How to Approach a Dissertation I. What is a dissertation

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. It provides you with an opportunity to work independently on a topic that particularly interests you. 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. Different subject disciplines may emphasize different features, but, 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,(1)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,(2)but something new and expressive of your individual abilities to analyze and synthesize. In addition, the process of academic writing will help you to learn, by enabling you to work with concepts and information relevant to your subject, and thereby developing your intellectual skills.
     (3)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,(4)or it may consist of primary research data gathered by your own, for example, a sociological study of attitudes to gender roles based on research methods such as interviews and questionnaires. Thirdly, you are required to be clear about the nature of the methodology you will use for gathering the evidence. That is to say, why are you collecting data or analyzing evidence in that way rather than in another way? And also, it must be supported throughout by awareness of theory which means your argument should be placed within the context of existing theory relevant to the subject. Finally, it has to be presented in a professionally finished manner.(5)So you have to be fully aware of the precise details about the format, layout and stylistic requirements of your assignment.
    Third, it is about how to manage your supervisor. Since a dissertation is an individually devised piece of work, you will be allocated a personal supervisor to support you while you are writing it. Do not delay in having your first meeting with her or him, as it is vital to discuss not only what topic you will start by exploring, but also how you can best work on your dissertation. Here are some aspects of managing your supervisor. Firstly, let your supervisor know how much contact and support you would like. Necessarily, you have to agree together at the outset on when you will meet and how best contact can be made.(6)Secondly, discuss with your supervisor if possible about what assessment criteria will be applied to your dissertation, so that you can get a sense of their scope, structure, tone and the methodology being used. Thirdly, consider contributing to the setting up of appropriate support groups or pairings with fellow students, so that you can clarify your own thinking by discussing it with others if this is acceptable to your supervisor. Fourthly, find an appropriate way of mapping and monitoring your own progress.(7)I recommend you a checklist of tasks to be completed. Lastly, you have to evaluate and respond to your supervisor’s feedback by making notes and reflecting on what has been said or written, then applying the feedback to the next stage of your research.
    Fourth, we will talk about the demanding in terms of managing your time and the process itself of writing a dissertation. It is a major piece of work and you are likely to have months before it is due for submission, so the dissertation sometimes causes problems even for people who are normally good at meeting deadlines. How to arrange your time? First, draw a typical week’s timetable on a large sheet of paper.(8)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,(9)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. When are you going to work on your dissertation, and when on your other commitments? Take account of when you are at your best for studying, for example, can you work early in the morning or late at night?(10)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. Before we finish, I’d like to say if you want to hand out a successful assignment in the future, you also have to research your topic very carefully, so next time I will introduce you the methods of selecting and researching your topics. OK, this brings us to the end of today’s lecture. Thanks for your attention.