So let’s get down to the facts. Hundreds and thousands of people are doing their research, writing their thesis and dissertation at any given point of time. Now, who is going to review all of this? The limited number of people who are qualified in a relevant subject are the ones who can do it. With paper work piling onto their tables and deadlines just around the corner, what is it that reviewers are looking for? Here are a few things
Get to the point really quickly: Let’s face it, saving the best for the last in a dissertation is the worst possible thing you could do. Why, you ask? Well, the academic who is reviewing your paper must have many more to do and when he doesn’t see the point in the beginning of your paper, he has already put it into the reject bin in his head. So, always make your strongest point in the very beginning.
Your dissertation is your argument , it has to be strong and coherent : Most often anyone’s dissertation is a compilation of data and proof to disprove an existing idea. In that case, making your argument strong is a mandate to get your dissertation approved. So make sure, your core argument is highlighted in many places in the paper (don’t overdo it!) and all statements about it are speaking of the same core idea.
Research statement: Make it crisp, clear and flawless. Remember, your research statement is what your entire thesis is about so pay attention to it. It is often followed by the aims of the paper to give the reviewer a heads up to the different aspects that he is going to come across. This is important because it provides structure in the mind of the reviewer which makes it more coherent and increases the odds of your thesis getting approved.
Methodology: A good dissertation should always give a crystal clear view of the research process. This increases the validity of your paper and makes it more reliable.
Originality : Always keep the work original . Don’t rely on online sources for the grammatical structures of the paper. That must come from you. The only times you are allowed to restate is when you reference it appropriately! Anything other than that must be a 100% original.
Keep these in mind while writing your dissertation. It is sure to make your work more likely to be approved. Happy writing!