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6 Common Dissertation Problems – And How to Solve Them!

Dissertation Writing Help

There are many possible reasons why students experience difficulty in finishing their dissertation. Here are 6 of the most common reasons for dissertation struggles – and what you can do to overcome them and get your dissertation finished successfully.




1. It’s overwhelming

You might get bogged down simply because the task of dissertation writing seems to be too much; you can’t even imagine how to begin!

The solution is to take your dissertation and break it down into smaller bite-sized chunks that you can deal with more easily.

First, think about chapters, then break each chapter down into sections, and take those sections and break them down into sub-sections or paragraphs.

Trying to write a paragraph or section is much easier than trying to visualize an entire finished dissertation.

2. Deadlines

You may have a long deadline, but this can lull you into a false sense of security, thinking you have plenty of time to get your dissertation finished.

Many students end up leaving things to the last minute – which then makes the whole task even more difficult than necessary.

The solution is to work on shorter and more manageable deadlines: what you can complete today, this week, this month, etc. and work your way through it bit by bit.

3. Overpowering negative thoughts

You might feel that you don’t know how to write a dissertation, especially if you have never written one before. Don’t worry; millions of student every year feel the same. You might think that your writing skills or research isn’t good enough. Again, don’t worry.

The solution is to start writing and get what you have down on paper – then you can revise it and review it with your supervisor and improve upon it if necessary.

It’s difficult to try and improve upon something when it’s still just a bunch of ideas in your head. Getting it down on paper, even in the most basic format, will help focus you on what needs to be done next.

If millions of other students have written dissertations - then you can too. It might take some time and effort, and you might have to learn some things along the way – but get it started and it then it becomes a much easier process.




4. Feeling inadequate

Maybe you don’t feel confident about writing your dissertation or thesis, but you need to start the process. For every problem you can envisage – there is a solution.

If you think your writing skills are not up to the task, there is dissertation writing help available, if English isn’t your first language, there are proofreading services available, if you can’t clarify your thoughts on your research subject, your supervisor or mentor or even other research literature can help you focus on the right direction to take.

The solution to avoid any feelings of inadequacy is to deal with any perceived problem in a pragmatic way – write it down and look for a solution.

Do not let the fact that you think you can’t produce a perfect dissertation put you off working on it. It doesn’t have to be perfect in first draft form – perfection comes from revising, reviewing and amending it until you feel happy with the content.

Nobody produces perfection at the first attempt!

5. Isolation

If you feel isolated and that your dissertation is taking over your life – you are not alone. Yes, your dissertation is a big deal, and it may seem like nothing else exists at times, but try to keep it in perspective.

The solution is find others who are in the same situation and help support each other. Yes, it’s a big task, and an important one, but there will be life after it’s finished – it is not some insurmountable obstacle.

Use peer support to help you deal with writing your dissertation and rely on your friends to distract you at times to have some fun and a well-deserved break from working on your dissertation.

6. Reaction of your supervisor/mentor

It’s a common problem to be overly sensitive or worried about the reaction of your mentor or supervisor when you present your outline or first draft of your dissertation to be reviewed.

The solution is to remember that their role is to critique your work and support you in making it better – so be prepared for some honest truth about your writing, analysis and logic, etc. and learn from any suggestions and recommendations.

Don’t take it too personally. Academic writing is like art, it’s a learning process; those who are critiquing today were students in the past and went through exactly the same process you are experiencing at the moment.

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