What is a dissertation?

The majority of degrees end with this assignment, but just what is a dissertation? 

Sometimes known as a thesis (in some countries, this term is used only for the final assignments of PhD degrees, while in other countries ‘thesis’ and ‘dissertation’ are interchangeable), a dissertation is a research project completed as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. Typically, a dissertation allows students present their findings in response to a question or proposition that they choose themselves. The aim of the project is to test the independent research skills students have acquired during their time at university, with the assessment used to help determine their final grade. Although there is usually some guidance from your tutors, the dissertation project is largely independent.

For most students this will be the longest, most difficult and most important assignment completed at university, requiring months of preparation and hard work (the library might become a second home). However, it can also be very rewarding, particularly if you’re passionate about your choice of topic. It’s therefore definitely a good idea to make sure you choose a subject you’re genuinely interested in.

The type of dissertation you complete will vary depending on your course of study. One of the main differences is between empirical and non-empirical dissertations.

Empirical dissertations are dissertations which involve collecting data, for example in a psychology degree. This may mean putting into practice professional and ethical guidelines when collecting data from members of the public. Empirical dissertations in natural and life science subjects may involve or be entirely centered on laboratory work.

Non-empirical dissertations are based on existing data and arguments in the work of others. This is likely to mean spending a lot of time with your head in a book! In this type of dissertation, you need to make sure you don’t just describe what others are saying, but critically analyze the work and explore its practical applications.

Choosing a dissertation research topic can be difficult. It has to be a project that is engaging yet achievable and have enough information to write a dissertation of the right length so the scope cannot be too wide or too narrow. It is also a project that students will work on for their entire final year of study or more so it should be something that they are interested in, maybe in a subject area that they would pursue a career in in the future.

The first thing that you might want to consider when researching a topic is the work and modules you have already done. Is there a module that you were particularly interested in or enjoyed working on? Choosing a topic that you are already familiar with means that you already have some context to begin your research?

Next consider if there was a particular text, study, researcher, author or figure who you enjoyed studying during your studies. This is great in terms of scope as you can expand or narrow your focus on this thing depending on the length of your dissertation. For shorter undergraduate dissertations, it might mean focusing on a specific text or idea or a question about a specific detail of another study that another researcher has raised. For longer dissertations, you can expand your search to other texts or figures in the same genre and ask larger questions about the topic as a whole.

Another thing that you might want to consider is your initial interest in the subject. Why did you choose to study a degree in this subject? What were some of your preconceptions about the subject? What topics did you hope your degree would cover when you applied to study on this programme? Did you have any career ambitions before beginning your studies that might inform your choice?

Finally, it is important to read widely around your subject to find your areas of interest. If you do not have a specific topic that you are especially interested in, contextual reading outside of the reading list given for each of your modules allows you to explore the subject and find your interests.

There are four stages to the process of completing a dissertation: planning and collecting information, research, writing and editing.

The first stage is all about organisation. Do some basic background research if necessary, make a schedule, a chapter outline, bibliography and a list of all the secondary research sources that you are planning to read and reference.

The second stage is about actually doing the research. This might involve primary research, for example, conducting a study, survey or experiment to prove your hypothesis. It will also include secondary research and discuss the ideas and findings of other academics who have done research into the same or a similar topic.

The third stage is writing a first draft. It is important to just get the words down during this stage, even if the writing feels messy. Remember that everything except an empty page can be fixed with editing.

The fourth stage is editing. This includes big edits and structural changes, smaller edits which improve the clarity of your writing and a details edit to make sure that spelling and grammar are correct.

To find out more about dissertations and the entire process of writing one, click here.