Skip to main content

How to Plan Your Dissertation or Thesis

Planning and Starting your Dissertation or Thesis

The importance of good planning in dissertation or thesis writing cannot be over emphasized. Research has shown that in many cases dissertation writer, especially those whose first language is not English, invest too much time initially in the mechanics of writing (grammar, sentence structure, word selection, etc.) instead of focusing on the meaning of what they want to express, and then refining this through the organization of paragraphs and sentences until the ideal structure and words are determined.


Dissertation & Thesis Writing Process
Simple Writing Process Guide

The result: the bigger picture or ideas is often lost or lacks support and certain sections of text may even seem to be irrelevant or disconnected even though their technical structure may be well formed. One way to solve this problem is through a continuous process of writing, revising and editing of the text as it develops so as to avoid the production of blocks of unconnected text.



Writing prompts for dissertation or thesis

Another strategy often recommended for students writing their dissertation or thesis, especially in the initial stage of writing, is to follow a set of prompts which will help focus the student on the context of their research topic. The process can be repeated as the text develops and as the focus or understanding of the student develops or changes.

  • What can I write about? The background/context of the current research ....(50 words)
  • The primary research question is .... (50 words)
  • Other researchers who have examined this topic include .... (50 words)
  • Principal arguments of other researchers are .... (25 words)
  • Research A states/suggests/argues that .... (25 words)
  • Researcher B states/suggest/argues that .... (25 words)
  • Focus of the research debate is the issue of .... (25 words)
  • Further study is still needed regarding .... (25 words)
  • My research project is most similar to the research done by (name of other researcher) because .... (50 words)
  • The contribution of my research project is .... (50 words)

In many cases, writing a dissertation or thesis is the first occasion that a student is required to organize, manage and produce such a large volume of written work. It can be a daunting task for many students who may not have had such an experience previously. It is not only the sheer size of the work, but the high standard of written work which is expected with regard to dissertations and theses.

The student must clearly show their knowledge and mastery of their particular research topic, and, importantly use this knowledge to present their argument in a logical and coherent manner based in their interpretation of the research results or findings.



Dissertation & Thesis Writing Help

  • Structure of a dissertation or thesis, chapter by chapter
  • How to solve common dissertation writing problems

    • Popular posts from this blog

    Cambridge IELTS 11 Test 1 Writing Task 1 Question and Answer

    Task 1 Question How to Answer Task 1 Questions Sample Answer Cambridge 11 Writing Task 1 IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic) tests your written communication skills - how well you can report/describe information. Cambridge IELTS Book 11 Test 1 Writing Task 1 IELTS Writing Test Task 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The charts below show the percentage of water used for different purposes in six areas of the world. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant Write at least 150 words. International English Language Testing System How would you answer this IELTS 11 Writing Task 1 question about water used for different purposes? IELTS 11 Writing Test 1, Task 1 Answer (useful vocabulary is highlighted ) The pie charts illustrates water usage in six different regions around the world. Notably , Europe consumes the greatest quantity of water for in
    Read more

    How To Answer Cambridge IELTS 8 Speaking Test 1

    Content Cambridge IELTS 8 Speaking Test 1 How to give your opinion in English Here are some questions from Cambridge IELTS Practice Tests Book 8 Speaking Test 1. They include the IELTS Cue Card Describe a time when you were asked to give your opinion in a questionnaire . A native English speaker gave these sample answers to show you what someone might say. Remember, you can answer these questions in many different ways. Cambridge IELTS 8 Speaking Test 1 IELTS Speaking Tip Do NOT try to memorize full answers - this is unnatural and IELTS examiners are trained to identify memorized answers. Cambridge IELTS 8 Test 1 Speaking Questions & Answers Part 1 Topic | Neighbours How well do you know the people who live next door to you? I know them quite well because we’ve lived beside each other for a couple of years now. The people who live to the right of me, wel
    Read more

    Computers Speaking Part 1 Questions & Answers

    How would you answer these example questions about computers from Part 1 of the IELTS speaking test? What examples would you give? What details would you need to describe? What vocabulary would you need to express yourself well? Tips for IELTS Speaking | IELTS Speaking Part 1 | Computers, computer skills, children and computers, how important are computers? Computer Speaking Part 1 Questions You can use these questions in your IELTS preparation to help you think about what you would say in response to them. Computers Speaking Part 1 Do you often use computers? Yes, I do, very often, in fact every day I use my laptop. I use it for studying, researching, entertainment and also for shopping sometimes. Do you often use a computer? Not very often, I guess I just don't really need one in my day-to-day life. I have a smartphone for email and social media, and I can do most of the things I need to do on my phone. Plus, I like having some time away from screen
    Read more