July 24, 2024
Is dissertation writing a concern? For students pursuing a degree in higher education, the word “dissertation” might elicit strong feelings of dread, anxiety, or even confusion. This academic right of passage is a requirement for many master’s or doctorate level degree programs even though most students who will have completed one to obtain their degree have little to no experience creating one before.
But researching, writing and printing a dissertation for your degree is not as complicated as it sounds as long as you follow a few strategic steps to develop a sound, defense-worthy paper.
Academic research and presentation of those efforts are the motivation for dissertation writing. This nuanced style of dissertation writing is typically a part of an academic degree program, consisting of a thesis and research gathered to prove the idea.
Dissertation writing can be either empirical or non-empirical, with the style chosen based on the academic program requirements and thesis topic the writer has chosen to focus their research on.
This in-depth research paper is similar to a condensed version of a book, so to develop and write dissertation content, following a structured plan to take you from a general concept to a polished, well-supported paper is the best strategy. Some students will be guided by their academic program through the process while others will have plenty of leeway to determine the path they will take for their topic choice, thesis concept, research style, and completion of this research project.
But whether you are working closely with an academic mentor or stepping out on your own to finish your dissertation writing, following a proven set of steps will help you end up with a dissertation you can be proud of.
The first step in creating compelling dissertation writing is deciding on the topic you want to work with. Since this process may take up to a year or longer, it should be a topic you are deeply connected to in some way, whether it is an important segment of your current academic studies, or you choose a topic that will remain of interest in your future professional life.
For some degree plans, your broad or specific topic is predetermined. However, if you can choose the topic for your paper, first select a few potential topic areas and then discuss them with your attending professor or with others in your department as well as complete initial research to determine their viability.
Next, the direction you will take with your topic will help you formulate a thesis statement. This statement projects the purpose of your research and what your dissertation sets out to prove. A strong dissertation hinges on a well-crafted thesis statement, but your thesis writing may ultimately shift based on the research you complete or find and the conclusions you reach afterward. Crafting a strong thesis comes from considering:
Depending on the type of dissertation you plan to write, the next step is to secure data through research that will support your thesis statement. This step in the dissertation writing process often takes the longest, depending on the data type required for the paper.
Empirical Dissertations: For papers that rely on empirical data, the writer will research to support their thesis statement. Planning the right research, securing resources to do the research, completing the research, and collecting the related data are all necessary steps to gather proof for this type of dissertation writing.
Non-Empirical: For this type of dissertation writing, the writer’s primary job is to research already-defined data that will support the thesis statement. Research for an academic paper like this can be found in a variety of locations like:
Once you have collected plenty of data to support your thesis statement, it’s time to organize your paper into a logical structure. Keeping the thesis statement as the focus of the paper, consider how to guide your reader smoothly from the topic introduction all the way to the paper’s conclusion. Consider if background information is needed to bring awareness to the topic or if your dissertation audience is already invested in the thesis direction and your paper would not benefit from a lengthy introduction.
Structure your content in a flow that makes sense for the volume and type of data you have compiled to prove your thesis statement. Start your organization by creating an outline of the main points you plan to make to support your thesis statement and then which data you will include to prove each one. Make sure that your paper is balanced, and each point is equally supported by research, filling in data holes with additional research as needed.
The strength of a dissertation is often measured by the sources the author uses to prove the thesis, so including only credible sources is critical. Peer-reviewed sources are the best choice for academic writing while open-source Wikipedia is unreliable and should be avoided outside of the initial phase of gathering general information that won’t be included in the data of the final draft.
One of the best resources to use as you write dissertation content is your academic advisor. Whether your degree program assigns you a specific professor or you simply utilize the knowledge and support of a mentor, getting professional feedback about your progress is key to a successful paper. Requesting feedback on the strength of your argument, the validity of your sources and the quality of the data included in your paper is a good way to ensure that your final draft will be acceptable to your academic program.
Just like any other published book, a dissertation should be professionally edited for grammar, spelling, and word choice as well as revised for content changes that will reinforce the argument’s organization and support the thesis statement.
Seeking an academic editor can help writers more effectively edit and revise their papers, but some degree programs will specify whether a student can seek outside or non-school help with their dissertation so double-check with yours first. Academic sponsors, professors, and mentors, however, are excellent resources to help you refine your writing and create a well-written draft that you are confident in submitting to your program.
Putting the finishing touches on your dissertation means looking at your dissertation writing from the point of view of a professor.
Your final draft may be printed and submitted like a typical essay, or your program may require you to print and bind your project formally before submission. Working with a trusted printer like Publishing Xpress will ensure that all of your months of researching and writing will look perfect when you are ready to hand in your finished dissertation.
The culmination of honing in on an acceptable topic, gathering and culling appropriate research, writing an in-depth essay and refining your final draft often many times over should result in a beautiful project that you are proud of, so make sure that your final step is trusting your hard work to Publishing Xpress so you will know that your dissertation looks fantastic in the hands of your degree program.
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