Help: I've found a dissertation that is the same as mine.

i am writing my undergrad dissertation in politics and I have found online a masters dissertation on the same topic (I am looking at an international treaty) and applying the same framework I am using.

For one, I can't really say I am filling a 'gap' in the literature review, when someone has very obviously done this). Also, is this an issue for plagiarism, is similarity to another thesis even a thing that is checked?

Should I bring this up to my supervisor? I obviously don't want to start again because the deadline is in a month, but I am worried this is an issue...

Reply 1

Reality Check

22

Original post by katie735

i am writing my undergrad dissertation in politics and I have found online a masters dissertation on the same topic (I am looking at an international treaty) and applying the same framework I am using.

For one, I can't really say I am filling a 'gap' in the literature review, when someone has very obviously done this). Also, is this an issue for plagiarism, is similarity to another thesis even a thing that is checked?

Should I bring this up to my supervisor? I obviously don't want to start again because the deadline is in a month, but I am worried this is an issue...

An undergrad diss needs to be 'original', but this does not mean it has to be ground-breaking, or add significantly to the corpus of knowledge on your subject. 'Originality' can come in many different ways: by using sources in a novel way to put a different spin on something; by applying a schematic or theoretical model in a novel way to sources/data which it isn't usually applied to, etc etc. The fact that someone else has used the same framework to approach the literature as you are proposing to again isn't fatal - however, you need really to find something 'original' in your approach to it and not end up rehashing the work of this other person, however inadvertently.

As for plagiarism, the same rules apply as normal: if you're using someone else's ideas or thoughts then you need to reference them fully. Remember that similarity≠plagiarism if that similarity is fully referenced.

If you're worried about your approach to this piece of work, then drop your supervisor an email - they won't mind at all. :smile:

Reply 2

Mr Wednesday

19

Original post by katie735

i am writing my undergrad dissertation in politics and I have found online a masters dissertation on the same topic (I am looking at an international treaty) and applying the same framework I am using.

For one, I can't really say I am filling a 'gap' in the literature review, when someone has very obviously done this). Also, is this an issue for plagiarism, is similarity to another thesis even a thing that is checked?

Should I bring this up to my supervisor? I obviously don't want to start again because the deadline is in a month, but I am worried this is an issue...

What makes you think that the student "ahead of you" did everything correctly and had the last and most definitive word to say on the subject :smile:

.

BTW it’s not unusual for very similar desertion projects to be set year after year, so this kind of “collision” is entirely expected, and certainly in STEM get used to do error checking to see if independent teams get the same result as part of a "wider" piece of work.

(edited 2 years ago)

Help: I've found a dissertation that is the same as mine.

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