Is a dissertation just a longer report?

This guide is designed to show you how to adapt your current report writing practices for doing a longer independent research project like a dissertation.

If you are planning to do a dissertation project that involves some kind of primary data collection (e.g. surveys and questionnaires, interviews, field trips, case studies or scientific experiments) it is likely that your dissertation will take a form similar to a report. However, this is not always the case for all subjects – so double check with your supervisor or your course handbook for the conventions they want you to follow.