Introduction
A dissertation is a document of formal nature. There are some pre-defined rules for performing and presenting a dissertation. It has various sections, including an introduction, literature review, and methods and methodology. The other dissertation sections are results, recommendations and conclusion, and references. Teachers give students dissertations to check their knowledge about the field. Therefore, students have to perform well in this.
Differences between undergraduate and graduate dissertations
A dissertation is assigned to both students of graduate and undergraduate levels. The purpose, nature and scope of doing a dissertation are the same at both levels. However, there are some significant differences as well. The Undergraduate Program introduces students to the expertise required in a particular discipline. Postgraduate Program is one level up from undergraduate study. It requires advanced level skills and knowledge. In this article, experts of a dissertation writing help in UK firms explain the main differences between dissertations of both levels.
Dissertation at Undergraduate Level:
When students pass out of college and enroll in universities, they have little or no idea about research work. An undergraduate program is of four years comprising eight semesters. Throughout the program, they are assigned assignments which require little research work. At the end of each semester, students are assigned projects for the final presentation in all seven semesters. It is only the last semester when they need to do the research work.
Characteristics of undergraduate thesis
This thesis work introduces students to doing research on a large scale for the first time. So, below are some of the characteristics of undergraduate level research.
- At this level, a thesis or dissertation is more accessible and more straightforward. Students only have to research a single subject.
- At the undergraduate level, the purpose of assigning a thesis is to check a student's capabilities. Teachers check how well a student can do research, follow procedures, and produce a comprehensible research paper.
- A dissertation is short in length at the undergraduate level, mostly 10000 words. The topic assigned to students is mainly based on their area of interest.
- Mostly, the teachers give a list of topics to students. Students themselves choose a topic to research. Students have to do research.
- At this level, mainly a research proposal is not required. The department assigns a supervisor to each student or group of students. The supervisor helps students with all their needs and guides them properly.
Dissertation at Graduate Level:
At the graduate level, expectations from students are higher. They already know about gathering information and conducting research. During graduation, students have to study some compulsory subjects. But at the post-graduate level, students have to study very few subjects just relevant to their field of specialization. The focus of the graduate-level study is mainly on the research work.
Characteristics of graduate-level dissertation
- At this stage, students dedicate an entire semester to the dissertation. It is because teachers require well-composed and well-researched dissertations.
- Mostly, the students formulate a topic themselves and present it to the teacher in the form of a proposal. So, you can say that a research proposal is compulsory.
- A dissertation at this level requires extraordinary research and analytical skills. Therefore, it is different from the undergraduate dissertation.
- At the graduate level, a dissertation is long, mostly more than 15000 words and requires improved writing skills. Teachers mainly check the students’ writing and researching skills at this level.
- Bibliography, proper citation and references are also required in a graduate dissertation. So, it is unlike the undergraduate thesis, where you can avoid giving references.
- When it comes to originality, teachers expect students to produce 100 per cent original work. A dissertation at this level is more demanding.
- Students need many skills to complete a master’s research work. Some prominent ones are writing, researching, and analytical skills. You can complete an undergraduate dissertation without having these skills. But you cannot complete a graduate one.
Conclusion
Regardless of the level, a student requires hard work, total dedication, and commitment to complete a dissertation. Whether an undergraduate or graduate student, you should remember the following points. Always choose exciting and attractive topics. Present a fascinating research statement to grab the attention of your supervisors. There should be a continuous flow from start till end. Never copy and paste other ideas. Be precise and original in your writing. Always prepare yourself for question-answer sessions after the presentation. A dissertation is a hypothetical submission envisioned to demonstrate a specific degree’s worth. That is why you are interested in presenting a dissertation with creative and inventive research.
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