Dissertation planner for your undergraduate studies in the UK

Writing your dissertation is a crucial part of your degree. It shows how well you can research, understand data and explain your ideas clearly. While undergraduate dissertations can be tough, they're also satisfying because you get to study a topic in-depth and make a big impact in your field.

Feeling ready to begin but not sure where to start? Usually, these are the initial steps for writing a dissertation:

1. Pick the right topic

Make sure your topic:

• matches what you're studying and where your interest lies. This way, you'll be excited and already have some knowledge about it.
• makes you curious and sparks lots of interesting questions.
• is not too narrow or too broad. If it's too narrow, it might be hard to find information. If it's too broad, it might be tough to cover everything.

Think about what you want to do in your career after graduation. Consider topics that are relevant. Also, stay open to modifying your undergraduate dissertation topic as you explore more.

When you find a possible topic, talk to your supervisor. They can help you make it better, find good sources and plan your research.

2. Understand what you need to do

Make sure you know what's expected by:

• reading the marking criteria carefully.
• checking the module guidelines and anything else needed for your assignment, like a project plan, literature review, or critical reflection.

Before you start planning, find out:

• the academic writing style and format for your subject.
• the number of words needed.
• when and where to hand in your dissertation.

3. Do thorough research

At this point, you'll need to review existing literature on your chosen topic. This means collecting books, articles and studies from libraries and online resources. This helps you see what research already exists and shapes your own research questions.

Remember to take good notes on each source and keep them organised. You'll need to judge and analyse these sources to check if they're reliable and helpful for your research. This will be handy when you're writing and citing your sources.

Don't forget to ask your advisor for help during your research. They can give you useful feedback, suggest relevant sources and support you along the way.

4. Create a strong thesis statement

A good thesis statement acts like a map for your undergraduate dissertation in the UK. It sets out your main argument or question and guides your paper in a clear direction. Before you start writing, make sure you fully understand your thesis statement because it will shape everything you write.

When making a thesis statement:

• be clear and specific; don’t use vague statements.
• your thesis should be something that can be supported or proven wrong with evidence.
• ensure your thesis is doable — you should be able to research and write about it within the given time.

Once you have a draft of your thesis statement, show it to your supervisor and other trusted peers. They can help you improve it.

If your research ends up proving your original statement wrong, it can be disappointing. But remember, it’s a normal part of research.

You don’t always have to find an answer to do good research. Sharing your process and what you've found, even if it's not conclusive, can help others and bring new ideas.

5. Proofread and improve your undergraduate dissertation

Once you've spent a lot of time working on your undergraduate dissertation in the UK, it might feel like a relief to finish writing. However, proofreading is super important to make sure it's polished and free of mistakes.

Here are some tips:

• Read your undergraduate dissertation out loud. This helps you catch errors you might miss when reading silently.
• Change where you work to see your writing in a fresh way.
• Focus on one thing at a time, like grammar, spelling, or punctuation, so it's not too overwhelming.

When editing your undergraduate dissertation:

• First, look at the overall structure and flow. Make sure your ideas make sense and are in good order.
• Then, check carefully for grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes. You can use a grammar checker, but it's essential to proofread yourself to catch any specific errors related to your subject or style.
• Also, make sure your undergraduate dissertation in the UK follows the right format with the correct font, size, margins and spacing.

6. Get feedback and finalise

After you've made your last changes, ask your advisor to review your work.

When asking for feedback, tell them exactly what you want to know. You might ask about the overall structure, if your arguments are strong enough, or how clear your writing is.

Be ready to hear all kinds of feedback, even if it's not what you hoped for. Your advisor wants to help you do better, so it's important to listen and use the feedback to improve your work.

7. Hand in your undergraduate dissertation in the UK

Once you've dealt with all the feedback, you're ready to submit your final work. Before you submit, make sure you follow all the rules carefully. Hand in your undergraduate dissertation on time because late submissions might risk a penalty or even get turned down.

Most often, you'll submit your undergraduate dissertation online. You'll usually need to upload a PDF file to a website. Follow the instructions closely; sometimes you might have to give extra details like your student ID or the title of your dissertation.

In some places, you might still be asked for printed copies. If that's the case, you'll need to hand in a bound copy of your dissertation to your department office. You might also need to pay the binding fee.

Ask your advisor or the department office about how exactly to hand in your printed dissertation. You might have to give several copies and include a title page, summary and table of contents.

Although these steps might seem daunting, a tool like a dissertation planner can smoothly guide you through every stage.