This article will teach us the best way to write a dissertation. After completing the coursework and exams, all you have to do is complete your dissertation, which is one of the most difficult tasks in your degree. It is the longest piece of writing that consists of different research and skills.
Introduction
The dissertation is a comprehensive and lengthy document that needs to be submitted before completing your Ph.D. program.
There is a different concept of dissertation in the US and other countries as it is considered to be the research conducted in order to obtain a Ph.D. & According to other countries, the dissertation can be done for a master’s or bachelor’s degree as well.
Before writing a dissertation, you have to give a proposal to the teacher’s committee that a few faculty members and advisers form. These committee members can be from your department or any other department or discipline. This is a long process of achieving a Ph.D., but these committee members help with the best way to write a dissertation.
Follow Step for Best Way to Write a Dissertation
The best way to write a dissertation is to follow some steps to be followed if writing a good dissertation. Each of the following steps is important and essential for effective dissertation writing.
- Select a Topic
Although it seems like the simplest step, it is crucial for the success of a dissertation as the first thing the dissertation committee will get inspired from is the topic, as it will give the whole idea about the dissertation. Sometimes, the advisor will give the topic to a student for research purposes.
The simplest way to choose a topic is to find loopholes or gaps in the literature and answer that questions. After making a list of topics, one must consult with the advisor or conduct a feasibility study of the available research sources.
- Start a Preliminary Research
Before going into the theoretical and writing part of the dissertation and starting it, one must conduct preliminary research. The research depends on the field, so one can review the scholarly pieces of literature and perform lab tests as well. This preliminary research also helps in the selection of a topic.
- Have a Look at The Secondary Literature
The secondary literature is the biggest source of a dissertation, so in short, you have to go through lengthy research already published regarding your topic as the dissertation also consists of the literature review chapter. One must make a list of related articles, books, and literature; this helps in referencing the literature and make the writing process easier.
- Write an Excellent Research Proposal.
Before starting the writing phase of the dissertation, the student has to present a research proposal as well as defend it. It is 10 to 20 pages long and includes a detailed discussion about the research topic, methodology, and secondary literature.
In short, the proposal’s length depends on your research field. Afterward, the advisor gives feedback about whether to write a dissertation on the purposed data.
- The Main Focus is Research, Research, & Research
The dissertation contributes to the research field by producing an original document. The form of the dissertation depends on the academic discipline you choose for the dissertation.
The only way to complete this step is to work closely with the advisor and conduct research, as the advisor will give some major points to search on related to the dissertation. The advisor can give you the lead you must explore regarding further research areas.
- Search for The Dissertation Examples
A dissertation is just like writing a book. It sometimes feels immense to write a dissertation. Most people write thesis or seminar papers as dissertations are lengthy. Before writing a dissertation, one must have the idea of writing the dissertation.
This can only be done if you go through several examples of the dissertation and see the difference between expectations and reality.
- Write the Body of the Chapters
After the proposal defense, topic selection, and research, it is necessary to organize the chapters and write the body of chapters in the most attractive way.
However, the format of the dissertation depends on the field you are researching. The first chapter must be the one in which you feel most confident. You should also describe the research process and evaluate the result.
- Have a Meeting with the Advisor
The meeting with the advisor must be a regular activity throughout the dissertation process. They can suggest new ideas, find the gaps in the dissertation, and help fill them up.
Their feedback makes your dissertation error-free and boosts the student’s confidence. It would be best if you also shared with other committee members to improve the dissertation.
- Write The Introduction & Conclude the Topic
Although the dissertation must include an introduction and conclusion, to write a more effective introduction and conclusion, it is better to write it at the end of the dissertation. The introduction includes the project scope and usage in real life or the field.
In the introduction, you must give the background information of the dissertation in the introduction phase as well as the one-liner of methodology, research aims, and result.
- Edit Your Draft file.
Once you have completed the draft of the dissertation now, the next step is to edit it so that it is presented attractively. Writing is an easy step compared to the editing phase. Dissertations can be 100 to 200 pages long; they can also extend to 300 pages, and editing them is one of the difficult tasks. The only way to make this task easier is to break it down into chapters, edit all grammatical mistakes, improve communication, and make it more presentable.
- Have Feedback On It
Writing is an individual’s task, so that one can feel isolated. Working alone can only have the ideas of one mind, while gathering feedback can also benefit the dissertation as the writer can gather more ideas of different minds, make the dissertation much better, and do the recommended changes. This feedback can also help in removing the confusing parts of the dissertation. Feedback is needed for every writing and editing phase.
- Defend your Research and Dissertation
Once you have completed the dissertation, you must start working on how to defend it in front of committee members. The defense is only scheduled once the advisor believes that you are ready. It is more difficult than an examination. Defense is the deep discussion about the dissertation with the committee members. The only thing that can help you pass defense is confidence and clarity of knowledge of your dissertation.
Conclusion
Concluding the topic, when all the coursework is done, the last step of achieving a degree is a dissertation & the dissertation is a lengthy and time-consuming task that needs to be performed to earn the degree. It can be Ph.D., Master’s, or even a bachelor’s.
A dissertation can be 100 to 300 pages long, and several steps need to be followed while writing a dissertation. The best way to write a dissertation is to get help from an advisor who helps in every step of the dissertation.
The only way to complete the dissertation successfully is to break it down into pieces and write in smaller steps so that you can write it more authentically. The success of a dissertation depends on the topic and research proposal.
FAQs
- What is a dissertation?
It takes a long time to take a written piece of research to perform and write an original piece with a clarified topic. It is required to earn your degree, whether a master’s or Ph.D.
- Can a dissertation be done after a Master’s degree?
Yes, the dissertation concept in the UK (and other countries) is quite different from the US. In the US, a dissertation is only done after a Ph.D. degree; in the UK & other countries, the dissertation can be done after a Master’ or even a bachelor’s degree.
- How long should a dissertation be, and what is the best way to write a dissertation?
A good dissertation length should be a minimum of 100 pages and a maximum of 300 pages. These should also be divided into parts that may be in chapters, main divisions, subdivisions, etc.
- Are the thesis and dissertation the same?
No, the main difference occurs after their completion. The thesis is done after the end of the Master’s degree, and the dissertation is done for the doctoral degree. The purpose of the dissertation as well as the thesis, is also different.
