Once the topic has been selected, an outline or a research proposal is needed that summarizes the main arguments of the dissertation can be drafted as a second step. The outline or a dissertation proposal has information and arguments that will be analyzed in the dissertation. Writing a dissertation often leads to conflicting feelings from excitement to self-doubt and panic to euphoria. Irrespective of such feelings, students will become resilient once they grasp the basics of writing. Additionally, it is important to master skills like planning, time management, problem solving, critical thinking, brainstorming, and others. Students need to know their limits by taking frequent breaks and engaging in basic needs so that they have the energy to complete their work the next day. It is crucial to write in an atmosphere that is free from distractions and multitasking should be avoided since it can lead to waste in time and energy.

Now, the fundamental work is done, and we can proceed to the crux of the paper:

developing the structure of the paper! It is important to note that any dissertation or thesis has multiple sections such as introduction, literature review, research methodology, findings, discussions, recommendations, and conclusion. Writing the sections in a sequential manner is important because students will remain focused!

One of the best strategies in dissertation writing is to complete the introduction, literature review, and methodology which comprise 1st half of the dissertation. All the three sections provide information about the topic, objectives, prior research, research gaps, and research methods. In other words, the three sections must be linked with each other so that the dissertation appears to be meaningful. When students are ready to begin writing, they should aim for a suitable target. For instance, 1000 words can be completed each week. This can be motivating and productive as they can better understand the topic. They should check that they have addressed everything they want to cover once the section is complete. Moreover, the section should have a logical structure that allows the reader to move to the next section. Proofreading should be done for each section.

The research methodology is an important part of the dissertation because it justifies the methodology and data collection methods used for the study. It is the foundation of the dissertation because it will be used for deriving conclusions. Research consists of primary and secondary research with data analyses and calculations. Primary research is first-hand research conducted by the researchers, and it is considered to produce best results as it involves analyzing the data and presenting them in various charts and tables. The benefit of this approach is that first-hand information and insight is obtained while the researcher directly participates in the work. However, it can be a costly and time-consuming process, and you may need help of experts to complete it!

Data collection methods can include surveys, questionnaires, interviews, case studies, and others. Each method is appropriate depending on the research goals and resources. The selection of the data collection method should be done thoroughly. Students must study the pros and cons of each method before selecting the one that is appropriate.

In contrast, secondary research is concerned with using information from other sources for the dissertation. The benefits are that it is inexpensive and allows researchers to access large number of sources on the topic. The disadvantages of secondary research are that the information might be irrelevant or outdated.

Now, we proceed towards the most exciting stage of the dissertation paper! Taking feedback and amending the draft to match supervisor requirements and expectations!

After students have submitted their work for feedback, it is crucial to edit and modify the sections accordingly. A thorough and precise approach to improve each section is needed so that the next phase of writing can be initiated.

This leads us to the last step of the dissertation paper, and arguably the most important one!

The next sections such as results, analyses are drafted at this stage. The results show the data that has been obtained by the research process. The data must be presented and organized in a readable way. Some tables can be added to provide an overview of the work that has been undertaken. The discussion part of the dissertation analyzes and interprets the results. The research gaps and findings from the literature review can be linked with the discussion and analysis. Both sections are important because they showcase the researchers’ skills and findings. These sections also provide information that is related to the research objectives.

The final sections are the conclusion and recommendations that summarizes the main points of the dissertation. It can include recommendations for policy makers. The conclusion discusses the limits of the research and provides direction for future research. And finally, the reference section is formally drafted considering the method one is using, such as Harvard Referring System. Once the sections have been written, it is essential for students to proofread the entire dissertation. Each section must be coherent and logical so that there is a natural flow from one section to the other. Getting feedback from the supervisor is crucial as mistakes can be rectified and new information can be added or old information can be deleted before final submission.