Write Dissertation Chapters and Score Brownie Points

By: Henrique Bertulino

12 min

0

10.04.2022

Write Dissertation Chapters and Score Brownie Points

Pursuing a degree, you have to overcome some critical challenges to gain important knowledge and skills. During your studies, you deal with various assignments, such as essays, to show that you understand and apply the theoretical information. However, when you are about to finish your education, things become harder.

Your last or one of the last assignments at the university is to write a dissertation or thesis. It is more than just a couple of pages with your thoughts on some topic, it is a research project. Speaking shortly, you need to develop the research issue, conduct thorough research to find answers, and describe them in your paper. It is your last chance to show that you can gather information, process, analyze, and compile it in a well-structured and, of course, academically rigorous manner.

Therefore, even if you receive good grades and have solid knowledge in your field, writing a dissertation is something where you can stumble.

What Are the Sections Of a Dissertation?

When you receive an assignment from your professor, you should start with the basics: what dissertation is? Yes, there is a universal definition where you can find out that it is a voluminous research project, but it is important to understand that each educational institution has its requirements.

This applies to both huge parts of the writing process: the paper’s content and form, i.e., the structure and format. So, one of the first questions you should ask yourself is about sections of the paper.

We are going to provide you with the classic dissertation methodology structure accepted in the USA. Use it for your inspiration, and follow tips from our professional writers. And if you understand that this information is not enough or lack time to come up with a decent result, you can always contact us and ask for expert assistance. Our authors have a solid background in dissertation writing, so they know what result you need.

Classic Dissertation Chapters Structure

If you look at some successful dissertation examples on psychology, or the other discipline you study, you’ll mention that they have something in common. It is because when students and scientists publish their works, they need to have a unified structure. Just imagine the chaos that can arise if all people only begin to experiment with their academic and science papers.

That’s why we want to provide you with the necessary information on the standard dissertation chapters. Below you’ll find some tips from our writers you can use to pass this path with flying colors.

Introduction

It is impossible to imagine an academic paper without the introduction. It is a chapter where you need to introduce your topic and explain to your readers what you will write about. It is necessary to warm-up the audience and prepares it for your content. You can also add some bells and whistles to intrigue the readers and to keep their attention.

So, writing this section, you’re required to answer the following questions:

  • What are you going to research?
  • Why is this topic worth researching? How is it important to the academic community?
  • What are the main issues of your research?
  • What goals are you pursuing?
  • What if your topic you will cover, and what will you avoid?
  • What methodology will you adopt?
  • What are your paper's core sections, and what information will you reveal in each of them?

If you approach the introduction well, this chapter will provide you and your readers with a clear direction for the rest of your paper.

Literature Review

Now, when you have introduced your topic, the next chapter is the literature review. Until you’re going to write about something unique that was never researched before, it is necessary to analyze the topic's existing information. You can use some journal articles, industry publications, dissertations, etc.

Reading various sources, you need not just to gather the information and describe it in your chapter. You need to provide a review. So, try to answer the following questions, and you’ll come up with some insights:

  • What do different authors say about the topic of your research?
  • Are these materials well established or rather lacking?
  • Can you say that your research fits well into the bigger scientific picture?
  • Can you contribute something original to your research?
  • How does the information from previous research help you conduct your own?

Depending on your discipline, and the nature of your study, you can also tell your readers about the theoretical or conceptual framework, which you will try.

Methods And Materials

Now that you’ve received a complete understanding of the current state of knowledge in your scientific fields and your readers have information about the theories, concepts, and frameworks you will use, it is time to present your dissertation.

The Methods and Materials or the Methodology section can be called the most “science-ey” of the whole paper.

In this chapter, you’ll work with 2 primary questions:

  • What is your intended dissertation design: how will you carry out the research?
  • How do you explain this design, i.e., why have you chosen to continue this way?

Imagine that you’re reading a paper for people who will repeat your experience and conduct the same research. Therefore your task is to provide them with all methods and materials you’ve used to achieve the particular results. If you think that there is a concrete scientific framework that affects your work process, you should write about it. Compile the list of all necessary materials as well.

Results

You’ve now gathered the information and analyzed it using various methods: qualitative, quantitative, or mixed. In the Results section, you need to introduce the raw results of your research. For example, if it goes about the quantitative study, you can include:

  • the demographic data;
  • descriptive statistics;
  • inferential statistics, etc.

Typically, in this section of the dissertation, you need to introduce and briefly describe the data. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss its meaning later. Shortly, this chapter is not analytical, it is rather descriptive.

However, you need to focus on your university’s requirements since some professors may ask you to combine these two chapters: to present the results and to explain them in the same section.

Discussions

Finally, it is time to interpret the research results and analyze them. You should provide your audience with an explanation of what the data you’ve received means, especially in the context of the research issues you’ve provided in the first sections.

What information you highlight here depends largely on the methodology you follow. Going the quantitative route, you will discuss the variables and relationships between them. You might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof if you’ve chosen the qualitative way.

That’s why the dissertation is one of the most complicated student assignments: you can’t just take the template and follow it. It is necessary to demonstrate your research, analytical, critical thinking skills all the time.

So, write about your results, explaining what they tell you about the initial questions. Dig deep, and make sure you’re using plain English.

Conclusion

Oh, it is the final chapter of your dissertation you’ve made it! Now that you’ve provided your audience with all information on your research, you can get back to the early beginning. It is time to remember your original research issues and answer them. Many students don’t know how to write a conclusion because one shouldn’t include any new information.

