Research goes to show that at least one-third of the students, who enroll for their PhD courses, do not complete the course. This is the result of many students struggling to do their dissertations. Many students, who enrol for a doctoral degree course, find it difficult to write a dissertation for a number of reasons. Here is why PhD dissertation is a real problem for most students.
Defense and supervision
Since the student has to complete his or her dissertation as part of the requirements of their degree, many students find this quite intimidating. This can also be problematic for them when they are informed that they have to do the research independently. The student would still require taking the approval of their guide in order to select a topic for his or her dissertation. Sometimes, it can be a challenge to strike a balance between authority and autonomy. This can, at times, lead to the student not being able to get along well with the guide, thus delaying the submission of their dissertation.
Desire for perfection
Several students, who do their PhD, struggle to write their dissertation since they are trying hard to achieve perfection. They end up being their own worst critics at such times. Every time they write a part of the dissertation, they keep on correcting their work and each time they write a section, they redraft it since they are never satisfied with their own work. At times, they cannot even start writing on time because they end up seeking the perfect outline for their paper. Students should understand that writing a dissertation is a step-by-step process as compared to any other kind of write up.
Lack of commitment
Many of the doctoral students are also involved in several activities other than writing the dissertation. Some of these activities might be related to academics, but they can be distracting at the end of the day. This is why PhD dissertation is a real problem for most students.
