failing a dissertation

What Happens if You Fail Your Dissertation?

In University by Think Student Editor February 9, 2023 Leave a Comment

A dissertation module is one of the key things that defines the step up from secondary school to university. It’s one of the biggest pieces of writing you’ll do for your degree, in terms of research and word count. It’s no mistake to think that a lot rests on a good dissertation. However, it’s always good to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. You’ve probably already asked the question – what actually happens if you do fail?

If you fail your dissertation for the first time at any degree level, you will be allowed one resubmission, which is usually capped at the pass mark. However, if you fail your dissertation resubmission, there are different consequences. If you fail your undergraduate dissertation, you can still graduate as long as you have enough credits, although this may be with an ordinary degree. However, if you fail your master’s dissertation or PhD thesis resubmission, you will not be allowed to graduate.

The topic of failure is quite daunting for most students. Not to worry! This article is here to help you understand failure criteria for a dissertation, and what happens in the event of failure.

Table of Contents

Is it possible to fail your dissertation?

Like with modules of your university course, unfortunately it is very much possible to fail your dissertation . Although this sounds daunting, don’t worry too much! Dissertations are not designed for you to fail.

The grading systems for university modules and dissertations are very similar . Across most universities, the pass mark for a dissertation is 40% or 50%. For example, check out this guide by Royal Holloway University, London to learn more about their dissertation grading.

This means that while it is certainly possible to fail your dissertation, it is unlikely that you actually will . However, in the event that you do fail your dissertation for whatever reason, don’t panic. Your university will usually let you resit your dissertation .

Keep in mind you’ll only be able to resit your dissertation once , so try your hardest to achieve the grade you want. For all the details you’ll need about a dissertation, I’d definitely recommend reading this Think Student article.

In summary, while it is possible to fail a dissertation (just like any other university module), a dissertation only requires a pass mark of 40%. Although a dissertation is different to a module, it is still pretty difficult to fail.

In the event you do fail your dissertation, don’t be too hard on yourself . Keep reading further to find out what happens if you fail your resit dissertation.

How bad does a dissertation need to be to fail?

To understand how “bad” a dissertation has to be to fail, you need to know what examiners are looking for.

Your university will have published the marking criteria for dissertations . These will normally feature comments on the key areas to earn marks in. As an example, check out the University of Edinburgh’s dissertation criteria here .

Therefore, if you failed your dissertation, it isn’t necessarily because you’re “bad at researching and writing”. To fail, it has to be the case that you didn’t meet the criteria to achieve a passing mark. It’s important to keep your confidence, so that you can do better when you resit.

If you haven’t written your dissertation yet, I’d definitely recommend looking through your university’s marking criteria. Similarly , your tutor will want to help you as much as possible, so you can ask them for advice if you’re really struggling .

If you’re seeking advice on how to write a dissertation, you should check out this Think Student article.

Can you graduate without passing your dissertation?

For an undergraduate degree, you can still graduate as long as you have enough credits to pass the other modules .

However , if your degree is a BSc or BA with Honours, if you fail your dissertation and the resit dissertation, you will graduate with an ordinary degree . You can read more about what an ordinary degree is in this Think Student article.

If you fail your first dissertation attempt, but pass your resit undergraduate dissertation, you will still pass with whatever class of degree you earned.

However, the rule is slightly different for master’s dissertations and a PhD thesis. These rules also depend on the university you attend .

At all universities, you are allowed one resit of coursework (dissertation is a form of coursework, as it is not a timed exam), even for a master’s degree and a PhD. However, if you fail your resit dissertation for your master’s degree, you cannot be awarded a master’s degree.

In the case of a PhD, you will not be able to graduate with a failed resit thesis . I’ll explain this in more detail later in the article, so keep reading!

What happens if you fail your master’s dissertation?

Failing your master’s dissertation for the first time isn’t ideal, but it isn’t the end of the world. You’re allowed a resit, which if you pass, means you can still graduate with a master’s degree.

However, a failure is a lot more serious if you fail your dissertation a second time . Failing a resit dissertation at master’s degree-level means you cannot graduate with a master’s degree.

This doesn’t mean you can’t be awarded anything at all for your effort. For example, the this page by the University of Nottingham states that if your dissertation is not passable but still “adequate”, you may still be awarded a diploma .

What happens if you fail your PhD thesis?

Like with an undergraduate or master’s degree, you’re allowed to resubmit your thesis once only . Given that you pass the resubmission, you’ll still be on track to graduate with a PhD.

Failing a PhD thesis resubmission means you cannot graduate. The pass mark for a PhD thesis is usually around 60 , such as at the University of Cambridge, which you can learn more about on their website, here .

In most cases, a PhD thesis will account for around 50% of the degree . Looking at it this way, it makes sense that if you failed half of your degree, you wouldn’t be able to graduate. A PhD is a research-based degree, and the thesis proves you have good research skills.

If you’d like to know more about how a PhD is graded, I’d recommend this Think Student article.

How often do students fail their dissertation?

As I established earlier, it’s pretty hard to fail your undergraduate dissertation module . It’s also quite hard to fail a master’s dissertation or a PhD thesis given the pass mark.

According to this article by The Healthy Journal, up to 50% of PhD students will not finish their thesis or graduate . This statistic sounds quite extreme, but keep in mind that not many people choose to complete a PhD because of the amount of time and money it takes.

If you really are concerned about failing your dissertation, speak to your tutor . They will have been in your position and will know how to help. Don’t struggle on your own!

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What Happens if You Fail a Dissertation?

by  Antony W

June 9, 2022

Failing a dissertation is one of the most difficult and painful experiences for many students. After months of research and writing, the last thing you want is to get failing marks. So what happens if you fail a dissertation?

If you fail your dissertation project, your institution will give you another chance to redo the work and re-submit it based on an agreed date. However, you institution will cap the marks for a resubmitted dissertation at a pass level.

Notably, it’s highly unlikely for students to fail their dissertations straight outright. More often than not, the possibility of failure often arises from a student’s negligence, which it’s easy to avoid with proper planning.

Just because you’ve failed a dissertation, if you have, doesn’t mean it’s the end of life. You still get the chance to change your marks from a fail to a pass.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything about failed dissertation, including the options you have to redeem yourself from the failing marks to the bare pass level.

Let’s get started.

What Does it Mean to Fail a Dissertation?

To fail a dissertation paper means you have scored below the institution’s cut mark, which is often a 40. The majority of pupils can beat the cut-off points by as little as one point, which means it’s often unlikely that one would intentionally fail the project.

You cannot graduate if you fail a dissertation. In fact, graduating with a failed grade would be tantamount to celebrating your failure. Most colleges permit re-sits, after which students may graduate if they get the required grade.

As a result, if you want to be included on the graduation list, you should work hard enough to make sure you don’t fail your dissertation. You have to aim to get a 40, although it’s best to aim higher because the set minimum marks don’t necessarily have to be the limit.

Why Do Students Fail Their Dissertations?

Nothing is as frustrating as spending months on a dissertation only to fail the assignment in the end. The question is, “why do students get failing marks in the first place”?

1. Failure to Dedicate Time to the Project

It’s possible to get failing marks for a dissertation because of failing to dedicate enough time to do the work.

The majority of college and university students are preoccupied with other aspects of their lives, such as employment or family. These factors may reduce the amount of time available for study, resulting in failure.

2. Plagiarism: Students Copying Other Research Projects as their Own

Another possible cause of failure is plagiarism. If your institution establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that you’ve copied another person’s work and use it as your own, you stand a 100% chance to fail the dissertation project.

From what we understand, plagiarism is usually the first thing that many institutions look at when students submit their dissertation projects.

3. Lack of Assistance from Project Supervisor

It’s possible for a student fail a dissertation if they don’t get enough help from your supervisor. Because the majority of instructors are overworked, finding time for their students becomes a nightmare. As a result, the student doesn’t get the help they need to stay on the right track, particularly for a technical course.

How Bad Does a Dissertation Project has to be to Fail?

It’s highly unlikely that you’ll fail a dissertation project. A dissertation isn’t some assignment that you have to submit in two hours or within two weeks . You have more than 6 months to complete the project, which is enough to research, outline, write, proofread, and submit the assignment.

You’ll make mistakes as you work on the assignment, but the errors should be easy to fix provided you’re on schedule. Moreover, you will have your work evaluated on a chapter-by-chapter basis. So, by the time you get to the conclusion, your supervisor will have mentioned the errors you need to fix to make your dissertation stand out. 

While the chances of failing the dissertation are extremely low, some students still fail because their dissertations are extremely bad. A dissertation is bad if:

• There are parts of the final document missing. For example, you risk failing if the work doesn’t have an abstract or study techniques.
• The document doesn’t have a formally accepted and approved layout. Failure to adhere to the proper format may result in your work getting failing marks. For example, the conclusion cannot come before results and findings.
• You omit technical words or adequate research procedures.

These examples demonstrate a lack of understanding, which is the dissertation’s central theme.

What to Do if You Fail a Dissertation

Is it possible to redo the dissertation project the same way you would other types of assignments in college or university?

Well, you have the option to redo your dissertation if you don’t get a 40, but keep in mind that your institution will reduce the pass mark to a minimum. You won’t get anything close to a grade B, but at least you will get passing marks.

Keep in mind that you only have one last chance to redo the dissertation project. If you fail a second time, your institution will declare that you’ve failed completely. So if you failed your dissertation the first time, take the second attempt as an opportunity to give the project the most attention possible because you cannot afford to fail twice. 

