenting your findings

Once you’ve sifted through your data, figuring out how best to present your findings requires some careful consideration. Many courses allow students to borrow previous dissertations which might give you an idea about the best way to structure your writing and how to showcase your results.

If you are finding this difficult, that’s fine; not many people find it easy. Make sure your supervisor is always aware of where you’re up to and what challenges you’re facing. Your supervisor will prefer you to be banging on their door rather than avoiding eye contact in the corridor!

Dr Charlotte Woods, lecturer in the School of Education Some students do not take full advantage of the help they can get from their dissertation supervisor, seeming reluctant to share writing they feel is not ‘ready’.  But all writers need feedback on their work.  Supervisors understand this and want to help you make your work stronger, just as they get comments on their own writing from their colleagues, book editors, journal article reviewers and so on.  My advice would be to make contact and establish a relationship with your supervisor as early as possible.  Writing a dissertation should not be rushed and delaying that initial meeting will only make it harder for you to achieve the quality of work you are capable of.

Starting your postgraduate dissertation

Your relationship with your supervisor at postgraduate level may be much different to what you experienced during your undergraduate degree. You will be expected to work much more independently but at the same time, you may spend more time discussing your research with your supervisor.

We asked a recent graduate for her advice about how a postgraduate dissertation differs from undergraduate dissertations"

"I think my main tips would be to start early and to keep a note of your bibliography as you’re writing. It’s a lot of work, but you can work on it 9-5 as you don’t have lectures while you’re writing it. Because of the longer length it does require more in-depth research. But you also get a lot of support from your supervisor. I guess the main difference is that you need to have more of your own argument at PG, rather than just using other people’s arguments."

Sian, MA Humanitarian Conflict and Response