10 Indisputable Rules Of History Dissertation Writing
History dissertations take time and effort to complete with any level of quality. Here are some rules to follow to ensure your work is well done:
- Don’t get overambitious
- Try not to be unoriginal
- Never write the wrong date
- Never use the wrong name This is only mildly less offensive than inserting the wrong date. Many people with similar names have made a mark on history but you are supposed to be a good enough student to tell them apart for your dissertation.
- Cramming is a gamble
- Templates are useful
- Not all help is helpful
- There’s no shame in asking the professor to clarify
- Work with others if it will help you
- DO NOT PLAGIARIZE
When selecting a topic it is very easy to forget the amount of work that goes into the process. If you like a concept enough to explore it, make sure you have the time and financial resources to get it done.
As much as you may want to scale back your ideas, try not to write something that has been done many times over by other students over the years. If you do it well, it will not stand out as much, if you do it poorly there will be many to compare it to.
This is one of the biggest mistakes a historian can make. If you are trying to show your effort you must ensure that all dates referred to are accurate.
If you spent your first years at college doing nothing of value, it may be possible to catch up to your colleagues in your final year. You may even create marvelous papers after cramming. This is a gamble however and you are just as likely to fail.
There are templates for most types of academic writing. If you have no familiarity with the format you are supposed to be using, a template can help you.
Some people who offer you help may end up sabotaging you accidentally.
If you misunderstand something about the process, ask your professor early on. It’s better than failing.
Some people need the company of others to do their best. If this is you, link up with others from your class and work together.
This cannot be emphasized enough. There are too many ways to get caught and the penalties are harsh at most schools. Copy and paste assignments will catch up to you.