Basic Sections Of Any Undergraduate Dissertation: Tips For Inexperienced Writers

A dissertation is an academic paper that has a precise structure. Before you start writing your undergraduate project, you need to remember the basic structure of such a paper. The list below includes the basic sections of an academic paper of this type. Still, before you get down to writing, you need to make sure what your supervisor wants to see in your project, and which parts can be omitted. You’d better figure it out before you waste time writing things that can be skipped without issue.

The basic sections of an undergraduate dissertation involve the following:

• Cover.

Because this part is often optional, you need to find out in advance whether you are supposed to create a cover for your project or not.

• Title page.

This section is one of the most important ones. Because it’s very formal, it often causes problems for the majority of students. Every part of your project, including the title page, should be composed using the academic style of writing that has been chosen for your paper.

• Acknowledgements.

This section is required in case you have anyone to thank for assistance in the research done during the process of writing.

• Abstract.

In this part of your project, you give your readers a rough idea of what they can find inside the paper they are about to read. It’s an important section, so it’s very likely that you will need to write one for your paper.

Contents page.

This is one of the indispensible pages that need to be present in any dissertation. The contents page is a means of navigation, and makes your project reader-friendly.

• List of figures or illustrations.

This part references the number of illustrations or tables that are or are not attached to your paper.

• The body.

This is the main part that represents your research.

• Introduction.

This is the opening paragraph that helps you attract readers’ attention and keep them reading your paper.

• Methodology.

This chapter explains your choice of research methods, so it’s one of the most important.

• Results or conclusions.

This part of your project shows the results you have achieved and the way you have reached your own goals.

• Reference list/bibliography.

This is an awfully important part of your project that names all the reference sources that you have used. Your accuracy in this chapter may save you from plagiarism charges.

• Appendices.

The presence or absence of this part depends on whether you have any additional materials in your project.