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Rachels cat laying on her notes

Preparing my dissertation – from home!

Dissertation is a word that most prospective and current students dread. It’s undertaken in the final year of your course and is worth a ton of marks towards your degree. Personally, this was something I wasn’t looking forward to, but also I didn’t really know what a dissertation entailed. I am now in my final year and have just started this year-long process, so I’m going to shed some light on what a dissertation is and what you can do to prepare.

What is a dissertation?

A dissertation is essentially a long research project. In Media Studies (and many other courses), you have a choice to do either a 10,000 written word, creative media project (photography/video), or a community media dissertation. Which one you do is choice, but also depends on the modules you’ve taken in previous years. For example, you may not be able to complete a creative media project if you don’t have any experience in photography or video production. My choice was to do a written dissertation (brave, I know!), so I’m going to be breaking down this option.

It’s broken into two parts; the first a 2,000-word Critical Research Plan, and then an 8,000-word dissertation. This sounds like a lot but by your final year, you’ll be more than prepared to write this much, and honestly, you’ll probably end up writing way too much.

Rachels dissertation notes

Written dissertation components

Your dissertation is then broken down into different parts again, which will be explained before you begin. They may differ depending on the type of dissertation you choose and the course you are on, but for Media Studies, the sections are as follows:

  • Introduction
  • Concepts and Theories
  • Research Methods
  • Research Results/Findings and Discussion
  • Bibliography
  • Prologue and Appendices

This might seem daunting but as I said before, your entire university career is preparing you for this moment!

Rachels dissertation notes 2

My advice – Boss it before it begins

The best piece of advice I can give you is to use your time at university to figure out what you enjoy and what interests you. Your dissertation is YOUR work, so the topic you choose should be something you enjoy.

You can also build a great range of literature to fall back on by looking at previous assignments – pop them in a mind map and you’ll be shocked at the quantity you have before even beginning research. Also, look at the layout of journal articles and you’ll notice you’ve already read many pieces that look like the structure of a dissertation.

Before you begin the first term to your final year, try to use part of the summer to think about what you’d be interested in researching. This may be one topic or a few, either way, try to engage with some readings to see what exists on this topic and to figure out whether you’ll enjoy spending time on the topic.

Finally, remember if you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed during this time to speak to your supervisor and personal tutor – their job is to help, support and guide you during this time.

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Student identities in new spaces of higher education

  • Mandy Louise Curtis
  • University of Brighton

Student thesis : Doctoral Thesis

File : application/pdf, 3.42 MB

Type : Thesis

university of brighton dissertation

HS796 - Dissertation (Level 7) 2020

HS796_2020 was used for teaching between September 2020 and July 2021. Use the buttons below to find the module relevant to you.

Understanding your studentcentral module - HS796

This page provides general information about Study Materials and Assessments for Dissertation (Level 7) in studentcentral. The university has agreed the use of a standard menu template in module study areas on studentcentral. This means that access to study materials, assessments and grades should be consistent for all the modules that you study.

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Learning materials provided by the tutors will be available under the Study Materials menu item. Handouts (for example, lecture notes, powerpoint presentations) are provided there.

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COMMENTS

  1. Find Student theses — The University of Brighton

    A 360-degree appraisal of the barriers to medication adherence in paediatric patients with long-term illness. Ullah, N. (Author)Macadam, A. (Supervisor), Oct 2017. Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis. File.

  2. Find Student theses — The University of Brighton

    A biomonitoring tool to identify and quantify the impacts of fine sediment in river and stream ecosystems Author: Turley, M., Oct 2017 Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis

  3. Preparing my dissertation - from home! | Brighton Student ...

    Your dissertation is then broken down into different parts again, which will be explained before you begin. They may differ depending on the type of dissertation you choose and the course you are on, but for Media Studies, the sections are as follows: Introduction. Concepts and Theories. Research Methods. Research Results/Findings and Discussion.

  4. UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON

    The thesis has developed and implemented a Machine Learning formative strategy called “IPCBR Framework” which is aimed to determine the causes of stock behaviour, rather than predicting future time series points in such fuzzy environment. By so doing, the research contributes to more robust strategies in investigating financial bubbles.

  5. Resilience and People with Learning Disabilities — The ...

    The thesis concludes that these actions were linked to transformational impact, through power-disruption, praxis, feeling valued and adding value and positive impact on self-identity. The participatory ethos of both Community Partners and the University of Brighton was essential in promoting sustainability of opportunity for the co-researchers.

  6. The micro-geographies of Studentification in Brighton and Hove

    Adopting a micro-geographic approach, this thesis investigates the unfolding processes and impacts of studentification in five case study locations within Brighton and Hove City, UK, and intersects with debates of gentrification, segregation, community cohesion, and ‘otherness’. Date of Award. 2010. Original language.

  7. Brighton Doctoral College - University of Brighton

    The onus is on you to state the question(s) which underpin your proposed research. Your ability to frame your research in this way demonstrates your potential to think like a researcher. 3) The project is unlikely to be completed. PhDs are typically 3-4 years full time and around 5-6 years part-time.

  8. The University of Brighton

    Welcome to the University of Brighton's database of research and enterprise including researcher profiles, activities, outputs, projects and our groups and centres. Our research and enterprise activities tackle global challenges, solve practical problems and seek to improve people’s lives and environments. We foster a vibrant, agile research ...

  9. Student identities in new spaces of higher education

    The research is drawn from a case study of higher education in Hastings, south-east England where the foundation of post-18 education at the University of Brighton Hastings Campus is part of a suite of interventions to stimulate coastal urban regeneration, contributing to policy to address deprivation in struggling seaside resorts.

  10. HS796 - Dissertation (Level 7) 2020 - University of Brighton

    This page provides general information about Study Materials and Assessments for Dissertation (Level 7) in studentcentral. The university has agreed the use of a standard menu template in module study areas on studentcentral. This means that access to study materials, assessments and grades should be consistent for all the modules that you study.