How Not to Fail a Dissertation

Here’s how not to fail a dissertation project:

• Review your work before to submission. This will make it easy for you to identify mistakes, strange formatting, or an incorrect structure. Verify that each section is where it should be and that no component is missing.
• Run the work through a plagiarism checker. Additionally, examine your references and sources to avoid plagiarism fines.
• Consult your supervisor: When you’re through writing a section, double-check that what you’ve written is consistent with the paper’s overall objective. If you encounter any difficulties, address them immediately before they grow too large for you to handle.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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What Happens if You Fail Your Dissertation And How To Avoid It?

Writing a dissertation is one of the most fulfilling experiences, yet one of the most dreadful too. It is fulfilling in that it marks the climax of your college or university venture. However, the dread comes in when one thinks about the results. What happens if you fail to defend your dissertation? Does it mean that is the end for you?

Our expert writers have collated several options available for you. Read to the end to clear all your doubts and fears about what happens if you fail your dissertation defense.

I Failed My Dissertation, What Might Have Caused That?

To start with, many would rather bury their faces in the sand than admitting their failure. For those bold enough to reveal it, the recovery process is fast, and soon, they are walking head held high. But what are the possible reasons for a failed dissertation?

• One of the reasons can be inadequate help from your supervisor. Most professors are too busy, and finding time for their students becomes a nightmare. The result of this is the student lacking the necessary support, especially for a technical course.
• Another reason might be on the student himself – lacking enough time for their academic studies. Most college and university students are pre-occupied with other activities such as work or family. These might lessen the time one has for research, thus the failure.
• Plagiarism is a killer of many dissertations. Once proven beyond doubt that you have taken someone else’s work as your own, a Fail would be inevitable. In most universities, this is the first thing that they look at when you submit your paper.
• Others include missing lectures, laziness on the student’s part, or inability to access the relevant reading sources during research. All these and many others are possible reasons for a failed undergraduate dissertation.

How Bad Does a Dissertation Have To Be To Fail?

Technically speaking, it is rare for one to fail a dissertation because it’s not a paper one writes for two hours or one week. Such a paper takes months or even years to complete. Therefore, one can identify the mistakes in the course of this long period. Furthermore, the report is assessed chapter by chapter so, by the time you’re concluding, your supervisor would have identified a couple of errors and told you to correct.

However, some may still fail because of a couple of reasons. One of them would be missing sections in the final paper. If, for instance, the research methodology or abstract is missing, then you might stand a chance of failing.

A poor layout may also cost you a lot. Failure to follow the right structure may cause your paper to be marked down – for instance, bringing the conclusion before the results and findings.

If technical terms or proper research methods are missing, then you can forget about your degree. These show a lack of knowledge, which is the essence of the dissertation.

Can You Re-sit a Dissertation?

So what next after a failed Master’s dissertation? Can one take a re-sit just like any other college or university exam?

To fail a dissertation paper, you will have scored below the cut mark that is typically 40 for most institutions. That is why the dissertation failure rate is lower. Most students can beat the cut-off points even by one point. When you fail your dissertation, there is a chance for you to take a reassessment. But before you start rejoicing, there is something you need to know about this retake. The pass mark is caped lower to a minimum mark because of your first failure.

Therefore, even if you give it your best shot, it would take a miracle for you to attain anything closer to grade B. And if you fail the second attempt, it will be considered a complete failure. Need I mention the repercussions of that last statement?

Can You Graduate if You Fail Your Dissertation?

No! Graduating with a Fail would be like celebrating your failure. Most institutions allow for re-sits, after which one can graduate if they pass the set mark. Therefore, you should strive for a high-quality paper if you want to secure a spot on the graduation list.

Is There Room for Appeal After I Failed My Degree?

At times, circumstances might be the cause of failure. After all, nobody wants to spend three or more years in school to fail in the end. Therefore, if you feel that you have compelling reasons that caused you to fail, you can always appeal.

You might have genuine reasons like being hospitalized and not studying well or financial constraints in the family. All you have to do is draft a letter appealing for the Fail while stating the reasons behind it.

After submitting the letter, the university council will look at it with the attached evidence. Upon a successful review, you can re-sit the exam or resubmit your paper. Different universities have their way of dealing with such cases.

How To Avoid The ‘I Failed My Dissertation’ Regrets

Are you aware that you can avoid failing your dissertation? Here are pro tips for an exceptional dissertation paper:

• Review your paper before submission : It will help you detect typos, weird formatting, or wrong structure. Check to ensure that each section is supposed to be and that no part is missing.
• Run your paper through a superior plagiarism software : If your dissertation is 100% original, you can confidently submit it. You should also check your referencing and citations to prevent penalties for plagiarism.
• Consult with your supervisor every time : When you complete a section, check whether everything you’ve written is in tandem with the paper’s overall goal. In case of any challenges, raise them earlier before they become too great for you to handle.
• Research extensively : Any research paper aims to test your knowledge on a particular topic. You can only achieve this by reading widely and consulting a variety of sources.
• Seek writing help from dissertation experts : These come in handy to give you the essential tips and tricks for cracking a dissertation. They also offer writing help, especially when you are rushing against time to submit your paper.

You do not have to be a victim of failing a dissertation. Take the words of counsel from our gurus and graduate with top grades. Our professional dissertation writing services are affordable for all.

Hit us up today and get a quality dissertation delivered to you in no time!

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Failed Dissertation, Coursework, Report, or Exam – What to Do?

Published by Alvin Nicolas at August 13th, 2021 , Revised On August 22, 2023

Each year several hundreds of university students end up failing their dissertation, coursework, exam, or assignment. Receipt of a failing mark can be the most devastating experience for students in the UK.

Failing a dissertation, essay, or assignment can have a devastating effect on your life – from being shocked by hearing the news of their failure to the mental sufferings that follow.

Have you recently failed your  dissertation ,  assignment , exam or  coursework ? If yes, then be calm because you are not alone. There are several ways of tackling such a situation. This article presents several options for students who have failed an exam, dissertation, or assignment.

So, please sit back and relax because it’s not the world’s end.

Possible Reasons for Failure

Often students do not get enough help from their tutors  to pass an exam, dissertation or coursework, which results in a situation where they start to wait for things to resolve on their own until their problems become too large.

Fortunately, failing mark is not the end of the world, and students can change their circumstances.

There could be numerous reasons as to why you may have failed your dissertation, exam,  essay , or  report . Some students cannot keep up with course reading during the semester, while others do not have a sufficient understanding of their subject-related theories and knowledge due to various reasons.

The inability to understand key concepts, missing lectures regularly, and lack of understanding of course content are some of the most common reasons for a failing mark.

A sensible thing to do would be to  have your paper edited and proofread by an expert to eliminate any grammatical, structural, and spelling errors.

Does your Dissertation Have the Following?

• Great Research/Sources
• Perfect Language
• Accurate Sources

If not, we can help. Our panel of experts makes sure to keep the 3 pillars of Dissertation strong.

Avoiding Failure Before you Even Begin

If you want to avoid failure before it happens, you must take some pre-emptive actions before your problems become too large.

Achieving a graduate or postgraduate qualification is not a walk in the park. Therefore, it is vitally important for students to make sure that they meet their challenges head-on to prevent them from turning into potential failures.

Here are some tips for you to avoid failure before you even start.

• If you know that you are struggling with your  dissertation ,  coursework , or  assignment , then take out the time to discuss your problems with your academic supervisor. An academic supervisor or mentor is a member of the faculty assigned to you at your degree course.

Meet with them regularly and let them know of any problems you are facing so they can help you address them promptly.

• Meet the challenges head-on. Don’t wait for your problems to become too large. A small issue can turn into a major crisis if you keep on ignoring it for too long. For example, if you are struggling to  collect primary data for your dissertation , it will be appropriate to consult with your mentor to avoid falling behind on deadlines.

Most universities understand that students may face unforeseen challenges now and then due to their finances, family problems, personal limitations, and prolonged sickness. Therefore, it is possible to minimise the damage by filing for extenuating circumstances.

• By completing and submitting the extenuating circumstances form, you will be formally notifying your university that you are lagging on your dissertation or coursework. And do not forget to attach a formal plan to let them know how you will make sure to meet your new deadline so you can be granted an extension to your coursework, exam, or dissertation deadline.

Get an expert academic to help you with your dissertation, assignment, coursework, or essay so they can do the hard work for you. At ResearchProspect , we have masters and PhD qualified writers in all academic subjects. Whether it’s an essay, coursework, exam, dissertation, or assignment, you need help with. Our writers will exceed your expectations.

All you have to do is complete our online order form to place your order , and we will send the completed paper to your email address on or before the specified deadline. You are welcome to  view our professional samples , take a look at  our service portfolio  and learn more  about our company  before placing your order.

Opportunities for Reassessment

Even if you end up receiving a failing mark, you will have several options to choose from to clean the mess. However, before making any decisions, you must determine whether you have failed the entire module, just an element of a module or the dissertation.

Failing Dissertation

if you have forgotten your dissertation because you will be allowed to resubmit it by the deadline agreed upon by yourself and the university.

However, the marks awarded for a resubmitted dissertation are usually caped to a minimum passing mark as a penalty for your failure in the first place.

A complete dissertation failure in UK universities will only occur if you cannot achieve the minimum passing mark even on your second attempt.

