Dissertation deadlines are fast approaching for many of our final year students and I'm sure many of you are walking around campus with a nagging pit in your stomach, feeling pretty terrified by the thought of actually handing in something you've laboured over so intensely and for so long. So, as somebody who went through all this only a few short years ago, allow me to share some advice with you that helped me on the final stretch of my university experience.
My first piece of advice would be to print out your work, read through it carefully and mark any necessary changes with a red pen. It sounds ridiculously simple, but this totally save me from submitting a dissertation littered with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. You can also use your red pen to signal any structural changes you might want to make to help improve flow, as well as highlighting any mistakes in your referencing or bibliography.
I also think the act of printing out your work to read through is surprisingly helpful. By actually reading a tangible copy of your dissertation you'll often spot mistakes you previously missed when you were reading through it on a screen. Remember you can use the printers around campus to print your work, I'd say it's definitely worth the printing credit.
Even if you have been building your bibliography as you go, it's important to check it over before you submit your dissertation. Remember that all of your in-text references must be included in the bibliography and to consult the Referencing Guides on the Library's website or your Liaison Librarian if you get stuck. Something else to remember, which can really help bulk up your bibliography, is that you don't have to have referenced a source in your body of text for it to be included in the bibliography. If you've read of watched anything that is relevant to your topic and might have influenced your work, it's a good idea to include it.
Speaking of watching, I found that a great way to ensure my bibliography had a breadth of resources was to watch documentaries or films relevant to my dissertation topic via Box of Broadcasts, which you can access for free with your LTU login. This might not work for every subject, but I found it a great way to ensure my bibliography was varied, and it requires minimal effort.
It's likely you've heard this tip before, but it really does work. It's so easy in the final stages of your dissertation to become overwhelmed and burn yourself out. This burnout can manifest in so many ways, you might be experiencing writer's block, or after reading and re-reading on what feels like a never-ending loop you might find the words all start to melt into one. If you do find yourself feeling this way whilst finishing up your dissertation, take a deep breath, step back and take some time to clear your head. The you can come back to your work with fresh eyes, making it much easier to push though any barriers you might be facing.
Writing a dissertation can be really taxing on your mental and physical wellbeing and that's why some good old R&R is such a vital part of the process. Whilst your dissertation is of course very important, it is nowhere near as important as your health and happiness, so I strongly advise you don't allow this piece of work to completely take over your life in its final stages.
This can be easier said than done, I know I found it difficult to back away from the keyboard t times, but my work was always considerably better after taking some time for myself. Whether you enjoy a sport, watching TV, reading in your spare time, or spending time with your friends, it's imperative you find a way to decompress. It's also super beneficial to get adequate sleep, the Library is open 24/7 at the moment, but I would avoid all night study sessions unless it's absolutely necessary!
My final tip is simply to remember that your dissertation is probably not going to be perfect, and that's totally okay. Whether you're at undergrad or postgrad level, this is not your magnum opus, and nobody expects it to be. There is always room for improvement in everything we do, so don't waste your time trying to be perfect when that goal is just so unattainable. This advice applies to all aspects of life, but it can be a particularly comforting thought as you come to the end of your university experience. Please try to remind yourselves over the coming weeks that as long as you do the best you can, you have something to be really proud of.
I want to finish up by reminding you that writing and submitting a dissertation, no matter what journey you take to get there, is an incredible achievement, so props to you for making it this far, you're on the home stretch now!
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