What is a Dissertation?

A dissertation is the pinnacle of a doctoral student’s academic journey. The answer to ‘what is a dissertation?’ is not as easy as it sounds. A dissertation is a capstone assignment that marks the finish line for a doctoral student, and distinguishes them as a bona fide researcher. Students who have applied for a PhD generally need to prove their worth by writing a dissertations and defending it. In short, a dissertation is the last hurdle faced by a student before completing their doctoral degree. The dissertation you write needs to make a substantial and creative contribution to your field of study (some call this ‘making a dent in the Universe’).

If you are trying to find out ‘what is a dissertation’, then you need to know that it adheres to some of the basic principles of doctoral thesis writing. Let us take a quick look at some of the fundamental principles of writing a dissertation:

• A dissertation is invariably an arranged/structured piece of academic writing and generally seeks to explore a central question (or questions).
• It is a lengthy document which is divided into numerous chapters and contains an in-depth study of the subject matter in which you are specializing.
• Since a student is solely responsible for selecting their topic of research (and for sourcing the research materials), the dissertation is often viewed as evidence of the independent research capability of the student.
• While writing a dissertation, a student is typically required to be explicit about his or her research methodology. One’s research methodology involves the rules and investigative procedures used by the student to collect and evaluate their project’s data. This is one aspect of dissertation writing which makes it different from most essays.
• Students using either quantitative or qualitative data need to make sure to stick to the methodological requirements expected within their discipline.

In most academic disciplines, students are required to select a topic of interest and define their research question in the form of a proposal. It is common that the initial research question will change throughout the process as the student gets further acclimated in their field of study (as well as becoming a more confident researcher). Here are some strategies to help get ideas flowing before the proposal process begins:

• Formulate several exploratory research questions, ones which you hope will get addressed after your dissertation process is complete.
• Develop these questions and clarify them through detailed reading and literature review, as well as discussions with your academic supervisor.
• Consider what research methodology you are going to employ for your research. Do the questions you have come up with favor a quantitative or qualitative approach?

The dissertation process is a very long journey, so those that decided to embark on it need to ensure they’ve asked themselves the right questions. Before committing to a doctoral program any potential student should contemplate the following:

• Is there a research topic that will keep me engage for the next few years to come?
• Will I be able to finish a doctoral program with the limited time and resources I have available?
• Who is there that can help guide me and with the process?

These are just a few of the important questions to ponder before taking the plunge. The dissertation process isn’t for everyone, but can be extremely rewarding for those committed few that complete the journey. If you have any further questions about what a dissertation is (and/or is not), please asked them in the comments section below.