Dissertation Self Assessment
 
When you've finished your dissertation I'm afraid there is one additional thing that you must do. We want you to think about what you have put into your dissertation and what you have got out of it. Now you have completed your dissertation it is useful to reflect on what you have gained personally from the whole experience. Hopefully you will have learnt new skills. Some of these may be obvious, for example, laboratory techniques, specific field methods, etc., some may not be so obvious and may include: time management, group leadership, project planning. It is also likely that you have improved on a number of your existing skills such as scientific writing, computing, etc. Take some time to consider what you have gained personally from doing your dissertation and then imagine relating this to a future employer or postgraduate admissions tutor in an explicit way.
 
We would like you to submit such a statement when you hand in your dissertation.
Forms (just one side of A4) are available:
 
i)    in the student reception area next to the Teaching Office.
 
ii)   online ( Internal Only ) as :-

• Microsoft .doc file

 
Please fill one in (by hand) and hand it in to the Teaching Office with your dissertation. On the form there are two questions for you to answer, that's all. The first is:
 
What were your main contributions to the dissertation ? Examples include: production of new software, development of methods of chemical analysis, compilation of a database, etc.
 
The second is:
 
What have you gained personally from researching and writing the dissertation ? Hopefully these aren't too difficult.
 
What you write on the form will not be marked but marks for your dissertation will not be assigned unless the form is completed.
 
Hopefully you will appreciate the value of reflecting back on what you have got out of your dissertation. It will be so useful when you come round to being interviewed for jobs or postgraduate courses.
 

 
Prof. Andy Binley