What Is a Quality Dissertation? How to Structure Your Dissertation?

A dissertation is a long-form academic piece of work you have created based on original research. It’s generally the last component of a Ph.D. program to complete. Your dissertation is most likely the most comprehensive. It needs research, writing, and analysis abilities, and it may be scary to know where to start.

Your department most likely has a dissertation structure guideline. If you’re stumped, talk to your supervisor. But even if those guidelines don’t give you a clear idea about how to write your project, leave a request – write my dissertation for me – on a writing service. You receive professional assistance from a writer who has already defended their dissertation successfully.

This dissertation will help you determine exactly what to include and where to include it while writing dissertation. Before we go into each section, let’s take a quick overview of the elements that are included in the visitation or thesis.

Visitations can take many different forms. You might include different chapters or use different headings depending on the type of research you’re doing. But for empirical research in the sciences or social sciences, this is the most common structure are as below.

Structure of dissertation

• Title page
• Acknowledgments
• Abstract
• Table of contents
• List of figures and tables
• List of abbreviations
• Glossary
• Introduction
• A literature review or theoretical framework.
• Methodology results.
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Reference list

Appendices. How long should each section be? This is a really common question, although it really depends on the type of research you do. Here’s a wealth idea of the proportions. Generally speaking, the literature review and discussion should take up a bigger portion of your dissertation. Whereas the methodology and Conclusion are usually relatively short. If you ever need extra information for a specific section, we have lots of videos on our youtube channel. And in this superb knowledge base link.

Differences between a thesis and a dissertation

The terms “thesis” and “dissertation” are used interchangeably, although their meanings differ by nation.

• In the United States, a dissertation is usually used to describe the body of research you produced in order to receive a Ph.D.
• In other countries, a dissertation is often used to refer to the study you conduct in order to get a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Prospectus process

When you’ve completed your coursework and any other comprehensive examinations or requirements, you move on to “ABD” (All But Dissertation) status. This indicates that you’ve finished everything but your dissertation.

You must write your prospectus before you begin to write. Your advisor and a few other professors are on your committee. They could be from inside your own department or, if your work is more cross-disciplinary, from other departments. The dissertation process will be guided by your committee, which will ultimately determine whether you pass the Ph.D. defense and receive a Ph.D.

The prospectus is a formal document distributed to your committee, generally orally in defense, that describes your research goals and objectives. You’re now ready to begin researching and writing after defending your prospectus.

How to do a dissertation

The structure of your dissertation is determined by several variables, such as your field, topic, and approach. They frequently build dissertations in the humanities like a long essay that develops an argument to support a primary thesis. They organize all chapters around various themes.

However, hard and social science dissertations generally include a review of prior work, a method section, an analysis of your own research, and a presentation of your findings in several parts.

Title page

Your dissertation title, department, degree program, institution, and submission date are on the first page of your paper. 

Acknowledgments 

The acknowledgments section is generally optional and allows you to thank anyone who assisted you in completing your dissertation. Include your supervisors, participants, and friends who were there for you when you needed it most. A preface may contain your acknowledgments.

Abstract

This section is a brief description of the dissertation that may range from 160 to 300 words long. Although this appears to be a very short length, it is one of the essential aspects of your dissertation since it introduces your study to your readers.

Table of contents

It contains all of your chapters and page numbers and aids readers in navigating your work.

List of tables and figures

It’s not necessary, but it’s good to include a list of statistics and tables to assist your reader.

Introduction

This section establishes your dissertation’s topic, aim, and importance. It informs the reader about what to anticipate in the remainder of your dissertation.

Literature review

This section is an important step in any research project. This aids you in gaining a clear understanding of your topic’s work.

Methodology

This chapter describes how you did your research and allows your reader to evaluate its validity.

Results

This section should highlight the findings of your study. This part may be structured around questions, hypotheses, or themes, but the subjective or speculative analysis should not be included.

Discussion

This section explores the significance and consequences of your findings compared to your research question.

Conclusion

The conclusion of your dissertation is a crucial link in the chain that links all of your other sections together. Conclude what your study has added to the field.

Checklist for dissertation writing

1. Pick a topic that you’re passionate about. Your dissertation will be much easier to write if you care about your topic.
2. Do some preliminary research. This will help you narrow your topic and develop a thesis statement.
3. Create an outline for your dissertation. This will help you to organize your thoughts and stay on track while writing.
4. Write the first draft of your dissertation. Don’t worry about making it perfect; just get your ideas on paper.
5. Edit and revise your dissertation. Pay attention to grammar, spelling, and clarity of argument.
6. Get feedback from others. Ask a friend or colleague to read your work and give feedback.
7. Prepare the final version of your dissertation. Please make sure everything is in order before you submit it.

Following this checklist will help you to write a well-organized and successful dissertation. Good luck!