To improve your situation, you should regularly meet with your supervisor and avoid overlooking mandatory draft submissions.

Failing Module

You will be required to either re-sit an exam or re-submit the coursework (in some cases) if you have failed an entire module.

Each module that you take the exam for usually has a unique set of module guidelines associated with it. How you will be reassessed is taken by the board of examiners and the lecturers only after considering these guidelines.

Again, the maximum obtainable mark is usually capped to a bare pass level if you are re-siting an exam or resubmitting coursework.

Failing an Element of Module

If you only failed one piece of an exam or coursework and managed to achieve high marks for other modules, you may not need to resubmit that element.

The bottom line is that if your average coursework mark is above the bare minimum passing mark, you will pass that module even if you failed one piece of it.

For example, receive a failing mark of 35 in one essay coursework that counts for 25% of the overall module mark but pass the remaining 75% module assessment (which can be in the form of an exam or coursework). You can still give the entire module.

However, depending on your university’s regulations, you may have the opportunity to resubmit the failed coursework to improve your overall course grade.

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Plagiarism – A Serious Offence

All UK universities have strict rules and penalties against students who are caught plagiarising. If you receive a failing mark due to  plagiarism , you may not be able to resubmit your dissertation/coursework or re-sit an exam.

So make sure to cite others’ ideas and  avoid copying work from other academic sources  to prevent your case from being sent to the University Ethics Board, which usually has the power to take a range of measures against you. In most cases, you will not be able to appeal the decision being taken if you are found guilty of plagiarising. So, refrain from it.

To help bring the point home, you can check out the comments and guidelines made by Reading, UK , regarding plagiarism.

Interesting watch: Check out a student’s account of how and why their dissertation went badly (UK institution).

Also read:   Consequences of Plagiarism 

How to Appeal Against a Failing Mark?

If you believe that you have been disadvantaged in some way or your university did not consider your financial or family problems while awarding you a failing mark. You may have the grounds to appeal against the mark awarded to you.

All UK universities have their own set of rules for lodging student academic appeals. Generally, this is a very lengthy procedure. Make sure that you provide documentary evidence along with the appropriate forms to justify your appeal.

The university exam board will review your case, and you will be allowed to resubmit your work or  resit the exam  if your application is successful.

Detailed information on appealing procedures is usually available on the university’s website and provided to students before starting their degree.

While no student ever wants to fail an exam, coursework, assignment or dissertation, the unthinkable sometimes can happen. But it would help if you did not get discouraged by the disastrous situation because most universities offer another chance to students who have genuine reasons.

How ResearchProspect Can Help

ResearchProspect is a UK-registered firm to provides academic support to students around the world. We specialise in completing design projects,  literature reviews ,  essays ,  reports ,  coursework ,  exam notes ,  statistical analysis , primary and empirical research,  dissertations , case studies,  academic posters , and much more. Getting help from our expert academics is quick and simple. All you have to do is complete our online order form and get your paper delivered to your email address well before your due deadline.

Winning Dissertation Presentations

Don’t let all the paranoia get to you. If you don’t want your dissertation to fail, make sure to take steps to prevent that thing from happening.

Alternatively, checking out some real-life instances of students defending their dissertational research might help, too:

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) 2011 Winner – Matthew Thompson

2014 Three Minute Thesis winning presentation by Emily Johnston

Oxford University’s graduate’s advice for an award-nominated, A-graded dissertation

Furthermore, you can also check out real-life students’ advice about writing a winning dissertation, advice they wish someone had given them.

Further still, if you want to take every last measure, you could also check out what institutions in the UK, such as Birmingham University, require in your dissertation .

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean if you fail your dissertation.

Failing a dissertation means not meeting required standards. It may lead to retaking or resubmitting. Understand feedback, identify weaknesses, and seek support to improve and succeed next time.

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Defending Your Dissertation: A Guide

Written by Luke Wink-Moran | Photo by insta_photos

Dissertation defenses are daunting, and no wonder; it’s not a “dissertation discussion,” or a “dissertation dialogue.” The name alone implies that the dissertation you’ve spent the last x number of years working on is subject to attack. And if you don’t feel trepidation for semantic reasons, you might be nervous because you don’t know what to expect. Our imaginations are great at making The Unknown scarier than reality. The good news is that you’ll find in this newsletter article experts who can shed light on what dissertations defenses are really like, and what you can do to prepare for them.

The first thing you should know is that your defense has already begun. It started the minute you began working on your dissertation— maybe even in some of the classes you took beforehand that helped you formulate your ideas. This, according to Dr. Celeste Atkins, is why it’s so important to identify a good mentor early in graduate school.

“To me,” noted Dr. Atkins, who wrote her dissertation on how sociology faculty from traditionally marginalized backgrounds teach about privilege and inequality, “the most important part of the doctoral journey was finding an advisor who understood and supported what I wanted from my education and who was willing to challenge me and push me, while not delaying me.  I would encourage future PhDs to really take the time to get to know the faculty before choosing an advisor and to make sure that the members of their committee work well together.”

Your advisor will be the one who helps you refine arguments and strengthen your work so that by the time it reaches your dissertation committee, it’s ready. Next comes the writing process, which many students have said was the hardest part of their PhD. I’ve included this section on the writing process because this is where you’ll create all the material you’ll present during your defense, so it’s important to navigate it successfully. The writing process is intellectually grueling, it eats time and energy, and it’s where many students find themselves paddling frantically to avoid languishing in the “All-But-Dissertation” doldrums. The writing process is also likely to encroach on other parts of your life. For instance, Dr. Cynthia Trejo wrote her dissertation on college preparation for Latin American students while caring for a twelve-year-old, two adult children, and her aging parents—in the middle of a pandemic. When I asked Dr. Trejo how she did this, she replied:

“I don’t take the privilege of education for granted. My son knew I got up at 4:00 a.m. every morning, even on weekends, even on holidays; and it’s a blessing that he’s seen that work ethic and that dedication and the end result.”

Importantly, Dr. Trejo also exercised regularly and joined several online writing groups at UArizona. She mobilized her support network— her partner, parents, and even friends from high school to help care for her son.

The challenges you face during the writing process can vary by discipline. Jessika Iwanski is an MD/PhD student who in 2022 defended her dissertation on genetic mutations in sarcomeric proteins that lead to severe, neonatal dilated cardiomyopathy. She described her writing experience as “an intricate process of balancing many things at once with a deadline (defense day) that seems to be creeping up faster and faster— finishing up experiments, drafting the dissertation, preparing your presentation, filling out all the necessary documents for your defense and also, for MD/PhD students, beginning to reintegrate into the clinical world (reviewing your clinical knowledge and skill sets)!”

But no matter what your unique challenges are, writing a dissertation can take a toll on your mental health. Almost every student I spoke with said they saw a therapist and found their sessions enormously helpful. They also looked to the people in their lives for support. Dr. Betsy Labiner, who wrote her dissertation on Interiority, Truth, and Violence in Early Modern Drama, recommended, “Keep your loved ones close! This is so hard – the dissertation lends itself to isolation, especially in the final stages. Plus, a huge number of your family and friends simply won’t understand what you’re going through. But they love you and want to help and are great for getting you out of your head and into a space where you can enjoy life even when you feel like your dissertation is a flaming heap of trash.”

While you might sometimes feel like your dissertation is a flaming heap of trash, remember: a) no it’s not, you brilliant scholar, and b) the best dissertations aren’t necessarily perfect dissertations. According to Dr. Trejo, “The best dissertation is a done dissertation.” So don’t get hung up on perfecting every detail of your work. Think of your dissertation as a long-form assignment that you need to finish in order to move onto the next stage of your career. Many students continue revising after graduation and submit their work for publication or other professional objectives.

When you do finish writing your dissertation, it’s time to schedule your defense and invite friends and family to the part of the exam that’s open to the public. When that moment comes, how do you prepare to present your work and field questions about it?

“I reread my dissertation in full in one sitting,” said Dr. Labiner. “During all my time writing it, I’d never read more than one complete chapter at a time! It was a huge confidence boost to read my work in full and realize that I had produced a compelling, engaging, original argument.”

There are many other ways to prepare: create presentation slides and practice presenting them to friends or alone; think of questions you might be asked and answer them; think about what you want to wear or where you might want to sit (if you’re presenting on Zoom) that might give you a confidence boost. Iwanksi practiced presenting with her mentor and reviewed current papers to anticipate what questions her committee might ask.  If you want to really get in the zone, you can emulate Dr. Labiner and do a full dress rehearsal on Zoom the day before your defense.

But no matter what you do, you’ll still be nervous:

“I had a sense of the logistics, the timing, and so on, but I didn’t really have clear expectations outside of the structure. It was a sort of nebulous three hours in which I expected to be nauseatingly terrified,” recalled Dr. Labiner.

“I expected it to be terrifying, with lots of difficult questions and constructive criticism/comments given,” agreed Iwanski.

“I expected it to be very scary,” said Dr. Trejo.

“I expected it to be like I was on trial, and I’d have to defend myself and prove I deserved a PhD,” said Dr Atkins.

And, eventually, inexorably, it will be time to present.  

“It was actually very enjoyable” said Iwanski. “It was more of a celebration of years of work put into this project—not only by me but by my mentor, colleagues, lab members and collaborators! I felt very supported by all my committee members and, rather than it being a rapid fire of questions, it was more of a scientific discussion amongst colleagues who are passionate about heart disease and muscle biology.”

