How to write a English Literature dissertation
How is an English Literature Dissertation different from other academic work?
Writing an English Literature Dissertation requires a degree of application greater than that needed for an average academic essay. You will find that you will need to apply different skills, founded on your previous study of Literature, as an English Literature Dissertation is usually required for the award of a higher degree such as a Masters or a Ph.D.
Hence, the English Literature Dissertation is a longer and more involved piece of work than any you will have previously undertaken, usually coming as the culmination of a course of study. Also, a dissertation in any discipline is usually on a topic, or aspect of a topic, that particularly appeals to the writer rather that a response to a ‘set question’. As stated above, the dissertation will usually, though not always, be post-graduate work and therefore assessed at a much higher standard.
As with other disciplines, an English Literature Dissertation is not normally ‘taught’ so much as researched, where it evolves over a period of extensive reading and then focuses on an original niche which has been discovered. Originality is the keynote in writing a successful English Literature Dissertation so you must find an angle or topic not previously researched by close-reading of primary texts and critical works.
How should research for an English Literature Dissertation begin?
Having decided on your dissertation topic or angle, you need to read widely in the primary texts and critical works to establish what has been said and how your work can add to the body of knowledge on the subject; this is one of the directives for dissertation (thesis) research. It is useful to look at the bibliographies of established scholars which you will find in these texts, as you will be building on established, respected foundations in your own work.
After this, you need to look at more recent research, constantly updating your notes, so that you’re sure that your work is not pre-empted before you submit. A good source for this is the academic journal, where you will find information that is still at the exploratory stage. There is usually a limit to the number of electronic sources you may use so by all means consult the internet for your English Literature Dissertation but limit the number used and check all sources you cite because not all websites are wholly reliable.
Remember that all citations, from whatever source, must be meticulously referenced in the style required by your college or university. The importance of this cannot be over emphasised, as it can literally mean the difference between success and failure. Find out which referencing style is used by your academic institution and adhere to it strictly from your first note to your final revision (this also helps guard against accidental plagiarism). As this is an English Literature Dissertation, it will conform to one of the styles adopted by the Humanities. The principal styles, such as Harvard, Oxford, MLA and MHRA, all use variations of either parenthetical and reference list or footnotes and bibliography. Remember that your bibliography is an essential part of your work which should evolve with and from your research and not be hastily compiled at the end of your work.
How should I compile my English Literature Dissertation?
The basic format is that of any piece of academic work. In other words, you begin with an introduction stating your thesis statement, follow through and develop your argument over a series of chapters and finish with a conclusion. Of course, this is much more extensive and intensive than any academic work at undergraduate level.
Nevertheless, each stage of an English Literature Dissertation should, as with an academic essay, focus on an individual aspect of your topic and build an argument leading to a summation and synthesis of thought in your conclusion. The familiar idea that the conclusion should leave indicators towards future research is even more important here as your academic board will want evidence that you have introduced an original idea in your English Literature Dissertation which has sufficient depth and gravity to warrant further research by yourself or another scholar.
Remember that every point you make must be supplemented by evidentiary support in your dissertation. As stated above, this should be correctly referenced in the required style. Using quotations effectively is, perhaps, even more important in an English Literature Dissertation than in a similar work within another discipline as analysis is essential and may even suggest future areas of study both now and in the future. Looking closely at the text should be second nature to you if you are writing at this level but remember that what you are looking for, here, is originality; fresh thoughts on texts are therefore essential. Quotations, whether embedded within a sentence or blocked, should always appear as an integral part of your writing, not something which you have imposed upon the argument. The best English Literature Dissertations evolve from the inside out: in other words, they result from intense interaction by the researcher with the primary texts.
Any other tips for writing my English Literature Dissertation?
Well, it should go without saying that good Standard English must be used throughout. As you are writing a piece of work on English, your own should be beyond reproach.
To this end, you must ensure that your final draft contains no typographical, grammatical, punctuation or spelling errors. This includes errors in referencing, of course. You might ask a friend to proof-read your English Literature Dissertation or get into the habit of reading drafts aloud as reading on page or screen in your head often results in your eye seeing what it expects to see, rather than what is there. Reading aloud reduces the chances of this.
Finally, be prepared to write and re-write, after consultation with your appointed supervisor or tutor, until you are confident that you are submitting the best possible English Literature Dissertation at your command. Remember, that the dissertation is a challenging opportunity and one that should leave you with a feeling of satisfaction as well as that all-important degree you are seeking: ‘good luck’!
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