Dissertation writing can be a challenging task for students because this type of assignment has a lot of requirements and should strictly meet them all. Of course, some students feel comfortable with such a rigorous paper, but in most cases, college learners feel more comfortable with pretty free-style writing.
Dissertation writing is often time-consuming and pretty challenging, and many students even entrust such papers to professional custom dissertation writing services in order to make sure their tasks are perfect. Unfortunately, not all students can afford professional dissertation writing assistance, and they have to handle their tasks independently.
In this article, we will discuss common challenges students face during the dissertation writing process and provide you with some tips on how to handle them without external costly assistance.
3 outside issues students face when writing a dissertation
First, let’s take a look at the issues that students often face, which make them procrastinate in the writing process and, as a result, cause much stress.
Time management
It should not surprise you that college learners often underestimate the time required to complete their writing assignments; dissertation writing is no exception. Poor planning can result in procrastination, last-minute rushe, and stress.
How to solve the issue?
- Break tasks into smaller steps
- Set daily goals
- Use apps to track time both spent writing and resting
Motivation
Dissertations are often pretty large, and such a lengthy process can diminish enthusiasm, causing you to procrastinate. Of course, different issues can demotivate you. Doubtlessly, you may not be interested in the topic you must research, but a lack of clear progress can also be demotivating.
How to solve the issue?
- Celebrate small wins completed by smaller goals, for example.
- Ask your professor to change the topic if possible (if the one you are working on is uninteresting for you)
Writer’s block
Many students face writer’s block when overwhelmed by expectations. This can also lead to delays in writing, and, of course, stress and pressure are further compounds of the issue.
How to solve the issue?
- Free-write for 10 minutes without judgment to spark creativity
- Do not try to craft a masterpiece from the first attempt
- Leave your paper for 30 minutes and change the activity; doing some sports can boost your brain activity, for example
9 inside issues students face when writing a dissertation
Now that you have solved the problems that made you procrastinate, let’s talk about the issues that you may face during the writing process, and again, we will give you some tips on how to solve them.
Choosing a topic
Students often struggle to find a dissertation topic that is both interesting and research-worthy, causing delays.
How to solve the issue?
- Brainstorm areas of your interests
- Do not hesitate to consult with your supervisor to refine options
- Ask yourself: Does your topic offer new insights or a fresh perspective on existing research? Does it address a current problem? Can’t it be broken into smaller questions? Does it align with ethical guidelines?
Formulating a research question
Crafting a specific and manageable research question can be challenging, leading to procrastination.
How to solve the issue?
- Focus on narrowing broad topics
- Leave open-ended questions to encourage deeper investigation
Research Methodology
Selecting the right research methods can be confusing, especially when students are unfamiliar with methodological options. Research methodologies for dissertations typically fall into three main categories: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. Qualitative methodology focuses on exploring concepts through non-numerical data (interviews, observations, or case studies). This approach is ideal for understanding human behavior and social contexts. On the contrary, quantitative methodology uses numerical data and statistical analysis. This method is suited for studies aiming to quantify relationships between variables. And finally, the mixed method combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches. It requires careful planning to integrate both methods in order to make sure that they complement each other effectively in the research.
How to solve the issue?
- Understand the main idea of your research and see which methodology fits it
- Read similar studies and see what methodologies are chosen
- Do not hesitate to consult with your advisor to determine the most suitable approach
Academic tone
Maintaining a formal academic tone while expressing ideas clearly can be difficult for students, especially those ones who have little to no experience in academic writing of such a level.
How to solve the issue?
- Review academic papers for style inspiration
- Browse dissertation samples at professional writing services
- Request professional editing help
- Use online tools, like Grammarly, Hemingway Editor, ProWritingAid, etc., to improve your writing tone
Conducting research
Finding credible and relevant sources takes time, and students may feel stuck or overwhelmed during this phase.
How to solve the issue?
- Set aside specific research blocks
- Find relevant sources
- Ask your supervisor to approve or disapprove these sources
Structuring
Organizing the dissertation’s content, especially with complex ideas, can be daunting and time-consuming. Thus, we highly recommend following the standard dissertation structure in order not to miss something important and valuable for the research. Here is the standard structure of a dissertation paper:
Title page
Abstract
Table of contents
Introduction
Literature Review
Methodology
Results/Findings
Discussion
Conclusion
References
Appendices
How to solve the issue?
- Create an outline to maintain a logical flow
- One idea per paragraph
- Use appendices for supplementary data
Writing clarity
Communicating ideas clearly without ambiguity can be challenging, leading to convoluted or unclear writing.
How to solve the issue?
- Use simple language
- Use short sentences
- Avoid vague statements
- Use clear headings and subheadings to guide readers
- Make sure each point or concept is explained once
- Use active voice
Literature review
Synthesizing a large body of research into a coherent literature review can be overwhelming.
How to solve the issue?
- Write short summaries for each source before drafting
- Focus only on those studies that are relevant to your topic
- Prioritize the most up-to-date research journals
Editing and proofreading
Students often procrastinate editing, as it’s time-consuming and requires a detailed review of the entire document.
How to solve the issue?
- Leave your writing for some time before editing and proofreading
- Edit in stages
- Read aloud
- Use online tools, like Grammarly, to ease the proofreading process
- Check the formatting, citations, references, figures, tables, and appendices
- Ask a friend to take a look at your writing, or hire a professional proofreader to review your dissertation
Writing a dissertation, of course, can be challenging, for it is a pretty significant piece of writing with many strict requirements that must be followed. But, if you dedicate enough time to handle the paper at your own pace, you are more likely to handle it easily.
