Dissertation check list
Published on 28 March 13
Many of you will no doubt be busy trying to tame your dissertations over the Easter break so take a look at our quick guide to make sure you nail it
There’s no better time to tackle your dissertation than the Easter break. It’s cold outside so snuggle up with your work and once the sunshine does arrive (there’s no harm in being optimistic!) you can enjoy it guilt free.
Writing your dissertation
Don’t think that a good dissertation has to be filled with complicated academic jargon to get the higher marks, if your writing is clear and concise you are more likely to hit the higher marks.
If you’re worried about your research or any aspect of your dissertation, your supervisor is the best person to talk to. Take your notes, cover your research in post-its and make an appointment with them so that they can help you solve your dissertation dilemmas.
For more advice about writing your dissertation you can have a look at the three part series from the Guardian about Dissertations Dos and Don’ts, which is full of advice from planning your dissertation to editing it. The NUS also has a helpful Survive the Dissertation Deadlines article.
Dissertation checklist
- Back up your work! If you lose your laptop, you’ll have to start from scratch.
- Build your bibliography as you go along – if you haven’t been doing this; get it done now. Scrambling for reference details close to the hand in can be quite stressful!
- Do you need a contents page? Title page? Tables and charts contents? Make sure you know what finishing touches you have to do before hand-in.
- Get your appendices together. Have you got everything in the right order and does it match up with any references in the text?
- Find out where is the best place to get your dissertation bound. You can get your dissertation bound at the Library, Sackville Street, but there are other places around campus that may be easier. Find out how much it will cost, how long it will take and what they need you to bring (print out/pen drive).
- Make sure you know how many copies you need to hand in and where
- Where are you printing it out? At home – does your printer have enough ink? In uni - have you got enough printer credits?
- Don’t forget Turnitin! Do you need to submit it online?
Words of wisdom
We’ve asked some recent graduates for their advice and tips with some common dissertation concerns.
I don’t know how to reference properly so I’m leaving my bibliography to the end
"Whatever you do, DO NOT leave your referencing to the last minute – I planned to schedule 2 hours to complete my references section the night before it was due and it took me around 5 hours! Make sure you keep a note of each reference you’ve used; perhaps start a spreadsheet or type your reference section up as you go along.
If you have any doubts of how to reference then check your course handbook or speak with your supervisor – you can lose marks which could be the difference between a 1st and 2.1! It’s quite a tedious task, but it will be worth it!"
Marianna, Language, Literacy, and Communications, 2012
I’m having difficulties at home which are impacting on my work, I’m worried about meeting the deadlines
"I was struggling with family problems as I approached the last couple of months before my dissertation deadline. I knew I was falling behind with my work and finally I decided to speak to my academic advisor who was really supportive. After speaking with him – and realising that it was ok to ask for help, I spoke to my dissertation supervisor. It felt great knowing that they were there to help and support me. They gave me the details to apply for mitigation and they told me what to expect and how it worked. I wish I’d gone to them sooner as once they knew it felt like a massive weight was lifted from me and I had the confidence to get back on top of my work!"
Leah, English Language, 2012
I feel like I’ve left everything too late and I’m never going to be able to catch up
"It was the fear of not finishing that kept me from starting. The only way to get past that is to write.
Write anything.
Staring at a blank word document, knowing that I had thousands of words to write, was the worst feeling in the world. So I broke down my dissertation into it's chapters - introduction, methodology, conclusion, and so on - and assigned them each a number of words. Then I broke those chapters down into sections and gave them a clear heading, and a word count. Next I wrote down the one key point I wanted to get across in each section. (This helped make sure that my entire dissertation was leading to it's conclusion, rather than wandering off in various directions.) |
If you're worried about procrastination, take a look at the advice on Crucial Guide Live |
Suddenly my 12,000 word dissertation became a number of smaller, more manageable essays, each addressing a specific point, and some just a few hundred words long.
A few hundred words. No problem."
Pete, Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, 2011