“I was anxious right when I logged on to the Zoom call for it,” said Dr. Labiner, “but I was blown away by the number of family and friends that showed up to support me. I had invited a lot of people who I didn’t at all think would come, but every single person I invited was there! Having about 40 guests – many of them joining from different states and several from different countries! – made me feel so loved and celebrated that my nerves were steadied very quickly. It also helped me go into ‘teaching mode’ about my work, so it felt like getting to lead a seminar on my most favorite literature.”

“In reality, my dissertation defense was similar to presenting at an academic conference,” said Dr. Atkins. “I went over my research in a practiced and organized way, and I fielded questions from the audience.

“It was a celebration and an important benchmark for me,” said Dr. Trejo. “It was a pretty happy day. Like the punctuation at the end of your sentence: this sentence is done; this journey is done. You can start the next sentence.”

If you want to learn more about dissertations in your own discipline, don’t hesitate to reach out to graduates from your program and ask them about their experiences. If you’d like to avail yourself of some of the resources that helped students in this article while they wrote and defended their dissertations, check out these links:

The Graduate Writing Lab

https://thinktank.arizona.edu/writing-center/graduate-writing-lab

The Writing Skills Improvement Program

https://wsip.arizona.edu

Campus Health Counseling and Psych Services

https://caps.arizona.edu

https://www.scribbr.com/

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What Happens if You Fail Your Dissertation : Potential Solutions

‘ What happens if I fail my dissertation ?’ It is quite an unpleasant but possible situation if you do not treat dissertation writing seriously. Perhaps you know nobody who has faced such a problem, but it is quite a real situation and requires a particular set of actions suitable for dissertation failure.

Failed Dissertation : Is It Likely to Happen

Suppose you wonder whether dissertation failure is possible. Yes, it is possible to fail your dissertation. A dissertation is a meaningful academic project that requires thorough research, critical analysis, and the demonstration of a deep understanding of the topic.

It is important to note that educational institutions have different criteria and standards for evaluating dissertations, so what may be considered a master’s dissertation failure at one institution may be deemed acceptable at another. However, putting in the necessary effort, seeking guidance from your advisors, and carefully addressing the factors mentioned above can greatly increase the chances of a successful dissertation.

How Bad Does a Dissertation Have to Be to Fail?

The question that does not let you relax when working on your dissertation is, ‘How bad does a dissertation have to be to fail ?’ The standard for evaluating a dissertation varies among academic institutions and disciplines, and it’s essential to recognize that “failure” is a subjective term in this context. However, suppose we were to imagine an exceptionally challenging scenario. In that case, a dissertation might be considered unsuccessful if it lacks a clear research question or objective, has significant methodological flaws, lacks originality or contribution to the field, and demonstrates poor writing and presentation.

In essence, a dissertation failure risk may arise if it fails to meet the basic criteria for scholarly work, such as a coherent argument, rigorous methodology, and a meaningful contribution to existing knowledge. It’s important to note that most academic institutions provide constructive feedback throughout the dissertation process, allowing students to make improvements before the final evaluation. The goal is typically to support students in producing high-quality, meaningful research rather than outright failure.

Can You Graduate Without Passing Your Dissertation?

A failed undergraduate dissertation is an obstacle to successful graduation. A dissertation is a significant component of academic programs, especially at the graduate level, and serves as a cumulative demonstration of your research, analytical, and critical thinking skills. It requires in-depth study, analysis, and the production of an original piece of scholarly work.

Universities and academic institutions set strict requirements for the completion of a dissertation. It typically involves a prolonged research process, conducting experiments or gathering data, analyzing the results, and writing a comprehensive thesis based on the findings. A committee of faculty members or subject experts then evaluates the master’s dissertation.

The successful completion and defense of a master’s dissertation are essential for demonstrating mastery of the subject matter and contributing new knowledge to the academic community. It embodies the culmination of years of study and often represents a significant portion of one’s final grade or academic assessment.

Ultimately, the dissertation serves as a crucial academic milestone, and completing it is typically a prerequisite for obtaining a graduate degree.

Can You Resit a Dissertation ?

When feeling an inevitable failure, you may be asked a question, ‘Can you resit a dissertation ? Yes, it is possible to resit a dissertation in certain circumstances. While the resit policies may vary between educational institutions, many universities offer students the opportunity to resubmit or retake their dissertation if they fail to meet the required standards.

If a student has failed a master’s dissertation , they may be given the chance to improve their work and resubmit it for reevaluation. It allows students to address the shortcomings of their initial submission and demonstrate their understanding of the subject matter more effectively.

Suppose you find yourself in a situation where you need to resubmit your dissertation. In that case, it’s advisable to consult your university’s academic regulations and reach out to your academic advisor or department coordinator for guidance.  

Remember that resitting a master’s dissertation requires careful review and improvement of your original research, analysis, and writing. Take this opportunity to address the feedback received from your initial submission and engage in thorough revisions to enhance the quality of your work.

Do Students Often Fail Dissertations?

The failure rate for dissertations can differ across educational levels, institutions, and subject areas. Generally, the percentage of failed dissertations is typically lower at the undergraduate level compared to postgraduate studies. This might be due to the more structured guidance and support provided to undergraduate students.

For postgraduate students, the failure rate is usually influenced by factors such as the complexity of the research topic, the rigor of the evaluation process, and the level of guidance and supervision offered. 

How to Avoid Possible Dissertation Failure

Not to get on the list of ‘I failed my dissertation ‘, it is essential to adopt effective strategies and maintain a diligent approach. Here are some tips to help you navigate through your dissertation successfully:

• Plan and manage your time. Establish a realistic timeline for your research, writing, and revisions.
• Choose a compelling topic. Select a dissertation topic that is not only of personal interest but also aligns with your expertise and research goals.
• Thoroughly research your topic. Invest ample time in conducting comprehensive research. 
• Develop a clear outline. Create a well-thought-out outline that serves as a blueprint for your dissertation. 
• Regularly communicate with your advisor. Maintain open and consistent communication with your dissertation advisor or supervisor.
• Stay organized and stay focused. Keep your research materials, notes, and references well-organized. 
• Revise and edit meticulously. Dedicate ample time to review, revise, and edit your dissertation. 
• Seek professional dissertation help if needed. Don’t hesitate to seek assistance from dissertation coaches, writing centers, or professional editors.

Remember, if you do not want to be among the ‘I failed my dissertation !’ students, be ready to devote your time and effort to compliance with the highest academic writing standards. By following these tips and maintaining a proactive attitude, you can minimize the chances of getting to failed dissertation lists and achieve your academic goals.

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Failing a Dissertation: Signs and Tips how to Avoid Failure

• by Judy Jeni
• January 26, 2024

It is never exciting news when you fail a dissertation. By failing a dissertation, it implies you scored below that cut-off mark. In this post, I will take you through the signs of failure and how to avoid it.

More significantly, even if you fail, the chances are high that you can go for a reassessment. Before you begin to rejoice, the pass mark is caped lower than the minimum mark in response to your first failure.

Percentage of Students who Fail Dissertations

The statistics vary according to various institutions in different nations. For instance, the Ph.D. desertion failure rate in the United Kingdom is 19%.

About 16% of the students will opt to abandon their Ph.D. program early.

How bad does a dissertation have to be to fail

To fail, a dissertation has to be poor and not written as per the basic academic standards, which leads to a poor grade of 40 and below in most educational institutions. A thesis or a dissertation has to score extremely low to fail since many professors follow up with the student before the final grade is awarded.

How to Tell that your Thesis will Fail

There are several tell-tale signs that will indicate that your dissertation or a thesis will fail. You have to have been really poor if it fails. Some of these signs are common mistakes that keep repeating in your project. Others are major deviations from the norms of academic writing.

1. Choosing a Monotonous and Dull Topic

It becomes easy for a reader to note a shallow topic. Since you have never invested in it well, you will lack the enthusiasm to create an engaging dissertation.

Once you get a well-researched topic, you will master the right tips to articulate in your desertion. Lack of enough facts may impact your thesis negatively.

2. Missing Preliminary Pages

Such pages include the ones before the main dissertation begins. It is always tempting to overlook the significance of these pages, but remember, they set the tone for your dissertation.

The best approach is to use the dissertation template to ensure you follow it to the end. 

3. Shallow and Superficial Arguments

If you involve the superficial arguments, they will fail to reach the depth for meeting the upper-grade boundaries. While specializing in a particular area is critical, avoid pushing yourself in a tight corner where you lack something meaningful to talk about.

For your desertion to be successful, you should craft it on solid research. It is hard to contribute to a topic that you lack enough ideas to write about.

4. Attempting Too Much

It is admirable if you demonstrate ambition. Nevertheless, it won’t be brilliant if you attempt to squeeze too much. In our guide on how long it takes to write a dissertation , we found out the many factors that come into play when completing the paper on time.

This included the scope that you can take. Therefore, allow the scope of your dissertation to stretch within acceptable limits while respecting the time parameters under you.

5. An Imbalanced Structure 

Your desertion should remain consistent from the start to the end. It is wrong to have a powerful introduction, and the first few paragraphs then lose focus in the preceding paragraphs.

It must capture the critical elements of the topic without causing you to struggle to meet the expectation. One should structure the arguments by padding chapters with extraneous information.

5. Demonstrating a Lack of Proficiency

When you are writing desertion, it is a chance to showcase your subject knowledge.

