A dissertation seems so far off when you enrol in the university. However, the period flies by in the blink of an eye. Then approaches the time when you have to start writing your dissertation.
Breathtaking moment! Yeah, we understand how scary the thought of writing a long piece can be. No wonder some students even prefer taking online dissertation help to complete this academic requirement. However, although there is nothing wrong with it, many students may not opt for online services due to different reasons.
The process of writing a dissertation is time-consuming and complex. Certainly, it has several components and easier to make mistakes that may cause irreversible damage to your academic progress.
Dissertation Mistakes to Avoid
The good news is it’s relatively easy to avoid the worst dissertation mistakes. You must recognise the most common errors and avoid them. Therefore, we’ve discussed eight common mistakes you must avoid in this article while writing a dissertation.
1. Too Narrow or Broad Topic
Picking a topic that is too broad is one of the easiest mistakes to make in the initial stages of your dissertation. A dissertation should be specific to allow you to conduct in-depth research on the topic. When you choose broad titles, you will not be able to delve into them deeply enough to satisfy your supervisor.
Similarly, selecting a narrow topic is not recommended either. For example, there might be only a few pre-published research papers to support your study. Thus you will be unable to develop an extensive enough literature review. Therefore, always choose a topic that is not too broad or narrow, and it must interest you.
2. Unbalanced Chapter Size
Balance in the chapters is sometimes a little more difficult to find. But, generally, the initial five chapters of a typical dissertation should be roughly the same size, give or take. So, if you find one chapter is much longer or shorter than the others, it is a good idea to rectify it.
3. Excess Use of Jargon
During university life, you learn to write an eloquent and sophisticated report filled with technical words. Your skill gets perfected by the time you come to the final year.
However, the dissertation is a basic form of writing, which must not involve any jargon and should be easy to understand. Anyone not too familiar with your topic should also understand what’s written in your dissertation. If not, you need to tone down the technical jargon.
4. Do not Research Before Writing
Usually, what students research on their dissertation while writing it may not be effective. This way, they try to stay ahead of the game. However, they end up wasting their significant time and effort. So, it is a good idea to read and research enough before writing your dissertation.
It is essential to read on the particular subject or area of interest, make mind maps, take notes, watch videos to learn. This way, you can write well-researched content on your dissertation.
5. Copy from Other Resources
A dissertation writer’s biggest and most crucial mistake is plagiarising material. It is inappropriate to use someone else’s work as your own. By the time you get to the dissertation stage, you’ve probably been exposed to plagiarism warnings numerous times, but it’s crucial to let the lesson sink in.
Plagiarism should be avoided at all costs. When in doubt, provide a source. Many Masters or PhD degrees have been rescinded due to plagiarism, and you don’t want yours to be one of them. So, always try not to take copy stuff from other resources.
6. Flawed Format
Your university will probably provide you with format information. The instructions cover how to outline your dissertation exactly and how your dissertation should appear, from the title web page to the number of spaces between sentences. Use these directions to structure your dissertation, and don’t deviate from it unless you have permission.
7. Unrelated or Incoherent Arguments
Once your dissertation proposal has been approved, ensure you don’t wander too far off from your main topic. Although your research has revealed a new angle to your discussion, and this new direction has been approved by your supervisor, deviating from your initial proposal can lead you down a long and winding path riddled with pitfalls.
8. Proofreading Hurdles
Your dissertation should put your best foot forward, which means demonstrating that you are a crucial and reliable scholar to your readers.
Good grammar, punctuation, and spelling demonstrate you value the reader’s time. Proofread thoroughly! You can also use Grammarly for punctuation and grammar check, as it’s an incredible tool for students.
What Else to Know?
Even though dissertations can be intimidating, always work hard, and put in the time and effort. Avoid these mistakes mentioned above. Simply do your best and complete your dissertation timely. Most importantly, make time for yourself to switch off and loosen up, and don’t hesitate to consider law dissertation help whenever you feel like it’s the time!
