The Key Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Your Dissertation

So, you’ve reached your third year of university – all of those hours spent writing essays and revising for exams have almost come to an end – but you have one final hurdle to accomplish: the all-important final-year dissertation.

It can be nerve-wracking knowing that this extensive piece contributes to such a large percentage of your final year grade, so it’s important not to make any major mistakes that could affect the quality of your work and impact your marks.

Here are some of the most common dissertation mistakes and how to avoid them:

Selecting too wide or too narrow a topic

The topic you choose is fundamental to how well you write your dissertation. You can either think too generally and find it difficult to discuss the topic in-depth or go too narrow and discover that there just isn’t the research out there to create a well-rounded piece.

If in any doubt, talk to your dissertation supervisor who should be able to give you advice on choosing a suitable topic.

Not getting help and advice

No one said you had to complete the full dissertation on your own. Your supervisor is on hand every step of the way to ensure you’re on the right track and iron out any issues as soon as they arise. If you need some advice, don’t be afraid to book a meeting with your supervisor to read through your chapters, offer suggestions for research and provide feedback for improvement.

Not proofreading

One of the biggest mistakes in the dissertation writing process is failing to check your piece for grammar and spelling mistakes, referencing, and sentence structure. Failing to do so means you could be sacrificing improving the quality of your work, which could lead you to lose crucial marks towards your final grade.

Check the entirety of your work from beginning to end and circle any aspects that need to be adapted or corrected. By doing so, you’ll have the peace of mind that your supervisor won’t come across any nasty blunders that could lose you vital marks.

Sticking to your first title

As you progress through your dissertation chapter, you’re likely to find interesting research that may steer you in new directions. While you may already have decided on your dissertation topic, don’t be afraid to change it slightly to match the new research you have discovered.

Most students go back to their original title and make tweaks once the dissertation has been completed. By informing your supervisor of this change and your reasons, it shows you have developed a greater understanding of the intention of your piece.

 Leaving it until the last minute

We’ve all been there – uni work can be a chore and you’d rather go out and socialise with your flatmates. It’s natural to want to put off writing your dissertation until the very last minute, but you’re only asking for trouble. The average dissertation is 200 pages long, depending on the required word count. It’s simply not possible to write this many pages accurately without taking the time and concentration to perfect it.

You’ll be expected to submit several drafts for your supervisor to read through, so they can provide feedback for you to make changes. Failing to provide several drafts may show your supervisor that you’re unorganised and uninterested which isn’t a great impression to make, considering they’re the one who is marking it. Always aim to hit the suggested deadlines along the way. If you rush through the piece, you’re likely to make reckless mistakes that may severely impact your final grade.

Once your dissertation has been handed in and your uni work is done and dusted, it’s time to start looking for a graduate job. We have an array of graduate jobs and internships in a wide range of sectors – and you’re sure to find the perfect one for you. Browse our job board here.