You will be displaying the writing techniques that you acquired in the course program.

Suppose you do not understand what you are writing; it will be challenging to produce meaningful work.

6. Presenting Unrelated Arguments

While writing your desertion, ensure that you do not deviate from the core subject. Failure to stick to the desired path will cause you to encounter obstacles on the way and land you in problems.

7. Plagiarism

It is critical to avoid plagiarism and maintain academic integrity. Plagiarism is a serious offense that can land you in bad books. Many universities use anti-plagiarism software to check your standard. It is crucial to reference and cite your work correctly. Ensure that the dissertation lacks academic integrity violations.

8. Formatting, Spelling, and Grammar Issues

You should create enough time to edit your dissertation.  Failure to do so leads to grammar and spelling errors. The best way is to follow the university template for formatting designs. It is vital to seek for an experienced writer who can assist you in proofreading your work and kick out any visible mistakes.

For many people, it is never easy to write a dissertation. It calls for better planning, writing, and editing. If you get intimidated by the work and time frame, you better outsource to a reputable writer to simplify matters for you.

How to Avoid Failing in your Dissertation

1. review the paper before submitting.

Before you think of submitting your dissertation to your supervisor, it is vital to proofread it.

Doing so helps in detecting errors, weird formatting, and identification of typos.

It helps in adjusting the paper as per the given instructions.

If you let it reach your supervisor in the initial state, someone may penalize your work for the inability to follow instructions.

2. Use a Superior Plagiarism Software

You should run the paper through reputable anti-plagiarism software to establish its originality. It can be embarrassing to discover that your dissertation had some similarities after submission. Many institutions do not treat this area lightly.

When your paper is 100% original, your confidence rises because you now know that the panel will not penalize your work over that area. Other areas that you should strive to check are citations and referencing.

3. Perform Regular Consultations

You should reach out to your supervisor regularly. Such a habit helps you to know if you are on the right track or not. Make it a goal to check with your supervisor as you complete each section.

Doing so makes one know if the consistent is in tandem with the dissertation’s goals. Suppose you encounter challenges; you should raise them early enough so that they do not overwhelm you before you stretch far.

Such consultations will determine the type of project you will undertake. if done early, consultations will help you to decide whether to take a thesis master’s or a non-thesis master’s degree for your course.

4. Do Extensive Research

The purpose of writing a dissertation is to gauge your knowledge of a particular topic. The only way to prove your mastery is to research and read widely. Consult various sources to back up your argument.

Ensure you have engaging details of your topic to flow well and prove that you understand what you are talking about.

5. Seek Thesis Writing Help

Finally, if you are unsure concerning what to do, seek a helping hand from writing experts. An expert will be useful in providing helpful tips and tricks to help you crack a killer dissertation.

Another advantage of a writing expert is that he can assist you in writing better desertion, especially when you are running against time. You can hire thesis writers to handle your assignment if you need help.

You will also have time to read through the content and engage your supervisor to know if the writer did a superb job. In case of any corrections, it will be easy to handle them.

Does Anyone fail their Dissertation Defense?

Yes, one can fail a dissertation defense.  However, it is hard for one to fail since it is not a two-hour affair. It can take a month or years to complete, making it easier to identify mistakes along this period.

Furthermore, your supervisor will be assessing your paper after every chapter. So, you will be rectifying every error at every stage hence boosting your confidence to proceed. Inability to follow instructions could be costly.

Can a Dissertation be Wrong?

Yes, a dissertation can be wrong, especially if you fail to capture vital features. For example, if the literature is inadequate, that is a sure sign that something is wrong. Also, if you discover that you lack motivation and constantly panicking, then it is also a sure sign that you picked an inappropriate dissertation topic.

What is the Pass Mark for a Dissertation?

The pass mark, in this case, is 50% after successful completion. Once you have these facts in mind, strive to score above the given limit to avoid resubmitting it again.

Ensure to stick and implement all the instructions provided in the template to be on the safe side. Additionally, you should work with your supervisor closely.

The supervisor will help you to handle any technical part to prevent failure cases. If you cannot be helped, consider taking a non-thesis master’s degree to avoid this part of the task.

What to Do if You Fail Your Essay, Assignment, Exam or Dissertation

One of the most difficult experiences for students in the UK is the receipt of a failing mark (usually anything marked 39 or below is a fail). It is important to understand that there are many reasons why this can happen to students, and there are usually several options to change the failing mark. Whether you fail an exam , coursework or even the dissertation itself, you have options available so it’s not necessarily the end of the world!

Common Reasons for Failure

Students fail elements of their degree for a number of reasons. The most common issues are not attending lectures, not keeping up with course reading, confusion or lack of understanding of course content, and personal problems that distract students.

How to Avoid Failure Before it Happens

With all of the problems noted above, students can usually avoid failing simply by taking pre-emptive action before the problem spirals out of control. There are several steps to take to ensure that small issues don’t become potential failures.

• Talk to your Academic Tutor. This is a member of the faculty assigned to you at the beginning of your degree programme, who you meet with regularly to discuss your progress. You can contact this person at any time and they can advise you on how to address any challenges you are facing.
• Don’t wait until problems become large. It is always best to be aware that a small issue can quickly become a crisis if you neglect to address it. For example, if you are struggling to understand the course material one week, you will be unlikely to follow along as the course progresses. It is far better to consult with your lecturer early to avoid falling seriously behind later.
• File for ‘Extenuating Circumstances’. Most UK universities understand that students will sometimes face unavoidable difficulties due to prolonged sickness, family problems or financial issues. If you experience one of these problems you can file an ‘Extenuating Circumstances’ form, which formally notifies the university about your problem. Your Academic Tutor will sign this form and together you will construct a plan to catch up on any missed coursework or exams, and you will possibly be granted extensions to normal coursework deadlines.

Re-Assessment Opportunities

If the worst happens and you do receive a failing mark, you have several options. First, you need to understand whether you have failed an element of a module, the entire module, or the dissertation.

Failed Module Element

If you’ve failed one piece of coursework or an exam, it may not be necessary to re-submit that element. If your marks for other module elements are high enough that your averaged course mark is 40 or above, you will pass the module overall regardless of the one failure. In other words, if you receive a mark of 35 on an essay that counts for 40% of your module mark, you can still pass the module if you receive an average mark of 45 on the remaining 60% of the module assessment. However, you may wish to re-submit anyway, in order to achieve a higher overall degree average. The opportunities to allow this vary among Universities, so check the regulations at your own institution.

Failed Module

If you fail an entire module you are usually required to re-sit the assessments, either by re-submitting the coursework or, in some cases, by resitting an exam. The form of the assessment will be decided according to the existing module guidelines, university regulations, and the decisions of the lecturer and board of examiners. The resulting mark is usually capped at a bare pass level, which is typically in the 40-50 range.

Failed Dissertation

If you fail a dissertation, you will usually be given an opportunity to re-submit it by an agreed-upon date. As with a module failure, the marks awarded for a re-submitted dissertation will usually be capped at a bare pass level. It is worth noting that a complete failure of a dissertation is rare at UK universities, and typically occurs only if a student has neglected to meet with their supervisor at regular intervals, or neglected to submit drafts in advance of the final submission.

A Note on Plagiarism

Although university regulations usually allow a student to re-sit exams and assessments, as described above, there are special procedures in place in cases of failure due to plagiarism. If a student is found to have copied work from another source or used the ideas of others without citing their sources appropriately, they may receive a failing mark. In serious cases the matter can be referred to a University Ethics Board, that will have the authority to take a range of measures against the student. In many cases, students found guilty of plagiarising will not be provided with an opportunity to improve their marks, though they could potentially appeal the decision. In short, don’t do it!

Appeal Procedures

In addition to re-submitting assessment elements, you may have grounds appeal the marks awarded to you. This can happen if your university has neglected to take your Extenuating Circumstances into account, or if you were unfairly disadvantaged in any way. Each university has its own procedures for student academic appeals, and in general, it requires a somewhat lengthy process. You must be certain to file the appropriate forms before the deadlines, and fully document the reasons you feel justified in appealing your marks. Your case will be considered by a university exam board, and if you are successful you will be offered options for re-sitting or re-submitting work without restrictions on the potential marks you can earn. Full details of your university’s appeal procedures will be given to you at the start of your degree programme.

While every student hopes to avoid failing or even coming close to failing, sometimes the unthinkable does happen and a failing mark results. These situations can seem terribly disheartening for students, but it is important to remember that universities do offer second chances for genuinely honest and hard-working students!

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What Happens If You Fail Your Dissertation?

If you are on the brink of failure over your final year research, then don’t worry, you are not alone. It is no doubt that every year, several students go through a failing dissertation which is a traumatizing experience for anyone, thinking what will happen if you fail your dissertation?

Opportunity or Exhaustive?

It is a fact that the degree will not be awarded with a failed dissertation, no matter which academic program a student is enrolled in. The nightmares of ‘what happens if I fail my dissertation’ are completely fair.

When it comes to Ph.D., the dissertation failure rate is about 40% to 50% which increases the thoughts of what happens if you fail dissertation. Some don’t even make it to their final defense and are rejected over their proposal presentation. And gets in the list of fail dissertation UK professors manage.

With a figure like this of Ph.D. students who are comparatively professionals at what they do, think about the failed undergraduate dissertation rates that students might go through every year. In fact, before submission they are surrounded with one question; how bad does a dissertation have to be to fail? and try to conquer it.

