Supporting you through dissertation dilemmas and research project predicaments

Dissertations and research projects provide an opportunity to focus on a question that enthuses you, with the freedom to plan and conduct your own research.

As an independent researcher, you’ll be responsible for finding, selecting, evaluating and managing all your research sources. That is a lot to consider, but Library Services can help you get to grips with the skills and resources you need.

Our guide to ‘Support for dissertations and research projects’ is especially designed to pull together areas of library support and resources, and other academic support services, relevant to students undertaking dissertations or research projects, regardless of disciplinary background or subject area:

• Finding the best sources: Wondering which library resources to use to inform your dissertation or research project? Find out how the library can help, including directing you to the best sources for your needs.
• Literature searching: Retrieving too many or too few results when you search the literature for your dissertation or research project? Find out how the library can help you develop and refine your literature search techniques.
• Research methods: Need to understand research methods for your dissertation or research project? Find out how the library can help by directing you to online resources on research methods.
• Referencing: Struggling with formatting references for your dissertation or research project? Find out how the library can support you with referencing and more.
• Reference management software: Losing track of references you have found for your dissertation or research project? Find out how the library can support you with using reference management software to organise your references and cite them in your work.

Explore further with our other online guides:

• LibrarySkills@UCL: Everything you need to know to help you refine your skills in finding, evaluating and using information.
• Academic communication skills resources: This reading list includes useful resources for academic communication skills including academic writing, research methods, critical thinking, skills for literature reviews and systematic reviews, referencing, presentation skills, writing for publication, statistics and general study skills.
• Subject guides: Find out about resources specific to your subject area and how to support from your subject specialist librarian(s).

We also offer a wide range of training sessions, online and face to face:

• LibrarySkills@UCL training sessions: View our calendar and make a booking.