How to write dissertations: a guide for those who stuck

You may have a basic idea on how to write a dissertation, but there are times certain elements can cause confusion and frustration. You may have gotten to a point in the writing process you feel stuck. You may not know what to do or how to complete your dissertation to the best of your ability. You can assess the situation and keep a few things in mind to help you make your next move. The following points can help you think about other actions to consider for your project.

• Pay close attention to specifications listed in guidelines. Sometimes you can go back over guidelines and find out what you are doing wrong. You may learn you are focusing on something you should not or you need to elaborate more on another section. In many cases it is a matter of misreading something or getting simple clarification on a direction.


• Break up your work and consider working on a page or section daily. To help reduce stress and frustration you can work on your paper in parts or sections. When you find yourself frustrated or tired you may need to step away from the content and try again the next day.


• An outline can help you sort and organize discussion points. Consider a template. If you are not sure how to create an outline for your dissertation there are dissertation templates you can use. Your instructor may give you tips on how to find an appropriate option.


• Take time to write rough drafts. For sections you work on you need to make your content solid. This means rewriting content over again a couple times to make it cohesive. You gain better insight on how your data is working for your and your subject matter.


• Plan your time for effective results. Have goals for when you want to have certain sections completed.


• Know essential components of a good dissertation. Your dissertation is made up of multiple sections. You do not have to work on it in order of appearance and you can come back to sections that are giving you trouble later.


• Know proper terms and definitions of words used related to the subject matter. Keep this in mind for your reading audience. There may be certain terms to reduce confusion and complexity of subject content.


• Manage your topic and keep your dissertation committee in mind. Think about details your project will need to provide clarity behind the main idea and what is acceptable to the committee.