The Dissertation Thread 2017-2018

OP

Original post by JTR__

Hey, good luck to those still rounding off dissertations!

I'm currently deciding whether or not to do one (it's optional for my course, and entirely up to us what we study), and so had a couple of questions:

a) If anyone has been able to choose their own topic, how did you settle on your final idea? I know what area(s) I want to look at, but am struggling to find a study that seems feasible.

Spoiler

b) If I can't decide by the end of July, is it acceptable to pitch to multiple supervisors and decide once term starts? I don't want to waste their time, but at the same time I don't want to feel obliged towards one supervisor if I change my mind.

Hope everyone's enjoying their summer! <3

To answer your first answer, I would choose the one you're most interested in. Then see if there's lots of supporting evidence/material/literature available to you. There's no point doing a topic, having loads of reading material, but you can't access them because either your uni library doesn't have them - likewise with journals and online studies.

I picked my topic and within six weeks of the deadline, I scrapped it and had to write a whole new dissertation because of the lack of resources my topic was associated with.

Pick a topic you're interested and also pick this topic with a certain lecturer in mind. If there's a lecturer in your dept. that specialises in your topic, definitely go speak to them and pick them 'cause that would be your smartest move.

But as I said, pick a topic you're interested in, providing you have all the learning and teaching support available to you.

Reply 302

OP

Original post by The Empire Odyssey

To answer your first answer, I would choose the one you're most interested in. Then see if there's lots of supporting evidence/material/literature available to you. There's no point doing a topic, having loads of reading material, but you can't access them because either your uni library doesn't have them - likewise with journals and online studies.

I picked my topic and submitted it at the end of 2nd year and within six weeks of the deadline, come the following year, I scrapped it and had to write a whole new dissertation because of the lack of resources my topic was associated with. I say this because I got too side-tracked with other modules and it's easy to fall behind on your diss because it's 100% independent. So choose a topic that has lots of material cause once you get to that "stuck phase" you slip into "I'll do it later/after". That never comes round if you don't have any material to come back to in the first place!

Pick a topic you're interested and also pick this topic with a certain lecturer in mind. If there's a lecturer in your dept. that specialises in your topic, definitely go speak to them and pick them 'cause that would be your smartest move.

But as I said, pick a topic you're interested in, providing you have all the learning and teaching support available to you.

PS: Can't answer your 2nd one as that question should be posed to an academic at ur uni.

Reply 303

JTR__

16

Original post by The Empire Odyssey

To answer your first answer, I would choose the one you're most interested in. Then see if there's lots of supporting evidence/material/literature available to you. There's no point doing a topic, having loads of reading material, but you can't access them because either your uni library doesn't have them - likewise with journals and online studies.

I picked my topic and within six weeks of the deadline, I scrapped it and had to write a whole new dissertation because of the lack of resources my topic was associated with.

Pick a topic you're interested and also pick this topic with a certain lecturer in mind. If there's a lecturer in your dept. that specialises in your topic, definitely go speak to them and pick them 'cause that would be your smartest move.

But as I said, pick a topic you're interested in, providing you have all the learning and teaching support available to you.

Thanks for (both of) your answers! For each topic I’m thinking if I’m pretty set on a supervisor, so I’ll try and talk to them before I leave town and hopefully that helps 😊

Reply 304

Professor Jay

10

.

Original post by JTR__

Hey, good luck to those still rounding off dissertations!

I'm currently deciding whether or not to do one (it's optional for my course, and entirely up to us what we study), and so had a couple of questions:

a) If anyone has been able to choose their own topic, how did you settle on your final idea? I know what area(s) I want to look at, but am struggling to find a study that seems feasible.

Spoiler

b) If I can't decide by the end of July, is it acceptable to pitch to multiple supervisors and decide once term starts? I don't want to waste their time, but at the same time I don't want to feel obliged towards one supervisor if I change my mind.

Hope everyone's enjoying their summer! <3

Original post by JTR__

Hey, good luck to those still rounding off dissertations!

