It’s a funny thing: the word “dissertation” fills many with fear and dread, yet it is nothing to be afraid of. Think of it this way; instead, as an opportunity to explore something you are passionate about and take hold your own destiny in hand. While everyone knows that dissertation means thesis or paper, there is much more to learn about its meaning when diving deeper into the concept. Let’s embark on a journey through time by exploring the true definition and purpose behind this powerful word together!
Table of Contents
- 1. What is a Dissertation?
- 2. Examining the History of the Dissertation
- 3. Understanding Different Types of Dissertations
- 4. Writing Your Own Dissertation: An Overview
- 5. Crafting an Effective Thesis Statement for Your Project
- 6. Preparing to Submit and Defend Your Work
- 7. Final Thoughts on Exploring the Meaning of “Dissertation
- Q&A
1. What is a Dissertation?
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A dissertation is a long piece of scholarly writing on an original subject, typically written as a requirement for the award of a doctorate in academia. It can also refer to an extended essay or thesis that is submitted by students completing their undergraduate studies. The purpose of the dissertation is to demonstrate mastery and knowledge within one’s field, and it requires many hours of dedication and comprehensive research.
The structure of a dissertation will vary across universities but commonly includes several distinct sections including: introduction; literature review; methodology; results/analysis; conclusions/recommendations. Each section contributes information that enables readers to understand your experiment process, interpret findings accurately, and judge your work accordingly. Additionally each section must be presentable with no spelling errors or outdated references in order for readers to give proper consideration when evaluating dissertations1.
- Bibliography:
- 1) “”. Custom Writing Bay.
2. Examining the History of the Dissertation
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The dissertation is a cornerstone of the modern academic experience and has been around since ancient Greece, with Plato’s written dialogues. It has evolved from being an oral examination to one that involves extensive research and writing.
In essence, a dissertation, sometimes referred to as a thesis or doctorate paper, is defined as “a long essay on a particular subject or topic” (Oxford Reference Online, n.d). Historically, dissertations were used in certain areas such as theology and philosophy for students who wanted to present new ideas into their respective fields. Over time they became more formalised within university studies and have become an essential part of attaining higher degrees (e.g., Masters degree up through doctoral-level degrees). Nowadays dissertations are used by institutions regardless of the research field – science, literature, art etc – as well representing the work conducted by its student population.
A look back at history reveals some interesting facts about where this major scholarly contribution began:
- 14th Century – Dissertations first appeared in Europe during the 14th century.
- 17th Century – By mid 17th century from universities had adopted them to assess candidates’ suitability for positions.
- 1880s – “Modern Dissertation” Formatted Structures Appear. The structure was beginning to be developed with 3 main parts including introduction section which focused on background information about topic along with purpose statement; discussion section which argued author’s point while also offering evidence; lastly conclusion summarizing author findings
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3. Understanding Different Types of Dissertations
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Dissertations are an important element in a student’s academic career and often remain as a lasting record of their scholarly work. However, it is difficult to generalize the types of dissertations since they can vary greatly depending largely on the field of study. Here we discuss some common types that have been seen occur across many disciplines.
- The Types are:
4. Writing Your Own Dissertation: An Overview
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Writing your own dissertation can be an incredibly fulfilling, albeit challenging, endeavor. It requires deep research of varied scholarly sources on the subject you’ve chosen and a great deal of creativity to come up with a fresh new argument or perspective that illuminates knowledge in the field. For this reason, before writing even begins it is important to understand what exactly constitutes a dissertation. A dissertation paper defines itself as “an extended piece of written work required for degree programs from undergraduate level upwards”.[1] Generally speaking:
- Undergraduate dissertations are usually based off existing knowledge;
- Masters dissertations involve original contributions such as novel insights into theories;
- Doctoral dissertations require authoring conceptually significant new ideas and defending them in a way feasible for publication within their respective fields.
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The process of crafting one’s own doctoral dissertation involves several key stages – all necessary before final submission of the project. These include formulating an initial proposal outlining aims and objectives seen through expected outcomes ; constructing an effective working framework via reading materials relevant to your study; ensuring cogent evidence which supports arguments made within theoretical discussions and finding ways to present content both systematically while also creatively.[2]. Planning how best these elements could coalesce together provides clear grounds upon which one’s researched outcome stands and ultimately helps avoid hasty mistakes towards completion time.
