How to get Feedback on your Dissertation Draft
Getting feedback on your dissertation draft is one of the most important steps in the writing process. It can be hard to see your own work objectively, and fresh eyes can help spot areas that need improvement. Whether you’re aiming to clarify your arguments, improve your structure, or polish your language, receiving constructive criticism can make all the difference. In this post, we’ll explore some practical ways to seek and use feedback effectively, helping you move closer to completing a strong, well-crafted dissertation.
Identify Who to Ask for Feedback
Sumamry of the answer
| Feedback Source | Strengths | How to Approach |
|---|
| Supervisors and Advisors | In-depth knowledge, tailored advice | Schedule meetings, provide draft in advance, be specific in your requests. |
| Peers and Classmates | Fresh perspective, mutual support, language clarity | Exchange drafts, set clear expectations, and deadlines. |
| Subject Matter Experts | Specialized insights, technical expertise | Reach out professionally, focus on specific sections or issues. |
| Writing Centers | Structural and grammatical improvements, writing quality enhancement | Prepare specific questions, attend workshops, and utilize available resources. |
Supervisors and Advisors
Your supervisor or advisor should be your first point of contact when seeking feedback. They are familiar with your research, understand your goals, and can provide tailored advice. Supervisors can help you with the big picture, ensuring that your arguments are sound and your structure makes sense.
When you desperately need our dissertation writing help, our uk based dissertation are always there to extend all possible support so you may get your final degree with distinction. While providing you the best and top quality dissertation writing assistance we have managed to offer you some extra freebies Worth MORE than £140 Value. This offer is further enhanced by a FREE Anti Plagiarism Report along with every dissertation assignment so as to give you complete confidence in the work to submit to your university without every worrying about the copy paste accusation.
Example: If you’re struggling with the organization of your dissertation, your advisor can guide you on whether to present your literature review before or after your methodology, depending on what fits best with your overall research narrative.
How to Approach Them:
- Be respectful of their time: Schedule a meeting well in advance and provide your draft a week before the meeting.
- Be specific in your request: Instead of asking, “What do you think?”, say, “Can you help me with the flow of my argument in Chapter 3?”
Peers and Classmates
Peers and classmates can provide a different perspective on your work. They might not have the same depth of knowledge as your supervisor, but they can help you with readability, clarity, and whether your arguments are convincing to someone less familiar with your topic.
Benefits of Peer Feedback:
- Fresh perspective: They might notice gaps in your logic that you’ve overlooked.
- Language and tone: Peers can help you ensure that your writing is clear and accessible.
- Mutual support: Exchanging drafts with classmates can be a mutually beneficial exercise.
Example: You might exchange drafts with a classmate who’s working on a different topic. They could point out that some sections of your dissertation are too jargon-heavy and suggest simplifying your language.
Tips for Exchanging Drafts:
- Set clear expectations: Agree on the type of feedback you need, such as focusing on structure or clarity.
- Set deadlines: Ensure that both parties commit to a feedback timeline to avoid delays.
Subject Matter Experts
Subject matter experts outside your immediate academic circle can offer specialized insights, especially if your dissertation touches on highly specific or technical areas. These experts might include faculty from other departments, industry professionals, or researchers who have published extensively on your topic.
Example: If your dissertation involves a specific statistical method, consulting a statistician can help you ensure your approach is sound and properly applied.
How to Approach Them:
- Be professional and polite: When reaching out, introduce yourself, explain your research, and clearly state why you’re seeking their input.
- Provide a focused request: For instance, ask for feedback on a particular section, like your methodology, rather than the entire draft.
Writing Centers and Academic Services
Many universities offer writing centers or academic services that are designed to help students improve their writing. These services can provide feedback on the structure, grammar, and overall clarity of your dissertation. While they might not offer deep content-specific advice, they are excellent for improving the quality of your writing.
How to Make the Most of These Services:
- Prepare specific questions: Go in with clear issues you need help with, like transitions between sections or making your introduction more engaging.
- Take advantage of workshops: Many writing centers offer workshops on dissertation writing, time management, and other relevant topics.
How to Request Feedback Effectively
Once you’ve identified who to ask for feedback, the next step is to ensure that your request is clear and effective. The way you ask for feedback can significantly influence the quality and usefulness of the responses you receive.
Be Specific About What You Need
When requesting feedback, it’s important to be as specific as possible. General requests like “Can you take a look at my dissertation?” are likely to result in vague or unfocused feedback. Instead, clearly outline what areas you need help with.
Examples of Specific Requests:
- Structure: “Can you check if the flow between my chapters is logical?”
- Argumentation: “Do you think my main argument is strong and well-supported in Chapter 2?”
- Clarity: “Are there any parts where the writing is unclear or too complex?”
