Getting a degree is all fun but working for it is not a piece of cake. Let’s just say studying for a degree is like making Gordon Ramsay’s Beef Wellington. But what if you are supposed to produce all the ingredients from scratch first, including raising a cow? Well, that’s how dissertation writing feels like.

 

Every year, students aim to write a perfect dissertation or research paper. However, in the process, they face numerous dissertation writing challenges that require clear-cut strategies to deal with them. Let’s explore some of the major challenges faced by students and the ways to handle them.

 

Challenge #1: Selecting the right topic

 

The first step in writing a dissertation is selecting the topic to write upon, probably the most crucial factor in the success of your research. A well-chosen topic fuels your interest in research and analysis from the start. If something like “Onset of Dynamics Wetting Failure: The Mechanics of High-speed Fluid Displacement” makes you yawn then don’t even think about writing on it and getting an award (Yes, it’s an award-winning dissertation).

 

How to deal with it?

 

The right topic is the one which keeps you comfortable during research, analysis and writing. However, the right topic should also allow you to bring your own element to the research. Make sure that:

 

• You have the right resources, including time, money and participants to conduct the research. The topic should be narrow enough to be completed by the end of the term.

• You have an interest in the topic, so you can enjoy the process of dissertation writing and stay motivated throughout the year-long project.

 

• You can input something new to the topic. Don’t choose topics already investigated thoroughly as it prevents you from exploring alternative perspectives on the problem.

 

Challenge #2: Having a plan

 

Without a goal in mind, it becomes challenging for anyone to write the dissertation efficiently. More than fifty per cent of the time you will feel like giving up writing. Heck, you will want to live in a cave for the rest of your life. Without a plan, your work will be highly disorganized as well as untimely, and who likes that? However, a clear map in mind will make it much easier for you to bring back the dead motivation.

 

How to deal with it?

 

Once you have chosen your topic, take time to think clearly about your approach in writing the dissertation.

 

• Start with the proposal: Writing a dissertation proposal is the first step in understanding the direction to take. It is like brainstorming the objectives, aims and constraints of research. It will change as you will progress but as a starter, it will be the perfect checklist.

 

• Make a calendar. Setting milestones and deadline at the start will help you to be on the right track from day 1. Make sure your goals are achievable and flexible.

 

• Knowing what to write first. Most students prefer writing the chapters in order and then writing a dissertation abstract. You may write whatever you feel like doing first but working in chronological order will allow you to develop a base understanding of the topic.

 

Challenge #3: Selecting the right methodology

 

The research methodology includes the overall process of research, data collection, and analysis to verify the hypothesis. There are multiple methods of research, but one methodology doesn’t work for all. This makes it ever so important to choose the right methodology, so the hypothesis is correctly evaluated.

 

How to deal with it?

 

The catch is to let the answer direct you.
• Analyze the Keywords in the research question: If your questions include words such as generate, explore or understand, your study is deemed to be qualitative. However, if it includes words such as relate, compare or correlate, it indicates a quantitative study.

 

• Picking your way ahead: Once you are certain of the nature of your study, pick a transparent methodology to collect your data. For a qualitative study, you might use focus groups and interviews, whereas for a quantitative study may utilize test scores or survey results.

 

Challenge #4: Dealing with the research participants

 

Indeed, the part where most labour is required. Regardless of the topic or the nature of your study, you will probably hear the most rejections in your life. Most participants are fearful of getting their private information leaked through a survey or an interview, while for others it is just a waste of time.

 

How to deal with it?

 

With the courage to face rejections and reach out, take care of the following things;

• Sell yourself.  Know how you can convince at least more than half of your target audience to take part in your research. Ensure them of the ethical conduct you’ll follow in collecting and analyzing the data. But don’t annoy them.

• Snowball, that is, to explore connections in your target audience and request them to recommend people to you.

 

• Pursue other options. If one approach of reaching participants doesn’t work, then try another. Always learn from your mistakes.

 

Challenge #5: Analyzing the data

 

A proper evaluation and analysis aid you in effectively drawing up the results and writing a dissertation conclusion. However, wrong procedures result in a poor evaluation of the data and therefore leave your efforts in vain.

 

How to deal with it?

 

Get your data organized and make sure to:

 

• Use technology. Take help from any software to identify patterns in your research.
• Have a keen eye to not get distracted by bias or irrelevant data collected.

• Use logical reasoning to evaluate the results drawn from the data and verify the hypothesis.

 

Challenge #6: Actually writing the Dissertation

 

Difficult, isn’t it? To effectively present all your efforts in words. You’ll have days when you won’t feel like writing, lose focus or have no time. However, if that continues for long you will end up asking your professor for extensions in the deadline.

How to deal with it?

Here’s what you can do:

• Focus on the quality of your words, not quantity. Write for short periods of time every day but write productively.

 

In this way, you won’t have to make any changes during editing.

 

• Write every day. The deadline ends faster than you can think. Make writing a habit.

• But take gaps too and reward yourself. The least you want to be is get pressurized.

 

Challenge #7: Minimizing distractions

 

Any sort of distraction, like the urge to be online, hang out or even email, will take away your focus from the work and leave your efficiency stranded.

 

How to deal with it?

 

• Remember your goals. Remind yourself that you want to graduate fast and not repeat the semester.

 

• Write the tasks to do later so they won’t bug you.

• Say no to friends, colleagues or family who won’t understand how tiring the process of dissertation writing is.

 

However, at the end of each day, remember to pat yourself on the back. You will face hundreds of other challenges while writing your dissertation but with persistence, flexibility and organization you’ll ace your grade.