Don’t be afraid; analyze the previous sections, and come up with conclusions regarding the research. Yes, you may repeat some information, but it is essential to bring the full paper circle and ensure that your readers don’t have additional questions on your research's purpose, content, and final results.

Writing the conclusion, don’t forget to mention the limitations of your research to explain why some results are impossible to achieve. The limited methodology, the small sample size, the not representative sample size these factors are important to consider. And if you find your research especially good or have some critique, don’t be too shy and write about it.

What Are Other Dissertation Chapters?

We have provided you with information about the main dissertation chapters that require thorough work, a lot of your time and efforts. Working on these sections, you need to demonstrate not your knowledge and research skills only, but your writing skills. It is very important to explain difficult concepts in simple words so that other people can easily understand you. Simultaneously, you should be professional enough, implement your specific jargon, some terms, etc.

Several dissertation sections are not so voluminous, but they include important data to understand your research purposes and achievements.

Title Page

It is the very first page of your document that helps the readers to make the first impression. It should be concise, specific, and representative. You need to provide your topic, mention your research's specific focus, your and your professor’s contact data.

The concrete format of the title page depends on the style you use. APA, MLA, Chicago, and other styles have different requirements, so that you should follow them without any excuses. Check the latest official guide with up-to-date information. If you miss some details, it can be crucial for your paper.

Abstract

The abstract is an executive summary that provides your readers with the basic information about your dissertation. It is like the mix of the introduction and conclusion, where you include the key insights and findings from the paper.

It would be a good idea to write this section up last, once your dissertation is completed. Otherwise, you’ll return to this page many times, editing and rewriting it according to some paper changes.

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgment is a page where you can say thank you to people who helped you along this journey. Generally, it is not the obligatory section, and it won’t affect your grades, but if you’re going to publish the dissertation, don’t miss the opportunity to include your gratitudes.

You can include your professor or mentor, any advisors, and tutors. Don’t forget about your family, who has supported you, friends, fellow students. Show that you appreciate their contribution.

List of Figures And Tables

Any time you use any calculations in the paper, you should ensure you’ve included them in a separate section. It is necessary to provide the readers with the opportunity to find all the important visuals in one place. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much time since you can use standard Microsoft Word’s opportunities to generate this list. Ensure that you’ve formatted it correctly.

Bibliography

It is impossible to write a good dissertation without using information from various sources. Pay attention to the fact that you do not need to cite some quotes, even if you mention the particular research. You have developed some ideas because of the book you read. You should include these mediums in your bibliography section. It is also necessary to format it according to the style you use since all dissertation sections should be standardized.

Appendices

Finally, it is the very last piece of your dissertation. It is a page where you need to include any evidence and supporting data. Focus on the word “supporting”. This chapter should provide readers with additional information. It shouldn’t be critical to the core research. Most likely, this page won’t affect your grade so perceive it as an opportunity to share something you find “nice to know”, something inspirational.

How Many Pages Is a Dissertation?

When you receive the assignment from your professor, don’t wait until the deadline. At least, you need to be well aware of all requirements and know the work's scope. It will help you plan your time since there is a big difference between essays that take about 2-3 pages and dissertation topics in sociology and other disciplines that you can’t develop shortly.

Most often the Master’s dissertation should contain about 15-20 thousand words. It is around 30-40 pages. If you’re pursuing a doctoral degree, you should be ready to come up with 50 thousand words, which means 100 pages, or even more. This amount shouldn’t be a surprise for you when you open instructions a week before the deadline.

Besides, the number of pages is important when you’re going to benefit from professional writing help. Ordering a paper, you provide the company with such details as the academic level, the discipline, the topic, and the paper’s volume.

Differences Between a Thesis and a Dissertation

Now, when you know everything or almost everything about the dissertation, you may ask yourself: what is a thesis? This word is often used in the same context, so you may feel confused: what is the difference?

Usually, the word “dissertation” is used when it goes about the doctoral study, and the “thesis” is a project that you write to finish the master’s program. However, many universities use both words to describe the last and the most voluminous paper that includes all the knowledge and skills you’ve gained throughout the graduate program. There may also be differences in various countries, so if you’re unsure what you need to provide, ask your professor.

Don’t Hesitate to Use Professional Writing Assistance

We have already mentioned that you have the opportunity to order a dissertation online, and it is a real chance to save your time and efforts. Many Master’s and Ph.D. students need to work to pay for their studies and support their families.

It means you can afford a month of vacation when you do nothing except writing. You can lose much more money than if you use professional services. Moreover, when you rely on professionals, you receive the perfect result with a guarantee. You shouldn’t worry whether your professor will like this paper or not, whether it contains some mistakes, or explains the complicated scientific concepts in plain language.

Once you have received instructions, think about the main dissertation chapters, and define which ones seem the most complicated to you. It is unnecessary to order all 50-100 pages if you think you can complete some of them on your own.

We are always here to support you along the way! Don’t hesitate to contact our managers whenever you feel you need our assistance.

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Henrique Bertulino

Head of Customer Success

I'm a medical doctor and brand manager. The process of getting into Med school and studying at it made me learn and apply many strategies to keep my productivity high while spending less time and effort. As a working student, I had to figure out how to study smarter, not harder. During this period, my interest in neurology and psychiatry, as well as my aspiration to help others, intensified. At Studybay, I use my knowledge, skills, and experience to develop helpful solutions for students and make their study paths more productive and fun.

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