A dissertation is one of the most important academic works that determines a student’s future. No wonder young people who have their sights set on that Ph.D. degree wish to know beforehand how long is a dissertation. After all, writing this type of paper is very challenging, and being prepared is extremely important if you wish to reach satisfying results and ensure your academic success. Let’s review the process of writing a dissertation and find out how many pages you’ll have to churn out if you wish to get an impressive Ph.D. degree!
Why should a dissertation have a specific length?
First of all, a dissertation is a complex academic paper that involves a lot of research and analysis. Some dissertations support themselves on existing studies, while others use empirical data from new research. However, in the end, they must consider the main problem thoroughly and from different perspectives.
A dissertation should be extensive, so you’ll include all necessary elements and provide your audience with the information needed to understand your take on the problem. You’ll have to formulate your research question, explain its significance, analyze the relevant literature on your topic, and work on finding a solution to the problem. Usually, this type of paper has a specific plan with various sections that include the proposal, literature review, methods, results, and other important elements. Sounds challenging, so turning for help might be reasonable: for example, you can choose a trustworthy writing service like Custom Dissertation Writing Service to support you during the writing process.
What factors determine the length of a dissertation?
One of the essential factors that determine how long is a dissertation is the subject you study. For example, papers on disciplines in humanities usually tend to be more extensive than works in sciences. Moreover, just like with other papers you write in your student days, the specific parameters of your dissertation depend on your professors’ requirements. Various colleges and universities have their own guidelines that dictate the length and format of a dissertation, so don’t forget to check the instructions from your school thoroughly.
However, by considering your dissertation beforehand, you can determine its approximate length. First of all, it depends on the size of each section: each should contain an appropriate amount of pages. A dissertation starts with a proposal, which includes a research question, abstract, introduction, literature review, and methodology. This part can contain around 50-60 pages as you need to provide sufficient background for your research.
Next, you need to present the findings of your studies, so prepare to write around 7-8 pages of text. Of course, you’ll have to interpret your results and discuss their meaning to the problem, which might take about 60 pages. Finally, you’ll have to finish with a satisfying conclusion, which won’t take much–only 5-7 pages.
Conclusion
As you can see, a dissertation is extensive and challenging work, so you need to be prepared for long hours of researching, analyzing, and writing. Of course, a well-written dissertation will have a stellar effect on your future academic career. Hence, employing all available resources is necessary: you can pour all your energy, ask your professors for advice and suggestions, and even turn to professional writers for support.