How to Approach a Dissertation Ⅰ. Definition

How to Approach a Dissertation
    Good morning, everyone. We will talk about how to write a dissertation in today’s lecture. As we know, dissertations have become an increasingly important component of higher education. So, it is important to know how to approach your own dissertation in the first place.
    First, we will have a brief introduction of dissertation. Broadly speaking, a dissertation is a continuous piece of writing, arranged in clearly placed paragraphs, in which an argument is developed, in response to a central question or proposition. The line of argument is supported by evidence you have acquired through research, which you are required to analyze, and which supports or contradicts the various perspectives explored in the course of the argument. The dissertation then reaches a conclusion in the final section, which pulls together the threads of your argument, supporting, qualifying or rejecting the original thesis. It is worth bearing in mind that an academic dissertation is not a piece of writing designed to reproduce information available elsewhere, but something new and expressive of your individual abilities to analyze and synthesize. Second, we will come to the fundamental principles of writing a dissertation and you have to take care of the following key points. First of all, it is an extended piece of writing, usually divided into chapters. So it is wise for you to plan the lower and upper word limits acceptable for your dissertation and whether you should be following a particular sequence of chapter headings. Secondly, it contains a detailed exploration of evidence. The referred evidence may be from published texts, or it may consist of primary research data gathered on your own. Thirdly, it has to be presented in a professionally finished manner. So you have to be fully aware of the precise details about the format, layout and stylistic requirements of your assignment.
    Third, we will talk about the demanding in terms of managing your time and the process itself of writing a dissertation. How to arrange your time? First, draw a typical week’s timetable on a large sheet of paper. It shows thorough information about your university lectures and other regular commitments such as part-time work and regular social events. Second, after marking in the essentials, as you see them, take a good look at where you could commit time. Look particularly for those odd hours which are easily frittered away doing nothing much, and see if you can turn these into study time, so that some clear chunks of time are left for you to relax, keep fit, go shopping, watch TV and so on. Third, fill in your schedule with personal dissertation periods. Regular work throughout your dissertation unit will mean less chance of any all-night, last-minute, nail-biting sessions during the week before it needs to be submitted.
    Now, to sum up today’s lecture, we have introduced some methods to approach a dissertation in your study. OK, this brings us to the end of today’s lecture. Thanks for your attention.