We\u2019re back in action; it\u2019s the first week back after Christmas and its already full steam ahead to Easter. I\u2019ve started two new modules this term, both in economics, and aside that there is only my dissertation to be done. This term will also be a little emptier as we are soon to have elections for RocSoc and, as this is my final year, I will need to step down. In this way it feels like my time at Lancaster University is moving into the \u2018final push\u2019 stage before the end, which is now unnervingly close. Given that most of this term is likely to be filled with my dissertation that is my topic of today, or at least my experiences in finding a topic and getting underway.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Picking a Topic<\/u><\/p>\n
Some people you will meet already know, or think they know, what they want to do for their dissertation from day 1 and that can make you feel behind or lost if you\u2019ve never even thought about it…don\u2019t worry about it. In fact, it\u2019s probably better that you don\u2019t have an idea until you actually have to decide given that you will learn a lot in that time and change your mind many times. What does help is to have an idea of what you like within your subject area and then slowly narrow it as you go until there is a specific area you know you are willing to dedicate most of your spare time to reading about. As you have no lectures or seminars to keep it at the top of your mind you will need to motivate yourself and that is a lot easier if it\u2019s something you think about a lot anyway.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tutors<\/u><\/p>\n
Every tutor manages their students differently. I know some of my friends have quite strict tutors who set them deadlines to finish drafts and prepare meetings far in advance, others have laid back ones who are happy to have meetings when you feel you need them. Given there is some flexibility in who can be your tutor, as in the PPR department you select a number of tutors you feel are suitable for your topic, make sure to think about more than just expertise but also consider who you will work well with or how enthusiastic they may be about your topic. The other point to remember is that having a single tutor does not mean you cannot get input from elsewhere. As my dissertation is multidisciplinary it\u2019s useful to have more perspectives and so I often ask my tutors from other modules if they think there is a route I should be exploring.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Starting<\/u><\/p>\n
When you start your dissertation it seems gigantic and that blank page in front of you can be intimidating, sometimes to the point where you end up procrastinating as you don\u2019t know where to start. What worked for me was to start somewhere in the middle instead of with the introduction and then working my way out. Once you have a few ideas down on paper it becomes a lot easier, even if you know it\u2019s poorly written and may even be entirely chopped out in the final draft. On top of this have a little paragraph, or even a few lines, that reminds you of your issue and gets you straight back into the zone every time you come back to it. By the 5,000 word mark it\u2019s easy to lose focus so having a reminder of where you\u2019re going or a list of ideas you want to get into helps keep that on track, especially as throughout the process you will keep adding more and more or becoming side tracked with an issue that is not really relevant. Despite all of this it is not as bad as it seems, set yourself a quota of so many words per week and treat it as writing a series of mini essays on the same topic, it makes it a lot more manageable.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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