ABSTRACT
Usually, the first occasion when people find themselves conducting a research project is as part of a degree course in History or Women’s Studies or some related subject. Normally, the requirement, or option, to produce a dissertation based on your own researches occurs in the final year of the course. It can be a daunting prospect. You are asked to select your own topic, to do your own research, to organize your own time and to produce a much longer piece of work – often of 8–10,000 words – than you have ever previously undertaken. No wonder people get a bit overwhelmed. But there is no need to be. Doing a research project and writing up your findings can and should be the most exciting and rewarding piece of work which you undertake in your whole undergraduate career. All it takes is a bit of organization. This chapter lays out some guidelines for tackling the task, including selecting a topic, carrying out research in libraries and record offices, organizing your material, and planning, writing and presenting your dissertation.
