Some Dos and Don’ts While Writing a Dissertation

As you finally settle down to write your important research paper or dissertation, be careful while dealing with a variety of linguistic and presentation factors. Although you may find many issues affecting your way of writing, here are some tips on critical things that must or must not be avoided. Check out these dos and don’ts that may make your dissertation look and read better.

• Do: Always ensure to state your research problem clearly in your dissertation. Mention its importance and likely contributions to your field of study. You must also provide relevant literature review and draw appropriate conclusions.

  Don’t: Never deviate from the writing format and chapter order that is suggested by your educational institution. Do not follow a different format based on your own judgment.

 

• Do: Make sure to construct clear sentences that are free of grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors. Use native English language while following the required styles and standards of writing.

  Don’t: Do not use derogatory or colloquial language while writing a formal document like an academic dissertation. Additionally, never use vague terms and phrases like “perfect,” “ideal solution,” “soon,” “surprised to learn,” “it seems,” “lots of,” “probably,” “obviously,” “the fact that,” etc.

• Do: Write in active voice and use present tense as far as possible.

  Don’t: Do not make use of passive constructions. Avoid the use of past or future tenses.

• Do: Follow a neutral perspective while putting down your ideas and analyses.

  Don’t: Do not ever target to analyze your work and views. Avoid conducting any kind of self-assessment, whether it is by praising or by criticizing your statements.

• Do: Only draw conclusions in your study that are supported by relevant and valid evidences.

  Don’t: If your results and conclusions are not driven by controlled scientific procedures, then you must not include such conclusions in your dissertation.