Asking for a dissertation extension is a dreadful task for many students. Besides the risk of coming off as a lazy, good-for-nothing student, we all have a fear of getting rejected.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
