It’s not the length of the essay that matters, but what you can say within those words that do. A dissertation is a form of a research paper in which individuals must present their findings and defend their work with scholarly sources.
Typically, a dissertation can take up to five years to complete and is an important capstone project for the field of study in which one has been researching throughout his or her academic career.
There are several general tips that students should take when preparing their dissertation and formatting it for submission, according to Bestessayhelp.com,
1 – Set a deadline and divide it into manageable parts
Like building a house, the first thing you do is to set up the foundation. Give yourself deadlines for how many words and pages per day you need to hit on average, then divide that into weeks. For example, 20,000 words in 60 days (3 pages per day).
Determine the amount of time you’ll give yourself to write each chapter, and take a realistic look at your daily schedule: do you have the time? If you’re working part-time, will it be realistic to make that much progress during the week? What about school or family obligations?
2 – Write about something you’re interested in
It is no secret but writing a dissertation can be tough. If you’ve chosen a topic because it’s your job to write about it, you may be going into this without much passion. Writing on something you have some degree of interest in will make the process much easier and more enjoyable.
3 – Learn to write like an academic
Some students are great at writing fiction, others are fantastic at reporting the news, but almost all will need to learn how to write like an academic. This type of writing requires a different mindset.
Here are some tips to help you write like an academic:
a) Avoid “I” – Your personal experiences are great, but avoid using “I” when possible. Your dissertation is about the topic, not you.
b) Use the passive voice – Active verbs add life and energy to your writing, but in an academic text, it’s usually best to use the passive voice, i.e., “it was found” instead of “we found.” The passive voice lets you to focus on the research and findings.
c) Use academic language – This means avoiding contractions (didn’t instead of did not, can’t instead of cannot) and using words like “utilize” instead of “use.” It also means avoiding informal expressions that contain “of,” e.g., preventative instead of preventive. In general, it means speaking like a university professor would speak.
d) Watch for wordiness – Avoid using the same word over and over again. For example, it’s not necessary to use “apparently” three times in the sentence “It was very important for students to find an internship.” Write like you speak, but avoid being redundant.
e) Avoid using the word “because” for anything other than cause and effect – Using “because” in an academic paper will make your writing sound like a fifth-grader, and you could even be marked down for it. It’s best to avoid using the word altogether.
4 – Know Your Audience
Before you begin your dissertation, you should be aware of the professors to whom you will be presenting your findings, as this will have a large effect on how you format and structure your paper.
If you are presenting to professors who specialize in the field you are writing, these individuals are likely to have specific requirements for how they would like to receive their essays.
If you are not aware of the specific instructions for formatting your dissertation, it is best to ask the professors to whom you will be presenting your work.
For example, suppose you are presenting your paper to a political science professor who focuses on the Middle East. In that case, this professor will most likely structure his or her papers in a specific way and may require that you use certain guidelines as well.
5 – Understand the Requirements
Regardless of the specific guidelines that your professors have provided, you should be aware of the general structure and formatting guidelines required for your paper.
The most common requirement for dissertations is that they follow the APA Style Guide.
However, it is not uncommon for professors to specify a different style guide as well.
Your professors may post a set of guidelines on their website or provide you with instructions in class, so it is essential to check with them in advance.
6 – Get Organized
One of the most common causes for stress among students preparing their papers (and therefore, their dissertation) is a lack of organization.
There are various strategies that you can use to ensure that your structure is coherent and professional-looking.
For example, it can be helpful to divide your paper into different sections with headers so that readers can easily follow your train of thought and will be able to see the conclusions you have drawn after reading each section.
Another good way to organize your paper is to create an outline for it.
By doing this, you can keep track of the points you want to make in each section and provide more space for those points rather than simply writing to fill up the page.
7 – Write
Writing is the most challenging part of dissertation preparation as many students will be required to write a large portion of their paper in a short period. In this situations a lot of students are using help of services such as those at writemypaperhub.com which can help you to write your dissertation.
Typically, the largest portion of your paper will be dedicated to the introduction and conclusion, as these sections typically contain your research findings.
There are also two types of body paragraphs: the implementation paragraphs and supporting/supplementary paragraphs.
The implementation paragraphs are those in which you present your findings, while the supplemental paragraphs are for providing information that supports and supplements your main points.
The implementation paragraphs are typically the most in-depth and therefore require more time to plan.
8 – Edit and Proofread
After you have completed your dissertation, you must sit down and edit your paper to free from any grammatical errors or misspellings.
It can be helpful to have someone else read through the paper as well, as their feedback will help you catch anything you may have missed on your own.
Once your paper has been proofread and edited, you can be sure that it is ready for presentation to your professors.
9 – Get Ready to Present
Finally, ensure that you are ready to present your findings with confidence.
One of the most important things that you can do before presenting your dissertation is to practice your delivery so that you can avoid stumbling over your words or rambling on unnecessarily.
You should also be aware of any visual aids that will enhance your presentation with graphs or pictures if they illustrate the points.
If you follow these simple steps, you will make your dissertation writing process much easier and present your findings with confidence.
