Abstract

Academic writing is the style and expression of writing in formal manner, in which objective of topic is well maintained and should have factual explanations more than just perspective of writer. Coursework writing has fix structure and is generally easier, since it includes topics, question, modules and feedback from teacher. Coursework and dissertation writing are a chunk of academic writing which helps learner specially to easily understand the theme, issue on subject topic which can be anything to everything. In this report coursework writing and dissertation writing are analysed and discussed likewise, both similarities and differences are demonstrated and identified with diagram. Coursework and dissertation have benefits like improving scholarly reading, personal skills, developing analytical and reasoning skills, enhancing research skills, understanding, solving and many more. 

Keywords

Academic writing,

Coursework,

Dissertation,

Infographics

Introduction

Academic writing is the style and expression of writing in formal manner, in which objective of topic is well maintained and should have factual explanations more than just perspective of writer. Research is done in technical part too and maintain discipline and professionalism. Academic writing has given writer to measure the clear evidence and understand about variety of topic. Academic writing has aim for us, aim to amplify our knowledge.

For academic writing student should consider planning, use of formal word, outlining, formal language, punctuation marks, no point of view, academic conventions and approach. Focusing to 4 main part of academic writing narrows down to analytical, critical, descriptive and persuasive. We can find academic writings significantly used in thesis, essays, books and many more. Now as we know it widely used, which also means academic writing can vary from one to another research. It has different writing and structure types. Science and fact type research need small paragraph with points, social type of research needs big paragraphs.

Characteristics

•  Plan: Plan is first thing to do while preparing for academic writing. Plan can also be done with the help of brainstorming.
• Outline: We need a proper outline to see our research look like as if it is focused driven and has right track. It also acts like guides to our research.
• Tone: Formal tone is very important also the research should be logical and factual. We should try avoiding abbreviations.

• Language: Research should be explained in such a way that reader can distinguish its language, from letter to word to sentence.
• Punctuation: We also can add punctuation marks where required to make our research is at its best.
• Point-of-view: Factual research in academic writing is everything. Perspective of writer or opinion is not that important. 
• Approach: Actual reasoning is also important to make statement in conclusions of research.
• Academic convention: We should include References and Citations also known as a chunk of academic writing to accept the source of every findings, data, quote and ideas.

Coursework and dissertation

Coursework

Coursework simply means paper or vocal task finished in given time period by candidate. It can be written exam for secondary school, college etc. Viva test can also be considered of finishing it in certain time period for grading. Mainly coursework is done by student as they are the ones to join classes, institute, schools or college where mostly coursework is given or assigned. Coursework is pre-set and taught in class also course work is predefined. Coursework can enhance research skills so student can have contractual outcomes.

Also, Student should have both skills and knowledge for coursework. It can be specific range of possibilities and more about fact. It can be assigned by instructor or teacher to following candidate. Student should be able to write the understandings in their knowledge in examination. It plays important role for schools, colleges, institutes, etc.

Coursework can roughly be divided in three division introduction, body and conclusion. Introduction division can contain title and background information. Body division includes support for coursework topic and points. Lastly, conclusion includes key message, understanding and future improvement. An analytical essay or study, original essay with supportive commentary, creative writing are types of coursework. Factor that should be taken care of while writing coursework are topics, word count, plagiarism, etc as per tutor assistance.

Coursework writing process

Coursework writing has fix structure and is generally easier, since it includes topics, question, modules and feedback from teacher. It is compulsary to attend class to understand question and structure since colleges gives them in specific pattern. Student needs to plan and brainstrom the question with given structure to end the task in given time. Colleges gives guidelines like student should use specific font type, color and size. There should be specific structure and referencing.  Coursework are mainly on documentation, working product and are in presention slides form mostly which is generally checked by teacher.

Dissertation

Dissertation is derived from Latin “dissertare” which simply means to speak on or to write on. Dissertation requires student to complete their research of choice individually. While writing dissertation user can take help of papers, books, survey, journals and evidence. Student also can write their opinion and their perspective, which should also contain pros and cons.

In addition, dissertation writing is long research which can be incomplete or complete in particular topic. Dissertation is specially given in college and mainly in universities. It aims to add up our existing knowledge and helps us on problem solving. Teacher can guide student while writing dissertation. Student can also take extra course or get help from expertise. It requires in depth research and is mostly done as an assignment of academic degree.

Dissertation does not ask for all new ideas and new points, student can also include extended version of research paper and build depth knowledge on their field of interest. Dissertation follows less structure pattern which includes findings, discussion, review, methodology, conclusion, reference, citation and mainly depends upon student ways to approach topic. University also can define certain pattern to dissertation. So, basically dissertation doesn’t have strict structure but student must professionally prove the fact and point while demonstrating in dissertation.

