Having to write a dissertation is a common issue many students think about. Depending on the university, the dissertation can be your final work to complete your study years. However, some universities call a dissertation a work that is submitted at the end of the semester. Either way, dissertations are complex writing tasks many students fear. This is because they require good research and an interesting topic. And also, a good flow of words.
But while many students think that if they do not have a talent for writing they will not be able to produce a good dissertation, this turns out to be not true at all. There are a few issues that are the hardest, especially if you are a Geography student. Here are a few things to consider while writing your geography dissertation and that will surely help you when you start.
How to Choose Your Dissertation Topic
The first thing you have to do is to choose your topic. But often this first task turns out to be the most challenging for many students. Depending on the field of Geography you have studied, you need to focus your thesis on it. For example, if you have studied Human Geography, you need to choose a topic within this field. You could compare the economies and development of two cities. Or you could choose to defend the idea that wildlife corridors are the best choice that allows both humans and wildlife to live harmoniously.
The thing is you should choose something you are passionate about. This is because writing a geography dissertation requires doing a lot of research. And if students like the chosen topic, they will be more motivated to complete it. For example, if you have studied physical geography and are passionate about the health of our rivers, you could explore topics related to this field in your thesis. Something such as an analysis of water quality, the impact of floods in certain areas, or the pollution of the rivers.
How to Choose Your Reading Sources
The internet abounds with articles and studies on various topics. Considering the fact that climate change has become a global emergency, geography and other related fields are doing more research. But at the same time, there are sources of information you should avoid presenting in your dissertation, such as Wikipedia. This is because anyone can edit the information there, so you cannot trust the sources.
Doing research is the second hardest task after choosing the topic. When writing a geography dissertation, you need to make sure that you document from high authority sources. But how do you make the difference between fake and real information? This is a real challenge considering the hectic internet days we are living. The spread of information is more facile than ever which gives rise to many hoaxes and fake information.
Choose to inform from high authority sources, such as domain-related journals. Many organizations promote magazines that share the most important results from the geography field. A few of these are The Geography Journal, Antipode, or Geoforum. There is also a specialized journal for each geography field, such as economic, cultural, or physical geography. Knowing where to look for information helps you get qualitative help with your dissertation, which is another step that will take you closer to writing it. When you read studies, make sure you organize the information and take notes in a structured and logical way, so that it will be easier to access it later. You can store them on your computer or laptop.
How to Structure Your Geography Dissertation
The structure is often different from college to college. This makes students more confused as they do not have a clear image of what should be included in their thesis. But even though slight differences depend on your study topic, the core structure of a dissertation is the same. Many students stumble upon this obstacle, which prevents them from continuing their work.
It is important to set your structure before you start writing. Like this, it will be easier to organize your information. Moreover, you can make an outline and start working on it, and slowly your dissertation will gain shape.
In the introduction of your thesis, you need to state your chosen topic and the goals and objectives of your thesis. Then, you need to present the literature review, other studies, and results on topics related to yours. Then, your hypothesis that derives from your research.
All dissertations require you to conduct a case study or build a survey and gather some responses. So, in the methodology section, you need to present dates about them and how you conducted the study. Keep in mind that not all dissertation topics require you to have a survey. In the end, you present the results (all the stats, numbers, and tables) and discuss their implications.
Conclusion
What topic to choose for your geography dissertation, how to choose your reading sources, and structure your thesis are some of the hardest things. Overcoming them is not easy and it requires effort and time, but keep in mind that you can surpass these obstacles. Choose a topic you like and are passionate about.
This will keep you motivated for the whole working process and you will develop a good geography dissertation. Choose carefully your reading sources and make sure they are high-authority ones. Make sure you take notes and build an outline of the structure you have decided upon. This will help you build your geography dissertation as you inform more on your chosen topic and it will make the whole process easier.
Author Bio: Judy Nelson is a professional dissertation writer and part-time blogger. She writes various articles for students. Some of the topics are productivity, dissertation structure, and essay hooks.
