Project or dissertation writing is referred to as the process of planning, researching, and composing a comprehensive written work that is typically required as part of an academic degree program, such as a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree (Biggam, 2018)
Written by Temitipe Adetoro
Stages in Project/Dissertation Writing
The following are the step-by-step stages in dissertation writing.
1. Choosing the topic: The first stage in dissertation writing is choosing a relevant topic that is according to the course and line of interest. It is important to stay focused on what is required and choose a precise topic that leaves no room for vagueness.
2. Planning the Research: The second stage involves carefully planning out the path for researching the paper. A scientific approach should be taken when planning the research to ensure that it is methodic and organized. The student should list the sources they will use, the approaches of the research, and whether the topic will yield enough practical evidence or not.
3. Forming a hypothesis: The third stage involves forming a hypothesis (thesis) that will either have to be proved wrong or right. This requires a great deal of thought and research, and the student should make sure to take the guidance of the instructor and advisor before starting.
4. Collecting data and evidence: The fourth stage involves collecting sufficient data that will efficiently prove the hypothesis formed by the student as true (or in rare cases, false). This work is usually known as ‘fieldwork’ and is the most energy-consuming. The evidence selected can be from any source but should be correct and practically possible. Multiple sources should be used.
5. Analyzing the data: The fifth stage involves analyzing the data collected critically. Different types of analysis come under this heading, like structural analysis (morphological), interpretation, statistical analysis, critical discourse analysis, and comparative analysis.
6. Presenting the Findings: The sixth stage involves explaining the research and drawing conclusions from it. The conclusion should be well supported and go through the entire dissertation again and again to make sure that nothing is incoherent and unclear. Proofreading and correcting grammar and punctuation mistakes is very important in this stage.
7. Revision: The final stage involves revising the dissertation to ensure that it is polished and error-free. To help with the proofreading process, the student should read the dissertation aloud, change their environment to see their work with fresh eyes, and focus on one thing at a time, such as grammar, spelling, or punctuation, to avoid getting overwhelmed.
Reference
Biggam, J., 2018. EBOOK: Succeeding with your Master’s Dissertation: A Step-by-Step Handbook: Step-by-step Handbook. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).