1. Have something to say. Your dissertation stands for your personal academic position, so it helps to believe what you write and write what you believe. Be well informed and secure in your position, then take confidence in your intellect and take a stand.
2. Rigorous research. Most dissertation will involve primary source and the collection of novel data, but even for library based research projects it is essential that you invest appropriate levels of time and brain power in this fundamental activity. The strength of research is the foundation for the entire dissertation.
3. Synthesis of ideas. Take ideas, information, theories and perspectives from wherever you think appropriate. Often it is advisable to take a wide-spectrum research approach. When doing so, it is all the more important to be careful and thorough in your systematic and coherent synthesis of ideas.
4. Time to think. You may very well be tempted to start making progress on this long piece of work as soon as possible; you would be right to do so, but remember that words on the page are not the single measure of progress. Do not write until you have something meaningful to say.
5. Know what is expected. Consult all available material detailing the specifications of the work you are undertaking. Talk to departmental staff, read old dissertations, scrutinise the marking and assessment criteria, and generally become familiar with what is expected.
6. Plan. Once you know the specifications inside out, you will be in a position to make a realistic plan of how to spend your time and how to structure your essay. Think ahead, anticipate problems and above all ensure you do not end up hurrying the write-up.
7. Care and attention. Dissertation essays are such substantial pieces of work that there are a great many aspects to be considered. Failure to meet the required standards in any one of these areas will put a ceiling on the mark you can expect to receive, so be diligent in all areas and demonstrate your professionalism.
8. Balance. Different parts of your dissertation will be weighted differently for their significance and the marks they carry. Bear this in mind when structuring your dissertation in order to reduce padding in minor areas and ensure substantial content in important sections.
9. End game. There can often be a considerable period of time between the beginning and end of just the writing stage of your dissertation project. Remember therefore to retain focus and keep your conclusions relevant to your original research questions. Clarity of focus is a strong indicator of your overall academic competence.
10. Review. Perhaps it seems a long time off now, but when you have finished writing the first draft, be certain to review it. Sometimes it serves to clear your mind of it before doing so to look at it afresh. Proofread for impeccable language and coherence of arguments as well as logical structure and sound reasoning.
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1. Take a stand. As an undergraduate you are not necessarily always required to produce a cool, detached and balanced piece. Often the strong development of a particular thread of argument can be more rewarding, and can be countered later in seminars or group discussions.
2. Balance. The counterpoint to the previous tip, but not its contradiction. Even if you aim to take up a certain position strongly, demonstrate your recognition of the countervailing opinions. Showing that you have considered alternative positions confers a certain credibility.
3. What is it for? Aim to get the most personal educational benefit out of your work by considering why it was set, what you are expected to learn, and how it relates to the rest of your studies. Think about the module you are working towards and its objectives.
4. Be an undergraduate. You have finished school, but have taken only the first step into higher education; you must live up to newer, higher academic standards, but must also be mindful that you have barely scratched the surface of your subject. Don’t assume you know it all.
5. Read widely. Deep engagement with the relevant literature is the single most important prerequisite for high attainment in your essays. Demonstrate wide reading through your work with copious references and involved discussion of appropriate source material. Wide reading also helps you generate your own ideas.
6. Broad knowledge base. Often an undergraduate essay will require the consideration of a topic previously alien to you. It is therefore necessary either to have a broad knowledge base to begin with, or to become comfortable with grasping unfamiliar ideas, which will in turn eventually increase your general knowledge. Don’t be intimidated by the unfamiliar.
7. A variety of sources. Use all of the sources available to you to ensure that you have the most useful material, and as a demonstration of your research skills (much prized in academia). Libraries, academic and clinical journals, research papers, e-journals, newspapers, internet sources, and so on.
8. Sound use of language. Quite apart from the content and substance of your essay, the written document is an exercise in language. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are problems easier to solve than most others, so don’t let little errors slip you by.
9. Strong analysis. In writing undergraduate essays you are expected to increase substantially the level of critical, argumentative and analytical content. Pure description is never enough, and must only be used in support of rigorous analysis and logical argumentation.
10. Plan and structure. Consider each essay to be a substantial and valuable piece of work, and plan ahead to ensure you write it as well as possible. Think in advance about what you want to say, how best to express it, and the material necessary to support it, then synthesis an appropriate plan.
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1. Awareness. Try to show your understanding of the important values, issues and debates in nursing today by letting these inform your approach to essay writing. This can be seen as a guide as much as an added requirement; when stuck with how to introduce an idea or set up a discussion, consider current issues as providing a way in.
2. Academic writing. The essay is an academic piece of work and should therefore follow academic conventions concerning style and format. Use formal language, references and specialist vocabulary where appropriate. Remember also to take care with spelling, punctuation and grammar.
3. Genres. The subject of nursing is often approached through the different genres of work required at degree level. Be sensitive to the different requirements of care plans, reflective essays, literature reviews and so on. Adhering to the particular specifications will demonstrate your understanding of the differences between the genres, and is necessary for high marks.
4. Content. The content of the essay will depend on the question at hand and the requirements for the work, but in general it serves to be aware of the scale of sophistication stretching from level 1 to level 3. Lower level work such as care plans can be reasonably descriptive in content, but higher level work will require more argumentative and critical substance.
5. Theory and practice. As a vocational degree, nursing can never be entirely divorced from issues of practical application of what you have learned. It is therefore necessary to find ways to link theory with practice, demonstrating your understanding of the two-way exchange of ideas to gain top marks.
6. Wide reading. Like all academic disciplines, excellence in nursing depends on wide reading around the subject, of both the academic literature and the clinical evidence. References to a wide range of material, preferably from a variety of sources, is necessary to demonstrate the proper level of engagement.
7. Evaluation. Level 3 work is distinguished from lower levels by its requirement for substantial critical evaluation. Do not just gather a wide variety of sources, but consider also the strength of their arguments and take a critical distance from them in order to show your evaluative skills.
8. Structure. Important in any essay, proper structure gives the foundations for excellence in all other assessment criteria. Different types of work will require different structures, but the basic principle of a considered, planned approach is universally applicable.
9. Logical argumentation. As with critical evaluation, evidence of consistent logic in developing arguments tends to be a requirement of higher level work. However, making this a priority will ensure higher marks in all work. Think clearly, identify faulty assumptions and build a logical case to support your ideas.
10. Balance. Evaluation is a type of balance – weighing the credibility of certain sources against others – but balance applies equally to all aspects of your essay. How much of your text is a review of others’ work, and how much your own? Have you given equal consideration to the subsections within the specification? Aim not to lavish too much attention on one area at the expense of others.