Academic writing is the point that merely every person addresses at a particular time in their life, and it is quite a large issue that requires a profound look to understand the aim of each kind of work.
Academic papers can be of different kinds and levels of complexity, and it is difficult enough to highlight concrete writing tips for the whole academic content. This sometimes causes much dispute among learners as they don’t understand why they must coordinate every step with their academic advisor during dissertation writing. Moreover, some don’t understand why 5,000-word dissertation writing assistance at services like Essayshark.com costs several times more than the same-volume research paper.
In this article, we are going to compare the two types of writing – regular papers and dissertations – and talk about the specifications of each kind.
The Overview: Regular Paper vs. Dissertation
First, it would be important to give a short definition for each type. A regular paper is a relatively short piece of academic writing targeted at an interesting issue to be presented to an audience. It could be said that a regular paper allows readers to look at a known issue from a new perspective or add some catchy information. Essays, research papers, argumentative papers, case studies, etc. are all regular papers. Unlike regular papers, a dissertation is a more profound work that requires more time, research, and resources involved.
Now, let’s discuss the differences in detail.
Volume and focus
Regular Papers
Regular papers are usually short, precise pieces of writing. The volume of such writing can start from 300 words if we talk about high-school essays or 2,000 words if you are working on a research paper. Moreover, regular papers are more likely to focus on a single point of issue.
Dissertation
As opposed to regular papers, a dissertation is a more complex piece of work. Its word count requirements can start from 5,000 words if we talk about undergraduate writing, while a Master’s degree dissertation can be up to 15,000 words. Moreover, the scope of issues discussed is a bit larger due to the need for argumentation of all the research steps and inferences.
Contribution
Regular Papers
These papers contribute to existing knowledge but may be more incremental. A regular paper usually presents an angle to look at an existing problem and aims to acquaint the audience with this perspective. It is important to notice that the research of the key point does not usually belong to the writer; it has been disclosed by a specialist, and the student just introduces the issue to their colleagues.
Dissertation
In comparison to a regular paper, a dissertation is expected to make a significant scholarly contribution to the field. One is to research a whole new issue and deliver enough argumentation to make the academic audience admit the relevance of the research.
Methodology
Regular Papers
Methodology is not a common point that comes with regular papers, or it is presented concisely. It could be optional for students to follow a particular technique when discussing the issue in their essays or research papers.
Dissertation
Well, dissertation writing is impossible without following a strict research methodology. Due to the fact that the key idea is supposed to be admitted by the academic or scientific society, it needs enough argumentation and research that meet the demands for such discoveries.
Audience
Regular Papers
As mentioned earlier, one of the key purposes of regular papers is to encourage creativity and show the students’ awareness of the issue. Thus, the main listeners are other students (or a broader audience) who might be interested in the question or just to enlarge their knowledge without deep research. It means that a person researches the question and simply delivers the key ideas to the public.
Dissertation
On the contrary, a dissertation is a piece of writing that is targeted at an academic or scientific audience. Mostly, dissertations are presented in front of a large audience of experts in a particular field in order to involve a broad number of specialists to take part in the admitting process in the future.
Literature
Regular Papers
For regular paper writing, the literature review is quite focused. Depending on the type of paper, at times, students are not even required to add a reference list to their essays. However, research papers are more likely to need a list of used sources in order to show professors the scope of the work done. As topics of regular papers are mostly already researched by specialists in the field, and a student aims to just retell the findings, the list of referenced sources could be quite short.
Dissertation
Dissertation writing involves an extensive literature review. One is to take into account a large scope of academic and scientific works in order to analyze the gaps or alternative perspectives to come up with a brand new idea of research in a particular field.
Time and Resources
Regular Papers
As regular papers are quite short and precise, the time needed to complete the piece is relatively short. Of course, it depends on the kind of paper; a 2,000-word research paper will definitely take you more time than a 300-word essay. But still, these won’t take you months or even years. As for the sources, all you need for a regular paper is some relevant research materials in the discussed question and some time to learn this information and present it in your writing.
Dissertation
Dissertation writing is not that simple, and it needs not only a lot of time but much contribution, both practical and mental. First, it is important to make sure the point was not suggested before and that you are going to present an original view of the issue. The next point is the scope of work that should be done – research and practice. For sure, a dissertation may take you months or even years of groundwork. Lastly, the practical investigation; to provide strong argumentations, one is to fully dive into the subject of the dissertation and accomplish the practical inspection.
Here, we have discussed the main differences between regular papers and dissertation writing. As you might see, the two are precisely different and require diverse contributions.