Dissertation survival guide for international postgraduate students

Before you start writing:n

• Start with a clear, narrow research question — UK dissertations reward depth over breadth
• Use Zotero or Mendeley to manage references from day one
• Plan your timeline backwards from submission — allocate one day per week minimum from week one

nnWhile writing:n

• Your abstract is written last, not first
• Each chapter should have its own mini-argument that supports your central thesis
• Your literature review is not a summary — it positions your research in relation to existing work

nnCommon mistakes to avoid:n

• Describing what others said without saying what YOU think about it
• Leaving supervisor contact until crisis point
• Not using your university writing centre for feedback

nnUKBuddy Assignment Helper — structuring tool for UK dissertations