How To Write Your Dissertation: A Guide to Preparation, Structure and Analysis
We asked Amy, who got an A4 in her dissertation, some questions about how she prepared and structured her dissertation and to share some tips on how to get started.
We also asked Lauren to share her experience of writing a dissertation with dyslexia.
How did you structure your dissertation?
Structuring your dissertation can be quite difficult as it all depends on your topic and how you are arguing it. I found that it was easier to break down my dissertation into 3 chapters and almost treat each part like one essay.
The structure of these three chapters were (1) what the current law is/any legal theories surrounding the topic (2) the issues with the current law (3) reform and why this is beneficial. Chapter 1 might not have as much analysis in it as you are setting out the law (so can be a bit shorter), but you can make up for that in Chapters 2 and 3.
One point of feedback that I got was to put a bit more information into the introduction to explain how each chapter and the content will help to answer the overall question.
How did you prepare for your dissertation? (e.g did you write it in note form first or did you just start writing?
I think having a rough plan helps to guide you when writing each chapter but once you have that, I would recommend just to start writing your dissertation. It saves a lot of time, and you can always change it later when looking over your draft.
I also recommend having a separate folder for each chapter which contains all your sources (if they are able to be downloaded) so it saves you from having to find it if you need to read it again. Similarly, it’s helpful to have a separate document for each chapter of your dissertation where you have all the quotes from your sources (and their full OSCOLA reference). I would write out the full OSCOLA reference for whatever source I was looking at (articles/books/statutes etc.) and then copy and paste any quotes I had taken from that source.
Example:
Chapter 1 Sources
A Simpson, Law Book (5th ed, 2021, OUP)
“the law is in its current form does this…”
“the law is outdated”
Bain ‘Property Law 101’ [2018] Law Review 85
“Scots property law is in need of reform”
This is helpful so you don’t need to read all your articles/books more than once (unless you want to) and gives you sources to back up your arguments/points (which helps with analysis). I didn’t use every quote I took from the sources, but it was useful when I was making an argument, as I knew I had some form of source to back it up. This also saves a lot of time when writing bibliography/footnotes.
How did you utilise your time with your supervisor?
I didn’t really have many meetings with my supervisor, but I would recommend that before any meeting, to have list of questions/concerns about your dissertation so the meeting is more effective.
How long did you take to write your diss and how much time every week did you dedicate to writing?
This just depends on what deadlines/other commitments you have on and your level of motivation on said days. I didn’t give myself any set timings for how long I should spend on the dissertation as that doesn’t really work for me and I found that some days I was more motivated than others.
It can be helpful to give yourself rough deadlines for when you want each chapter/part done. This gives yourself a rough guide of when things should be done by and helps you to stay mostly on track (I did miss a few of my deadlines but as long as you get them done around the same time, it’s not an issue).
Similarly, I found that there was a lot of course deadlines around end of February/start of March, so it’s important to also factor in that you won’t get as much of your dissertation done during this time. I took a week off from writing my dissertation to get all my deadlines done and it actually helped my motivation with writing it, so don’t feel like you need to be constantly doing it.
This may also sound counterproductive, but I recommend that once you finish your first draft, don’t spend more than a week/week and a half (albeit that whole time focusing on it) looking over it and making changes. If you spend too long looking over it, you tend to overthink and then change things that didn’t need to be changed – which could potentially cost you marks.
What was the most challenging part of writing your dissertation?
Motivation – it can get really boring so sometimes it is better to step away from it for a short time and remember that you don’t need to be constantly doing things for the dissertation.
How did you ensure you were analytical throughout your dissertation? What is the key to critical analysis?
It’s important at the very start to know what you are arguing for. If it is that the law is ineffective, use this wording (or something very similar) after making each point. This ensures it all links up and the marker is clear where you stand on the matter.
Very Basic Example:
Make your argument
· The law is problematic because…
Supporting source
· Academic B reiterate this, stating that “…”
Describe why this source is supporting your argument.
· “This demonstrates that … which severely impacts the effectiveness of this law
An important part of reviewing your finished dissertation draft is to make sure that you have a clear argument throughout. You should almost be able to highlight when you have critically analysed.
It can also be helpful to include a comparison with another jurisdictions and whether the system is better, worse or similar.
What are 5 tips you would give to students who are currently writing their dissertation?
1. Try and do all your reading before starting to write it.
2. Self-imposed deadlines can be helpful to guide you.
3. Do your referencing when you read the source, not when you are finished your dissertation.
4. If you can, get someone else to read over your finished draft as they can often see whether it makes sense or if there are any issues with wording etc.
5. Take breaks!
Writing a Dissertation with Dyslexia
While writing a dissertation can be tough, it is even more challenging for those with dyslexia and other learning difficulties, so we asked Lauren who got a B2, how she coped and overcame these obstacles.
“For my dissertation I made a timeline to follow to keep on track. I started off by dividing my dissertation into chapters and followed a structure of three chapters and within the chapters sub paragraphs. I wrote each chapter individually prior to completing my introductions and conclusions as I felt it then made my work tie in better. Before even starting to write I made sure I gathered all my information for the topic as it enabled me to get my draft done in a shorter period. I have dyslexia and dysgraphia which basically means for me I need to begin everything extra early to ensure I produce the best possible work. Through this, I ensured I picked a dissertation topic I had studied prior to creating my dissertation topic etc. This ensured I was fully familiar with the topic overall. The university helped by providing a proof-reader for my dissertation to ensure that my grammar was up to standards. What I find most difficult is the battle of time with the combination of digesting and understanding the material fully which is why for my dissertation topic I picked something that I understood really well Overall, I think the best way to write your dissertation effectively is to ensure you are prepared and break it down into smaller sections and then from there piece it all together and ensure it flows.”
