A guide to surviving your third year dissertation at Cardiff Uni

For many Cardiff students, third year marks the end of university, or at least undergraduate life. While this final chapter brings new opportunities and challenges, it also comes wrapped with a fun little present. The dissertation – or other form of portfolio – is offered to most students in their last year. It gives them the chance to research a specific field of their studies.

As a more focused, longer-term project, it requires a different approach compared to your typical assignment. That may seem daunting; a big, empty document stretching out in front of you. This guide is here to help you ditch that dread and get the ball rolling!

1. Contact your supervisor 

Before you start typing away, it is important to get in contact with whatever form of supervisor you have been given. Your supervisor will be a professional in the topic you are studying so make sure you ask them any questions you have about where to find your research and if there is anything extra you can do to boost your work. They are there to help you structure your time, answer your questions, and provide feedback on your work – so make the most of them! 

2. Get some inspo

Struggling to know where to begin? Millions of people have been where you are. There are loads of useful resources online containing past dissertations and other theses, as well as guidance on how to structure your project. Have a look at Open Access definitely a good place to start. 

3. Plan… and then plan again

With something that for a lot of you is due after your end-of-year assignments, planning is key. Procastination will not be your friend when writing your dissertation and it is important to get ahead and plan what you will do when for a successful result. The sooner you know what it is you’re writing about, and how you want it to look, the sooner you can begin actually writing it. Which brings us on to the next issue: time.

4. Tick tock

There are two things to remember when managing your writing time: give yourself enough, but don’t give up too much. It is just as easy to spend too long working on your dissertation as it is to leave everything until the last minute. You’re getting credits from your other modules as well, so don’t play favourites.

If you portion out some dedicated time every week to work on things,  the whole experience will be a lot less stressful, and maybe even enjoyable…

Most Read

What happened when filming was stopped during James Acaster’s Celebrity Traitors breakdown

Love Is Blind’s Michaella had some major life updates since the break-up with Rob

The 14 UK universities producing the most employable grads in 2027, according to hiring managers

5. Do your research 

Planning and knowing what you want to write is key, but so is learning about your field of interest. The saying “all the gear and no idea” goes both ways – if you have an idea but no relevant knowledge to back you up, things might get tricky.  

The more you read around your project, the better. In this case, being a know-it-all is a good thing – even if that means you end up lecturing your friends in the pub for an hour. You may bore your friends, but at least you’ll have a big shiny dissertation to show for it!

6. What friends are actually for 

The university has a whole host of academic tutors, workshops, and help desks. However, these resources may not always be accessible or flooded with students as exam season nears. In these situations, many of us overlook the value of peer-reviewing.

Whether your friends do the same degree as you, or something completely different, getting another pair of eyes on your work is always helpful – that is, if they’re still talking to you after the pub lectures.

7. Looks do matter 

Often, the most gruelling part of any assessment is having to whip out the style guide and get into the nitty gritty of referencing and formatting. A dissertation is no different, with the specific referencing style, page formatting, and even font being different for every course at Cardiff. 

Make sure you find the correct framework, asking your lecturer or tutor if you are unsure. At the end of the day you want your dissertation to be as amazing on the outside as it is on the inside!

For more of the latest news, guides, gossip, and memes, follow The Cardiff Tab on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. 

Featured image via Canva