Three tips for writing your final research project well
A major part of any undergraduate degree is to write a research project in your final year. Here are three tips for writing your final research project and writing it well.
Choose a topic you are passionate about!
If you’re reading this, you may already have chosen your research topic or perhaps you just have a general idea of the research area you’re most interested in. Whatever the case, you must choose a topic you are passionate about, as this will give you the motivation you need to complete high-quality work.
It is easy to set dissertation goals that are too ambitious. While it is good to have a general research area in mind, this may be too broad and unrealistic to achieve. Be ready to adapt and change your research ideas as you plan what the primary focus of your research will be. And don’t panic, you don’t have to finalise your research straight away!
Research methodology: How to do it well
Deciding your research methods depends on the type of data you need to answer your research question. Whilst time-consuming, qualitative research can be beneficial in understanding the experiences of a group of underrepresented people.
However, when working with research participants, it is important to understand the research ethics involved in conducting qualitative research. The University has developed a series of short courses around University Skills. Our short course Introduction to Research Ethics: Working with People will help you learn the principles of ethical research and how to manage people in sensitive and appropriate ways.
You will consider issues like gaining consent and making sure personal information is handled safely. Explore our online course on research ethics.
Whatever methods you choose to use, considering the ethical implications is an essential part of any research project.
Don’t underestimate the editing stage
Writing your research project can be a daunting task. If you’re not sure of the best place to start, it may be worth starting in the middle and getting some writing down rather than trying to work out the perfect start, as this can be a big stumbling block to writing.
If you have chosen a topic that invokes passion and interest, you may surpass the word count in your writing. This is why the editing process is so important.
Be brutal editing your work. Keep your writing clear and concise and accept that much of your work may not make the final draft. You can use nifty tools to simplify the process. Use Word’s headings function to segment your text and make it easier to navigate. Once your headings have been assigned, press ctrl+f and the navigation pane will appear.
And finally…
Finishing your final research project will be one of the best things you’ve ever done. It’s worth all the hard work, time and effort you will put in. Be proud of it.
- Find out more about our course Introduction to Research Ethics: Working with People.
- Find out more about the University of Leeds’ online courses and online degrees.
