How to write an Oxford Dissertation
Writing an Oxford Dissertation implies a certain expectation of quality. In the academic world, the colleges of the universities of Oxford and Cambridge are held in the highest esteem, therefore if you are a member of an Oxbridge College you are one of the academic elite; this is a privilege that you have earned and gives you life-long kudos. However, it also means that it is your responsibility to help maintain the esteem in which your college is held throughout the world and your work should be of the highest quality. With this in mind, writing an Oxford Dissertation can seem very daunting.
Notwithstanding, the basic format of an Oxford Dissertation is the same as for any dissertation, there are two distinct types: the first is basically a long essay which follows the same structure as writing other academic essays but with more extensive research and original, extended arguments and conclusions; it can be used as a means of assessment at any level and is likely to be partly taught. The second is much more like a thesis (indeed the terms are often used synonymously although this is incorrect) which is prepared entirely by the student with the help and guidance of a senior lecturer as appointed supervisor using established academic research methods; this type of dissertation is not usually taught at all and is usually constructed for the award of a Masters or Ph.D.
Since we are concerned here with writing an Oxford Dissertation, you are much more likely to be conducting the second of these dissertation types and that is what will be concentrated on here.
Before you begin to write an Oxford Dissertation, you will be required to submit an Oxford Dissertation proposal. This should contain the following:
- An introduction stating your title and a brief thesis statement
- An abstract expanding, succinctly, your areas of research
- The major aims your dissertation hopes to achieve
- An overview of your texts
- The way you intend to carry out your research and present it
- The foundation of your research
- A synthesis of your findings
- Conclusions you have drawn and indications for future research
- Appendices and Bibliography
After you have submitted this, your Oxford Dissertation proposal will be considered by an academic board of the college of which you are a member who will decide whether or not to accept your proposal.
It is worth mentioning at this point, that if you have concerns about the preparation of your dissertation proposal and the writing of the Oxford Dissertation itself, even after consultation with your supervisor, you may wish to take advantage of one of the many custom writing services available. Some of these have departments which deal specifically with Oxford Dissertations carried out by Oxford graduates. If you do decide to avail yourself of this service, then you would be well advised to use one of these specialist departments, as they will know exactly what is required. Choose a custom writing service carefully, as not all deliver the quality they promise. Opt for a UK based company (you can tell this by the area code) and one which offers a full guarantee that all work is original. The Oxford Dissertation should be tailored specifically to your requirements and you should be guaranteed that if you have any problems, they will be corrected. Custom writing is expensive, especially for an Oxford Dissertation, so make sure you get value for money.
Once your proposal has been accepted, you can begin to write your Oxford Dissertation. You will have completed your basic research but even whilst you are writing, you should continue to research because you want your Oxford Dissertation to reflect the latest research and ensure that another academic has not pre-empted your own work. Originality is crucial in academic research so when you are writing your Oxford Dissertation make this a priority. Take brief notes of everything you consult and keep a record of the author, title, publisher and place of publication, all in the referencing style required by your college (Oxford has a specific referencing style, as you should be aware). It is very important to do this as you research and not leave it until the last moment, as your bibliography should evolve as your research does and is a crucial part of writing your Oxford Dissertation.
You should have organized your ideas for your Oxford Dissertation before you submit your dissertation proposal, so the next thing to do is write your introduction. This should be brief and to the point, stating your thesis and giving a very brief idea of what you will be looking at. Following this, should be a one page abstract of your Oxford Dissertation (sometimes this is placed before the introduction at the start of your Oxford Dissertation). An abstract summarises what the thesis of your Oxford Dissertation is and a brief summary of what will be included in each chapter, with reference to specific authors, texts, topics to be included in each. The abstract should end with a conclusion, summarising and synthesising your thoughts and suggesting ways in which your future research might develop. (You will also need to include a table of contents and as with the introduction and abstract, this may be placed at the beginning, after the introduction and/or abstract or now, before the main chapters begin, so check the structural requirements for your Oxford Dissertation.)
Now for the chapters of your Oxford Dissertation, these will be based on the degree for which you are submitting your dissertation as the number of chapters is partly determined by the number of words. An average length for an Oxford Dissertation for a Masters might be 20,000 to 30,000 words, therefore you would write approximately three or four chapters together with a conclusion, appendices and bibliography. An Oxford Dissertation (thesis) for a Ph.D. would be 100,000 words so you might use anything up to seven chapters (not less than five) together with your conclusion, appendices and bibliography.
Each chapter of your Oxford Dissertation should deal with a different aspect of your research, supplemented by evidentiary support, extensively analysed and correctly referenced according to the stylistic referencing requirements of the college at which you are researching your Oxford Dissertation. Remember to stress originality, establishing by use of persuasive, structured argument and detailed evidence of research, exactly how each individual aspect of your work contributes to the thesis and will ultimately add to the body of knowledge on the subject. Try to make each chapter both singular and connected, so that the central thesis is always readily detectable but there is a sense of subtle individuality about each aspect of your Oxford Dissertation.
When you reach the conclusion of your Oxford Dissertation, do not think of it as an ending but rather as a means of synthesising your thoughts and drawing together the thesis as a whole. It is a good idea to conclude your Oxford Dissertation with a clear indication of what direction future research might take, whether undertaken by yourself or others. Again, stress the originality of the thoughts you have discussed and how your Oxford Dissertation will add to the generic body of research in your chosen field. A conclusion to any academic work should be thorough but in an Oxford Dissertation it is more important than ever. Though this is not the last word on the subject, it is the last chance for you to impress in your Oxford Dissertation so make it count.
Some final tips on writing an Oxford Dissertation before you head off to begin writing:
- Check the structural requirements of your college
- Check the referencing requirements of your college
- If you use a custom writing service, use it as an aid to, not in place of, your own Oxford Dissertation
- Keep to the specified word count, you might be penalised if you exceed it
- Research your topic thoroughly and keep adding to it, if necessary, right up to the time you submit it
- Write your Oxford Dissertation in clear, concise English which you should proof-read thoroughly before submission, making careless errors in grammar, spelling and/or punctuation can cost you not only marks but credibility
- Revise your Oxford Dissertation as many times as it takes, until you are absolutely sure that this is the best Oxford Dissertation you could possibly submit; then, and only then, should you even consider submitting it, as only the best will gain you the degree for which you are aiming.
Whatever you do, don’t give up on your Oxford Dissertation. Remember that you are attempting to gain one of the most difficult academic achievements from one of the best universities in the world, so nobody said it was going to be easy but it is worthwhile so don’t despair, however tired and stressed you get.
The Ph.D. is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘the highest academic award in any field of knowledge’: that’s worth thinking about whilst you’re writing your Oxford Dissertation, isn’t it? Good luck
