Are you a researcher who has to submit a dissertation as part of your PhD program, and you have no idea how to do that? Don't worry, as we are here to resolve your issue. We have written this piece to help you and other researchers learn the correct way of writing a dissertation that matches academic benchmarks and current instructions. We will discuss dissertation writing from A to Z, starting from the definition and ending with a step-by-step process. We will also shed light on how to write a discussion in a dissertation.
Before you start understanding the right way of putting together a dissertation, you should know what a dissertation is. It is a long research paper crafted as a requirement to get your academic degree.
A dissertation is also a professional requirement to pass exams for a degree programme and shows expertise in a domain or field. Most PhD programs require students to turn in a dissertation. Students need to spend a significant chunk of their time and energy, as it is a serious endeavour.
This comprehensive academic writing demonstrates a scholar’s capability to perform independent research, assess data and showcase results cohesively suitable for a researcher. It testifies to the scholar’s commitment and finesse in their selected subject.
A dissertation is a kind of academic paper that is characterised by its high word count. Another significant element of a dissertation is its basis on original research conducted by the submitter themselves.
It is among the most sophisticated elements of research work and the last endeavour a student has to take before completing their PhD program. Moreover, a student should add a discourse on the subject with appropriate time-intensive academic study, as it depends on a particular discipline for a university degree.
A PhD dissertation is essential in doctoral education as it creates expert recognition and showcases prowess in a particular subject.
You should begin with a crucial discovery of the domain and particulars of your discipline to choose a topic. You should also clearly mention the study’s objectives because it sets the tone of your research and guarantees that your results are supported properly within the wider scope of the study.
Many components, like crucial writing aspects and outline, will stay uniform. But your techniques and tools could change based on your particular domain and research approach.
Also, you should concentrate on explanations with a professor and shortlist things to guarantee you include everything. Much of your dissertation's purpose will rely on whether you want to utilise a qualitative or quantitative research method for your work.
Therefore, the primary goal is to offer a significant study with a straightforward contribution to your discipline. Among the most complicated components here, however, is the existence of a literature review that you have to incorporate into the paper’s format and offer a piece of proof.
Selecting a dissertation topic is a pivotal step in the research process. Picking a topic related to your career objectives and the domain you intend to work in after completing your education is crucial.
You should be ready to change your direction because it is a common practice to alter the dissertation's topic while discovering the field more. Further, exploring research topics relevant to your field of interest could aid you in fine-tuning your focus.
You can also take assistance from your professor to modify your choice, recognise pertinent sources and create a research plan. Make sure you stay motivated throughout the process and that your study adds insightful findings to your domain.
Your dissertation's foundation lies in your research process, which includes various primary steps that direct your investigation and guarantee your work meaningfully contributes to your discipline. We have split the process into steps that systematically complement one another.
Begin by creating a targeted thesis statement or research question. It will give direction to your research work and help keep it relevant.
Before starting your study, evaluate the existing research in the field. A rigorous literature review aids in recognising gaps in previous research that your paper can acknowledge.
Create a powerful theoretical ground for your research. This basis will direct your investigation and help place your study within the wider academic discourse.
Choose the correct study techniques for responding to your statement or hypothesis. These could involve surveys, experiments, interviews, or case studies. Further, your method should be appropriate for your study’s goals.
Collect your data in a systematic manner to guarantee precision and trustworthiness. Based on your research techniques, it may include quantitative or qualitative assessment or a combination of both. Employ software where required to help with data administration and evaluation.
Once you have assessed your data, draw conclusions from the findings, looking at your thesis statement and theoretical basis. Spot trends, correlations and patterns that match your study's objectives.
Lastly, you need to summarise your results and recommend areas for future studies or practical implementations. This concludes your research process and gives the basis for your dissertation's endnotes.
So, these were the steps you need to stick to perform research for your dissertation. It will ensure your work is meticulous, structured and capable of addressing the primary questions of your research.
You need to divide your dissertation into several chapters to make it look presentable. It will also help you showcase your research in a clear and coherent way. Usually, dissertations have a specific structure, but some institutes or departments can have their own guidelines.
Let's discuss the primary chapters of a dissertation and ways to write them.
The first and foremost component of your dissertation is its title page. It is also an essential element of your work. It should include your research’s title, your name, institute, department name, degree program and deadline.
Your university may also ask you to add your supervisor's name, your roll number and the college’s logo.
Some Tips for Writing a Title Page
Next in line is your abstract. It includes a small summary of your work containing roughly 150 to 300 words. It includes the main ideas of your study, which are the thesis statement, research methods, core results and end notes.
Make sure that the checking committee can get a bird's eye view by reading your abstract and can comprehend your research’s goals and pertinence.
Some Tips To Write An Abstract
After the title and abstract comes the acknowledgement chapter. Its purpose is to enable you to show gratitude to the individuals who have assisted in writing your dissertation.
You can thank your supervisor, classmates, parents, spouse and any companies that backed up your study.
Some Tips for Writing Acknowledgements
Next in line is the table of contents. This part includes your paper’s chapters, headers and subheaders with their relevant page numbers. It will allow the checking committee to easily skim your content.
Some Tips for Writing a Table of Contents Page
Introduction is an essential part of your research work. It covers the topic, describes its significance and mentions the thesis statements or questions. It also encompasses a short and sweet rundown of the dissertation's structure.
Some Tips for Writing an Introduction Page
The literature review chapter follows your introduction. It shows your comprehension of the previous research relevant to your study’s main question or argument.
This chapter reviews existing research, finds gaps in it and describes how your study can be beneficial to the domain.
Some Tips for Writing a Literature Review Page
This chapter is one of the foundational sections of your dissertation. It illustrates the research methods you have used to perform your study. It mentions the design, data gathering techniques (primary or secondary) and analysis methods. Make sure you add all the information to help another scholar redo your research.
Some Tips for Writing Methodology Page
This chapter covers your study's results without evaluation or assessment. This chapter includes written content, stats, tables and charts to showcase the information.
Some Tips for Writing a Results Page
If you are wondering how to write a dissertation discussion, then this section will answer your query. It includes the interpretation of your findings and explanations of their consequences. We recommend you relate your results to your study's statement or question and literature review, which underscores any new knowledge or contributions your research has made.
Some Tips for Writing the Discussion Page
This chapter gives a rundown of your dissertation's core ideas and supports your research’s relevance. It should include a final response to your study's question and provide guidance for future research.
Some Tips for Writing a Conclusion Page
This is an optional chapter. You should introduce it if your university’s guidelines ask you to do so. If your research relates to an applied field, you can add actionable suggestions considering your study's results in this section. You can include it in the conclusion chapter or the recommendations chapter.
Some Tips for Writing a Recommendations Page
This chapter gives credit to the authors whose research you have used to write your dissertation. You should add the citations in the referencing format instructed by your university, which includes MLA, APA and Chicago.
Some Tips for Writing References Page
Appendices involve any extra content that is too detailed or lengthy to be added in your dissertation's main body. It could include raw data, technical explanations of your study or questionnaires.
Some Tips for Writing Appendices Page
Learning the right way of writing your dissertation is crucial to get your work accepted on the first go. As a PhD programme is one of the highest degrees, students often get their dissertation rejected because it doesn't match the required standards.
To avoid such a situation, you should write your dissertation mindfully to get it approved the first time. Our experts have written hundreds of research papers for scholars of all academic levels and institutes. Which is why they know how to write a dissertation correctly. So, if you follow this piece written by our experts, your dissertation will be good to go.
