Dissertation Writing: 7 Mistakes Many Undergrads Make

Writing a dissertation is the one thing most students dread the most in their undergrad days but cannot avoid. Since there is no way you can evade it, it’s better to practice writing and sharpen your skills beforehand. 

We know that writing a dissertation can get quite tricky at times, especially if you are not a born writer. But learning from others’ mistakes and avoiding them is the smartest way to write a top-notch paper. Hence, below, you will find the most common dissertation writing mistakes that most undergrads make listed by a writing expert from DoMyEssay, a top academic writing service for college students. 

7 Common Mistakes You Should Avoid While Writing a Dissertation

Using Too Much Fancy Jargon

One of the biggest mistakes almost every student makes is using sophisticated and highly technical words. A few common jargons related to the subject are okay, but overstuffing your writing with fancy terms deteriorates its quality. Instead, write your dissertation in simple and formal language. Crisp and small sentences with a hint of personalization would do the magic. The idea is to enhance the readability. 

Choosing a Topic You Don’t Enjoy

Several students fall into the trap of selecting a trendy topic. And soon, they end up feeling miserable because it takes a lot of effort to write on a subject matter you are not fond of or do not have ample knowledge about.

You will be spending months preparing your dissertation. And being stuck with a topic you are not interested in can affect the quality of your writing. So, it is always better to pick a topic that resonates with your thoughts and vision. It will make the research and writing part much easier.

Writing Incoherently

Jumping from one idea to another without maintaining a flow can ruin the entire dissertation. Additionally, the incoherence in writing hints toward a lack of organization. Besides, using filler words and being redundant scales down the overall impression of the dissertation. 

So, articulate your paper in a manner that reflects coherent thoughts. One trick that always works is preparing an outline and using apt subheadings. Spend a considerable amount of time understanding the scope and intent of the dissertation and use sub-heads accordingly. This will ensure a smooth and seamless progression of your ideas. 

Resorting to Duplicity

Just because you find it hard to write a dissertation on your own does not mean that you can copy from another person’s work. Plagiarism or duplicity is an offense for which you may have to face severe consequences. Universities nowadays have gone high-tech and use plagiarism checking tools to check the originality of each dissertation. 

So, you must write an original work using thorough research and your own ideas. Also, do not forget to give due credit to the sources from which you have drawn inspiration. 

Lack of Balance Among the Chapters

Some students tend to write unevenly for the chapters of the dissertation, leaving a poor impact on the reader. The lack of balance also hints toward poor organizational skills.

Each part of the dissertation should be more or less identical in size (in terms of content). Also, the chapters must be subtly linked with one another. Otherwise, your dissertation will end up looking like a collection of multiple ideas by different individuals. 

Not Proofreading the Text Before Submission

Students tend to get in a frenzy and submit their work as soon as they finish it. However, proofreading is an essential step in writing that you shouldn’t skip. Even if you write cautiously, some grammatical mistakes, spelling errors, and misplaced punctuations are bound to happen. 

Hence, it is advisable to distance yourself from your work as soon as you are done with it. Come back to it after a couple of hours, maybe even the next day. And then start proofreading ruthlessly. Reading out your write-up aloud can also help in effective proofreading.

You need to understand that your dissertation will affect your career graph, and hence, you cannot simply afford to leave any room for mistakes and errors.

Starting Too Late with Your Essay

Some students take dissertation writing lightly and end up procrastinating. This leads to a time crunch and ends in poorly researched work. 

Understand that dissertation writing takes time. You will have to spend months on this piece before you can finally submit it. So, it is always better to start early. Once you know the submission deadline, begin with your research work. Proactivity can help you get an edge over your peers. 

In a Nutshell

A dissertation plays a significant role in your academic graph. Make sure you put in the effort and ample time to write it. Avoid the aforementioned mistakes, and do not hesitate to seek assistance from seniors and your professors. Have faith and confidence that you can write a dissertation from scratch that stands out and reflects your thoughts, vision, and academic accomplishments.