HELP! University dissertation results, I tried but nothing
Hi guys/girls,
I just came on here to speak about a recent experience, and I dont know what to do. So essentially as some of you may be aware in final year you have to do a piece of work known as a dissertation and mine is a Research-based project.
I don't think I knew what I was getting myself into, the idea of working in the lab sounded interesting but throughout my two semesters i repeated experiments and got no results. To top it off I cant exactly say my supervisor is the most helpful.
I am in a position where I was told 'students with no results due to lack of engagement' will find it difficult to get 40% (a pass mark) or above. My situation is similar as you may be able to tell. So that is where my issue lies, i am able to withdraw from the year and retake my final year, but naturally the disadvantages of costs, life setback etc. come into play.
Does anyone have some useful tips for such a situation? Anything constructive feedback would be much appreciated. I really dont know how to proceed.
To note, I have already asked for results but apparently 'it will be like a review' then.
I just came on here to speak about a recent experience, and I dont know what to do. So essentially as some of you may be aware in final year you have to do a piece of work known as a dissertation and mine is a Research-based project.
I don't think I knew what I was getting myself into, the idea of working in the lab sounded interesting but throughout my two semesters i repeated experiments and got no results. To top it off I cant exactly say my supervisor is the most helpful.
I am in a position where I was told 'students with no results due to lack of engagement' will find it difficult to get 40% (a pass mark) or above. My situation is similar as you may be able to tell. So that is where my issue lies, i am able to withdraw from the year and retake my final year, but naturally the disadvantages of costs, life setback etc. come into play.
Does anyone have some useful tips for such a situation? Anything constructive feedback would be much appreciated. I really dont know how to proceed.
To note, I have already asked for results but apparently 'it will be like a review' then.
If you are building on the knowledge of others because a dissertation is about adding new knowledge now either the previous students body of information is floored and they have been fabricated in order to pass or there is something wrong with your methodology and experimental design. In addition if this is a original piece of work the latter mentioned would also apply to this. Having said that not getting a result is a result in itself.
Something new may have been discovered. Common sources of error include instrumental, environmental, procedural, and human. All of these errors can be either random or systematic depending on how they affect the results. Check that the equipment is working, check that the chemicals if being used, if used are what it says it is on the label, check the cultures have not been contaminated.
Is the right substrate, the right catalyst it may have been wrongly labelled, right culture, bacterium etc being used. In addition that you are not being sabotage in some way. If you have to leave your experiment overnight or unattended. I would ask a fellow student to look over my work to check that there was not something wrong with my methodology and experimental design.
Additionally I would defer and try and get in elsewhere to finish even if that was deem not such a prestigious place. I'd aim for 2.1 result but settle for a 2.2 may also consider doing something another higher degree through distance learning because it is cheaper. Alternatively I would see if my prior knowledge and credits could be used toward the online degree.
I hope that everything is above board.
All best...
Something new may have been discovered. Common sources of error include instrumental, environmental, procedural, and human. All of these errors can be either random or systematic depending on how they affect the results. Check that the equipment is working, check that the chemicals if being used, if used are what it says it is on the label, check the cultures have not been contaminated.
Is the right substrate, the right catalyst it may have been wrongly labelled, right culture, bacterium etc being used. In addition that you are not being sabotage in some way. If you have to leave your experiment overnight or unattended. I would ask a fellow student to look over my work to check that there was not something wrong with my methodology and experimental design.
Additionally I would defer and try and get in elsewhere to finish even if that was deem not such a prestigious place. I'd aim for 2.1 result but settle for a 2.2 may also consider doing something another higher degree through distance learning because it is cheaper. Alternatively I would see if my prior knowledge and credits could be used toward the online degree.
I hope that everything is above board.
All best...
Hey,
I'm also doing labs + in final year now.
You don't need to have good results from labs for your dissertation report. Im doing organic/medicinal synthesis, and most reactions dont work! You just have to explain in report why it didnt work, if not what you did/would do differently (i.e. use different method/approach). You still have time, dont give up. I would suggest work on your dissertation entirely over easter! If you can speak with your supervisor and ask to do your dissertation labs over easter, so you can get more Results (for disscussion). Don't give up, (we almost finished).
I'm also doing labs + in final year now.
You don't need to have good results from labs for your dissertation report. Im doing organic/medicinal synthesis, and most reactions dont work! You just have to explain in report why it didnt work, if not what you did/would do differently (i.e. use different method/approach). You still have time, dont give up. I would suggest work on your dissertation entirely over easter! If you can speak with your supervisor and ask to do your dissertation labs over easter, so you can get more Results (for disscussion). Don't give up, (we almost finished).
Adding to what has previously been said...
If you have "repeated experiments (throughout two semesters) and got no results" then you cannot be accused of having no results due to "lack of engagement".
Can you write up your research in such a way to discuss how this might have come about? Perhaps it was due to weaknesses in experimental design, methodology, the nature / validity of the research question.
If you can still present all of the results and conduct a critical analysis of why they turned out the way they did, then you still have a fighting chance of passing the module.
If you have "repeated experiments (throughout two semesters) and got no results" then you cannot be accused of having no results due to "lack of engagement".
Can you write up your research in such a way to discuss how this might have come about? Perhaps it was due to weaknesses in experimental design, methodology, the nature / validity of the research question.
If you can still present all of the results and conduct a critical analysis of why they turned out the way they did, then you still have a fighting chance of passing the module.
(edited 1 year ago)
Hi, sorry to hear you are going through this, if your supervisor is not much help can I suggest you talk to your personal tutor or head of module as they are often very helpful in these situations.
Also I think you should assess if your happy with the directions things are going in because if not you may be happier redoing it next year with more experience under your belt.
I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck.
Joseph - University of Sunderland Student Ambassador
Also I think you should assess if your happy with the directions things are going in because if not you may be happier redoing it next year with more experience under your belt.
I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck.
Joseph - University of Sunderland Student Ambassador
Hi guys,
I appreciate everyones suggestions and the motivation. Sorry, I didn't get back to everyones responses was really busy with University.
I ended up proceeding with the year and the dissertation stuff worked out thankfully. I hope everyone else does just as well!
I appreciate everyones suggestions and the motivation. Sorry, I didn't get back to everyones responses was really busy with University.
I ended up proceeding with the year and the dissertation stuff worked out thankfully. I hope everyone else does just as well!
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- No motivation to do late assignment
- Academic conduct investigation
- University Final Year Worries: Dissertation. Panic? Anxiety? Laziness? Depression
- Final Assignments & Anxiety
- Hills Road Sixth Form - any thoughts or experiences?
- Do Universities keep copies of your dissertation? Specifically Kingston Uni
- Dissertation Structure
- I want to quit uni so badly but I’m in too deep
- Student Finance Overpayment?
- Dissertation issues - consequences of not submitting it?
- How do you get from a 2:2 to a first class degree?
- Dissertation results
- What percentage/ average I need in third year to get a first.
- Can I retake my final year due to crippling mental health?
- 59,75% on my 2nd year of Law, 2:2 or 2:1?
- Dissertation resubmission
- 8000~ word dissertation where word limit is 10000?
- Lecturer Meeting
- Dissertation vs Journal Article, which should I choose?
- Is research for literature review classed as secondary data research?
Latest
Trending
Last reply 3 weeks ago
Got a third in my second year and the highest I’ve achieved in third year was 55%Trending
Last reply 3 weeks ago
Got a third in my second year and the highest I’ve achieved in third year was 55%
