The Realistic UK Dissertation Timeline (Don't Start in March)

If you're reading this in March and your dissertation is due in May, skip to the last section. For everyone else, here's the timeline that works.

Month 1: Topic and supervisor

Choose a topic narrow enough to actually answer. 'Climate change' is not a topic - it's a field. 'Public attitudes to onshore wind farms in three Scottish councils, 2020–2024' is a topic.

Meet your supervisor early. Bring a one-page proposal. Iterate.

Months 2–3: Literature review

Read systematically. Use a reference manager from day one. Aim for 60–80 sources scanned, 30–40 read deeply, 20–30 cited in the final draft.

Months 4–5: Methodology and data

Ethics approval before you collect a single data point. Methodology section before you analyse. Don't skip these steps; examiners do check.

Months 6–7: Drafting

Draft fast, edit slowly. Get a complete bad draft before you polish any single section. The shape of the whole matters more than the shine of any part.

Started late?

If you've only got a month, you need a clear plan and a lot of help. TutorsGallery UK's dissertation experts can take you from blank page to bound thesis in as little as four weeks - properly, with real research, not a recycled template.