10 Key Steps Before Starting Your Dissertation

Introduction

Oh, this is Maria again! Welcome to the second episode of our dissertation blog series. In this series, I share my experiences and tips to help you navigate your dissertation journey. Last time, I talked about staying motivated throughout the process, and today, we’re going to focus on how to set yourself up for success before you even start writing. Embarking on your dissertation journey is both exciting and daunting, but with good preparation, you can make it a lot smoother. Here are the 10 key steps you should take before starting your dissertation to help you get off on the right foot.

1. Choose a Topic You’re Passionate About

Selecting the right topic is the most critical step in your dissertation journey. You’ll be working on this project for an extended period, so it’s important to choose a topic that genuinely interests you. Trust me—when you’re excited about your topic, the work doesn’t feel like a chore.

Consider Your Interests: Reflect on subjects that fascinated you during your coursework. For me, picking a topic that aligned with my passions kept me motivated, even when things got tough.

Align with Career Goals: If possible, choose a topic that aligns with your future career aspirations. This makes your dissertation not only interesting but also practical for your professional growth.

2. Conduct Preliminary Research

Once you have a topic in mind, it’s time to conduct some preliminary research to see if it’s feasible. This part helped me make sure I was on the right track and that I could find enough material to support my study.

Search for Literature: Start by exploring academic journals, books, and articles to see what research has already been done on your topic. This step also helped me identify whether my idea had enough depth.

Identify Gaps: Look for gaps or areas that have not been fully explored. Finding these gaps not only refined my topic but also defined what unique contribution I could make.

3. Refine Your Research Question

A well-defined research question is essential to guide your dissertation. It took me some time to get mine right, but it was worth the effort because it kept me focused.

Narrow It Down: Broad topics are overwhelming. Narrowing it down to a specific aspect or issue made my dissertation more manageable.

Make It Manageable: Ensure your research question is something you can realistically address within the time frame and word count. I learned that being realistic about what I could achieve made the process less stressful.

4. Understand University Guidelines and Requirements

Every university has its own set of guidelines for dissertations, including structure, formatting, and submission processes. It’s crucial to familiarise yourself with these requirements early on.

Consult Your Handbook: Reviewing my university’s dissertation handbook helped me understand what was expected for length, style, and structure. Don’t skip this part—it saved me a lot of headaches later on.

Talk to Your Supervisor: If anything is unclear, reach out to your supervisor. I found that clearing up questions early prevented me from making mistakes later.

5. Create a Rough Outline

Creating a rough outline was one of the best things I did to stay organised. It helped me visualise the structure of my work and made sure I covered all the important components.

Divide into Sections: Typical sections include an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Breaking your work into sections made the writing process much more manageable for me.

Note Key Points: Under each section, I jotted down the main points or ideas I wanted to address. This outline served as a roadmap that I could adjust as I went along.

6. Develop a Research Plan

Creating a research plan helped me organise my time and resources effectively. This plan included a timeline for completing different stages of my research and writing.

Set Deadlines: Establishing deadlines for each section, like completing the literature review or collecting data, kept me on track.

Allocate Time for Challenges: Be realistic and allow extra time for unforeseen challenges. I had delays in data collection, and having some buffer time saved me from a lot of stress.

7. Decide on Research Methodology

Your research methodology is crucial to answering your research question. Decide whether you’ll use qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods.

Match the Method to Your Question: If your research involves exploring human behavior, qualitative methods might be appropriate. I used a qualitative approach since I was interested in understanding people’s experiences. If your work needs quantifiable data, consider a quantitative method.

Consider Practicalities: Make sure you have access to the necessary resources. I checked early on whether I had the tools I needed—like survey software—and it made everything easier.

8. Gather and Organise Resources

Start collecting and organising your sources early on to avoid a last-minute scramble. A good system saved me countless hours down the road.

Use Reference Management Tools: Tools like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote are lifesavers. I used one of these to keep track of all my references, and it made citing them so much easier.

Create a Bibliography as You Go: Building your bibliography from the start ensures you don’t lose track of important sources. Trust me, this will make the final stages so much less stressful.

9. Schedule Regular Meetings with Your Supervisor

Your dissertation supervisor is there to guide you, so make the most of their expertise. Establishing a schedule for regular meetings will keep you on track and give you a chance to address questions or concerns as they arise.

Prepare Questions: Before each meeting, prepare a list of questions or points you want to discuss. This made my meetings more productive, and I felt more confident moving forward.

Request Feedback: Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback on your ideas, outline, or early drafts. Constructive feedback from my supervisor really helped refine my approach.

10. Take Care of Your Well-being

Lastly, remember that your well-being is just as important as your dissertation. The process can be stressful, and taking care of yourself will help you maintain productivity and avoid burnout.

Create a Balance: Make time for relaxation, exercise, and activities you enjoy. I made sure to take regular breaks for exercise and hobbies, which kept me sane and focused.

Connect with Peers: Join study groups or reach out to peers who are also working on their dissertations. Sharing experiences reduced feelings of isolation for me and provided motivation.

Conclusion

Preparing for your dissertation is all about laying a strong foundation. By following these 10 key steps—choosing a topic you’re passionate about, conducting preliminary research, understanding university guidelines, creating a research plan, and more—you can start your dissertation journey with confidence and clarity. Effective preparation makes the writing process smoother and more enjoyable, so take your time with these initial steps and set yourself up for success.

Good luck, and remember: every great achievement starts with good preparation. You’ve got this!

Here you can find the first and the third episode of my dissertation blog series.

In case you need guidance for your dissertation or research project, you can find more information here.