The question arises, are facing such results an opportunity or exhaustive? That depends upon the student and how they perceive it. Many get motivated by their failures while others do breakdown and cry thinking I ‘failed my dissertation’. To have a say, it should be taken no less than an opportunity to improve a failing dissertation.

How “Dissertation Proposal” Can Help You!

Our top dissertation writing experts are waiting 24/7 to assist you with your university project, from critical literature reviews to a complete masters dissertation.

So What’s Next?

“What happens if I fail my dissertation?” or “what happens if you don’t submit your dissertation” is a common question. Students with this unfortunate situation will be given another opportunity to re-submit their dissertation within a given deadline.

Strictly keeping in mind, the marks will be kept to a minimum passing line during the resubmission, which is an academic probatory method practiced for certain reasons. Anyhow, it is somewhat a good news, better than wondering wondering ‘what happens if you fail your undergraduate dissertation?’ A passing grade would even work.

I Failed My Dissertation on Second Attempt

If the second attempt turns out to be unsuccessful, then you can re-submit your dissertation the next semester of your university. Doesn’t need to brag ‘I failed my dissertation’

Can you resit a dissertation again after the second attempt? That depends upon the regulation that the university has set forth. However, such situations are rare and are less likely to occur but might be possible to some extent when you failed undergraduate dissertation.

How to Avoid Possible Dissertation Failure?

Before starting your  dissertation writing  and possibly avoid the chance of saying: “I failed my dissertation”, it is necessary to keep certain practices in check.

Keep communication with your supervisors regular

The dissertation supervisor is the key to achieving a passing grade. Every help should be taken from the supervisors as they have the academic insider of all the do’s and don’t. Even ask what happens if you fail dissertation UK standard has rejected. This is a student’s guide to achieve perfection, let alone just passing.

Look for immediate help from other sources

Look for immediate help to overcome minor research issues. Avoid delaying as it might become last-minute trouble to fix a failed dissertation (what every student thinks). Yet again, it is not wise to disturb your supervisor over and over again so don’t be shy to seek help from your friends, or anyone professional, if you think you are on the edge to fail dissertation this year.

Have a maintained flow

Can you fail a dissertation? Failure is possible when it comes to not proposing a proper presentation. This may be caused due to not having a strong enough literature review, research methods, variables, or the research statement itself. Furthermore, there has to be a connection from one chapter to another. Without a connection, the judging panel might find it difficult to understand which can lead to rejection and failing a dissertation might become your fate.

The submission of hard copy needs to be structured properly with relevant and up-to-date citations used within the plagiarism percentage criteria. In this case, ‘can you resit a dissertation’ thoughts becomes void.

This is a glimpse of how bad does a dissertation have to be to fail, where following these guidelines are just the basics for passing on the borderline and resist ‘what happens if you fail a  dissertation’ thoughts.

Keeping in Mind!

These are the basic understanding as to what happens if you fail your dissertation on any academic level. But keep in mind, you can always appeal to your university for re-checking any unfair corrections that might have occurred in your failed masters dissertation or so. Universities around the world do facilitate such procedures where you can provide strong evidence to avoid such failure.

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Some of the common questions asked by students regarding this matter are:

You will need to submit a new application in the next semester for your dissertation and repeat the research credit hours all over again from scratch.

That varies from university to university and the regulations they might have set forth. However, it is required to complete the full credit hours of the final dissertation again.

Not much compared to the dissertation failure rate of Ph.D. students . The key is to follow all the advice of your supervisor as they usually carry most of the dissertation mark weightage.

To understand the procedure and to know what happens if you fail your dissertation on the first attempt, you will generally be given another opportunity to resubmit your dissertation on another given deadline.

To some extent, yes. It possible; judging by the dissertation failure rate which exists. However, there could be numerous reasons for failing your dissertation. This possibility exists and many students tend to go through the horror thoughts of ‘what if I fail my dissertation’ and it is completely fair to fear.

Can You Fail a PhD Dissertation?

• Post by: Professor Conquer
• Last updated on: October 12, 2023

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As an actual or potential PhD student, it’s natural to be concerned about your chances of making it through postgraduate school. One of the significant aspects of PhD is dissertation defense . It can make or mar your graduation chances. Therefore, it’s not surprising that many people dread it. If you are wondering whether it’s possible to fail a PhD dissertation, here’s a detailed article to help you. We’ve also included practical steps to help you complete your dissertation successfully. Enjoy your read.

Do People Fail PhD Dissertation?

To give you a dose of reality, studies show that a good percentage of people who enroll for a PhD would either fail their PhD dissertation or not complete it. While writing a dissertation is one of the most fulfilling experiences, it’s still a dreadful one. It’s fulfilling because it serves as the climax of college and university endeavors. But the dread comes in when you think about the results. Yes, it’s possible to fail your dissertation . However, despite the numerous statistics available online, we can categorically tell that failing one’s dissertation is quite rare. Not all dissertation chairs are that unforgiving, even when they fail to keep in touch with you during the dissertation period. Many doctoral departments have checks that make failure hard during the defense. For instance, if a student does everything right – say they’ve written their dissertation, communicated with their advisors, and scheduled their defense rightly, but have a freakout moment on the day of their examination, most committees or departments would allow the student to reschedule.

It’s not surprising that many people believe that if a PhD candidate does everything rightly, keeps constant communication with their committee members, and doesn’t receive any negative criticism to their submitted work but still fails their dissertation defense, it could be related to malicious intent on the committee’s part. However, that’s a rare scenario that doesn’t do both the advisors and the students any good.

Why Do People Fail Dissertation?

Nobody in the world plans to fail their dissertation. Instead, most people struggle hard to clear their dissertation once and for all. But many times, despite the hard work, we still hear cases of people failing their dissertation. Many factors can cause this, and knowing these factors can help you take the route that avoids failure. Here, let’s review some of these factors.

Choosing the wrong dissertation adviser 

Your dissertation adviser would play an essential role in how smoothly your dissertation defense would go. Therefore, we recommend due diligence when choosing your adviser. Apart from offering you advice on the right ways to research, a good dissertation adviser can help you jump through the inevitable hurdles that you’ll encounter during this period. Unfortunately, many students choose their dissertation advisers because of qualities like personality, research interest, and charisma. While these characteristics are generally admirable, they may not count when it comes to offering you the needed assistance to complete a quality dissertation. Several studies show that the two most important factors in choosing the right dissertation adviser include:

• Accessibility
• Feedback turnaround times.

These qualities mean that the said candidate can give a realistic amount of time to attend to your dissertation needs.

Expecting your peers to hand-hold you throughout your dissertation 

One popular misconception that new doctoral students often hold about postgraduate school is that they’ll get a lot of help and hand-holding throughout postgraduate school. You must realize that postgraduate school works quite differently from college; hence, you must always take charge of your doctoral program.

Of course, you’ll get help from your dissertation chair, supervisor, and committee members at different times, but their help can’t replace the efforts you’ll need to put into the process. For example, there’ll be no one to remind you of the right courses to enroll, or which forms need completing before specific deadlines. You’ll be solely responsible for engraving your intellectual path. Therefore, you should never expect your dissertation supervisor or anyone else to hold your hand and tell you what seminars to attend, what journals to read, what literature to buy, or which grants to apply for.

While it’s cool to seek help and guidance, there should never be a moment where you’ll expect anybody to take over your responsibilities and shoulder all of them.

Choosing a dissertation topic that’s too broad

As a doctoral student, you’ll probably hear too often the critical role their dissertation plays in determining whether you’ll acquire your PhD. While this is true, you must not get lost in the belief that you try to include and cover everything in your dissertation. While it’s great to go wide, going too wide can be counterproductive to how well you can attack a topic.

As always, we advise students to consider narrowing down their research topic and zoning in on a particular area instead of choosing a broad research topic and realizing too late that you’ve probably bitten more than you can chew. Here, work closely with your dissertation adviser and take their advice to narrow down your topic properly. So many students dream of their dissertation being all-inclusive and having immediate impacts on their field but fail to realize that that’s an almost impossible feat considering the resources accessible to a typical doctoral student.

Procrastination

We can’t overemphasize this point – procrastination is an ultimate dream killer. Here, we are not even referring to lazy students considering that that’s not a personality trait for people enrolling in doctoral programs). Instead, we refer to typical doctoral students who set very high standards for themselves because they are perfectionists.

We’ve come to understand that people obsessed with perfection tend to be procrastinators. Yes, it’s true that you go to where you are by setting high standards and working to achieve near-perfect grades. While this is fine, it is only acceptable to the point where you get into postgraduate school. At this point, your dissertation, rather than your GPA, determines your success. And doctoral dissertations reflect more of life’s reality where you’ll stumble several times and need to pick yourself up every time, irrespective of how smart you think you are. Many doctoral students do not fancy facing too many obstacles in their academic life. And since the dissertation throws them right into such challenges, most doctoral students give up and shy away instead of confronting those problems. At this point, procrastination is birthed to help them cope with something they are not used to.

What Happens If You Fail Your Dissertation?

You’ve don’t everything you should do and followed all the dissertation defense etiquettes you know, but still somehow failed your dissertation – what should you do? Don’t worry; you’ll usually be given another opportunity to re-submit it at a later date. However, it’s important to remember that the marks awarded for a re-submitted dissertation will usually be capped at a bare minimum pass level. As we’ve explained above, a complete dissertation failure is a rarity and would only occur if a student neglects meeting with their supervisor at the required intervals. If you’ve certified all the requirements for your dissertation defense, you can rest assured that the chances of failure would be very slim.