Benefits of Being Specific:
- Focused feedback: Reviewers know exactly what to look for.
- Efficient use of time: Helps reviewers concentrate on the areas where you need the most help.
- Better revisions: Leads to actionable suggestions that you can directly implement.
Provide Sufficient Context
Your reviewers might not be as familiar with your topic as you are, so it’s crucial to provide them with the necessary background. This context helps them understand the purpose and scope of your dissertation, allowing them to give more relevant feedback.
How to Provide Context:
- Introduction and Objectives: Include a brief summary of your dissertation’s main objectives and key arguments.
- Chapter Summaries: If you’re asking for feedback on specific chapters, provide a summary of the other chapters to give context.
- Stage of Draft: Mention whether the draft is in the early stages, midway, or near completion, as this will influence the type of feedback you need.
Example: If you’re asking for feedback on your literature review, you might say, “This chapter aims to establish the research gaps in the field of renewable energy adoption in urban areas. I’m particularly interested in whether I’ve effectively highlighted these gaps.”
Timing Your Request
Timing is critical when asking for feedback. You want to ensure that your reviewers have enough time to provide thoughtful, detailed feedback without feeling rushed. At the same time, you need to allow yourself enough time to implement the suggestions you receive.
Tips for Timing Your Request:
- Plan Ahead: Reach out well before your deadline to give reviewers ample time to read and respond.
- Set Deadlines: Politely suggest a deadline by which you would like to receive feedback. For example, “I would appreciate your feedback by the end of next week if possible.”
- Multiple Rounds: Consider requesting feedback at different stages—early on for structure and later for finer details.
Example Timeline for Feedback:
| Stage of Dissertation | Focus of Feedback | Suggested Time to Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Early Draft | Structure, clarity of research questions | 3-4 months before submission deadline |
| Midway | Argument strength, evidence quality | 2-3 months before submission deadline |
| Final Draft | Grammar, formatting, overall clarity | 1-2 months before submission deadline |
How to Handle Feedback
Receiving feedback can be both exciting and daunting. It’s important to approach it with an open mind and a clear plan for how to implement the suggestions you receive.
Keep an Open Mind
One of the hardest parts of receiving feedback is not taking criticism personally. Remember that the goal is to improve your dissertation, and constructive criticism is a key part of that process.
Tips for Keeping an Open Mind:
- Detach Emotionally: Try to view your dissertation as a work in progress rather than a reflection of your worth as a scholar.
- Value All Feedback: Even if you disagree with some feedback, consider it carefully. Sometimes, an outside perspective can reveal issues you hadn’t noticed.
- Ask for Clarification: If a piece of feedback isn’t clear, don’t hesitate to ask the reviewer for more details or examples.
Example: If a reviewer suggests that a section is confusing, rather than feeling frustrated, ask, “Could you point out which part was unclear, and what you think might make it clearer?”
Sorting Through Feedback
Not all feedback will be equally valuable or applicable, especially if you receive input from multiple sources. It’s important to sort through the feedback, prioritize what’s most useful, and decide what to implement.
Steps to Sort Feedback:
- Categorize Feedback: Divide the feedback into categories such as structure, argument, clarity, and grammar.
- Prioritize: Determine which feedback is most critical to address. For instance, fixing a major structural issue should take precedence over minor grammatical corrections.
- Resolve Conflicting Advice: If different reviewers give conflicting advice, weigh their suggestions against your dissertation’s objectives and your own judgment.
Example of Feedback Sorting:
| Category | Feedback | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | “Chapter 4 seems out of place; consider moving it earlier.” | High |
| Argument | “The argument in Chapter 2 needs more evidence to be convincing.” | Medium |
| Clarity | “Some sentences in Chapter 3 are too complex and hard to follow.” | High |
| Grammar | “There are several comma splices in Chapter 5.” | Low |
Implementing Feedback
After sorting through the feedback, the next step is to implement the changes. This can be a straightforward process, but it’s important to approach it methodically to ensure that the revisions enhance the quality of your dissertation.
Tips for Implementing Feedback:
- Make a Plan: Create a checklist of the feedback you’ve decided to incorporate, and tackle it systematically.
- Revise in Stages: Start with the most significant changes (like restructuring chapters) before moving on to smaller edits (like sentence-level revisions).
- Keep Track of Changes: Use track changes in your document or keep a separate log of what you’ve revised. This will help you review the impact of the feedback and ensure nothing is overlooked.
Example of a Revision Plan:
| Task | Feedback Addressed | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Move Chapter 4 earlier | Structural feedback | Completed |
| Add more evidence to Chapter 2 | Strengthen argument | In progress |
| Simplify sentences in Chapter 3 | Improve clarity | Not started |
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Even with the best intentions, the process of getting and implementing feedback can come with challenges. Understanding these challenges and knowing how to overcome them can help you navigate the feedback process more effectively.
