Starting my dissertation at Alliance Manchester Business School felt like stepping into something much bigger than just another assignment. At its core, the dissertation is an independent piece of primary research where we choose a topic, design a study, collect and analyse data, and present it like a journal article. But honestly, it feels like more than that. It’s the first time everything we’ve learned comes together and gets applied to a real-world problem where we’re not just studying theories, we’re actually trying to find answers ourselves.

The first step sounds simple: pick a topic. But for me, that was the hardest part. I was interested in everything. Every lecture, every paper I read made me think, “this is it.” I wanted to include five or six variables, combine different theories, and somehow create the perfect study. But instead of clarity, I just ended up overwhelmed. I felt pulled in too many directions, got lost in endless research papers, and slowly started losing motivation.

What helped me reset was something one of our professors said during an early information session. They told us that the dissertation isn’t about solving all the world’s problems. It’s just the beginning of learning how to do research. That really stuck with me. They reminded us to be realistic, to think about our timelines, exams, job applications, and everything else we’re juggling. But at the same time, they said not to forget to enjoy the process. If you’re going to spend months researching something every day, it has to be a topic you’re genuinely curious about, not just something you picked randomly or because it sounded impressive. That perspective changed how I approached my topic. Instead of trying to do everything, I focused on narrowing down to a theme that actually interested me and felt meaningful.

Next came choosing a supervisor. We attended presentations where different professors shared their research interests and the kind of work they did. Based on that, we submitted our preferences. I remember overthinking this too, trying to match my topic perfectly with the “right” person.

When I was finally allocated my supervisor, things started to fall into place. She has been incredibly supportive, helping me refine my topic, set realistic expectations, and manage my time better. What I didn’t realise earlier was how important this guidance would be. Having someone who helps you structure your thoughts and keeps you grounded makes a huge difference.

Right now, I’m in the literature review stage, which basically means reading… a lot. My laptop constantly has what feels like a million PDFs open (and it has genuinely started making that loud fan noise every time I use it). But despite that, it’s actually been one of the most enjoyable parts so far. The topic I’ve chosen connects to my own experiences and beliefs, so every paper I read feels relevant in a personal way.

So, if you’re feeling a little lost right now, you’re probably closer than you think because that’s where the real learning begins.

Written by Sanjana Kukreja, a current MSc Organisational Psychology student.

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