When choosing a dissertation topic, like many other students, I initially felt quite confused. This uncertainty did not stem from a lack of interest, but rather from not realizing that my personal interests could be developed into an academic dissertation. For instance, I have always been interested in the topic of gender equality, yet I had never considered it a viable area for academic research. In the second semester, I took a course on EDI in Education, and both the lectures and seminars were highly inspiring. As a result, I decided to focus my dissertation on a topic related to this field.

After determining the general direction of my dissertation, the next step was to decide on an appropriate research method. The research methods course clearly distinguishes between qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, each with a different focus. This structure greatly helped me plan the remaining direction of my studies and saved me a significant amount of time.

During my undergraduate studies, the research methods module in my programme generally followed two pathways: literature and linguistics. I was on the literature pathway, yet classes were not organized according to these distinctions. Instead, students from both pathways attended the same sessions. The lecturer had a linguistics background, which meant that many of the methods and example studies introduced were not directly applicable to my own research interests. As a result, although I attended many classes, I often found it difficult to gain content that was truly useful for my work. In contrast, the course design at the University of Manchester is much more effective. By clearly structuring research methods teaching around different approaches, it saves time for both students and instructors and significantly improves learning efficiency.

In the research methods course, the lecturer repeatedly emphasized that any study involving interviews requires ethics approval. This was a new concept for me, as there was no such requirement during my undergraduate studies. At that time, I was simply asked to complete questionnaires designed by others, without signing any informed consent forms. Therefore, when I was first introduced to the idea of ethics approval, I was quite surprised. However, as I learned more about it, I came to realize that ethics approval is a highly standardized process that plays a vital role in protecting both researchers and participants, and in upholding academic integrity. Developing this awareness of research ethics has helped me better understand how to collect information responsibly and safely, while ensuring that the rights and interests of all parties are respected.

With this foundational understanding of research direction, methodology, and ethical responsibility in place, I then moved on to my first formal conversation with my supervisor. During our meeting, my supervisor recommended a range of key readings that helped me further refine my topic. Following the meeting, I was also provided with a very detailed timeline outlining the different stages of the dissertation process. This not only clarified my research direction and overall time management, but also made the project feel far more manageable. Importantly, the timeline clearly structured my tasks for the summer period, and my supervisor also shared more specific, personalized deadlines for my vacation work, beyond what was included in the general plan. This level of guidance has been extremely helpful in supporting my preparation to work independently over the summer.

Overall, I believe that with the continued guidance of my supervisor and the support provided by the University of Manchester Library workshops, I will be well equipped to complete my dissertation successfully.

Written by Zihan, currently studying MA TESOL in SEED. 

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