[1]. Learning Skills Service – University Of Leicester (2020) Definition Of The Dissertation Accessed 17 August 2020 Available at https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ldc/for-students/studyresourcesonline/dissertationwritingguide/definitionofthedissertation [2]. British Library EThOS (2018) How To Write Your Own Dissertation Accessed 17 August 2020 Available at http://ethos.bl
5. Crafting an Effective Thesis Statement for Your Project
Before creating an effective thesis statement, it is important to understand the definition of a dissertation. A dissertation is defined as an extended piece of writing based on extensive research, and presenting an original argument in response to a specific question or issue.
As students embark on crafting their thesis statements for projects, they must identify what type of project they are undertaking (e.g., creative or scholarly) and consider which elements should be included:
- A clear articulation of your scholarly problem
- An explanation of how you will address that problem
- Your central claim(s)
The thesis statement should capture all three elements, indicate the level of detail you plan to pursue during each step, and direct your own considerations throughout the duration of your project.
Moreover, “the thesis statement” must link up with evidence from relevant sources while encapsulating this information into its structure-instilling further significance.. Additionally, when formulating arguments within this framework ensure that these entanglements conform precisely with stylistic and source parameter guidelines before submission.
6. Preparing to Submit and Defend Your Work
In academia, a dissertation is an extended piece of written work which investigates a particular subject in depth. It typically involves independent research and can include both primary and secondary sources. The result of this study should be presented in the form of either an article or book-length report that synthesizes information from various sources. Before submitting a dissertation for evaluation, it’s important to ensure that you have prepared your proposal correctly and are ready to defend its arguments during the defense process.
The steps involved in depend on what type of program you are pursuing (thesis vs non-thesis). Generally speaking, all dissertations require:
- Data collection
- Analysis & synthesis
- Organizing written materials into coherent chapters
- Formatting & citations using appropriate academic style conventions
7. Final Thoughts on Exploring the Meaning of “Dissertation
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Dissertation: A lengthy, formal treatise, especially one written by a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
The concept of dissertation is embedded within academia and this essay has explored its history and relevance. It was found that dissertations are based on original research or criticism in which great effort is taken to use evidence from primary sources such as literature reviews, interviews and experimentation. Furthermore, it has discussed the importance of understanding different types of dissertations such as qualitative and quantitative; the latter being more numerical-based.
Having given an overview into what a dissertation involves it should be noted that its construction can vary depending on subject area, academic institution requirements but also other factors such as style guides affecting formatting decisions etc. Therefore each student needs to take account when approaching their own dissertation so they understand thoroughly how best to write theirs according to favoured conventions at their particular learning environment. Additionally due consideration must be made towards compiling sound research methods along with appropriate referencing techniques which add depth to accuracy – pivotal activities enabling higher marks potentials upon grading submissions.
Finally there might come times where obstacles need tackling because complications may arise during different stages when producing a dissertation for instance data analysis issues or lack thereof– however persistence matters most here since employing strategies like gathering multiple reports amongst others will assist you in getting through any discrepancies encountered until satisfactory results are obtained hopefully providing key insights needed before completion comes around too!
Q&A
Q: What is a dissertation?
A: A dissertation is an in-depth research paper written by students as part of their post-graduate studies. It incorporates advanced knowledge and understanding gained from coursework and other forms of learning to demonstrate the student’s expertise on a certain subject.
Q: Where does one begin when researching for a dissertation?
A: Before you start writing, it’s important to define your chosen topic. You’ll need to decide what area of study you want to explore and do some research into existing literature or arguments on that topic so that you can build up your own argument. After that, create an outline which will help guide the structure of your project before beginning the actual work itself.
Q: Are there any specific elements needed in order for a paper qualify as being called “dissertation”?
A: The main characteristics are generally accepted across all universities – these include having original content with substantial investigation into current or past scholarship, use relevant methodology throughout, demonstrate mastery over broad knowledge through critical analysis within set boundaries such as length requirements and word count – plus appropriate referencing styles must be used too!
Exploring the meaning of “dissertation” is a fascinating journey. It may have begun as just an academic requirement, but it has become so much more than that throughout its long history. Every person who goes through the process of writing their dissertation adds to this ancient tradition – and we can all draw from lessons learned by those before us when completing our own work. At its heart, ‘dissertation’ is rooted in passion for knowledge – something no one should forget!
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