Writing a dissertation takes a long time, which may lead to numerous mistakes on the way. Mishaps may happen at any dissertation writing stage: from conducting research to citing sources. Whether you only start your dissertation quest or actively write one of the chapters, you can avoid making any of the most common mistakes just by being aware of them. We have gathered five mistakes you need to know before submitting your dissertation and how to avoid those errors.
1. Relying solely on yourself
Dissertation writing is solely your own project you put all your commitment into. But you may get stuck with your current research stage or dissertation chapter. Don’t fall into despair. Use your campus resources, and contact your dissertation advisor or colleagues from your department. Moreover, you may reach students who are at the finish line of their dissertation or have already finished it; frequently, they may be open for advice.
Some students can’t establish good contact with their supervisors for some reason. It may happen to anyone. In such a situation, you can use dissertation writing online services and get qualified assistance with any of your dissertation chapters.
Besides, such concentrated work may badly influence your anxiety levels, relationships, and health. If you feel that you can’t keep a healthy balance between dissertation writing and your personal life, seek help from your family and friends for support and advice.
2. Failing to write a good dissertation abstract
You have conducted significant research and done a lot of work crafting the main dissertation chapters to share your findings with a broad audience. As one of the final stages of writing, you need to write an abstract. Many writers find it challenging to sum up everything they have discovered during their research on two-three pages and frequently don’t pay enough attention to this section.
A dissertation abstract is an essential part of any dissertation. It’s one of the first components the external examiner reads in your work and should create a clear picture of your research and findings for those readers who have no time to read the full text. Also, this part will appear in dissertation databases and help readers have a basic understanding of what your work is about. Take a chance to provide a good first impression and create realistic expectations for the reader.
What to include in the dissertation abstract? Requirements may differ and depend on your educational institution and the type of work you have conducted (master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation). Basically, you will need to sum each dissertation chapter into one to two sentences for each part. Also, the abstract must mirror the research questions at the beginning and reflect the final results at the end. Tell the reader what you have discovered and interpret your results.
3. Neglecting to proofread and revise the text
Suppose you have finished the final draft of all dissertation chapters, including the abstract, cover page, and other required sections. How do you think you will feel? Many students experience total exhaustion, and it may seem that all efforts you have already put into your work are enough. And as a result, they don’t pay enough attention to proofreading and editing the dissertation.
Even professional writers need a second eye for their texts. If you are lucky enough and your university provides online or offline writing centers, use this opportunity. You can request help from expert dissertation writers from those centers and ask them to review your work. Mostly, those experts will fix grammar and spelling mistakes, define unclear paragraph sections, and advise you on text improvements.
4. Violating academic integrity principles and research ethics
Such a situation may happen even if you didn’t intend to violate any rules. Academic misconduct in dissertation writing frequently happens because of the imposter phenomenon and cultural differences in understanding the means of academic integrity. You must know your educational institution’s dissertation guidelines and academic integrity principles.
Unintentional plagiarism is one of the most frequent problems in dissertations. Students must understand that plagiarism is not just an accurate copying of someone else’s words. It also relates to ideas without proper citation. Candidates should be cautious with the appropriate use of information from other sources.
Moreover, avoid any fabrication. Some students fall into this violation by improperly acquiring or analyzing the data, falsifying patients’ records, creating reports, etc. There is no excuse for academic dishonesty, which can seriously affect your academic reputation.
5. Improper formatting.
Every detail of your dissertation should look great. While your text may contain great ideas, perspective results, and profound research, poop paper format mainly ruins the overall impression. Ensure that the page size, margins, font, point size, spacing, and other formatting details correspond to dissertation formatting guidelines for your program.
Also, ensure you have correctly formatted tables, figures, and captions. If you have any questions regarding the format, contact your supervisor. Ask your colleagues or friends to take a look at your text. When formatting a lengthy text, your eyes may blur even an obvious mistake.
Wrapping Up
Making mistakes is human nature, but you can do everything to avoid the most dangerous things that may influence your chances of earning a degree. Knowing the possible traps will help you reduce stress and be more motivated to finish your writing. Don’t become hopeless because you have already made a mistake. You can fix anything before submitting your first draft. Good luck!