Dealing with Negative Feedback
Negative feedback can be hard to swallow, but it’s important to view it as an opportunity to improve your work rather than a personal attack.
How to Handle Negative Feedback:
- Don’t Take It Personally: Remember, the feedback is about the work, not you. Stay focused on the goal of improving your dissertation.
- Seek Clarification: If something is unclear or feels unfair, ask for specific examples or further explanation.
- Use It Constructively: Consider how the feedback can make your dissertation stronger, even if it means making significant changes.
Example: If your reviewer says, “This chapter lacks focus,” rather than feeling discouraged, ask, “Could you suggest ways to make the argument more focused?”
Feedback Overload
Receiving a lot of feedback, especially from multiple sources, can be overwhelming. It’s important to manage this effectively so that it doesn’t become counterproductive.
Strategies to Manage Feedback Overload:
- Prioritize Feedback: Focus on the most critical and actionable suggestions first.
- Break It Down: Tackle feedback in manageable chunks rather than trying to address everything at once.
- Set Limits: If the feedback feels too overwhelming, consider limiting the number of reviewers or focusing on one aspect of your dissertation at a time.
Example: If you receive detailed feedback on structure, argument, and grammar all at once, prioritize structural changes first, as they may affect how you revise the other aspects.
Getting Feedback in a Timely Manner
Sometimes, getting feedback quickly enough to implement it before your deadline can be a challenge. Reviewers are often busy, and delays can occur.
Strategies to Ensure Timely Feedback:
- Start Early: Begin seeking feedback well before your final deadline.
- Set Clear Deadlines: Politely communicate your timeline and ask reviewers to provide feedback by a specific date.
- Follow Up: If a deadline is approaching and you haven’t heard back, send a gentle reminder.
Example: If your submission deadline is in two months, you might say, “I would greatly appreciate your feedback on my draft by the end of next week to allow sufficient time for revisions.”
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Even with the best intentions, the process of getting and implementing feedback can come with challenges. Understanding these challenges and knowing how to overcome them can help you navigate the feedback process more effectively.
Dealing with Negative Feedback
Negative feedback can be hard to swallow, but it’s important to view it as an opportunity to improve your work rather than a personal attack.
How to Handle Negative Feedback:
- Don’t Take It Personally: Remember, the feedback is about the work, not you. Stay focused on the goal of improving your dissertation.
- Seek Clarification: If something is unclear or feels unfair, ask for specific examples or further explanation.
- Use It Constructively: Consider how the feedback can make your dissertation stronger, even if it means making significant changes.
Example: If your reviewer says, “This chapter lacks focus,” rather than feeling discouraged, ask, “Could you suggest ways to make the argument more focused?”
Feedback Overload
Receiving a lot of feedback, especially from multiple sources, can be overwhelming. It’s important to manage this effectively so that it doesn’t become counterproductive.
Strategies to Manage Feedback Overload:
- Prioritize Feedback: Focus on the most critical and actionable suggestions first.
- Break It Down: Tackle feedback in manageable chunks rather than trying to address everything at once.
- Set Limits: If the feedback feels too overwhelming, consider limiting the number of reviewers or focusing on one aspect of your dissertation at a time.
Example: If you receive detailed feedback on structure, argument, and grammar all at once, prioritize structural changes first, as they may affect how you revise the other aspects.
Getting Feedback in a Timely Manner
Sometimes, getting feedback quickly enough to implement it before your deadline can be a challenge. Reviewers are often busy, and delays can occur.
Strategies to Ensure Timely Feedback:
- Start Early: Begin seeking feedback well before your final deadline.
- Set Clear Deadlines: Politely communicate your timeline and ask reviewers to provide feedback by a specific date.
- Follow Up: If a deadline is approaching and you haven’t heard back, send a gentle reminder.
Example: If your submission deadline is in two months, you might say, “I would greatly appreciate your feedback on my draft by the end of next week to allow sufficient time for revisions.”
Conclusion
Seeking and receiving feedback on your dissertation draft is a crucial part of the academic writing process. It helps you to refine your arguments, improve the structure, and enhance the clarity of your work. By identifying the right people to ask for feedback, making specific and well-timed requests, and handling the feedback with an open mind, you can significantly improve the quality of your dissertation.
Remember, feedback is not just about fixing what’s wrong; it’s about making your work the best it can be. Embrace the process, learn from the critiques, and use the suggestions to craft a dissertation that you can be proud of. With the right approach, feedback becomes a powerful tool in your academic journey, guiding you toward a successful dissertation submission.
