Dissertation
diss-er-TAY-shun /ˌdɪsəˈteɪʃn/
Neutral Neutral
What it really means
A long piece of independent research writing, usually done in your final year (often 8,000 to 12,000 words). For taught master's students it fills the summer. You choose the topic and work with a supervisor.
Chinese explanation
毕业论文——一篇较长的独立研究文章，通常在最后一年完成（约8000到12000词）。授课型硕士的论文占用整个夏天。题目自选，由导师指导。
Example conversation
A: Have you picked your dissertation topic yet?
B: Sort of — something about social media and shopping habits.
A：你的毕业论文题目定了吗？
B：差不多了——想写社交媒体和购物习惯的关系。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
Official sources
Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.
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· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake