Academic writings have always been one of the many struggles of undergraduate and post-graduate students. These academic texts are obligatory and are a fundamental part of your education. They equip you with the essential set of skills that will help you advance in your future chosen field or career.

Dissertations are written to support research and its findings. It is submitted to satisfy an academic degree requirement. This type of academic writing may seem daunting when you don’t know how and where to start your paper.

This entails a whole lot of preparation to successfully deliver an outstanding dissertation paper. In case you are having a challenging time crafting your own dissertation, do not panic. We have good news for you. Here, we are giving you effective methods on how to plan a dissertation and how you can start writing a top-notch dissertation paper along with what you should avoid in writing one.

How to Plan a Dissertation

Where do you begin? Begin with a dissertation plan. The primary step to achieve any goal is to plan. Like what Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” This is a vital step on how to plan a dissertation and start your dissertation discussion template early on. Planning initiates you to start organising your ideas and concepts for your dissertation paper. To avoid the procrastinator in you resurfacing during the duration of writing your dissertation, it is advisable for you to plan and prepare all the necessary information ahead of time.

• Decide on your topic. This is probably one of the most time-consuming tasks involved in your dissertation plan The first thing that you want to look for is your course outline. Identify which topic speaks most to you or which topic do you think needs further focus and research. If you are having a hard time finding a topic that piques your interest, you can also research topics that are of relevance at the time you are in.
• Make a timetable. A successful discussion plan is founded on good time management and organisation skills. This is an essential element of the dissertation-writing process. It is imperative that you are able to manage your time effectively. A schedule of your writing process will enable you to identify which tasks can be done realistically with all the time you have. Beware of how much and where you will spend most of your available time. Do not forget to include time allowances for unforeseen events to prevent your dissertation plan from being interrupted.
• Consult with your advisers. After planning how you want your dissertation to be carried out, consult with your advisers along with your curriculum. It is crucial that you have a plan in hand before coming to your adviser if you do not want to appear lacking and incompetent. Present the plan that you have come up with and ask for your adviser’s remarks on it. Since they have way more years of experience than you, take note of their remarks and incorporate those in your dissertation plan later on. Your curriculum holds all the important points that must be included in your academic paper. Revisit it and realign your plan according to your respective curriculum.

Write a Dissertation Outline

After constructing and finalising your dissertation plan, where do you go next? Now, this is what you came for. Start crafting your dissertation outline and prevent getting lost while working. An outline will serve as the groundwork of your paper. This will guide you on your dissertation discussion template writing. Your outline should include important features of your dissertation and must be presented in a logical manner connecting each key point to your main topic. From there, you will incorporate supplementary information regarding your research that will strengthen the foundations of your academic paper.

What Makes a Good Dissertation Outline?

When it comes to writing a good dissertation outline, it is required of you to take note of the key elements of a dissertation. A good dissertation outline will serve as your dissertation discussion template and structure. If you are finding it difficult to craft your dissertation outline, it is useful to follow the subheadings of the academic paper and write from then on.

1. Title Page. It helps if you have already finalised the title of your dissertation, so you will be able to focus on that area. The first page of your document should include the title of your dissertation. If you are a student, it is only necessary to put your name, year level, and university, but it will still depend upon the requirements of your professor.
2. Foreword (Introduction). This is one integral part of your dissertation outline as it should state the reason why you chose that topic, as well as your purpose and objectives in conducting the research. Keep in mind that your introduction should pique the readers’ interest and continue flipping the pages. The introduction is comprised of an explanation of the main idea and the problem that should be answered in your thesis. For your readers to be able to point out the problem, you should also write here the research questions that will support their assumption. It should also include the importance of your thesis and your end goal.
3. Theoretical Framework. This is where you state the sources of all the data you had gathered for your document. You should start drawing the interrelations of all the data in order for the readers to also see the vindication of your dissertation.
4. Methodology. For this part, you must be able to design the methodology of how you will gather data and information to support your research. This is where you have to explain your research method and the course of action when it comes to gathering and examining the data.
5. Results of the Study. In this part of the outline, you will create a collation between the final results and your initial objective. After showing the results to your readers, you will now move on to encapsulating the results.
6. Summary. The basic rule is that you will write your summary last. This will be easier when you are fully done with your dissertation since you will only need to highlight in this part your rationale, methodologies, results and findings, and your conclusion. Essentially, this will guide your dissertation discussion template and manage your line of thoughts.
7. References. Make a list of the references in which you have looked up in order to obtain enough data. Be sure not to take the credit for yourself and prevent plagiarism.

What Should You Remember When Writing a Dissertation Outline?

Your dissertation is one of the biggest chunks of your degree’s final grade, but writing an outline for that dissertation is something necessary. So here’s a list of things you should remember when you’re crafting your dissertation outline writing.

• Limit your research. When writing a dissertation, you are allowed a very limited number of words to work around your points and arguments. So, stick to the relevant bits of information but research far and beyond. Trivial or shallow research questions will not generate enough depth of discussion and will, therefore, limit the grades you can achieve. Limit needless information but never limit the scope of your research.
• Avoid assumptions. Do not assume that the reader already knows what you are talking about. Your dissertation should be clearly explained so that any reader can make sense of it.
• Do not form an opinion without proof. Presenting something new in your research is ideal. However, it is important to show that your point of view is logical and backed up by existing evidence and research.
• Always cite references. Always mention whose work you use and take ideas from. This is important to avoid acts of plagiarism.
• Fight procrastination. It is always important to be prepared, which is why a dissertation plan is essential. Many people leave things to the last minute and end up making mistakes or forget referencing. So, finish within your schedule and leave yourself plenty of time to continuously improve your dissertation and get your desired grade.

Do You Need Help With Your Dissertation Plan?

If you have reached this end, you are at an advantage. But if even now you still feel helpless of how to plan a dissertation, we are here to be of assistance. It is always a good idea to ask for a professional’s help, and that’s where we come in. We offer services to tend to your academic writing needs – a team of credible professionals from different fields of study. We have got your back! We’re here to guide you and relieve you of all your stress when writing a dissertation. Do not hesitate to contact us so we can start working together!