Discuss your Dissertation

Tips on writing a brilliant Dissertation Acknowledgment

After a lot of effort and sweat, when you finally come close to the finish line of your dissertation, it will be time to write an acknowledgement. A dissertation acknowledgement is a page that you dedicate to all the people who helped you write and complete your dissertation and supported you in times of distress. It includes professional as well as personal assistance that you may have received in the course of your dissertation writing process.

Here are a few tips to write a good dissertation acknowledgement:

People Matter: Your acknowledgement will be one of the first few pages of your dissertation. Make sure to include all the people who have supported you through your dissertation. Hopefully, your advisor will have played a vital role in your dissertation; give him/her due credit. Don’t forget to mention your professors, your college staff, your librarian, your classmates, your family and friends, your love, your dog, etc.! The point is, do not miss out on important people, they may not read the entire dissertation, but they will surely read the acknowledgement.

Writing Skills: Showcase some great writing skills while you write your acknowledgement. Using the right words will add a lot of personal touch to your acknowledgement and give it a deeper meaning than just words. Also, refrain from using slang language or very casual tone. Keep it formal, sincere and nice.

Copy: As weird as it sounds, this is actually a good idea to write a brilliant acknowledgement. Before you start writing, you need to read other students’ acknowledgements. Some will be terrible, sloppy, bad, while some will be touching, wonderful and exceptional. Pick the ones that you really relate to, and ones that interest you as a reader. In all probability, you should write something similar. Do not copy word to word, but use a similar language to achieve the desired impact.

Don’t overdo it: Many-a-times, students lose control while writing the acknowledgment and go on writing pretty much nonsense. Understand that there is a reason a section of acknowledgement is present in your dissertation. Give it ample time and thought before you writing something in a hurry just for the sake of it. Also, you must try and keep it real. Don’t oversell your professors or your advisors. Thank them and express sincere gratitude, but don’t use words that will sound fake to the reader.

Express wholeheartedly: When you write the acknowledgement, express how the people have helped you – whether they motivated you, made your experience of writing worthwhile, helped in your research, stood by you in tough times, added enthusiasm when you felt distressed or wanted to give up, etc.

A good acknowledgement will always bring a smile on your reader’s face. Whether it is your advisor, your family or your prospective employer, a well-written note of gratitude exhibits your personality and your writing.