Things You Must NOT do When Writing Your Dissertation

One of the most daunting yet rich experiences of my life was the preparation and submission of my dissertation during my Master’s course. I remember the sheer volume of research that was involved and the surprising number of man-hours dedicated to compiling, analyzing and drafting information into a presentable compendium of research. The magnitude of the work involved will only augment once you are involved in doctoral studies where dissertation or thesis, whatever you prefer to call it, becomes a task that might end up testing you completely.

However, the dissertation was also a process I enjoyed doing the most. It offers you an opportunity to explore areas of study and provide your inputs in a detailed manner. Mind you, you can only enjoy this process when you take all the necessary considerations. There are things which many researchers end up doing and which significantly damage the quality of research conducted. If you are going to make a dissertation or are already doing it, you must keep a watch on “don’t’s”. You can get some leads about them here, as I have already enumerated about 6 things you MUST NOT do while doing a dissertation.

1. Restraining Yourself
   A dissertation means that you have to write quite a number of words in your research, While it is advised to cover a specific topic, it is also suggested that you wholeheartedly and unconditionally explore that topic. If you restrain yourself just because you have to touch the minimum word requirement in the research, then your research isn’t really doing well. Of course, you can prepare a succinct research work but that does not come easy. Anyone wanting to produce a qualitative work must be willing to test new waters so that more depth could be added to their research.
2. Not Investing Time in Data Management
   Ask anyone who has written a dissertation and there is a high chance that they’d insist on data management and organization. Without this skill, your research will lack the consistency and uniformity which it should have.
   The volume of research you will be conducting requires the storage of a large number of files in your system in addition to physical copies of references. You can be like, “Oh! I will save them in one folder!” but let me tell you from experience, you will eventually get confused by the incredible number of files you have. Therefore, invest your time into good software that do these things. Zotero is my all-time favorite and is an excellent companion to researchers who are looking for superb data management and storage software.
3. Not be in regular touch with the supervisor
   It is great news that your synopsis has been approved and you can go ahead with the research. This does not mean that you will stop meeting your supervisor and offering him updates about your research. This is highly unprofessional. Moreover, you are under a supervisor because she will assist in directing your research where it should go.
   Make weekly visits to your supervisor’s office to clear doubts, discuss topics, and provide details about your research. She might have something better to suggest which can enhance your research. If you are not okay with any suggestion, communicate the same, and discuss it with her. Don’t behave like a know-it-all because it will cost you a lot.
4. Taking Review of Drafts Lightly
   Throughout dissertation-making, you will be writing many drafts. Getting a draft of the dissertation reviewed could become a really tedious job for you and your supervisor so you should do it chapter-wise. Make drafts of chapters and get them reviewed. A Chapter-wise review is easier and more analytical because more time can be given to it. Dumping all the drafts at once will do no good to you and will only show irresponsible you are about your coursework. Check for everything: from minute grammatical errors to the quality of references mentioned. Everything you write and how you write matters.
5. Using Words You Are Not Sure of
   It is a common misconception that grandiloquent vocabulary always helps in scoring extra marks. No! When it comes to the dissertation, it is highly advised to refrain from using words that are too fancy and not properly understood. At the time of presentation, the panelists go through every minute detail of your dissertation; they can pin-point a word you have used and ask you to explain why you used it there. Avoid the temptation of embellishing your dissertation with decorative words when you do not understand them completely.
6. Not Taking Citations Seriously
   You have so much to write and must ensure that your writing is plagiarism-free. This takes patience and time, which you will have to inevitably give in case you are serious about the task. For every data you use from a source, make sure you have provided adequate references. A poor plagiarism report can have a long-lasting impact on your academic credentials. The task of bibliography-making is tedious—I know that very well—but that is where you must absolutely not mess up.

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