VRKM – What is a dissertation?

This piece of work serves as the capstone for the vast majority of degrees, but what exactly is a dissertation?

A dissertation is a research project that must be completed as part of an application for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. In some countries, this term is exclusively used for the final assignments of PhD degrees, whereas in other countries the terms ‘thesis’ and ‘dissertation’ are equivalent. Students are typically given the opportunity to explain their findings in answer to a topic or thesis that they themselves have chosen for their dissertation. The students will be evaluated on their ability to conduct independent research, which is something they should have developed throughout their time at the institution. This evaluation will count towards the students’ overall grade. Even while your instructors will most likely provide you with some direction, the majority of the work on your dissertation will be done on your own.

This will be the longest, most difficult, and most essential assignment that the majority of students will complete throughout their time at the university. It will require months of preparation and a lot of hard work (the library may feel like a second home). On the other hand, it has the potential to be incredibly gratifying, particularly if you have a strong interest in the subject you decide to write about. Consequently, it is unquestionably a wise decision to make sure that you pick a topic that you have a true interest in.

Your chosen field of study will determine the specific kind of dissertation you are required to write. The contrast between empirical and non-empirical dissertations is one of the most important distinctions.

Empirical dissertations are types of dissertations that require the collection of data, such as those required for a degree in psychology. When gathering information from members of the general public, this could require adhering to certain standards of professionalism and ethics. Laboratory research may be a component of an empirical dissertation in a natural or life science topic, or it may be the dissertation’s only focus.

Dissertations that lack actual research instead rely on the data and arguments presented in the work of others. Because of this, you should probably plan on devoting a significant portion of your time to reading. When writing this kind of dissertation, you need to make sure that you don’t just summarise what other people are saying; instead, you should critically analyse the work and investigate its practical applications.