Unfortunately, some circumstances outside your control may make it impractical to achieve the deadline set by your supervisor. If you find yourself in such a case, here are some practical tips to request an extension of a dissertation. 

Who can give an extension to the dissertation proposal deadline?

Your supervisor is the only one with the capacity to negotiate an extension of your deadline. As such, you must engage them with valid reasons and find compromises that do not offset the panel’s schedule. 

How to ask for a paper extension

The sheer fear triggered by the discovery that your paper is late is enough to tell you the seriousness of the matter. As such, informally asking for an extension since your dog chewed your research might be a terrible approach that will only goad your supervisor’s anger.

If you genuinely need an extension, here are some ways you could approach your professor with an extension request. 

1. Discuss valid reasons 

Often, your tutor may be inclined to assume that you are short of your dissertation defense deadline due to poor time management. When presenting your case for a deadline extension, show that you have justifiable reasons warranting the extension.

Probably, you have discovered a loophole that was not accounted for when planning your paper and thus you need more time to investigate the idea. In such a case, your professor may consider assigning you more time to ensure that you hand in a comprehensive paper. 

2. Ask for an extension early enough

You can’t blame your professor for acting up after you have asked for a deadline a few seconds before your deadline. This not only indicates disorganization but also a lack of academic ethics.

We advise that you reach out to your supervisor the moment you realize that you may surpass your deadline. This will validate your reason and motivate your supervisor to offer a compromise. 

3. Check your instructions for the deadline extension policy

Some supervisors offer extension instructions along with the dissertation prompt. It is good that you consult these guidelines to follow the right protocol in getting your extension approved. 

If none is offered, seek a meeting in person to deliver your sincere apologies and argue the case for your missed dissertation deadline. 

4. Ask for a short extension

An infinite deadline extension is an idea many supervisors would shun. Preferably, ask for a meaningful extension and come up with a reasonable deadline to finalize your paper. 

Reasons for a dissertation extension

Now that you know how to ask for an extension, let’s look at the reasons that could warrant a deadline extension request.

1. If you realize that you are lacking some resources to complete a portion of your research and thus need more time to acquire the resources.
2. If your revision has unveiled a ton of issues that require to be investigated deeper. If your paper leaves much room for criticism, it wouldn’t hurt to ask your professor for some more time to tackle these issues.
3. You are suffering from a sickness that is limiting your ability to focus on the paper. For this, we advise that you present proper medical records to dispel the assumption that you were feigning sickness. Also, present the papers as soon as you receive them to get a time adjustment, allowing yourself ample time to heal before resuming your work on the paper.
4. In the case of bereavement.

Final take

We know how much your dissertation means to you. With the much weight it bears on your overall score we believe you’d love to make the most of your dissertation. If the dissertation deadline extension is not allowed, consult us for custom tips to help you manage your deadline without compromising your paper.

Here, we will look at how to write a comparative analysis thesis and highlight the tips to ensure success in your paper. 

What is a comparative analysis dissertation?

A comparative analysis dissertation is an academic paper that takes an analytical approach to compare two or more ideas. This type of essay may analyze the differences in ideologies, beliefs, events, texts, and historical personalities.

Like all academic papers, comparative analysis dissertations are based on factual evidence as opposed to personal inclinations. As such, these essays call for extensive research to compare the strengths and weaknesses of ideas and show your disposition toward the elements under comparison. 

Can comparative analysis be used for a dissertation?

Going by the above comparative analysis definition, these kinds of tasks are a staple for a college dissertation. However, a college-level comparative dissertation is more intricate and analyzes complex ideas, calling for a detailed analysis of the items under comparison. 

How to write a comparative analysis dissertation

A lot of consideration should be put into preparing a comparative analysis dissertation. With multiple ideas to investigate, you could easily lose track of the bigger picture. As such, we recommend that you use the following steps when approaching your dissertation.

1. Identify the basis of comparison

Before you start on your paper, analyze the prompt and gauge the elements that you are required to analyze among various ideas. This will help you determine the comparative framework for your paper and to gauge the necessary considerations for each parameter you will be analyzing.

Here, check the comparative words and phrases used in your essay prompt and thus determine the approach to take as you prepare your dissertation. 

2. Perform extensive research on the topics

After defining your comparison essay, investigate the extent to which both ideas have been investigated and highlight their similarities and differences. Also, check for weak arguments in both papers and determine how they can be exploited to prepare a strong argument. 

We recommend that you use a Venn diagram to better organize the similarities and differences of the ideas you are investigating. 

3. Develop a thesis statement

With your argument in mind, write a concise statement that fully describes your paper. For instance, if your paper will gauge the differences between a learner-centered and teacher-centered approach, your thesis may be:

A case study of the impact of the learner-centered and student-centered approach on a learner’s performance. 

4. Prepare an outline

Organize the ideas you gained during research into paragraphs and define the approach to take in comparing the ideas. Your outline will help you to write your paper with ease without the distractions from various ideas you encounter as you write your paper. 

Comparative analysis thesis format

There are two methods to write your comparative dissertation and ensure a smooth flow of ideas. These methods are the point-by-point format and the block format. 

Point-by point format 

The point-by-point format involves the analysis of one aspect of both items in each body paragraph. This approach is great for expressing the differences and similarities between various ideas. 

Block format 

The block format exhausts the characteristics of one item, followed by the next. However, ensure that the ideas are expressed in the same order, allowing a reader to easily revert to the earlier paragraph and compare an idea. 

How to do a comparative analysis: outline of a comparative analysis

The comparative essay comprises an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The introduction comprises the thesis statement, a summary of your argument, and background on the topic. This shows the reader your reasoning behind various arguments and also that you have duly done the necessary research for the topic. 

The body of the paper is divided into paragraphs containing a topic sentence, a final sentence, and an argument. This format allows your reader to see the flow of ideas and also to avoid various errors in your argument. 

We recommend that you use transition words to help the reader follow your argument easily while understanding your dispositions on each idea. Finally, your conclusion ties down your ideas and reiterates your key observation and inclinations regarding the items under comparison. 

Final take

We hope that this guide has helped resolve your confusion. Feel free to engage us for a custom example of comparative analysis and help with various concepts you might struggle with. We wish you all the best in your dissertation.