How to Not Fail a Dissertation? 5 Preparation Tips

Now that we’ve talked so much about PhD dissertation and how you can fail, you’re probably wondering how to avoid failure. Like your master thesis defense, your dissertation defense can be a walk in the pack if you know the right steps to take. To help, here are five top preparation tips you should know.

Start Early 

The earlier you start, the better your chances of covering just enough. You can start thinking about possible topics as early as you can. We also recommend carefully reading through departmental guidelines even before writing your dissertation. The best dissertation choices would usually arise from lots of reading, thinking, and talking about your areas of interest. One of the most significant advantages of starting early is that it affords you enough time to change your mind several times before you finalize your aims. However, be sure to keep your supervisor informed before changing your mind at any point.

Record Your Sources

This may seem like a no-brainer, but we’ve seen so many people fail in it, so we’ll just talk about it anyway. Keep an adequate record of all your research and reading throughout your dissertation period. Referencing is a vital aspect of dissertations, and it is marked quite strictly. You don’t want to struggle with trying to remember all the materials you’ve used as sources. Therefore, you can save time and stress by assembling your reference list /bibliography as you research your topic. You can always delete useless sources in the end.

Be Realistic About What You Can Cover 

Remember, we talked about the adverse effects of trying to cover everything at once. The truth is that you can’t cover every angle of your dissertation topic , irrespective of how passionate you are about it. Therefore it’s crucial not to be overly ambitious. Instead, focus on one specific idea and research it more thoroughly instead of juggling several different ideas. Mark out what needs to be covered in the topic and do what you can to cover them.

Your First Draft is Not Your Final Draft

One mistake many people make is trying to make their first draft perfect. The truth is that you’ll probably make many mistakes on your first draft, and that’s why experts advise against trying to get your final draft on the first attempt. This is a massive project, and there’s no point in trying to be perfect from the start. Your argument doesn’t have to be airtight from the start. Revising and rewriting are all crucial parts of the writing process. Just start working and edit your work in subsequent drafts.

Embrace Flexibility

Finally, it’s essential to be flexible throughout the process. Writer’s block often happens and can cause you to miss deadlines that you’ve set for yourself. If this happens, don’t sulk too much. Just adjust your schedule and continue working. Usually, we recommend setting deadlines a little earlier than necessary so that you can give yourself a head start in case you ever need to push any of them back.

Wrapping Things Up: Can You Fail a PhD Dissertation?

Dissertation research and defense are among the most important parts of the PhD program, yet many students dread it. It’s not surprising that people do not just want to know whether it’s possible to fail a dissertation, but also the probability ratio. So, can you fail a PhD dissertation? As we’ve seen throughout the article, it’s possible to fail PhD dissertation, although it only happens in rare scenarios where students fail to do what’s required of them. But don’t get paranoid – you can easily pass your dissertation by doing what’s right. To help, we’ve also explained some significant steps that can help you pass your dissertation. In all, don’t forget to work closely with your dissertation adviser to craft out the best strategy for your unique situation.

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What to Do If I Fail My Dissertation? What is the Solution?

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Failed Your Dissertation! What Next? Get the Answer Here

What happens when you fail dissertation, how bad does a dissertation have to be to fail, how to avoid the dissertation failure, who can write a perfect dissertation for me.

A dissertation is based on original research. You have to focus on numerous aspects before starting and while writing it. The paper begins with selecting a perfect topic. If it is not impressive, then your professor will not think twice while giving you poor marks. The next task comes is research. It is the crucial one because your entire paper depends on it. Then comes the planning and presentation of the information.

But what if, after all the hard work, your dissertation fails? Nothing can be devastating for a student than a dissertation failure. Many times, you don't know why does a dissertation fail? 

Most UK students are afraid of resitting a dissertation because it requires double hard work. If you also have a failed dissertation, you must know what can happen next in the below section.

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After the dissertation failure, students have many doubts. Read some doubts below:

Can I graduate if I fail my dissertation?

You can't graduate if you fail your dissertation. You will have to re-write it and get at least passing marks set by your university.

Is it rare to fail a dissertation?

Every student has to write a dissertation at least once in his academic life. You have to give major time to write this paper and it carries great importance. So yes, it is rare to fail a dissertation.

What if I fail to resit the dissertation?

As you know, you have to secure good marks in the dissertation to graduate. In case you fail to resit the paper, then you can't graduate. You have to write until you succeed to submit a perfect dissertation.

Apart from these questions, many other doubts come to your mind if you fail the dissertation. The failure demotivates you, and you can't write with the same enthusiasm. What if you write a perfect dissertation at once? Nothing can be better than this for you. But to produce an impressive paper in one go, you must be aware of the reasons for dissertation failure. Know them below.

Poor writing and improper research lead to dissertation failure.  Let's know other things that lead to the dissertation failure below.

1. Missing Information:  A dissertation contains various sections like introduction, abstract, methodology, literature review, discussion, references, and others. If you forget to include any of them, then you may have to face dissertation failure. And if you miss out on some vital information, then also it can lead to failure.

2. Improper Structure:  A perfect structure matters a lot to produce an impressive paper. If you don't focus on making a proper structure, then also you can fail the dissertation. Check out the guidelines and some examples to find a perfect structure for the dissertation.

3. Poor Presentation:  In a dissertation, you have to present original research. The information in the paper is vital;if it is not presented impressively, the professor can fail you. Poor presentation confuses the reader, and the quality of the document suffers.

4. Plagiarized Text:  No university will ever entertain the plagiarized text in the dissertation. Since original research is required in this type of paper, so the traces of plagiarism can ruin it. Most universities fail their students if the dissertation committee finds plagiarism.

Well! You have to focus on various things while writing a dissertation. That is why it takes months to complete the paper. If you want to know how to avoid dissertation failure, then read below.

You may also like to read : How to Write Dissertation Methodology? Excellent Guide Inside

1. Never Underestimate the Planning :  You can produce a perfect dissertation if you plan it properly. Analyze how many sections it has and how much time will be required to complete them? This analysis will help you to set targets, and you can come up with a perfect plan.

2. Draft Outline Before Presenting Any Information: Flawless presentation of the information can save you from dissertation failure. Draft an outline before you start to write so that you can present any information properly.

3. Focus on Formal Style of Writing:   In a dissertation, you must use formal language. Try to analyze how professionals write, then use the same tone. Avoid colloquialisms and contractions, and most importantly, writing in the first person.

4. Make Ending & Beginning Impressive:   If the professor finds the beginning and the ending of the dissertation impressive, then he can give you excellent marks. Also,the chances of dissertation failure get reduced. So, always try to make the introduction and the conclusion outstanding. 

You may also like to read : How to Start a Conclusion? | 4 Effective Ways to Make the Ending Best

5. Leave No Mistakes in the Dissertation:  Errors in the paper lead to poor results. They can be of any type, like spelling, punctuation, grammar-related, and others. To avoid them, proofread your dissertation at least thrice. 

If you can't avoid the mistakes due to some reason, then leave worrying. You can buy dissertations from us. Assignment Desk offers the best dissertation help; you can go for it .  Let's know about the website and the services below so that you can make the right decision before seeking assistance. 

If you have failed a dissertation and asked to resit it, then you should not make any mistake this time. If again you fail to produce a perfect paper, then maybe you can't get a graduate degree. You can hire a professional writer from the Assignment Desk to avoid & eradicate all the chances of mistakes. We have certified and experienced writers, so they can easily offer you a plagiarism-free, well-structured, error-free paper in a short time. 

If you are worried about the prices, then check out the discounts and offers. By doing so, you can get the paper at the lowest price. Besides them, we offer many services. Have a look at the services below.

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Focus on the ways to avoid mistakes in the dissertation. If you still can't produce a perfect paper, then don't worry. Instead of agonizing, seek the best dissertation writing service  from the renowned website-  Assignment Desk.

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Evaluation Decisions for Doctoral Defense

Doctoral students are required to review the degree plans for their program, along with information about specific degree requirements and estimated timelines to reach various benchmarks for the different degree plan specializations.

There are three possible evaluation decisions for the doctoral defense.  All decisions—with the exception of “fail”—must be unanimous.

“Pass” requires that both the defense and the document (dissertation or treatise) are acceptable. In some cases, the committee may require revisions, which will be checked by the entire committee or by the supervising professor only. This should be agreed upon at the time of the defense and communicated with the student.

While the supervisor should wait to sign the Report of Dissertation Committee until all revisions have been reviewed, the other committee members may choose to sign at the defense. The committee should agree upon the length of time allowed for submission of the revised dissertation; this must be communicated clearly to the student.

The completed Report of Dissertation Committee should be returned to the Graduate School only after the final revisions to the dissertation have been approved and the GSC designee has signed.

If the dissertation and/or defense are not acceptable to all members of the committee, the decision will change to either "re-defend" or "fail" as discussed below:

“Re-defend” indicates that the committee is not satisfied with the dissertation or with the oral examination, but believes that rewriting may make it acceptable. In this case, the fully signed Report of Dissertation Committee should be returned to the Graduate School by the Supervisor, with each member of the committee indicating their decision. Another scheduled defense will be required and a new report will be generated.

Report on Doctoral Dissertation forms

Committee members should submit their individual Report on Doctoral Dissertation forms indicating their dissatisfaction.

