When you write a dissertation, it is an academic challenge for you because dissertation writing requires meticulous planning, deep research, and adroitness in writing. It is considered the last hurdle for students; it is basically a collection of years of study for students. This process of dissertation writing is very tiring, and many students make some common mistakes that water down the quality of their writing. The final product of dissertation writing, which is the dissertation itself can be impactful, logical, and refined if these common mistakes are identified early and fixed.
10 common mistakes and their ways to avoid
In this article, some common mistakes that students make while writing a dissertation are discussed, and here you have been provided with strategies on how to overcome these mistakes.
1. The thesis statement and research question are not clear enough
Mistake :The first and most common mistake that students make while writing a dissertation is using vague and weak language when forming a thesis statement or research question. If a dissertation does not have a purpose that is clearly defined, it can lack direction and logic. If the central argument is not strong, it can never fulfil its aim and expectations of the readers.
The way to fix this mistake: A strong, concise thesis statement or research question should start a dissertation. The scope of your research and the outline of the problem you are intending to explore sould be clearly defined by it. Keep visiting your research question or thesis statement until your complete writing your dissertation so that your work is focused and logical.
2. The structure is weak and not completely focused
Mistake: It happens sometimes with a number of students that they dive so much into research that they forget to make a good structure and this single research makes their intricate research dissertation a farrago. A poorly structured dissertation can muffle the readers and make the argument difficult to follow.
The way to fix this mistake: Your dissertation should be structured clearly by following a standard format that typically includes some chapters, and these chapters are: introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Plan each section before writing it, and ensure that each section is linked with the previous one. You must make an outline to keep track of key points and how they are related to the entire argument. Keep into account that you make use of transitional sentences and paragraphs so that a reader can easily float his/her understanding.
3. The use of convoluted language with recondite and jargon terms.
Mistake: This is a myth in the mind of a range of students that academic writing should be written in convoluted language and jargon terms to demonstrate academic knowledge and brilliance. To make themselves seem intelligent and knowledgeable, students end up using recondite language, complicated structures of sentences, and convoluted jargon instead of clearly mentioning what they want to say.
The way to fix this mistake: Your goal of academic writing language should be clarity, not complexity. Your aim in the use of language should be to express your idea clearly and simply. You should avoid sentences that are long and hard to comprehend and unnecessary technical terms unless the situation isn’t that you will have to use them anyway. The success of a dissertation is that it should be accessible and comprehensible to a broad academic audience. If you have to use effective terminology, be sure that you define it clearly for your readers.
4. Unsuccessful to be engaged with the pertinent literature critically
Mistake: One of the most common pitfalls is to just summarise the existing literature without critically analysing it. This mistake impacts your literature review and makes it look superficial and disengaged from your research question.
The way to fix this mistake: Do not just summarise what some scholars have already stated; instead, engage with the literature critically. Explain in what ways previous studies relate to your research, identify if there are any gaps in the existing knowledge, as well as demonstrate how your dissertation is going to contribute to the field. Indicate the strengths and weaknesses of other studies while analysing the methodology. The literature review section of your dissertation should illustrate how your work is relevant to the broader academic conversation.
5. The poor management of time and procrastination
Mistake: Dissertation writing is a rigmarole that haunts students and they keep procrastinating to do it. This also is a common problem. Sometimes it happens that students cannot accomplish to manage their time in an effective manner. As a result of this, they left important sections of their dissertation for the last minute and then got panicky at the time of submission.
The way to fix it: You can avoid procrastination if you create a realistic timetable and break your tasks into small and manageable tasks. Each task of writing should be followed by a strict time limit and completed according to it from the phase of research to writing the introduction and conducting the analysis of data. You make time for some bread during writing to avoid burnout and be focused on the long-term goal. Of completing the dissertation. If your time management strategy is strong, then you can maintain steady progress and mullify your stress.
6. Citation errors and inconsistent referencing
Mistake: Improper referencing can lead to serious academic integrity issues. The credibility of your dissertation can be damaged by mistakes in referencing, missing citations, or incorrect formatting.
The way to fix it: First of all, select a referencing style that you are going to employ in your dissertation throughout (APA, MLA, Chicago). Follow the guidelines carefully when citing various kinds of sources, including books, journal articles, websites, and interviews. You can avoid referencing management software to avoid any errors; it can help you organise your citations and format them correctly. To ensure that citation and referencing are accurate and consistent, you must double-check in-text citations and the bibliography.
7. Insufficient data analysis
Mistake: The reason for originating an invalid or unsubstantiated conclusion is the presentation of data without thorough and thoughtful analysis risks. It happens sometimes that students are not able to analyse the data in-depth and choose inappropriate analytical methods.
The way to fix it: The data analysis method that you choose should be appropriate according to your research question and data type. Justify the choice you made to analyse the techniques and explain as well why they are suitable for your study. When you are analysing your data, you should also look for patterns, correlations, and trends as well. You should always be transparent about any limitations or uncertainties found in your findings. Just presenting your data is not enough; you should interpret it and connect it to the research question you have framed for your dissertation.
8. Pretermitting editing and proofreading
Mistake: A number of students, due to scarcity of time, have to cave in their dissertation without editing and proofreading. These mistakes are many, but highly impactful, errors of grammar, spelling, and formatting.
The way to fix it: Save already some time for proofreading and editing. Once you have completed the task, put it aside and later review it with a fresh mind. When you proofread a dissertation pay attention to the grammar part, as well as punctuation and consistency. For this, you can make use of software like Grammarly, QuillBot, etc., but do not rely on them completely. You can ask your peer, mentor, or professional editor to review. Additionally, consider asking a peer, mentor, or professional editor to review your dissertation for feedback and catch errors you might have missed.
9. Not to take Feedback seriously
Mistake: Many students are so obsessed or confident about their writing that they take feedback from others subserviently. It can severely affect the quality of the dissertation.
The way to fix it: Always be open to the feedback you get, whether it is critical or supportive. The comments and suggestions that you get from your supervisor or colleague always accept them and try to use them to clarify your points, refine your argument, and improve the argument you have presented in your dissertation. If there is any feedback that you do not understand, you can discuss it with the respective person, and if you think this is not written tell them politely. It improves your dissertation by demonstrating that it can accept and incorporate constructive criticism.
10. Ignoring to follow the guidelines of the university in a proper manner.
Mistake: If you make the mistake of not considering and following the guidelines of the university, it can cause formatting errors, submission delays, or it can be worse, like rejection.
The way to fix it: Before starting to write the dissertation and even before selecting the topic, you should read the guidelines provided by the university you are studying at. It can save you from making a lot of mistakes and circumscribe your effort because you will be already aware of the submission procedure, formatting and referencing style, word count, etc. If after reading the guidelines you have any doubts or if you find something that is not easy to understand, you can easily reach out to your professors or mentors. Because while writing an academic dissertation, you are subjugated to the respective institute. If you have any doubts or questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your supervisor or department for clarification. To meet the institutional requirements and avoid unnecessary complications, you should adhere to the guidelines of the institution.
Conclusion
It is an academic challenge to write a dissertation but is well-rewarding. You should be mindful while writing a dissertation and avoid common mistakes like failure to engage with the literature, poor structure, and weak thesis. These common pitfalls can be avoided and can produce a dissertation of high quality. These common mistakes are discerned in a dissertation, but they can be avoided if you manage your time effectively, plan ahead of writing, and take feedback and add it to your dissertation. You must be meticulously careful, and then you can iron out all your dissertation problems and you can bring to the table your refined, polished academic product.
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