I'm currently deciding whether or not to do one (it's optional for my course, and entirely up to us what we study), and so had a couple of questions:

a) If anyone has been able to choose their own topic, how did you settle on your final idea? I know what area(s) I want to look at, but am struggling to find a study that seems feasible.

Spoiler

b) If I can't decide by the end of July, is it acceptable to pitch to multiple supervisors and decide once term starts? I don't want to waste their time, but at the same time I don't want to feel obliged towards one supervisor if I change my mind.

Hope everyone's enjoying their summer! <3

Settling on a topic is determined by the amount of literature you have collected. I would advise you find enough literature at least from 12 to 15 sources then you will be good to go

Reply 305

I've just hit 70,000 words so I think I'll knock it on the head for a few hours now.

Reply 306

2000 words to go in addition to a tonne of editing...get me back to being in a lab :redface:

Reply 307

OP

Original post by gjd800

I've just hit 70,000 words so I think I'll knock it on the head for a few hours now.

Original post by lilGem

2000 words to go in addition to a tonne of editing...get me back to being in a lab :redface:

C'mon you two! No slacking in this thread! Ya'll got this!!

Reply 308

Original post by The Empire Odyssey

C'mon you two! No slacking in this thread! Ya'll got this!!

Back to it later. I can almost taste the first pint of my celebratory 4-day bender when this is done. :laugh:

Reply 309

Original post by The Empire Odyssey

C'mon you two! No slacking in this thread! Ya'll got this!!

80 pages later and my first complete draft (lit review+ diss+ references+ abstract+ supplementary) is done. Time to have a much deserved cider before I face the horror of editing :redface:

Reply 310

Angela.Grace

3

Hi Everyone,

I am third year adult nursing and desperately need some dissertation inspiration. I am thinking of doing something along the lines of 'how does student nurse's mental health and stress levels affect their ability to empathise with patients in ward environments' but not really sure how to phrase it! Really struggling to get a format going....any help greatly appreciated! Many Thanks!

Reply 311

78,500 words (after deleting about 8,000 over the past 3 days) and SO CLOSE to being finished. I have a section to tidy up, and one to finish off. Then it's just the intro and conclusion.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 312

thenextchemist

Need some help please :colondollar:

I'm choosing my dissertation title this summer and I'm torn between writing about the history of science or pedagogy in chemistry.
History of science titles include: The practice of THz spectroscopy to physical sciences, medicinal chemistry, etc.
Pedagogy would be talking about the use of tech in chemistry education or how much do chemistry students remember what they were taught in a-level, etc.
My degree is chemistry so talking about history of science would definitely be more easier for me

Reply 313

Finished the main body of my PhD thesis in the early hours of Weds morning. Just an introduction to write, currently clocking in at the hefty weight of 87,000 words.

Reply 314

Just final proofing then it'll be off to the printers and for binding tomorrow :h:

Reply 315

Pro Crastination

19

Writing a dissertation was an absolute nightmare and took up a disproportionate amount of my time as a student during my final year. But, hey, I got a first in it! Happy days.

Reply 316

OP

Hi everyone.

There's been a request to sticky the new dissertation threat 2018-2019.

So if you're completing or have just completed your dissertation, then well done - you made it!

But if you're starting your dissertation, due next year, please post in the new dissertation thread.

Thanks for everyone who has contributed to this thread (my first sticky thread). It was a success!

Reply 317

Dissertation is being bound ready for collection on Tuesday, handing in on wednesday (deadline is thursday) :h:

Reply 318

username2858058

17

Original post by faith 101

I will be doing one too

This will probably the longest piece of work i will ever produce in my life

I hope they dont bother to read all of my dissertation and just say what the hell, we'll give him 75%

:smile:

Screw that 75% I wanted

i got 92% instead

i do feel like such a grade is far too generous. But im not complaining. Theres a reason why so many people graduate with 2:1s and above. Perhaps the marking is too generous, perhaps courses are easier. Who knows.

no lie though. It was hard work. But did i deserve 92%. I really dont think so.

Reply 319

OP