“Fail” indicates that at least one member of the committee has decided that the dissertation is unsatisfactory and may not be rewritten. The fully signed Report of Dissertation Committee should be returned to the Graduate School by the supervisor, with each member of the committee indicating their decision.

Committee members should also submit their individual Report on Doctoral Dissertation forms indicating their dissatisfaction. This decision normally results in the termination of a doctoral student’s program.

Documentation

Document a dissertation defense as follows:

The supervisor should bring the Report of Dissertation Committee to the defense.

The scheduling information on the Report must be correct; if the time or location changes, the Graduate School must be informed.

All committee members sign the Report of Dissertation Committee, even if the member was not present at the defense.

Scanned or electronic signatures will be accepted as long as they are legible and dark enough to be imaged. Typed names as a signature are not allowed. Electronic and digitally authorized signatures may be accepted in any font format so long as they include the insignia or logo of the e-signature software used showing authorization.

Once all members have signed the report the Graduate Studies Committee chair or designee should provide the final signature.

The final signature indicates that all coursework and other departmental requirements have been completed. All signatures should be on a single page.

The Report of Dissertation Committee should be submitted to the Graduate School by the student.

The report should be submitted along with the student's final paperwork.

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So, How Bad Does a Dissertation Have to Be to Fail?

How hard is it to write a dissertation? Well, it is pretty difficult to write one because the research takes a long time and you also need to have strong critical and analytical skills to do a good job. Your questions should really be “how bad does a dissertation have to be to fail?”

While a failed masters thesis is not a very big deal, a failed PhD is. You can lose years of research and hard work because your university may not allow you to enroll a second time. However, you will be thrilled to learn that a dissertation should be pretty bad to fail. Read the rest of the article to find out just how bad (as well as what you can do to improve your score)!

Mandatory Parts of a Dissertation

Still in college, many students are starting to research ways to get their PhD. They are looking at the PhD failure rate and at what a dissertation means. Inevitably, you will ask yourself this question: what are the mandatory elements of a good dissertation? Fortunately, most dissertations are structured the same. Here is what you will need to include in your paper:

The dissertation Abstract. This is basically a very short summary of your entire dissertation. A scholar will read it to find out if your paper can help him with his work (or if your paper is going to be of interest). The dissertation Introduction. The introduction is around two pages long and its main goal is to give your reader an idea of what you will be discussing in your paper. You can also briefly describe the methods you will be using and even present a bit of information about your findings and conclusions. The Dissertation Methods and Discussion. This part is different from dissertation to dissertation. You will need to provide extensive information about the methods you have used to gather the data and the results of your research. Also, you will need to carefully discuss each result and critically analyze it. You can use an empirical or non-empirical route in this section. The Dissertation Conclusions. The conclusion should be viewed as the deduction part of your paper. Think long and hard about what you can deduce from your findings. Make assumptions and suppositions. This section is very important because it shows the committee that you have understood the subject and managed to answer the research questions. The Dissertation References. The references section is the part where you include all the materials you have used to write the paper. Any journals, articles, interviews, etc. should be included here if you’ve used them. Also, every time you cite anything in your text, you should create a reference entry.

Remember to check the requirements of your university to make sure you know what the committee expects to receive. Your university can tell you more about the number of words, which fonts to use, and even if you need to include the acknowledgements before or after the abstract.

Length and Quality of Content

What happens if you fail college? Well, you don’t get a bachelor’s degree. Also, you forfeit any chance of getting a Master’s degree and then a Doctoral degree. However, if you are thinking about a failed PhD, things are a lot easier. You won’t get the Doctoral degree, but you could get a Master’s degree automatically – depending on university rules. So, how can you avoid a dissertation defense failure? Well, one of the very first things you should do is pay attention to the length of your paper and quality of the content. Here are a few hints to get you started:

The length of a dissertation can vary from 100 to 300 pages in length. Margins are usually 1 inch on all sides Font size is usually 10-12 points Double spacing is used in the body of text The content needs to be structured in a logical manner and all the sections we’ve talked about above must be included. The content needs to be 100% free of plagiarism and spelling/grammar errors. The content needs to contain original research and a critical analysis of the findings. Referencing a dissertation is not that difficult, regardless of the academic format (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.) Make sure you read the style guide and understand the proper way to cite and reference other people’s work.

What Can Go Wrong?

We’ve seen more than one failed masters degree. A dissertation failure is not that different. There are many things that can go wrong when it comes to such a complex academic paper. And remember, the paper is no everything. Here are some of the reasons why you can fail your dissertation:

• You focus on your grades in grad school. Remember that nobody cares about your grades in grad school. Instead of working on your dissertation every chance you get, you are more worried about low grades.
• You procrastinate. If you are like most grad students, you like to procrastinate. You think you have more than enough time to research and write the dissertation. Well, the sad truth is that you probably don’t.
• You ignore the committee and its recommendations. In most cases, you will be asked to change some things during the oral presentation of your dissertation. Failure to implement these changes is a sure way to fail the PhD.
• You don’t write at least 4 papers that can be published in reputable scholarly journals. This is also a sure way to fail your dissertation. Remember, the committee expects to see these pieces. And they will really read them. This means that you should not, under any circumstance, rush them just to get them done.
• Not having a clear structure in mind is very risky. Also, not thinking critically is definitely going to hurt your score. Simply analyzing other works is not enough to get a passing score. You need to be able to think critically and come up with original ideas that are supported by well-researched data. A dissertation must present original data that you have uncovered yourself.
• Not editing and proofreading your work can result in a failure. Poorly written content makes reading the dissertation difficult and can irritate the committee or at least the chair of the committee. This is enough to get you a low score.
• Waiting for your supervisor to tell you what to do is not an option. You are expected to take charge of your paper and do the necessary research yourself. You should not expect the supervisor to tell you what to do.
• Your thesis may be deemed not good enough. Keep in mind that your thesis needs to be original and present conclusive findings. If the evaluators think your paper is flawed beyond repair, you will fail.
• The PhD defense fail. After you submit your thesis to the committee, you will need to defend it. The faculty members will ask you various questions to make sure you have understood the field and that it really is you who wrote the paper. If you are unable to answer the questions, you will fail. You can also be accused of plagiarism, which is not something you want.

There are many other things that can happen, including things that are outside your control (like poor health or family problems). However, keep in mind that the PhD completion rate is around 80% in the United Kingdom and around 56% in the United States. This means that you have a very good chance of getting a doctorate degree if you focus on your paper and you do whatever you can to perfect it.

The Process of Grading a Dissertation

What is the process of grading a dissertation? Do professors check sources? The process of grading a dissertation is not overly complex and yes, most professors really do check your sources. It is very important to use authoritative sources and information taken from reputable authors and scholars. Don’t include references just for the sake of having references because they will be checked and you risk failing your PhD. As for the grading process, every school has a different system. However, in most cases, you need to achieve the following to get a top score:

• Demonstrate a deep understanding of the topic and show originality with the research question and aims.
• Demonstrate plenty of fieldwork (this can be independent research as well). This means you need to prove that you have analyzed primary published data in-depth (or carry out comprehensive computer-aided research or archival research).
• Demonstrate that you have used strong critical commentary in interpretative techniques in your methodology and even the design of the research.
• Your paper has a coherent structure and is very well organized (or even innovatively organized).
• You show great critical synthesis skills and know how to put your work in context with the wider theoretical framework.
• Your paper looks professional. This means having a greatly-written bibliography and excellent references.
• You have a fluent style and there are very few or no spelling or grammar errors. We would advise you to hire a proofreader to proofread your work.

Basically, you will almost certainly get a top score if your dissertation can be published as a journal paper with only minor changes.

How Can You Avoid a Failed PhD?

I think my dissertation is bad, what can I do to make things right? This is one of the most common questions we get. And it’s not easy to give an answer. There are many things that you can do to avoid a failed PhD. Here are some of the most important things you need to do to avoid a fail:

• Make effective use of your critical reflection skills. Most dissertations fail because of a lack of critical analysis. Being generally descriptive or criticizing other scholars’ work will not do the trick. You need to analyze the subject and come up with original solutions or use your research to bring something new to light.
• Make sure your paper is coherent. Poorly organizing the dissertation will most likely cause it to fail. Keep in mind that the paper must be coherent in its entirety and not just a bunch of paragraphs thrown together.
• Make the presentation as good as you can. A poor presentation will have disastrous consequences because it will give the committee the reason to fail you for poorly written content and even a lack of a logical structure. Proofread your work or hire a professional proofreader to do it for you. Make sure it is perfect!
• Make the changes that have been requested by the committee during the oral examination. You probably won’t fail at the oral examination, but you will surely fail if you don’t make the changes that have been requested. And no, the changes should not be superficial either.
• Make sure you have at least 4 or 5 pieces of publishable work. Usually, the committee does not expect you to have these published. However, you need to make sure that these pieces can get published in a good scholarly journal.
• Don’t aim too high. Your research will probably not revolutionize the field and won’t probably lead to the discovery of a cure for cancer. The aim of your dissertation is to show the committee that you are able to do high level research, not to show your best work in your career.

Remember that all the dissertation stress can take a toll on you. You will hit a writer’s block sooner or later, with devastating consequences. To make sure you have the best chance to pass the dissertation and get a top score, you should consider getting some help from a person who already has a PhD and who knows how to write one the right way.

Get Writing Assistance From Our Dissertation Experts

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