Dissertations and essays are an important part of the academic journey. No matter the study level or subject, every student is required to write essays throughout and a dissertation at the end of their degree programs. So, being aware of dissertation writing vs. essay writing is essential.
While both are academic writing tasks, their purpose, structure, depth, and evaluation criteria are significantly different.
What is a dissertation?
A dissertation is a long-form, formal research paper that students typically write as a final project for earning a master’s or doctoral degree. It significantly contributes to the existing body of knowledge in a specific field.
What is an essay?
An essay is a focused piece of academic writing that presents an argument, analysis, and exploration of a specific topic. It serves various purposes, such as persuading, analysing, or even narrating a personal experience.
Dissertation Writing vs Essay Writing: 10 Key Differences
Here are the ten key differences between dissertation writing and essay writing:
- Purpose and objective
The main difference between dissertation and essay writing is the purpose. The main goal of an essay is to present an argument or point of view on a given topic.
Students usually write essays as classroom assignments. They are assigned to test students’ ability to analyse, interpret, and argue logically. When writing essays, academic research from the existing material is conducted, and a response to a question is presented.
On the other hand, dissertations are comprehensive research projects that are often written during the final stage of a master’s or PhD degree. Students are required to conduct original research, identify gaps in existing literature, and contribute new insights to the academic field. Dissertation writing significantly solves a research problem and informs readers how it was solved.
- Length and scope
Another foremost difference between dissertation writing and essay writing is the length and scope.
The length of essays typically ranges from 1,000 to 3,000 words, depending on the subject and academic level. In an essay, the students are asked to provide a focused response to a question or prompt by supporting it with a limited number of references.
However, the length of dissertations is much longer. They typically have a word count ranging from 8,000 to 20,000+, and even more for doctoral research projects. In a dissertation, the authors are allowed to write a detailed literature review, research methodology, findings, and discussion.
What is the typical length difference between an essay and a dissertation?
An average essay is a length of 1,000 to 3,000 words, while the length of a dissertation ranges from 8,000 to 20,000+.
- Structure and format
Dissertation writing and essay writing also greatly differ in terms of structure and format.
Essays often follow a simple, linear structure containing an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction introduces the topic, body paragraphs revolve around each aspect of the main argument, and the conclusion summarises the whole argument. Each paragraph supports a central thesis.
On the other hand, dissertations have a comprehensive structure, which can’t be summed up in three components.
A dissertation is divided into many chapters, with each chapter serving a specific research function. They simplify the whole dissertation project and efficiently help leaders follow through the research journey. A dissertation contains these chapters:
- Title Page
- Abstract
- Acknowledgements
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Literature Review
- Research Methodology
- Results/Findings
- Discussion
- Conclusion
- References
- Appencies
Do dissertations have a more detailed structure than essays?
Yes, dissertations typically have a detailed structure. Essays only have an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, while dissertations have multiple chapters, each serving a specific research purpose.
- Research depth and originality
Research depth is also a prominent difference between essay writing and dissertation writing. For instance, essays are written mostly by relying on secondary sources, such as journal articles, books, and academic essays. Students tap into their critical thinking, problem-solving, and synthesis skills to write essays. Original research is rarely required.
However, when writing dissertations, extensive research is conducted, combining both primary and secondary sources. The students are required to formulate research questions, gather and analyse relevant data, and derive independent conclusions.
Originality is also a key factor that separates dissertations from essays. While essays summarise existing knowledge related to a topic, dissertations don’t. Students are advised to ensure that their research work demonstrates originality.
- Supervision and independence
Many people think that essay writing and dissertation writing are all about working on your academic tasks on your own, upon assignment. However, that is not the case. Essays and dissertations also significantly differ in terms of supervision and independence.
Essays are generally individual tasks that most students complete on their own without detailed supervision. However, a few students might seek guidance in specific cases of complex topics or vague requirements.
However, in dissertation writing, close supervision of an academic advisor or professor is crucial, especially from the person who assigns the research topic.
Students are supposed to meet their supervisors daily so they can get help defining their research aims, review drafts, and ensure that all academic standards are met. Meanwhile, during the writing process, students are expected to work independently and manage their time efficiently.
