How to Write a Dissertation: A Step-by-Step Process

Here, our experts have provided a detailed step-by-step process of writing a dissertation effectively.

Stage 1: Getting Started

The majority of research initiates with a question. Consider the topics and theories that interest you and which ones you want to explore further. Think about the topics and theories you have studied in your program. Is there a question that you believe has not been answered adequately by the existing knowledge in your field?
When you have a question in mind, start searching for information that is relevant to the topic and its theoretical framework. Read extensively, including academic research, trade literature, and information available in the popular press and on the Internet.
As you gain a more profound understanding of your topic and the previous research on it, your knowledge will suggest the purpose of your dissertation. Once you can clearly articulate this purpose, you are ready to create your prospectus/proposal. This document should outline the study’s purpose, its significance, provide a tentative review of the literature on the topic and its theoretical framework (with an attached working bibliography), your research questions and/or hypotheses, and how you will collect and analyze data (including attached proposed instrumentation).
At this stage, master’s students should recruit committee members (if not already done) and hold a preliminary meeting. The objective of this meeting is to refine your plans (if necessary) and to set explicit expectations for completing the thesis. Doctoral students discuss their dissertation proposal as part of their qualifying exam. Once this meeting concludes, the student should submit a memo to committee members summarizing what was agreed upon.
After developing your instrumentation, you need to obtain clearance from the Institutional Review Board, along with your informed consent protocol, before you begin collecting data. This process can take several days or weeks, so be sure to leave enough time to complete it.
Finally, the next steps are to collect and analyze data, write up the findings, and compose the final chapter.

Stage 2: Writing

This covers the composition of the elements in your dissertation. Each dissertation is unique but shares numerous common elements. So, here is a general guideline on how to write a dissertation:

Title page:

The title page is the first page of the dissertation and includes the title of the dissertation, the author’s name, the degree to which the dissertation is submitted, and the year of submission. It is important to follow the specific formatting requirements of the academic institution.

Abstract:

The dissertation abstract is a concise summary of the dissertation that provides an overview of the research question, methodology, findings, and conclusions. It should be written after the completion of the dissertation and should not exceed 300 words. The abstract is usually the first section that readers will read, so it is important to provide a clear and concise summary of the dissertation.

Table of contents:

The table of contents provides a list of all the chapters, sections, and sub-sections of the dissertation, along with the corresponding page numbers. It helps readers to navigate through the dissertation and find the relevant sections.

Introduction:

The first chapter of a dissertation is the introduction, and it is a critical component of the document. The dissertation’s foundation will be compromised from the beginning if it lacks a well-defined objective and a sturdy theoretical basis. The introduction should be engaging and clear, providing a concise overview of the research topic, its significance, and its relevance to the field. The significance of the study should be discussed by addressing how it adds to the theoretical body of knowledge in the respective field and its practical significance for professionals in the relevant field of study.

It should also provide a summary of the literature review and theoretical framework that informed the study. By doing so, the introduction sets the tone for the rest of the dissertation and provides a clear roadmap of what the readers can expect to find in the subsequent chapters. Ultimately, a well-written dissertation introduction should capture the reader’s attention, communicate the importance of the research, and establish the foundation for the entire paper.

Literature review:

The literature review section of a dissertation is a critical component that provides a comprehensive overview of the existing literature and research on the topic. It involves an extensive analysis and synthesis of the literature, identifying key themes, concepts, theories, and findings relevant to the research question. The purpose of this is to highlight any gaps or inconsistencies, contradictions, and debates in the previous research that the current study aims to address and provide a rationale for the research. It must also justify the chosen research approach and methods, identifying the theoretical frameworks and conceptual models that inform the research. Furthermore, the literature review should conclude by summarizing the key findings and identifying how they relate to the current study’s research question. A well-organized literature demonstrates the researcher’s familiarity with the subject matter, as well as their ability to critically evaluate and synthesize the literature.

Methodology:

The methodology chapter is a critical section of a dissertation that provides a clear and detailed explanation of the research methodology used in the study. It should describe and justify the data-gathering method used, outline how the data was analyzed, and discuss the chosen method and why it was appropriate. It should also detail every step of the data gathering and analysis process and address areas such as research design, population, sample selection, instrument development, pre-testing, reliability and validity of the instrument, administration of the instrument, coding of data, and data analysis. Finally, it should acknowledge the limitations of the methodology used and highlight the strengths of the methodology.

Results:

This section should address the results from data analysis only, outline any descriptive or exploratory/confirmatory analyses conducted, address the results of the tests of hypotheses, discuss any ex post facto analysis, use tables and/or figures to illustrate and summarize all numeric information and organize the chapter by the themes or categories uncovered in the research for qualitative and historical research. By providing a clear and organized presentation of the research findings, the results chapter provides a strong foundation for the discussion and conclusion chapters.

Discussion:

The discussion chapter of a dissertation typically contains an interpretation of the results and their relation to the research question, a discussion of the theoretical framework and its relation to the study’s findings, an exploration of the practical implications of the research and how it can be applied in a practical setting, an acknowledgment of any limitations of the study, a proposal for future research, and a conclusion that summarizes the key findings and their significance. The discussion chapter is an essential component of the dissertation, providing a comprehensive understanding of the study’s contribution to the field.

Conclusion:

The conclusion section of a dissertation is the final chapter and provides a summary of the key findings and their implications, as well as any limitations of the study. It should restate the research question and the main arguments and conclusions that were drawn based on the research. The conclusion should also explain how the research contributes to the existing body of knowledge on the topic and propose any potential areas for future research. Additionally, it may include a discussion of the practical implications of the research and any recommendations for practitioners in the field. Overall, the conclusion section should provide closure to the dissertation by summarizing the research and its significance.

References:

The references section includes a list of all the sources cited in the dissertation, following a specific citation style. It is important to follow the specific formatting requirements of the academic institution and the citation style.

Appendices:

The appendices section includes additional material that supports the research but is not included in the main text of the dissertation, such as raw data, questionnaires, or transcripts of interviews. The appendices should be clearly labeled and organized logically and coherently