{"id":851,"date":"2022-07-25T09:52:29","date_gmt":"2022-07-25T08:52:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/?p=851"},"modified":"2023-08-08T17:54:16","modified_gmt":"2023-08-08T16:54:16","slug":"writing-your-dissertation-navigating-the-messy-middle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2022\/07\/25\/writing-your-dissertation-navigating-the-messy-middle\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing your dissertation: navigating the \u2018messy middle\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Writing a dissertation can be a deeply rewarding experience, but it can sometimes feel like a confusing and solitary process. If you\u2019re feeling a bit lost in the \u2018messy middle\u2019 of the project, these tips may help.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Understand that this is normal<\/h2>\n<p>We all have different circumstances and respond differently to challenges, but writing a dissertation isn\u2019t easy for anyone. It isn\u2019t just a question of working hard either. It\u2019s also about dealing with setbacks, keeping yourself motivated and pushing on through uncertainty and self-doubt.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Ask for help<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Working autonomously doesn\u2019t mean doing everything alone and never reaching out for help. Far from it! It means making effective use of your support network and besides your supervisor, there are plenty of people on hand to help throughout the summer:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/professional-services\/skills-centre\/\"><strong>Skills Centre<\/strong><\/a> is running <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/guides\/get-personalised-writing-support\/\">one-to-one writing tutorials<\/a> until 31 August and you can contact the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/services\/statistics-advisory-service-sas\/\">Statistics Advisory Service<\/a> for help with data analysis.<\/li>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/library.bath.ac.uk\/induction\"><strong>Library<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s experienced staff are available in person and online to help you with all things information-related, from finding literature to referencing.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bath.ac.uk\/professional-services\/student-support\/\"><strong>Stu<\/strong><strong>dent Support<\/strong><\/a> offer daily drop-in sessions as well as a phone and email service. You can talk to a Wellbeing Adviser about anything \u2013 emotional or practical.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Get your project management hat on<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A dissertation is a complex piece of work and you\u2019ll feel much more in control if you've got a clear action plan. It's also a great opportunity to hone project management skills that will be hugely useful throughout your career.<\/p>\n<p>Calculate how much time you\u2019ve got until the deadline, draw up a to-do list with all your separate tasks and identify your priorities. Figure out which tasks are dependent on others and which can be done in parallel. It's often a good idea to keep your schedule fairly flexible but to set some 'milestones' \u2013 dates when major tasks need to be completed. You could record your tasks and milestones in an Excel spreadsheet or use a free online tool like <a href=\"https:\/\/trello.com\/\">Trello<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/asana.com\/\">Asana<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For more project management tips, read <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2020\/07\/02\/writing-your-dissertation-making-an-action-plan\/\">Writing your dissertation - making an action plan<\/a>. You\u2019ll feel so much better when you can see the way ahead clearly and track your progress.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Set manageable goals<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Setting overambitious goals is a sure path to demotivation and writer\u2019s block. Breaking tasks down into small, manageable sub-tasks will help you end each working day with a sense of achievement.<\/p>\n<p>Avoid setting goals like \u2018write literature review\u2019. Instead, simply aim to create an outline. Your next goal can be to add subheadings. Then you can start identifying sources to discuss in each section. Soon, you\u2019ll be ready to start writing up one of the sections. Gradually, it\u2019ll start looking more and more like a literature review until, one day, you realise it\u2019s finished.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Go with the flow<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re lucky, every so often, you\u2019ll experience that almost magical state known as \u2018flow\u2019 \u2013 when you become so absorbed in writing that you lose all track of time. These focused sessions can really propel your dissertation forward, so if you know what triggers flow for you, plan your day accordingly. For instance, maybe it\u2019s more likely to happen in the morning or when you\u2019re in the library.<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re in the zone and doing useful work, make the most of it! But flow won\u2019t kick in all the time and you can\u2019t force it. If you\u2019re having an off day and just can\u2019t face writing, choose something less mentally taxing to do instead. Tweak a graph, work on your reference list or compile your appendices. It\u2019s all getting you closer to the finish line.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Give it time<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Original, insightful ideas rarely emerge straight away. Structuring a literature review, interpreting research data, crafting an impactful concluding sentence \u2013 these things all need time and mental processing.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re struggling in vain with a tricky problem, it can often help to step away from the laptop and come back to it later. The subconscious mind is a mysterious thing and solutions can often pop into your head when you least expect it. Keep a notebook or your phone handy so that you can capture flashes of inspiration whenever they strike!<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Stay focused on the big picture<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>With large amounts of literature and data to deal with, it can be confusing to know what to include and what not to. That\u2019s why it\u2019s helpful to keep going back to those fundamental questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Why did I do this research?<\/li>\n<li>What did I do (and why did I do it that way)?<\/li>\n<li>What did I find out?<\/li>\n<li>What do my findings mean?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If any part of your dissertation isn\u2019t helping you answer these questions for your reader, ask yourself whether it needs to be there.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>And finally...<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If anyone makes dissertation-writing sound like a breeze, be suspicious. It isn\u2019t and it's not supposed to be! In fact, it might be the most challenging piece of work you ever do. But that's also what makes it worthwhile. You\u2019re doing real research, creating new knowledge and making an original contribution to your field.<\/p>\n<p>What's more, once this is all over, you\u2019ll emerge on the other side stronger, wiser and with some really valuable transferable skills.<\/p>\n<p>If you have a question or comment about this blog, please respond below.<\/p>\n<p>Good luck!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Writing a dissertation can be a deeply rewarding experience, but it can sometimes feel like a confusing and solitary process. If you\u2019re feeling a bit lost in the \u2018messy middle\u2019 of the project, these tips may help.