By Writing a dissertation can be tough if you do not have great writing skills. However, it is completely okay to feel stressed out about it. Therefore, in this guide, we will make things easier for you. You will learn how to form a typical structure, Also, you will learn how to follow formatting guidelines especially if you are from Switzerland. This way, you can spend less time stressing and more time writing!
General Dissertation Requirements in Switzerland
Overview of Swiss Academic Standards
There is no doubt that Swiss universities are known for their high academic standards. So, when it comes to dissertation writing, they want a clear, well-organized document that will show how well you have done your research. So, if you are at ETH Zurich or the University of Geneva, you need to follow their specific guidelines that will help you stay on track and impress your professors.
Common Elements Across Universities
Most Swiss universities follow the same criteria for dissertation writing. You will need to include a title page, an abstract, a table of contents, and other main sections like the introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Dissertation essay writing is a step-by-step process to finally get your product.
Dissertation Structure
Title Page
The first page of your dissertation essay is the title page. It creates the first impression of your work so make sure it stands out. This page should include your dissertation essay’s title, your name, the name of your university, and the date. Also, check with your university if they have any specific design requirements. Some might even give you templates.
Abstract
The abstract is just like a trailer for your dissertation essay. It should summarize the key points of your research in a few sentences. So, keep it short and brief. Make sure it clearly explains what you did and why it is important. And remember, if your university has a language requirement, make sure that your dissertation essay follows it.
Table of Contents
The table of contents (TOC) helps your readers find whatever specific they want to read in your dissertation essay. The table of contents is a list that has all the chapters with their page numbers. Also, keep in mind that formatting is important here. Therefore, use consistent font sizes and indentation so that it is easy to read.
List of Figures and Tables
If your dissertation essay has figures and tables then you need to include a list of them as well. This list should be placed right after the table of contents. Moreover, it makes it easier for your readers to find any data or visuals that they want in your dissertation essay.
Introduction
Now comes the introduction of your dissertation essay. Here you need to explain what you are studying, why it is important, and what you hope to achieve. Make sure that your introduction is clear and engaging because it should be able to catch your reader’s attention.
Literature Review
The literature review is the part where you have to show that you know what is already there about your topic. So, here you have to Summarize and discuss previous research. Also, explain how your work fits into the bigger picture as per your research.
Methodology
In the methodology part, you have to describe how you did your research. If there were any experiments, surveys, or interviews then you have to talk about them as well. Explain your methods clearly so others can understand and use your work if needed. Also, do not forget to mention ethical considerations.
Results
In this part of your dissertation essay, you have to present what you have found out. Therefore, you have to use tables, graphs, and charts to make your data clear and easy to read and understand. Here, you do not have to interpret the findings, you just have to share the facts.
Discussion
Now this is the part of your dissertation essay where you have to interpret your results. So, here you have to explain what they mean in the context of your research question. Also, make sure to Compare your findings to what other researchers have found and discuss any unexpected results.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you have to Summarize your key findings and their implications. In other words, this is also the chance to suggest any future research that could add more value to your work. The conclusion should be brief and must leave an impression on the readers.
References/Bibliography
This is one of the most important parts of your dissertation essay. All the sources that you have used in your dissertation should be listed in the references or bibliography section. However, make sure to follow the citation style that your university follows.
Appendices
This is the part where you can add extra material. Sometimes, there are so many details in the main section so it is better to put them here. These could include raw data, detailed calculations, or additional documents. Organize them clearly and refer to them in the main text where relevant in your dissertation essay.
Formatting Guidelines
General Formatting
Swiss universities often use A4 paper for dissertations. Therefore, set your margins to 1 inch (2.5 cm) on all sides. Now, for the font, Times New Roman or Arial in size 12 is common. Moreover, line spacing is usually set to 1.5 or double. So, make sure everything is neatly aligned and easy to read.
Section Headings and Subheadings
It is important to use clear and consistent headings and subheadings to break up your content. The main sections like Introduction, and Results should be in a larger font. Sub-sections should be slightly smaller. This helps your readers go through your dissertation essay easily.
Pagination
It is important to add Page numbers in the dissertation essay. So, start numbering pages in the main body of your dissertation. However, do not number the preliminary sections like the abstract and table of contents. Moreover, Place page numbers at the bottom center or top right of each page, depending on what your university prefers.
Conclusion
To conclude, it is true that for some people writing dissertation essays can be really hard. However, if you follow the proper guidelines of structuring and formatting then you can easily improve your dissertation writing skills. Moreover, if you can then take professional help to make understand the difficult tasks of your essay. But just remember that staying clear and consistent is the main thing that you have to do when you are writing your dissertation essay.
