A dissertation is a long, formal piece of academic writing based on original research, submitted as a required part of an undergraduate, master’s or doctoral degree. It offers an in-depth, structured investigation of one specific topic or research question.
In the UK, ‘dissertation’ usually refers to undergraduate and master’s research projects, while ‘thesis’ is reserved for doctoral submissions – the opposite convention to the US, where ‘thesis’ often means the shorter master’s-level project instead.
A typical dissertation includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, results or findings, discussion and conclusion, though the exact chapter structure depends on your subject, with sciences often favouring a report-style format over a narrative one.
Unlike an essay, which typically builds an argument from existing sources, a dissertation requires you to generate new evidence, data or analysis yourself, then situate your findings within the existing body of academic literature on your topic.
Planning is the hardest part, so start with our dissertation guide hub for chapter-by-chapter advice; if you want expert input on your proposal or a chapter, our dissertation writing service offers tailored academic support.


