Students who have decided to enrol in a PhD program are mentally prepared for the hectic and rough time they are about to face. Their ultimate success lies in submitting a dissertation that meets all the requirements and is approved by the respective authorities. Here are 12 tips that will immensely help you out when you start working on your dissertation.
- Give a lot of thought to the topic of your dissertation
Since you will be given the freedom to select your thesis topic statement, you must spend some time researching a topic that suits you. You can select a near and dear subject to your heart so you will be motivated to do your best in it. For example, some students have their family members pass away because of cancer. This can be a motivational factor for the dissertation student to enrol in a PhD program and find out as much as they can about that particular cancer.
- Study the format and requirements of writing a thesis
As you will come to know, a dissertation has many sections and subsections. It is your job to make sure you understand what every section entails, so you be sure to meet all its requirements. From the acknowledgements, introduction, literature review, to the methodology, results and conclusion, you need to spend some time understanding what details you have to include without which, your dissertation might be deemed incomplete. That is why you should have a brief idea beforehand about what the format and requirements of a dissertation are.
- Make a timeline for your work
Usually, a doctorate takes the students somewhere around four to six years. However, there are circumstances where the program goes all the way to eight years and more. If you aim to graduate with a doctorate within four to five years, you need to make every day count. The way you can keep track of your time and your progress is by making a timeline and mentioning all the details of your work that you have to complete.
Stick your timetable in your bedroom at a place where you can’t miss it. It will serve to be a reminder for you and keep you on your toes so that you don’t slack off. Your timetable will also be an excellent way for you to see if it really is possible for you to complete the PhD program within the timeframe you have in mind. If not, you can adjust your planning to help you ensure that you successfully earn your dissertation within the desired period.
- Give yourself deadlines
Without setting deadlines, you may tread on the path of failure. Apart from the deadlines your supervisor sets, you also need to give yourself certain time limits as well. If your supervisor expects you to submit the first draft by next Monday, you can keep the deadline to have your work ready by Saturday.
- Do not be disheartened to redo the work
When writing a dissertation, you should be mentally prepared to make many drafts before finalising it. When you write a draft, keep it in your mind that your supervisor may ask you to make necessary alterations or completely omit the work and ask you to write from scratch. You should not feel demotivated from having to do the work again.
- Keep all your reading and records organised
Since you will have to conduct plenty of research work, make sure that every information of yours is properly arranged and organised. You don’t want to spend more time than necessary, trying to find the records of last year and then going back and conducting the experiment again.
- Start writing
You will be required to submit a thesis of around 10,000 to 12,000 words. Keeping this in mind, you should start the process of writing your thesis at your earliest. Even if it is a rough draft, at least you will have something in writing, and that’s a start.
- Stay in constant contact with your supervisor
Your supervisor can be the best support system you need at this time if you have difficulty finding material for your thesis or can’t understand your experiment’s reading. They can serve to be a valuable resource and give you advice every step of the way.
- Hire a dissertation writing service when you get stuck
It can be heartening to know that you have a resource in the form of a dissertation writing company. Feel free to use their services anytime you find yourself stuck or are unable to understand how to proceed further. They can serve to be a valuable tool by assisting you in writing your thesis so you can meet the deadlines set by your supervisor. With their guidance, you will have an idea as to how to carry on your work and what each section of your thesis should look like.
- Invest in a plagiarism software
Rather than you rely on your supervisor to check the plagiarism every now and then, you should invest in a reliable plagiarism checker. This way, you will be saved from having to depend on your teacher for this crucial task.
- Always proofread your work
Before you hand in your work to the supervisor, go through the dissertation at least once. You will be amazed to see your mistakes and will be happy that you put in the effort to proofread your work before submission.
- Pay attention to your health
Don’t forget about yourself in the process of writing a dissertation. You need to make sure you get plenty of rest and eat well as that is what will energise you and help you put in the long hours of effort in your work.
In order to see yourself graduating with a PhD and being awarded the title of a doctor with your name, you must first put in every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears in writing your dissertation. With these tips, you will find this arduous task easier and more attainable.
