How Do You Plan A Good Dissertation?

Writing a dissertation is one of the most difficult tasks that a student can ever endure. But aside from looking at the negative sides and getting afraid of planning and writing a dissertation, there are also many positive sides to consider. For example, writing a dissertation allows you to research, study, and explore a certain topic of interest. But it is only possible if you are writing your dissertation with a proper plan. Coming up with a good dissertation plan is not easy. It requires sufficient focus and proper research to devise a good dissertation plan. 

Dissertation planning plays an important role in deciding whether your dissertation is good to be approved or not. The whole point of writing a dissertation is to convince your supervisor that you are a competent researcher. And it will be only possible if your dissertation is well-researched with a proper dissertation plan. In this blog post, we will guide you on how you can plan your dissertation efficiently and yield fruitful results. 

Dissertation Planning Types

Following the same set of rules in planning every dissertation is not a good approach. Dissertation planning should not be static because there are inevitable changes that should be mentioned in it. That is why you should always choose different planning methods that are compatible with your writing style. 

Linear Presentation

Linear presentation approach should be adopted in a case where you are starting with the first chapter and continuing without skipping any parts. This is a technique where we focus on one task at a time. Linear presentation is really helpful as it intends to keep the research on track.

Concept Mapping

Concept Mapping focuses on providing a visual presentation of each and every aspect of your dissertation. It helps in introducing different ideas and assists the students in writing better. 

Preliminary Tasks Listing

Preliminary Tasks Listing takes a little bit more time than linear presentation and concept mapping. It serves as a personal to do list that should be done in order to write a better dissertation. We can use this technique in the literature review stage, ensuring that nothing is missed.

How To Plan A Dissertation?

Planning a dissertation is a crucial stage and should be done with sheer focus and will. You should be cautious in planning your dissertation if you want your dissertation to be up-to-the-mark. Follow the below-mentioned tips and techniques to devise a better plan for your dissertation.

Choosing A Topic

Some students at the early stage research and choose their topic but many others arrive with uncertainty about what their topic should be. This causes a state of panic and anxiety among students. However, it is a common situation to be in. But you can pace up with the following ways.

Talk To Others

What topics other students are focusing on? Do their ideas spark some interest? You do not need to have a fully researched question before discussing your ideas. Because other students’ perspectives will help you to clear out your thoughts and refine your ideas.

Look At The Already Done Work

Look at the completed work of the past five years. Skim through the titles of the dissertations that are done in your field of interest. With this, you will get a pretty good idea of what your dissertation topic should be.

See Where Your Interest Lies

After all, the most important thing that matters is where your interest lies. If you have found a good dissertation topic but you are not interested in it then it is no good. You should see which is your field of interest and should pursue that.

Always Remember To

You should always remember that a dissertation can

• Replicate an already done dissertation but in a different setting
• Explore something new
• Review the knowledge in a specific field
• Modify a research paper
• Develop a methodology 
• Test a methodology

Once you have chosen your dissertation topic, discuss it with your supervisors so that they may help you in improving it. 

Develop A Research Question

Once you have chosen your topic and it is accepted by the department, the next thing you need to be focusing on is refining your topic in such a way that it helps you to focus on your research. You should display it as a research problem that sets out to be:

• An issue that requires proper investigation
• An argument that you want to prove or disprove 

Establishing a research problem at the beginning of the dissertation will ensure you that you are moving in the right direction. It will help you in the research and will assist you in focusing on the things that are crucial in writing your dissertation. 

But as you find out more about your topic, you should be willing to revise your research problem and update it. For example, during research, you encounter a new piece of information that makes you rethink your research question. However, you should always consult with your supervisor before proceeding to make changes to your dissertation topic. 

Read About The “5 Simple Steps To Write Dissertation Research Questions” to develop an argumentative research question.

Writing A Project Proposal

The next thing to do is to write a project proposal. A project proposal is a detailed description of the project that you are going to undertake. It is a compulsory assessment of your dissertation but it is worth preparing for. Because it helps you to develop a better sense of understanding of your research topic. This project proposal should be written as a summary of all the discussions that you had with your supervisor regarding your dissertation.

Devising A Research Strategy

For writing a good dissertation it is a must to devise a research plan. What kind of research strategy i.e qualitative or quantitative is required to get your dissertation done? While following that strategy you need to manage your time also. Your research strategy should be good and effective if you want your dissertation to be perfect.

