Dissertation submission: FOUR lessons I’ve learned (2022)
The day is finally here: my dissertation is submitted! Over a year of work in the making, here are four lessons I’ve learned during this process:
Write your introduction during data collection
Having a familiarisation with the literature review while collecting data helped introduce more context for me. As I had five separate metrics all being studied in relation to COVID-19 lockdown, it gave me the chance to segment them and consider how these concepts have been studied in relation to lockdown before. Having this in-depth knowledge really helped inform data analysis when the time came.
Create several copies of each draft
I am fortunate enough to not have lost any documents relating to this assignment, however an issue with file format did cost me another essay in Semester 1. Even though I have used OneDrive throughout my time at university, backing up the file in other locations will give you extra peace of mind. Towards the end of the process, I had my file on my OneDrive, iCloud Drive, local desktop, and printed off on paper!!
Create your presentation during write-up
This tip may not be relevant for everyone, as not all degrees have their undergraduate students defend their dissertation. If you do need to do some form of defence presentation, I’d advise creating this file alongside the write-up. If you adopt this strategy, it means that you won’t forget key points during each stage. It also means less work once the written dissertation is submitted!
Plan your time wisely
This one sounds obvious, but when you’re caught up in your other modules, submissions, and exam revision, it can be easy to overlook planning your time. I found it best to simply count back the weeks and days from the deadline, and that way I could allocate time to each assignment each week. Having all the deadline dates at the start of the semester is key for this to work. It can be easy to procrastinate early in the semester, but if you’ve planned weeks in advance you can see the knock on effect your procrastination can have! Guilt tripping, I suppose..
These four key points certainly helped me during the dissertation process. While I am now free of that assignment, I still have another written assignment, two presentations, and an exam to be revising for. The final push now to get this degree finished!!
