Your dissertation: the top 8 things to check before you submit
Published on 23 March 17
After all the hard work you’ve put in to your dissertation, the last thing you’ll want is to lose marks on small things that were easily preventable. So ensure you give yourself enough time to proof read properly, to check your work meets the requirements of your course unit and to print off your work so that you’re fully happy with what you hand-in.
1. Plan your time
Make a list of all the things standing between you and your dissertation being submitted and use this to plan the time you have left.
2. Write your introduction after your conclusion (or at least re-visit it)
Your introduction should introduce the argument you are going to make in your dissertation, while your conclusion should summarise how you have demonstrated or proven it throughout. So writing or re-writing your introduction after you’ve made and summarised your argument will ensure consistency in your work and a better flow.
3. Make sure your referencing is bulletproof
Checking your references can often be the most time consuming part of finishing your dissertation, but is also where students most commonly lose marks. Check and double check that your bibliography and references match up and contain all the information they need to. For help with getting referencing right, see this guide from earlier this year.
4. Proof read, proof read, proof read!
Proof reading is much more than just ensuring you’ve passed the spell check on Word or having a quick read through to check for typos. You also need to think about structure, the flow of your argument and most importantly, whether you’ve answered the question!
So read through your work at least 5 times and not all in quick succession – try reading through twice, taking a break and coming back to it the next day or a couple of hours later.
It’s worth looking through this quick guide to proofreading from My Learning Essentials for exactly what to consider when proofreading.
5. Ask someone else to also read through your work
A fresh pair of eyes will often be able to highlight things you’ve missed, whether it’s a sentence that doesn’t make sense or a paragraph that would work better in another place. What would be even better is to ask a friend or family member that has little knowledge of your dissertation subject to read through it, as they will be able to give you a more objective view.
Be aware to not ask course mates who have picked a similar topic to yours though, as this will help you to steer clear of plagiarism.
6. Ensure your dissertation meets the requirements of your course unit and school
The requirements are things like the word-count, how the dissertation should be bound, the length of your abstract… the list goes on. As these differ widely from school to school, be sure to check and double check your work meets the criteria. If you’re unsure where to find these requirements, ask your supervisor or programme administrator.
7. Use your feedback
Once you have feedback from an academic tutor remember to use it. Don’t take it personally – take a step back and look at what’s been said objectively – even if you feel personally connected.
8. Plan where and when you’re going to get your dissertation printed and bound
Save yourself the stress and try your best to not leave this final stage until the day of submission! There are many places in the city that do dissertation printing and binding, including our own SU print shop. Other popular choices include Hollingworth Moss and Mu Print. Try calling ahead on the day you’re planning to go to if you’re concerned about demand.