Also if you want to write a secondary research methodology dissertation then read about the:

“7 Essential Tips To Write A Secondary Research Methodology Dissertation”

Once you have devised your research strategy, you need to follow it. Take out proper time, and know when you have other work to do so you can skip writing your dissertation that day and pursue it with a proper schedule. Write your dissertation on priority by following your research strategy.

Complete First Draft

Write the first draft of your dissertation by consistently following your research strategy and discussing it with your supervisor. Proofread it, write the second draft, and then the third draft, recheck and proofread it again before finalizing. Also, have a proper idea of how much time will it take to write each draft and in rechecking & proofreading. 

Avoid Procrastination

If you are among those people who procrastinate more than they should. Then you should avoid it. Delaying your work, and thinking that you will do it at the last minute is wrong. You should take proper time and work with a schedule if you want your dissertation to be well-written and proofread before the due date.

If you want to avoid the bad habit of procrastination, you should look into these things

• Negative thoughts & beliefs
• Poor time management
• 0 motivation
• Feeling difficulty in concentrating
• Staying under pressure
• Looking for perfection in your work
• Poor time management
• Personal Issues

Identifying these problems at the early stage will help you to control yourself and minimize their effect on your dissertation. When you feel that you are procrastinating, you will know what to expect of yourself.

Be Realistic In Planning

In order to complete before the due time and avoid procrastination, you need to 

• Give proper time in writing and revising
• Make a proper work schedule
• Start with proper motivation and the right mindset
• Work with focus and sheer will even if it takes time
• Focus on one thing at a time not getting in a hurry and trying to do everything in a single time
• Complete your drafts before time to leave some space for editing, proofreading, and revising
• Give small rewards to yourself for completing daily tasks to keep yourself motivated.
• In case you fall behind, give your work some extra time to catch up with your schedule

Once you have followed the above-mentioned tips you will be able to write a good dissertation before the deadline and impress your teachers and supervisor.

Things To Be Careful of While Planning A Dissertation

Dissertation planning is not an easy task, you need to do proper research with a positive mindset and consistent work to plan your dissertation and then write it. We have already discussed how you can plan to write your dissertation. But there are some things that you need to keep in your mind while planning your dissertation.

Stay Organized & Manage Time

Proper time management is considered one of the most essential components in producing a great dissertation. If you want your dissertation to be a masterpiece then you should be able to manage your time effectively. You can learn to manage your time by following two strategies.

• Macro Time Management Strategy

Macro time management strategy looks at the bigger picture. For example, you should be able to make a good estimate of how long it is gonna take you to complete one certain task. Then you will complete each section as estimated in order to deliver your dissertation before the due date.

• Micro Time Management Strategy

However, if you are the one who works at the finest details then you should keep up with the micro time management strategy. Micro-time management strategy focuses on breaking a task into various sub-tasks and then completing the work.

For example, let’s say you are looking to write an English literature review and according to macro time management strategy you have estimated to write it in 4 weeks. But in the case of micro time management strategy, you will be dividing that English literature review into 4 sub-parts and then assigning each week to all 4 parts. 

Not just that, in addition to good time management skills, you also need to have excellent organizational skills if you intend to complete your dissertation efficiently. Staying organized is not all about writing. You need to be organized in doing timely meetings with your supervisor as you begin the process of your dissertation. 

Working with a properly structured flow is a sign of success. You should organize a schedule that you should be following in order to write your dissertation. Always try not to fall behind and complete your work on a daily basis. But if by any chance you fall behind your schedule due to any social or personal issue. Give some extra time in writing your dissertation so you can keep proper pace with your schedule. 

You can also take help from professionals i.e your supervisor to guide you with experienced minds.

Socialize More Often

There are some skills that you need to adopt if you want to have a perfect dissertation at the end of your degree. These skills are listening and socializing skills.

• Listening Skills

These skills come into play when you discuss your work with your supervisor. When your supervisor tells you about stuff related to your dissertation, listen patiently and then implement it. Listening to your supervisor will not only open up doors of different ideas in your mind but will also guide you to use those ideas efficiently. That is why it is important for you to develop listening skills. Also, if your supervisor requests a change or makes a suggestion listen to it and adopt that suggestion for better progress.

