We explain the most common mistakes when writing a thesis or dissertation. Most of them are very easy to avoid, and they can turn your paper from an object of criticism from the examining committee to one that will leave them with their mouths open.
The Most Common Mistakes When Writing a Thesis or Dissertation
There are serious mistakes to avoid when writing a thesis or dissertation. Don’t worry. They are easy to solve if you apply common sense and know exactly what you need to change and how to do it. Essay services from which you can buy reflective essay will tell you about thesis mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Mistakes you can make when choosing a topic
In degree programs, where you are free to choose your topic or subject area, many students view the topic of their thesis or dissertation as something personal. Of course, it is important that what you are going to research is of interest to you, but it is not necessary. It is advisable to listen to your professor’s advice and not ignore his or her criticism when he or she gives you problems with certain topics or the approach you want to take to them.
Other departments offer certain subjects (sometimes repeated year after year) with pre-assigned tutors so that students can choose them in order according to their grades. While it is likely that your work will be compared by the exam committee with other work, you will have the great advantage of being able to see how they have done it before and directly analyze how to do it better.
2. Mistakes you make if you don’t know how to cite
Using programs such as RefWorks or EndNote will allow you to export your bibliography directly from databases and to organize the order in which all your citations appear. By spending a little time learning how the software works, you won’t distract the exam board’s attention with errors in this part of the paper, and it will save you from easily remedied negative criticism.
Failing to make clear where you got a fact or idea is just as problematic as quoting too often (or making things too obvious). Two ways to overcome this problem are to enlist the help of a tutor and to let an outsider (who knows the subject well enough) read and evaluate the piece.
3. Errors in tone when writing a thesis or dissertation
The attitude with which you write is conveyed to the reader. In addition to what you say, it is also very important how you say it to accomplish your goal:
- To emphasize the value of your work
- Clearly define what your contribution is
- Say, based on specific data, why your research is relevant
According to the paper writing services, since this is an academic text, you must leave the personal aside, be very scrupulous in the details of expression, and leave out categorizing or simply repeating someone else’s ideas by changing words.
Although on a personal level doing this work is very important to you, you must show maturity and focus on behaving like a professional, revealing all the positive things you can contribute with the research you have done within the level and capacity for which you are being evaluated.
4. Not taking the tribunal into account
It is not always possible to find out who will be on the panel evaluating your thesis or dissertation (this is not always the case for dissertations), but it is worth trying to find out from the moment you choose your topic.
Everyone will likely sweep this issue under the rug when making comments, moving suggestions and criticisms into their area of interest. In addition, you will need to be well aware of what each member will do if your paper (intentionally or accidentally) contains any reference to the subject of their research.
Another of the first things to consider when writing your dissertation is how the exam committee will read the text. Academic articles have a very specific structure because it makes it easy for the reader to skip to the most important parts and then continue reading the rest after checking to see if he or she is interested.
Although the exam board will have to read your entire paper to grade you, they will likely approach it as they would any other scholarly text:
- They will start with conclusions (what you have accomplished)
- They will move on to goals (what you have set for yourself)
- They will ask how you did it (methodology)
- Check out where you started (theoretical background and biography)
- They will look at the table of contents to see how the work is worded
- Only after that will they move on to reading the text of your paper itself
5. Mistakes in the formatting of the text
Of all the mistakes made when writing a thesis or dissertation, these are the most “silly.” But they can severely damage your image and completely undermine all the work and effort you have put in. The important thing is that your text is presented professionally.
This is becoming less common, but some degree programs still require students to submit hard copies to all members of the exam committee. If this is the case, or if you have to turn in a digital file, make sure it is also flawlessly typed, with no style errors:
- Style
- Structure
- Spelling, grammar, or punctuation
- Vocabulary
- Formatting (with the title page and requisites required by the institution)
It’s worth leaving a few days before the final due date to have time to reread the text with perspective, noticing all of these flaws. It’s even better to make sure that at least two other people help you correct the errors or hire professional help. If you want, we can do this for you and also check that none of your paragraphs can be considered plagiarism by scanning them with specialized software.
6. Errors in calculating deadlines
Creating a roadmap by which you can organize your schedule up to the time you hand in your paper is something every student working on a dissertation must do. The consequences of not doing so are fatal, from turning in mediocre work to your tutor refusing to let you present it to the exam board or having to delay graduation and paying tuition again.
It is important to be realistic about your time management and make the most of every minute you spend working on your master’s or bachelor’s thesis. Don’t rush deadlines and always have a few extra days to spare:
- Review
- Return to the archives or library to do research
- Incorporate the changes suggested by the tutor
- Give yourself time to evaluate what you’ve written
- Dealing with personal, technical, or other contingencies
What could go wrong? Anticipate problems on the day of the thesis presentation
Just writing my research paper isn’t enough. The next set of possible mistakes we will deal with directly addresses everything that can go wrong at the time of the public presentation of the final draft. This is a crucial moment that usually takes no more than 30 minutes, but it is critical to creating a good impression of the research we have done.
7. Presentation Mistakes
You may become very nervous or even speechless during a presentation. You may even tremble or feel like your voice is breaking. This is perfectly normal. The exam committee will understand this and will probably cheer you up and suggest that you take a breath to calm down before you begin.
What can go wrong during a presentation?
- Speaking too fast
- Using a conversational tone or profanity
- Your appearance: you should be well dressed for the occasion, neat and tidy.
- Missing details or missing important points
- Improvising and walking around, lack of time
Taking notes, using a presentation as a guide, or scheduling breaks during rehearsals will help you stay focused and avoid mistakes.
8. Mistakes during the defense in front of the examination committee
After you finish your presentation, it will be time for the exam committee to ask you questions and make comments. Don’t worry if it takes a long time: it may just be that they found your work very interesting. Write down everything they tell you, and when it’s your turn:
- Don’t make excuses. Answer everything.
- Be honest and concise in your explanations.
- Don’t get into arguments. Professionally argue your point of view.
This is the moment when you can face criticism without letting up, argue why you used this particular methodology, and clearly and professionally explain your limitations. Acknowledge objective errors (e.g., spelling errors) and make sure they know you will correct them in the final version you submit to the university.
If you are wondering “who can help me write my thesis” or need any help in writing your dissertation, you can contact the college essay writing service, and you will write the paper without any mistakes. Good luck!
