Whether you are enrolled in a master’s degree or an undergraduate degree, writing a dissertation is compulsory. Without submitting an effective and perfect dissertation, you cannot get the degree. The reason is the master’s and undergraduate dissertations are meant to test your learning. So, you cannot escape it. Well, there are some obvious differences between an undergraduate and a master’s dissertation. With your presence in this article, it is not hard to guess that you are here to learn about those differences.
Do not worry at all; you have just come to the right place. In today’s article, we will look at the top differences between master’s and undergraduate dissertations. However, before that, let’s define the term dissertation.
What is a dissertation?
A dissertation is a lengthy academic document completed as part of a higher studies degree. It is primarily assigned to check the knowledge of students about their field. It does not matter whether you are an undergraduate degree student or a master’s degree student. As part of your coursework and higher studies, you have to submit a dissertation. A dissertation mainly has five chapters, i.e., introduction, literature review, methodology, results and discussion, and conclusion. Hence, this is what a dissertation is.
Key differences between master’s and undergraduate dissertations
One dissertation is not like the other. So how come a dissertation written by an undergraduate student can be the same as a dissertation written by a master’s student? Definitely, master’s and undergraduate dissertations are not similar. There are some big differences between both kinds of academic work. Do you know about those differences? No. Hence, a brief description of the key differences is as follows:
The difference in the word count
The first difference that exists between an undergraduate and a master’s dissertation is the word count difference. A master’s dissertation is very long. The chapters in it contain tons of information about the topic. The normal word count of a master’s dissertation is 15000 to 20000. On the other hand, being a dissertation that is written at a level lower than the master’s, an undergraduate dissertation has fewer words. The normal word count of an undergraduate dissertation is 8000 to 10000.
The difference in originality
There is a huge difference between the originality of the ideas in master’s and undergraduate dissertations. The master’s dissertation is designed to check the student’s knowledge about the field and what he has learned about his subject. Therefore, this dissertation demands the inclusion of high-quality original ideas. In contrast, an undergraduate dissertation is very centric on measuring your ability to follow the procedures. The teachers do not pay much attention to the ideas in this academic document.
SUTERA PILLOW: A New Bedding Solution To Get The Best Night’s Sleep
The difference in intensity
Another difference that makes a big difference is the difference between the intensity of the dissertation writing time. A master’s dissertation is a lengthy writing project, and this time is very tense for most students. The road to writing a master’s dissertation is lonelier. However, the road to writing an undergraduate dissertation is pretty easy. There are many students who can accompany you on this road. However, if you still feel tense while writing an undergraduate thesis, consult with a professional.
The difference in sources
The difference no. 4 between these two dissertations is of sources. Sources mean the data sources from where the researcher can collect data. As a master’s dissertation is supposed to be composed of original ideas and thoughts, the sources of this dissertation are journals, authentic databases, and digital libraries. In contrast, the undergraduate dissertation is not very strict in terms of the originality of ideas and thoughts. Therefore, taking data from sources other than journals is also acceptable.
The difference in the level
The level of the dissertation is another factor that makes a difference between master’s and undergraduate dissertations. Achieving the level of a master’s dissertation is far more different than achieving the level of an undergraduate dissertation. The reason is that a master’s dissertation is very research-thirsty. As the writer, you need to include tons of information relevant to your topic. On the other hand, the level of an undergraduate dissertation is a bit low. To write this dissertation, you will have much time and need to conduct less search on the topic. This is why for many students, it is an easy academic writing project.
Final Thoughts
In this guidepost, we have discussed the key differences between master’s and undergraduate dissertations. Hopefully, this article has shed some light on the primary differences. The aim of this article is to inform you of the differences between these two dissertations. From the discussion above, it can be inferred that a master’s degree is a step up. So, read all the differences mentioned above and work on these writing projects accordingly.
