Five reasons you shouldn’t be scared of writing a dissertation
When you’re considering studying at university, especially on a creative course, the thought of writing a dissertation in your third year can be quite daunting. However, as I approach my own third year, I’ve realised that it’s nothing to be scared of, and now I’m actually excited to write it!
Firstly, for those of you who haven’t heard of one before, a dissertation is an extended research project and essay that you usually complete in the final year of your undergraduate degree.
It must be noted though, in many creative courses (especially at Goldsmiths) a dissertation is optional, and you may be required instead to submit a final project, performance, presentation, etc. If you really hate the idea of doing a long essay, do your research on the many different options, and maybe find a course where it isn’t required.
That being said, here are the five things that changed my perspective on writing a dissertation!
ONE:
You are given plenty of time to write it.
The process of writing a dissertation usually begins in the last term of your second year, and you submit it in January of the following year. All in all, depending on your course, you are given around 9-10 months to do all your research and then write it! This gives you plenty of time to basically become an expert in your chosen subject, to switch around your idea as much as you want, and to really perfect your essay.
Also, it’s good to know that if you have any accommodations due to a disability or mental health issue, you automatically get extra time for all of your essays, including your dissertation! Even if this isn’t the case, if something happens which means you’ve struggled to get your essay done on time, it’s really easy to apply for an extension because of extenuating circumstances. There are lots of measures in place to help you get your dissertation handed in!
TWO: The word count isn’t as big as it seems!
A dissertation, depending on your course, can be from anywhere between 6,000 and 12,000 words. I know that this sounds like a lot, but when you consider that an average university essay is around 3,000 words, it starts to sound a lot smaller! Personally, my dissertation is required to be 7,000 words, meaning it is the length of just two-and-a-half essays. You are also sometimes allowed 10% leeway, meaning you may write 10% less or 10% more than the required word count.
Alongside this, it is expected that your dissertation will be split into chapters or sections, meaning you can work on it in bite-sized chunks rather than all in one go! To give you an example, this is the recommended layout for my dissertation:
THREE: You get to choose your own subject.
Within the constraints of it being related to your course, you can pick whatever subject you want! You have to make sure that it’s a subject that you love, something that you don’t mind reading lots about, and focusing on for that entire 9 month period. That being said, it also has to be a somewhat narrow subject so you can fit in all of your relevant information, and there is no constraints on changing your subject part way through (although it isn’t recommended to do that after September, around half-way through the process).
We have so many resources available, both in the physical library on campus, and in the online library, where you can find PDFs of hundreds more of journal articles, essays, and sometimes entire books- and through our alliance ‘University of London’, we have access to many more libraries with an even greater expanse of information. You will have no problems doing your research, no matter how niche your topic is!
FOUR: You have lots of support from your tutor.
At the start of the dissertation process (where I am currently) you are asked to submit a proposal listing a rough set of ideas you might want to explore and research. From this, you are assigned a personal tutor whose expertise is closest to your interests. You will meet for seminars with them and their other tutees, as well as one-on-one meetings where they help you work through your ideas and, eventually, your writing drafts!
Alongside those meetings, there are many optional writing workshops throughout the third year of your studies, which usually take place once a week in the library. These are recommended is you feel you need extra help at any point, but many people also just attend for the social aspect of getting to work on your research and writing alongside other students.
FIVE: By the time you get there- you’ll be more than ready!
Maybe it sounds cliché, but every essay you do over the first two years of your course is somewhat designed to prepare you for this moment, where you write your dissertation. Although it may seem completely unachievable for you now, once you have spent those years studying and perfecting your essay writing skills, most people feel ready and raring to go when you get to the dissertation- including me!