Get ahead and stay ahead with our dissertation support

Whilst March is often characterised by longer days (and occasional sunshine!), it also signifies a time when you may be either rounding up a dissertation/project or embarking on one. As a Library team, we know how stressful this time can be, as you simultaneously juggle other deadlines and undertake this significant piece of work. Whatever level of study you’re at, it can seem like a massive step up from your previous work which can feel overwhelming.

So how can you get ahead and stay ahead with your dissertation or project in the coming weeks and months? Here are some of our top tips for keeping you focused and making the most of this opportunity to dig deeper into a topic you love. 

Plan, plan and plan again 

Planning is key to whatever stage you’re at in your dissertation process and managing your time is fundamental to your success. The irony is, that although there should be less distractions due to the pandemic, the uncertain nature of the current situation can make it harder to concentrate or keep on top of everything. However, step back and take control by noting down or agreeing with your supervisor the big deadlines that you need to meet. Be realistic about how much work you can achieve and have an overall, as well as a flexible daily or weekly plan. Check out the ASK website on time management for further advice. 

Identify and scope 

When embarking on your dissertation it is vital that you identify what your topic is, the limits of your research, as well as where you are going to find the information / data that you need. In a nutshell you basically need a proposal and search plan. Reading around is key at this stage and picking up language or keywords as you do this is a great way to hone your idea. As a Library team, we often recommend jotting these keywords down in a list as you go. This will not only save you time at the start of your search but will also help you later on as your search evolves. It is key to take a step back to identify what type of information you are going to need (e.g. journal articles? Conference papers? Industry reports?), as what type of information you require will change where you are going to search. This planning and perspective will then in turn ensure your searches are specific and targeted. 

Gather 

Gathering information is often the bit of the dissertation process that sounds easy. Surely you just type in your title and away you go? Sometimes you might get lucky this way, but more commonly, you can end up scrolling through thousands of irrelevant results. To save time and lower your stress levels, make it a priority to get to know the databases you’re using (the help section of each database is a great place to start). Start with one or two keywords and then build up from there. Learning some search techniques will dramatically improve and focus your search process. For step by step advice, check out our finding information guide. 

Evaluate 

Once you have your results, you need to critically read what you have found, comparing and contrasting as you go along. Using the six questions model of who, what, why, where, when and how can be a great technique as you start to do this. Alternatively you can use the Writing Development Centre’s critical reading help sheet to guide you. Along with considering the validity of the information, you also need to keep asking yourself if the source helps you to fundamentally answer the question which you set out to address.

Manage 

Although managing information is coming towards the end of this blog post, it is something you really need to address at the beginning. At the start of your dissertation you have some critical decisions to make; think about how you're going to organise your files, where you're going to make your notes, where you're going to keep your references, and if you're going to use a piece of reference management software. Managing information is also about how you keep up to date with new information and trends that will span the months of your research. The best way to do this is to set up search alerts on key databases, follow key authors and organisations on social media and make the most of 360 degree searching; all of which is covered in our managing information guide. 

Writing up 

Writing up can feel daunting on many levels. Often getting started can be the hardest part and if you tend towards procrastination, you might find one of the Writing Development Centre’s Write Here Write Now sessions just what you need. The team have also created a wealth of advice on the ASK website and are available for one to one appointments for tailored help. If you are struggling with a specific part of the writing process, do have a look at previous feedback from your assignments and take some time to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses yourself.  

For more help and advice check out the Library’s dissertation guide and the ASK website. Remember you can also book a one to one appointment with a member of your Library Liaison Team. Good luck! You can do this!