A dissertation is a series of connected decisions. A workable plan helps you see how the question, literature, method and available time relate. Follow your supervisor's and course handbook's requirements first.
1. Define a question you can investigate
Narrow an area of interest to a question with a clear subject and scope. Ask what evidence could help answer it, what boundaries are needed and whether the project is feasible with available time and access. Track why you revise it.
2. Map the reading
Use course reading, library tools and supervisor guidance to find relevant sources. Record source details, central ideas, method or evidence, and relevance to your question. Group notes around themes; a literature review is more useful as a connected account than isolated summaries.
3. Connect method to question
Write down what evidence would answer the question and how you could interpret it. Explain why the approach fits, its limits and resource needs. If people or personal data are involved, check ethics and approval requirements before collecting or using data.
4. Agree milestones
Break the project into stages: refine the question, read background sources, confirm method and approvals, organise evidence, develop analysis, draft, revise and check references. Add course dates and discuss realistic milestones with your supervisor; timelines differ by programme.
5. Keep a decision log
After supervision meetings or major decisions, record the question discussed, decision made, uncertainty remaining and next action.
Planning checklist
- The question guides reading and evidence gathering.
- The scope and terminology are clear.
- The method matches the question and is feasible.
- Ethics, access or data requirements have been checked.
- Milestones align with your programme schedule.
- Sources are recorded consistently.
Use this guide as a starting point and confirm discipline-specific expectations with your supervisor.