Dissertation writing process

Dissertation writing has no strict structure and is generally complex, also it can includes topics, question, modules, planning, analysing, research, prototype, etc. It may be compulsary to attend class to understand topic to choose from, since colleges does not give any in specific topic. Student needs to plan and brainstrom the topic with chosen structure at first. Colleges does not set  guidelines like specific font type, color and size, so student can choose appropriate for research.  Dissertation also consists of documentation, working product or prototype and are in presention slides form which is might need teacher attention if necessary.

Similarities and difference between coursework and dissertation

Similarities

Coursework and dissertation have many things similar as they fall in same category of academic writing. Language and grammar should be clear in both, student should avoid using slang words. We can find that both shares formal and logical tones. In both coursework and dissertation, we need to research which can be more on dissertation than coursework. Proofreading, formatting is similar refinement, time constraint is too. Teacher can more or less guide you on both, feedback from teacher will be quite similar too. Feedback from teacher can significantly improve development of documentation of student. Plagiarism is checked in both to make sure research is unique, but since everything cannot be unique to 100 percentage so it has considerable amount more or less of plagiarism.

To summarise, primary and secondary research will be necessary for both coursework and dissertation. To remove amount of plagiarism one should write on them on but in necessary student can give reference and citation for report to be unique. Both can be used as part of learning and is used ultimately to get university degree. We gain skills like proper citation skill, presentation skills, time managing skills, communication and creativity skills, analytical skills, etc which can guide us to in researching too.

Differences

Coursework and dissertation have many things similar as they fall in same category of academic writing but there are many differences too. In both coursework and dissertation, we need to research which should be more on dissertation than coursework. Proofreading, formatting is similar refinement, time constraint is too but dissertation cannot go without research and findings. Teacher can give you specifics in coursework whereas just feedback at dissertation. More plagiarism percentage is acceptable in dissertation if cited properly. Both can be used as part of learning and is used ultimately to get university degree, but coursework is more found in college and dissertation is done in universities. (Coursework, 2021)

When coursework is completed, grades can be given but in dissertation grades can be given by analysis research and findings. There are different goals in assignment doing techniques. Word length are short in coursework, there is word count more than 10000 in dissertation. In dissertation topic should be chosen by student, whereas teacher gives topic in coursework. Short time is assigned for coursework and pre-set question which answers depend upon secondary research, whereas long time is assigned for dissertation and based on findings of research question which answers depends upon both primary and secondary research. Coursework examples are essays, exams, assignments, fieldwork and dissertation examples are research-based development and visualization.

Benefit of coursework and dissertation

There are so many advantage of coursework and dissertation writing. Mainly it can be categorized into three parts:

• Skill development:

Student can develop skills like time managing skills, presentation skills, skill creativity skills, communication skills, proper citation, analytical skills and many more which can guide us in researching too. Student now learns to plan task according to given time. Reading, writing and thinking skills increases. Students enhances learning and researching abilities.

• University Degree:

Student will have analytical mind since they will have to brainstorm for ideas in finding. Dissertation can acquire student a university degree. Writing Research and getting degree is another level of satisfaction.

• Career development:

Now student can independently write their thesis in their own way which can help them career wise. Coursework and dissertation are both excellent to student for opportunity. Student can openly use their reading, thinking, communication, writing skills. Time management skills will be appreciated in career development.

Challenges of coursework and dissertation

Student may not get full attention of teacher which can be more challenging to find genuine data for research paper. Challenges of coursework and dissertation for students are:

• Topic findings:

Finding topic in our own interest can be challenging because we may not have many ideas or research papers.

• Limitation of resources and time:

There are lots of resources to choose from like books, articles, journals and research papers but in search of topic of interest we may find few to none resources.

• Ethical and legal:

We can face ethical and legal challenges if we don’t consider both ethical and legal aspects while writing our research.

• Plagiarism and assistance issues:

We can face plagiarism issue if there is no proper guide from teacher and we are mostly paraphrasing from various sources like books, articles, journals and research papers.

• Privacy issues and biasness:

There are different kind of data used from primary and secondary sources which may be bias. There can come privacy concern if the data is not meant to share in scale.

Conclusion

Coursework and dissertation writing are a chunk or a part of academic writing which helps learner specially to easily understand the theme, issue on variety subject topic which can be anything to everything. In this report coursework writing and disserted writing are analysed and discussed likewise, both similarities and differences were demonstrated and identified with diagram. In conclusion, coursework and dissertation has benefits like improving scholarly reading, personal skills, developing analytical and reasoning skills, enhancing research skills, understanding, solving and many more.  

Finally, coursework writing and dissertation writing combinedly secures and establishes skills and knowledge of students.

References

2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.mvorganizing.org/what-is-the-difference-between-coursework-and-dissertation/> [Accessed 9 August 2021].