Many students, especially those who are pursuing their Ph.D., have heard of a dissertation. It is a common word that often brings a lot of fear and uncertainties because of its importance. According to research, there is only a 64-percent completion rate for those who pursue doctorate programs. Most of those who do not complete highlight dissertation as a major contributing factor.
What is a Dissertation?
A dissertation is a structured piece of writing that develops a clear line of argument in response to a specific topic of study or proposition. It is divided into different chapters that contain a detailed examination of the subject matter. It provides evidence of your true capabilities to carry out a highly independent research and study. Great dissertations typically outline all the investigative procedures and rules used to collect and evaluate evidence.
Recommended resource: 50 Great Schools Where High School Students Can Get College Credit
Purpose of Writing Dissertations
Selecting a topic of interest, researching and the writing about it in a systematic way is the basis of a perfect dissertation. You are required to identify a topic and uncover hidden causes or outcomes that other researchers did not consider. People who do successful research and write good dissertations are usually considered experts in their fields. Their work can be reviewed in college coursework or called upon by organizations seeking statistical data.
Writing dissertations is also a major step towards earning a doctorate in a specific field. A Ph.D. is the highest academic credential in the United States. It is a major stepping stone to many people who become eligible to work as professors and researchers.
Developing Research Questions for Dissertations
Your dissertation should be guided by a central question. The question will help you stay on target and avoid being distracted by interesting yet irrelevant topics. The question should reflect on your intent of the study and stem from the problem statement. It should be simple and have appropriate delineations and restrictions.
Research questions can either be quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative questions seek to test a theory or a claim. Qualitative questions tend to be open in nature and can cover a wide variety of topics.
Steps in Writing Dissertations
All dissertations begin with a proposal. The proposal highlights your research plan and methodology. A supervisor will have to approve the proposal before you continue to the next step. Data collection and research follows immediately. This step encompasses various research techniques controlled by your mentor. The next step involves writing down the facts you discovered from your research. A well-written dissertation typically has a literature review, research design, steps involved in data collection and analysis and result interpretations. Writing can take more than six months.
How to Write Dissertations on Time
You need to do proper planning in order to write a good dissertation. Select a topic as early as possible. Narrow the topic so that it is doable within one year. Choose a mentor who fits with your temperament and style of work. Limit new commitments so that you have enough time to work on the project. Come up with a clear work schedule and treat the dissertation like a full-time job.
A dissertation is one of the most important processes you have to pass through in order to get a Ph.D. in the United States. A good outcome means you have the capabilities to carry out extensive research on a given topic and discover new elements that can help improve that area of study.
