Tips for Finishing a Dissertation at Distance Learning

Tips for Finishing a Dissertation at Distance Learning

Back in February I finally handed in my last assignment for my degree this was the one everyone dreads the Dissertation! Over the past 3 to 4 years I have been completing this degree while working full time and I can definitely say there have been some times when this has been a struggle and the burnout has been strong!

With the current situation alot of you I'm sure are finishing off your degrees or doing assignments at distance learning from home and I wanted to share with you some of my tips that helped me be productive when finishing off my dissertation.

1. Gather all your Research First

When completing my dissertation and all my assignments really I tended to gather all my research that I wanted to use first. I then used to identify all the quotes that could be useful to be included into the assignment based off of the question that I was trying to answer. I felt this saved me so much time when starting to write the assignments.

2. Create your References

When I would find a quote I would always create the full reference and add it onto the document then and there. This saved me so much time and meant that I didn't forget which text I had found the quote from or the page number.

3. Plan Your Time
I set aside certain days and evenings of the week purely for university work. I found this worked well for me as I had time for my personal life on the days when I was not doing university work. Sticking to a schedule is the best way to be productive and get work done by set deadlines.

4. Take Breaks

It is important if you have limited time in the week and can only work on weekends to take breaks. Grab a drink, some food, watch an episode of your favourite programme. This will help keep you motivated and clear your mind rather than working non-stop and feeling burnt out.

5. Change Your Workspace
Do your work in different places that suit you I found working in multiple places such as my computer room, the library or even at work helped change my headspace.

6. Keep in Contact
Keep in contact with your tutor, any questions you have e-mail and ask, contact over e-mail helps ensure you feel supported and ensure that you have some guidance that you are going in the right direction with the structure and content of your dissertation.

These are all the tips I feel that helped me and may help you while completing a dissertation at distance learning. Are you studying via distance learning? What do you feel helps you keep motivated and what tips do you have?

Thanks for Reading!