Be prepared for writing your dissertation

Writing your dissertation marks the end of a very important stage in your educational journey. It provides you with the opportunity to collate all the skills you have gained and showcase your research in an original piece to the academic community.

The art of compiling your dissertation is difficult, but fear not, here are ways to help you get ready:

• Speak to your personal tutor/members of staff to find out what resources and activities your department offers to support you with your dissertation or research project.
• Check out the comprehensive support from the Academic Communication Centre, Library Services and Digital Skills for the dissertation process. From tutorials, courses, writing retreats, resources and skills training, find everything you need including guidance on:
  • The writing process
  • Academic integrity
  • Literature searching
  • Systematic reviews/literature reviews
  • Referencing
  • Evaluating information
  • Working with data
  • Getting help
• Explore the Students' Union Language + Writing Support programme for international students or students whose English is a second or third language. 
• Log in to LinkedIn Learning with your UCL ID and access free online video tutorials, ranging from research design to digital tools that support long-form writing projects, as well as statistical software for running quantitative tests.

There will be challenges, so be sure to seek the support you need. Take it step by step and before you know it, you’ll have completed the most important paper of your educational career! 

Last updated: 14 May 2024.