How Long Does it Take to Write a Dissertation

Working on a dissertation is a complicated and challenging process requiring much time and effort. Are you going to write a dissertation to finish your PhD program? If so, be ready to spend months or even years submitting a high-quality piece of academic writing that will demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in the field you are exploring. The timeframe of writing a dissertation depends on your topic, the deadlines provided by the university, your readiness to dedicate enough time to writing a dissertation, your job status, etc. Let’s focus on some critical factors that impact the speed of dissertation writing.

Factors that influence writing a dissertation

Although particular students need three or four months to complete their dissertation, others work on this paper for a year or two. Many learners have full- or part-time jobs, explaining why they may struggle to combine writing a dissertation with their work responsibilities. Likewise, external activities, household duties, personal issues, and others may affect the speed of writing a dissertation.

If you lack time to write a dissertation or aren’t sure about the quality, it’s always a good idea to use the assistance of professional writers who can deliver a top-quality dissertation within a limited timeframe. For example, you may use EssayHave dissertation writing services that provide students worldwide with academic help, allowing them to get papers on any topic quickly. Therefore, if writing a dissertation is challenging for you for specific reasons, don’t hesitate to use an online company that can write a dissertation on any theme.

Key elements of writing a dissertation

Writing a dissertation includes several stages to be strictly followed to submit high-quality work. Let’s analyze what tasks you’ll face throughout the dissertation process.

• Draft a proposal. What topic will you explore? What is your research question? How will you conduct your primary and secondary research? Your dissertation proposal should answer all these questions to let you determine the purpose of your work. It’s important to discuss these aspects with your dissertation supervisor to ensure you correctly understand how to write your dissertation.
• Conduct research. Undoubtedly, you should be aware of the topic you’re going to analyze in your dissertation. Before starting the writing process, you should thoroughly explore your theme from different perspectives. This approach will allow you to understand how to structure your paper and what points you need to include. Remember that the average dissertation comprises between 100 and 300 pages, so knowing what you’ll write is critical to make the content in-depth, logical, and coherent.
• Focus on literature review. Writing a dissertation without credible sources is impossible. That’s why you should find the articles and books you’ll use in your dissertation before writing the paper. If you know what sources you’ll utilize in your dissertation, adding appropriate citations and dividing your paper into logical sections will be easier. Find scholarly sources for all your points and sub-points to support your arguments throughout the dissertation and demonstrate your competence and ability to follow academic standards. 
• Create a well-organized outline. Although many students miss this step when writing a dissertation, developing a detailed outline can speed up the writing process and ensure you include all the critical points in your dissertation. What subtopics will you discuss in the paper? What ideas should be covered in the dissertation? How many sections will you include? Creating an outline will help you not only answer these questions but also realize how to structure your paper to make your dissertation clear and understandable.
• Write a dissertation. If you have followed the above-discussed steps, writing the dissertation won’t be a huge challenge because you’ll know what exactly you need to discuss in each section. Write the paper step by step, discussing all the necessary points in each section, adding appropriate citations to your text, and checking whether your content aligns with your research question. Remember that the dissertation is the longest piece of writing you’ve ever worked on, requiring much dedication and effort. Nevertheless, understanding each step of the writing process will simplify this task, allowing you to demonstrate all the knowledge you have gained throughout the learning process.
• Don’t forget to proofread your work. Obviously, it may be challenging to proofread a 100-word paper, and that’s the reason for particular students to avoid meeting this requirement. However, you can make numerous mistakes when writing each section, while editing can help you find what corrections are needed and analyze your dissertation from your reader’s point of view. It’s better to spend a few days proofreading and editing your paper rather than miss this step and submit the dissertation without adequate revision. Your grade directly depends on the quality of your work. Don’t neglect any steps that may positively influence the outcome.

Useful recommendations to make your writing process quicker

Undoubtedly, all students aim to complete their dissertation as early as possible. You may wonder, “Are there any tips to speed up the writing process?” Yes, following some rules can make working on a dissertation easier, faster, and more enjoyable. Let’s analyze some crucial steps you’ll definitely find helpful.

Firstly, remember to plan your work and strictly follow your schedule to make sure you finish writing on time. Time management plays a vital role in writing a dissertation, explaining why you should schedule your work and try to meet deadlines. How many days can you spend drafting a proposal? What about the deadlines for your research and literature review? Divide your time into adequate frames and work on each step within the established periods.

Secondly, write regularly and make any difficulties unable to make you disappointed or discouraged. Try to avoid making long pauses in writing because any postponement can decrease your motivation and concentration. Spend a few hours per day working on your dissertation, and you’ll notice how quickly you progress. When writing a dissertation, you may face multiple challenges, such as a lack of appropriate sources, the absence of inspiration, and the inability to write some parts rapidly. Nevertheless, remember that none of these problems can make you unable to complete your dissertation.

Finally, consult your supervisor regularly because this person can help you understand what points you are missing and what factors you should consider when working on the paper. Your instructor will give you a second opinion and shed light on your dissertation’s weaknesses, allowing you to improve the quality of your writing. Don’t be afraid to ask them to share their thoughts or give you some advice since another perspective will help you submit an excellent dissertation.

Summing up

Dissertation writing is a long-lasting process that can make students stressed and unmotivated. Numerous factors, including external activities and responsibilities, the complexity of the topic, specific academic requirements, and others, can make the overall process longer than expected. Nevertheless, the average time to write a dissertation is between 3 months and 2 years, while your progress will depend on your personal circumstances and deadlines. Keep calm and motivated, and you’ll realize that writing a dissertation is not as complicated as it seems!