Conclusion

In this guide we have explored a range of tips to guide you through the process of scoping, researching and writing your dissertation. Although there will almost certainly be moments of stress along the way, you’ll be able to look back on the process and feel proud of accomplishing such an exhaustive piece of research.

It’s therefore important that you don’t forget about the dissertation afterwards and let it gather dust - tempting as it may be never to think about it again! You could, for example, use it in job applications and interviews as an example of your time management and writing skills, or look for ways to publish it more widely.

Other sources of advice

Remember that, as well as the guidance in these tips, there are lots of books in the University Library about writing dissertations. Many of these are focused on specific subjects or sections of the dissertation, such as the literature review. Search YorSearch to see what is available to suit your topic, or try the following examples. Note that these references are written in the UoY Harvard style.

• Greetham, B. (2014). How to write your undergraduate dissertation. 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Find this book in YorSearch
• Smith, K., Todd, M. and Waldman, J. (2009). Doing your undergraduate social science dissertation. London: Routledge. Find this book in YorSearch
• Wickham, S. (2015). 101 tips for planning, writing and surviving your dissertation. [No place of publication]: CreateSpace. Find this book in YorSearch

Here are some more books to explore:

View a PDF list of the books mentioned in this section using the link below.

A final disclaimer!

The advice in this guide is not specific to any single department. If you are in any doubt about how to proceed with your dissertation, be sure to refer to guidelines from your department or speak to your dissertation supervisor.