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1636,"featured_media":853,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[91,90,50,63,76,126,138,95],"tags":[211,210],"class_list":["post-851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-skills","category-academic-writing","category-dissertations","category-employability","category-postgraduate-study","category-research-project","category-resilience","category-time-management","tag-project-management","tag-writers-block"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2022\/07\/Picture-1-1.png","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1577,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2026\/04\/30\/writing-your-dissertation-working-with-your-supervisor-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":851,"position":0},"title":"Writing your dissertation: Working with your supervisor","author":"Kyra Ings","date":"April 30, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Before you begin your dissertation, it's highly likely you'll be assigned a supervisor to oversee your progress from first steps to completion. Your supervisor will help you formulate ideas and give you guidance on how best to develop your research topic and course of action. But you need to always\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic writing","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/academic-writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A tree with leaves featuring names of different dissertation topics. A cloud and a squirrel holding a banner that says 'Working with your supervisor'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Working-with-your-supervisor-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Working-with-your-supervisor-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Working-with-your-supervisor-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Working-with-your-supervisor-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1835,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2026\/05\/05\/writing-your-dissertation-tutorials-that-make-sense\/","url_meta":{"origin":851,"position":1},"title":"Writing your dissertation: Tutorials that make sense","author":"Kyra Ings","date":"May 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Are you writing a dissertation this summer? Are you confident and sure about what you\u2019re doing, or do you have questions and doubts you would like to find answers for? Are you feeling under confident or overwhelmed? A dissertation tutorial might be exactly what you need. What is a dissertation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic skills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic skills","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"An illustration of an owl sitting in a tree","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2026\/05\/Blog-post-images-37.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2026\/05\/Blog-post-images-37.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2026\/05\/Blog-post-images-37.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2026\/05\/Blog-post-images-37.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1585,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2026\/04\/25\/writing-your-dissertation-research\/","url_meta":{"origin":851,"position":2},"title":"Writing your dissertation: Research","author":"Kyra Ings","date":"April 25, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Developing a research question When you have selected your research topic, the next stage of the process is to sharpen, refine and define your topic, and identify a specific problem that is worthy of investigation. Here you need to set out: The issue that you will investigate and why it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic writing","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/academic-writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A tree with leaves featuring names of different dissertation topics. A cloud and a squirrel holding a banner that says 'Research'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Research.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Research.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Research.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Research.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1579,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2026\/05\/01\/writing-your-dissertation-literature-reviews\/","url_meta":{"origin":851,"position":3},"title":"Writing your dissertation: Literature reviews","author":"Kyra Ings","date":"May 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A literature review is designed to demonstrate your knowledge and\u00a0understanding of the academic literature on a specific topic.\u00a0 A literature review also includes a\u00a0critical evaluation of the material. The three main objectives of a literature review are to: Identify and examine relevant research, theories and evidence Conduct a critical evaluation\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic writing","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/academic-writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A tree with leaves featuring names of different dissertation topics. A cloud and a squirrel holding a banner that says 'Literature reviews'","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Literature-reviews.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Literature-reviews.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Literature-reviews.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2025\/05\/Writing-your-dissertation_Literature-reviews.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1079,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2023\/10\/02\/navigating-the-dissertation-process-my-tips-for-final-years\/","url_meta":{"origin":851,"position":4},"title":"Navigating the dissertation process: my tips for final years","author":"Vanda Sigel","date":"October 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Imagine for a moment... After months of hard work and research on a topic you're passionate about, the time has finally come to click the 'Submit' button on your dissertation. You've just completed your longest project to date as part of your undergraduate degree. The weight of your efforts suddenly\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic skills&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic skills","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Vanda Sigel and another HSS student working on laptops.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/10\/Vanda-Sigel-2-800x450-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/10\/Vanda-Sigel-2-800x450-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/10\/Vanda-Sigel-2-800x450-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/84\/2023\/10\/Vanda-Sigel-2-800x450-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1575,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/2026\/04\/28\/writing-your-dissertation-making-an-action-plan-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":851,"position":5},"title":"Writing your dissertation: Making an action plan","author":"Kyra Ings","date":"April 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Every successfully completed dissertation begins with a practical and workable action plan. An action plan is a vital tool to help you stay focused, on track, and motivated. It's highly likely your supervisor will ask you to make a plan, so that they can advise on time frames, targets, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Academic writing&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Academic writing","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/academic-and-employability-skills\/category\/academic-skills\/academic-writing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A tree with leaves featuring names of different dissertation topics. 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