• Social Skills

Listening alone will not do any good. In addition to developing good listening skills, you should also focus on socializing. Socialize with other students, get to know their ideas, and share your ideas with them. Get their reviews and see where you stand. This will help you in opening many more new ideas in your mind and broaden the boundaries of your thoughts.

Be Prepared For The Meetings

It is rare that the students usually will have any idea on their first meeting with their supervisor. Instead, they take the supervisor’s help to get better ideas. Supervisors with their knowledge and expertise, guide the students and open the gateways of different ideas in their minds. However, in some cases, the ideas shared with you by your supervisor may look easy at the beginning but once you understand that your knowledge and research on that certain topic is limited, you just want to change the topic of your dissertation. That is why it is a must for you to be prepared for the meetings with your supervisor and choose your dissertation topic wisely.

“Take full advantage of your meetings with your supervisor. Well-prepared meetings lead to better opportunities for your dissertation.”

Also, never miss a chance to meet with your supervisor. Each meeting with the supervisor opens new ways for students to research and explore. So never skip the meetings. Ensure that you attend all the meetings with your supervisor, fully equipped with different questions related to your dissertation and some source to record the supervisor’s response.

Characteristics Of A Good Dissertation Planner

A good dissertation planner justifies that his research contains new contributions and motivates the importance of his research. Some of the characteristics of a good dissertation planner are

Staying Original & Relevant In Statistics

Staying original means that your topic must lead to original research in statistics. Also, you must focus on presenting material or data that no one else has ever seen before. Doing research or a survey that has never taken place or modifying i.e bringing some new changes in the already completed research paper.

Staying original is not everything. Your research work should have to be completely relevant with your dissertation topic. Not Just That!

• Your topic should also be relevant research in statistics
• Your topics should be relevant and align with the audience’s interest
• Your research in the response surface methodology should be relevant to industrial statistics
• Your research in sampling should be relevant to the experts who collect and analyze the data through surveys
• Your research in spatial statistics should be relevant to geologists, ecologists, and other environmental scientists.

Proper Management With Respect To The Time Frame

Managing time means that you must be able to create a schedule and work within that time frame to complete your dissertation. There is no denying that this is an obvious thing to do but most students do not focus much on it. A good dissertation planner always keeps pace with the time and has answers to these questions.

• How much time does my supervisor require to review my work? 
• How much time do I need to modify the content?
• After revision will my supervisor review my work again?

The whole purpose of this is to understand the importance of realistic thinking. Procrastinating and thinking that I will complete my work tomorrow will only lead to failure. That is why it is best to route out all the bad habits before you proceed to write your dissertation.

Clarity of The Problem

Understanding your topic is among the most important things. You should have a clear understanding of the problem that you are going to solve in your dissertation. Because if you do not have a clear understanding of the problem how will you be able to provide a solution for it?

A good dissertation planner looks through and clearly understands the problem before proceeding to provide a solution for it. So if you want to write a good dissertation then understand your question topic before you start your research on the answer.

A Good Dissertation Plan Example

Chapter 1 Abstract: Intro of the Dissertation 

Topic Background

Problem statement

Purpose of the study

Necessity of the topic

Research Questions

Objectives & Hypothesis Statements

Terms & Definitions

Chapter 2: Literature Review 

Introduction

Providing a theoretical framework for research purposes

Qualitative Research If Applicable

Summarizing the content

Chapter 3: Dissertation Methodology

Qualitative Research Methodology: Participants; Researcher’s role; Method; Data analysis; Research Design; Data collection;

Quantitative Research Methodology: Samples; Research Designs; Procedures; Analysis

Chapter 4: Analyzing Data & Providing Conclusions 

Finally analyze all the gathered information and provide a concluded answer to your researched work.

Should I Do A Dissertation Or Hire A Professional?

Only a fool can think that a dissertation is an easy task to do. It requires proper time, sheer will, determination, focus, good writing & researching abilities, and dedication to write a good piece of dissertation. If you have all these qualities you can write a dissertation for yourself. But there is an alternative. If you do not have the proper time or if you are busy with your other life stuff and are wondering whether should I do a dissertation or hire a professional. Then we say you must hire a professional that knows exactly what to do and how to provide you with a well-researched and decent dissertation.

Premium Dissertation Help is the right professional that you are looking for. We have tons of experience with innovative minds that bring life to your dissertation topics and make them worthy to be read. Choose our dissertation writing services and feel free of the burden to write your dissertation by yourself.