How to Write a Dissertation Report

Student gathering research for dissertation report

A dissertation report is a short proposal for a dissertation that is submitted for approval prior to writing the thesis. It introduces the dissertation topic and summarizes the main points of the research project.

Things You'll Need

• Dissertation Brief
• Dissertation Guidelines
• A4 Copier Paper
• Computer
• Source materials
• Notepad
• Pen
• Pencil
• Highlighter pen
• Folder

Instructions

1. Read the project brief and guidelines issued by the university to check important details on the deadline for the proposal, word count, format presentation, content, and referencing formats, as lack of preparation induces mistakes, which may result in your proposal being rejected.

2. Plan ahead to avoid panic and rushed deadlines by organizing a schedule to carry out research and sufficient time to write the proposal and undertake rewrites to improve the quality and presentation of the dissertation report. Work in a quiet place conducive to study such as a university library or a quiet room. Write up a section at a time to maintain focus and interest. Make notes, read, or brainstorm when suffering writer's block or take a break in order to be able to return to the writing afresh. Try not to stress, as this will hinder progress; and if progress is not being made, leave it and return to it another day.

3. Choose a topic of interest that has a unique angle and sufficient scope to research but a subject that is not too wide to cover. Find ideas for the topic via newspapers, magazines, journals, books, or the Internet, among other places. Write a title that is focused, unambiguous, and specifically defines the topic in a sentence.

4. Carry out sufficient preliminary research to be able to discuss what the main points of the dissertation are going to be, using various sources such as books, newspapers, academic journals, or Internet journal databases.

5. Type a title page. Then write a brief summary or abstract section that introduces the topic of the dissertation and discusses the perspective to be taken throughout the research project. Write a table of contents. Write an introduction, which includes brief background information that serves to justify the argument. Write a thesis statement, which states the main points of what the dissertation is going to be about. Write a method or approach section, which introduces what research methods are going to be used to complete the thesis. Present preliminary research findings, briefly discussing the implications of the research found and providing evidence of new information and its importance. Finally, include a list of references you plan to use to complete the actual dissertation.

6. Proofread the dissertation report for content, grammatical, punctuation, and typing errors before submitting it for approval.

Tips & Warnings

• Write only main points--this is only a summary, so keep each section brief and concise. Type the dissertation report, as handwritten copies will not be accepted. Do not use comic fonts, but rather the font and pitch according to dissertation report guidelines.

• Plagiarism is not permitted and may result in failure. All quotations must be referenced and source materials listed--even in the proposal.

References

• HowtoWriteaDissertation.co.uk: Welcome to "How To Write A Dissertation"
• Wise Geek: What is a Thesis Proposal?
• Your Dissertation.com: Dissertation Reports

Resources

• Lancaster University Management School: How To Write A Dissertation
• "Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day"; Joan Bolker; 1998