- Assessment criteria
Assessment criteria are also a distinct difference between dissertation and essay writing. Essays are not marked as dissertations. They both have different academic significance.
For instance, essays are usually graded on the basis of clarity of arguments, relevance to the question, use of sources, logical organisation, writing style, and presentation.
On the other hand, dissertations are evaluated according to their research originality and significance, depth of analysis, research methodology strength, literature review quality, academic writing, referencing accuracy, overall structure and coherence. The expectations of supervisors are much higher in the case of dissertations due to their complexity and academic importance.
- Time commitment
As both differ in length, dissertation and essay writing also vary in terms of time commitment.
When a standard essay is assigned to students, they can take from a few days to a few weeks to complete it efficiently. The time is mainly spent on planning, researching, writing, and editing. However, a dissertation involves more key activities than these.
In the dissertation writing process, there is no strict timing, as it can span from a few months to an entire academic year. A student working on a dissertation typically goes through multiple phases, such as proposal writing, research design, data collection, analysis, drafting, revising, and final submission. Due to this, project management help and time management are crucial.
How much time does it take to complete a dissertation?
The approximate time that it takes to complete a dissertation depends on study level, word count, and complexity. It can take from a few months to a few years.
- Use of methodology
Research methodology is also a prime difference between a dissertation and essay writing.
As essays are crafted from existing literature, no detailed explanation of methodology is required. All that the students are asked to do is cite sources that were used to write the essay, to build a credible argument.
However, a dedicated methodology chapter is the essential component of a dissertation. It helps to explain how the research is conducted, elaborating on research design, sampling methods, data collection tools, ethical considerations, and limitations of the study. A methodology ensures that the research is transparent and replicable.
- Academic contribution
As dissertation and essay writing are done for different purposes, their academic contributions also differ.
For instance, essays demonstrate how well students have understood a specific topic and present arguments on it. They primarily focus on analysis, critique, and synthesis rather than discovery.
On the other hand, dissertation writing focuses on discovery. It significantly aims to advance existing academic knowledge on the given topic. No matter at what study level dissertations are written, they are meant to contribute substantially to the field, whether they are case studies, experimental research, or theoretical exploration.
- Final submission and defence
Another key difference between dissertation writing and essay writing is the final submission and defence.
Essays, when completed, are generally submitted via online platforms or in hard format. They are not required to be verbally defended in front of the instructor who assigned them. However, in some cases, students are required to justify what they have written in an essay through verbal explanations.
In the case of dissertations, a verbal defence is mandatory. Students, when they submit their dissertations, go through a viva voce process, where they are asked questions about their whole research project. The panel of experts who take the viva ask questions related to research methodology, conclusions, and originality of the work. Students must provide satisfactory answers to secure their degree with First Class grades.
Why is a dissertation outline important?
Essays and dissertations differ in these factors: Purpose and objectiveLength and scopeStructure and formatResearch depth and originalitySupervision and independenceAssessment criteriaTime commitmentUse of methodologyAcademic contributionFinal submission and defence
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Dissertation Writing vs Essay Writing: Comparison Table
Check out this comparison table to know the key differences between dissertation and essay writing:
| Feature | Dissertation Writing | Essay Writing |
| Purpose | Provide a solution to a research problem | Respond to a question or a prompt |
| Length | 8,000–20,000+ words | 1,000–3,000 words |
| Research Type | Primary + Secondary | Secondary |
| Structure | Multiple chapters with detailed methodology | Introduction, body, conclusion |
| Originality | Required | Not essential |
| Supervision | Close academic supervision | Minimal |
| Methodology | Detailed, dedicated chapter | Not required |
| Academic Contribution | Significant (especially in PhDs) | Limited |
| Assessment | Originality, strength, depth | Writing quality, argument clarity |
| Time Investment | Long-term (months to years) | Short-term |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, dissertations are harder than essays due to their length, requirement for original research, and the need for a formal structure, analysis, and academic contribution.
No, because a dissertation requires far more research, structure, and strength. However, an essay can significantly inspire a dissertation topic.
Not all degrees require a dissertation, like undergraduate degrees that only require final year projects or exams. Dissertations are essential for master’s and PhD programs.
