dissertation (giz a clue)

[jono!!!]

i have do to a dissertation as part of my degree, any hints and tips on doing one,
any help would be much appreciated.

[dot.hawkes]

It should only be due to be handed in during the final semester so there is time, you first need to decide on a topic, what is it going to be about, you need to focus on an issue that either enhances or extends your degree choice. I did a BA combined hons, History with English and my dissertation was 'The changes of 20th century farming in Cheshire'.
Planning ahead is essential and you should be issues with a guide during your course. You need to ask one of the tutors to be your dissertation tutor and they will look at your chosen title and synopsis and judge whether it is an acceptable idea.
Then you need to start to make out your research plan and reading list, the bibliography is crucial as is locating and recording for inclusion any source material.

There is alot more to it but that may be a vague outline for a start, i am sure anyone who had done the same degree as you are doing can enlighten you further.

[Eve]

Depends what you're doing it in i spose but...

Start early and aim to finish early to leave room for amending and finalising.

Key up on research techniques before you start, ask tutors, previous diss students or master/phd students who are well used to research. See if you can obtain previous well graded disses you can get a feel for the style and such from and work out what made them so good.

Get someone to proof read, you often get so used to what you've written you can miss mistakes or things that don't make sense to anyone else.

Break it up nicely, who wants to read one continuous block of work? Break it into parts which flow nicely and take the reader through the work easily.

Make sure you keep a full log of your sources as you go along - bibliography as you go.

Be very careful not to plagarise.

Read similar works of others, see how people write that get published and aim for something that could be.

Be practical as to your subject, stick to something safe you can do well rather than take a risk on something that may be interesting but hard to source, take a good angle on or find research material.

Try to find a balance between being it too wide or too narrow. Also make you you have enough subject material for however long it has to be without having to resort to padding or just go on til you run out of words and stop.

Read as widely as you can on the subject. Remember electronic as well as paper resources.

Bear in mind who will be reading and marking it.

Hope this helps x

[Eve]

Ps. I did law - mine was The Legacy of Gillick: Innocent Autonomy and Sexuality Issues in Children.

[steviep165]

i did mine in indonesia. "coral recruitment on two reefs in south east sulawesi" 8 weeks in the sun.
you need to find a subject that not only interests you but that you think you will be able to enjoy and argue about.
the uni will decide who your supervisor is and dont be afraid to ask him anything you need. we had two supervisors each at northumbria and both were amazing.
get your sources, your field data, points that back you up from past articles and points that dont.
and be prepared to spend many an hour wondering who's idea it was to go to uni anyway!!!

good luck!!!! put the work in and it will be worth it.

p.s. i got 78% for my diss.