MML: Dissertation toolkit

Welcome to the MML Dissertation Toolkit. On these pages you will find guidance on all aspects of writing a Year Abroad Dissertation or an Optional Dissertation, from choosing a topic right the way through to binding the final version. As well as advice on planning, constructing an argument and editing your drafts, there are detailed sections on the technicalities of inserting footnotes and formatting bibliographies.

This guidance should be read in conjunction with the following MML Faculty documents, which contain specific information about deadlines and links to submission forms:

• the Year Abroad Dissertation
• the Optional Dissertation

The MML Dissertation Toolkit was designed by Dr Joanna Page. Feedback is welcome: contact me on jep29@cam.ac.uk. 

• Approaching the dissertation

• Initial ideas and finding a supervisor

• Avoiding common pitfalls

• Choosing and defining a topic

• Producing a work schedule

• Reading for your dissertation

• Planning your dissertation

• Writing a first draft

• Reworking and editing your dissertation

• Inserting quotations

• Referencing other works

• Using footnotes

• Presenting your bibliography

• Plagiarism

• Using images in your dissertation

• Preparing your dissertation for printing and binding