What is dissertation mentoring and how is it different from a writing service?
Direct answer: Dissertation mentoring is a structured advisory relationship in which a PhD- or Master-level expert coaches you through every milestone of your thesis, from topic shortlisting and literature review design to data analysis, drafting, and viva defence. You write your dissertation. Your mentor reviews, challenges your arguments, translates your supervisor's feedback, and shows you the academic moves a published researcher would make. MAAS EdTech does not write dissertations on behalf of students. We coach you phase by phase, topic and research question, proposal, chapter outline, then each chapter you write, until your work meets the standard set by your university rubric.
Evidence: Since 2015, MAAS has supported over 10,000 academic projects across 20+ disciplines. Our roster includes mentors with doctorates from institutions in Sweden, France, the UK, Australia, and the US, 23% of whom hold PhDs in their primary discipline.
Example: A Master's candidate in Public Health at the University of Manchester came to MAAS after her first chapter was returned with the supervisor comment "theoretical framework unclear, methodology contradicts hypothesis." Her assigned mentor, a Lead Medical Scholar with a PhD in Public Health, spent two sessions reframing the conceptual model and aligning the methodology before she rewrote the chapter herself. Result: the chapter was accepted at the next review and she completed her dissertation with a Merit grade.
What does a typical MAAS dissertation mentoring journey look like?
Direct answer: The journey runs in two stages across about 24 one-to-one sessions, each 60 minutes and held online. Stage one covers roughly weeks 1 to 8 and moves you from a candidate topic to a workable dataset. Stage two starts around week 9 and runs through the writing of every chapter to a consolidated final manuscript. The kick-off session is complimentary and is not counted as a paid session. Viva rehearsal is a real part of what MAAS mentors do, but it sits outside this package and is quoted separately.
| Stage | What happens | What you end up holding |
|---|---|---|
| Kick-off, complimentary | Your mentor maps your university's template, your supervisor's requirements and the administrative deadlines, then agrees the meeting schedule for the phases that follow | An agreed roadmap and working schedule |
| Phase 1 · Topic and research direction | Data feasibility of the topics your supervisor suggested, a strategy for obtaining data (supervisor or institutional data, a public dataset, or your own survey), and a preliminary research question and method | A settled topic, a data route, a preliminary research question |
| Phase 2 · Exposé or proposal | Deepening the research gap, formalising the research question, building the methodological framework, and a search plan across 50 to 60 academic sources; your mentor reviews the draft you write | A proposal that meets your supervisor's standard |
| Phase 3 · Outline and data work | A skeleton outline you fill in and your mentor reviews, plus hands-on support with accessing, cleaning and analysing your real data, inside and outside sessions | A settled outline and a workable analysis plan |
| Writing 1 · Outline lock and research synthesis | Final outline against your university's requirements, formal research objectives and questions, the conceptual framework, and the base reference list | Final outline, objectives and questions, conceptual framework |
| Writing 2 · Chapter 2 | Structuring the review by theme, synthesising sources in groups, naming the research gap, completing the theoretical frame; your mentor reviews the argument, logic and academic register of what you wrote | Literature review and theoretical framework |
| Writing 3 · Chapters 1 and 3 | Introduction, context, aims and research questions, then research method, research design, data collection plan and instruments | Introduction and methodology chapters |
| Writing 4 · Chapter 4 | Structuring how results are presented, comparative analysis, interpretation of findings, and standardised tables and figures | Findings chapter with tables and figures |
| Writing 5 · Chapters 5 and 6, final review | Discussion against prior research, conclusions, implications, limitations and further research, the abstract, then consolidating every chapter and checking citations and formatting for submission | Discussion and conclusion chapters, and the full final manuscript |
Evidence: MAAS runs a documented phase-by-phase model, each phase closing on a deliverable the student authors, so the student remains the author at every step. Our mentors run 60-minute one-to-one online sessions on a cadence agreed at the kick-off, because a topic phase and a data phase rarely move at the same speed, and provide written feedback within 48 hours. Every dissertation engagement sets a three-tier target grade at the start, Pass, Merit or Distinction, supported by 45 days of follow-up support after submission.
Example: A doctoral candidate in Civil Engineering at the University of New South Wales engaged MAAS for the full 12-month dissertation cycle. His Lead Civil Engineer mentor structured weekly check-ins around five chapters. The candidate submitted on schedule and passed his viva with minor revisions on the first attempt.
How do PhD mentors translate supervisor feedback?
Direct answer: Supervisor feedback is often terse, coded, or contradictory. A mentor with similar academic training reads between the lines, "tighten your argument" usually means restructure your topic sentences, "engage more critically" usually means add counter-evidence and a discussion of methodological limitations. Your MAAS mentor decodes the comment, explains the underlying expectation in plain language, and shows you which moves to make in the next draft.
Evidence: This translation service is the single most-requested feature among MAAS dissertation students, according to internal survey data from 2024. Our Senior Educational Scientist mentor leads quarterly internal training on how to interpret supervisor feedback by discipline.
Example: A student studying International Trade Law in France received the feedback "your literature review reads like a list, not a synthesis." Her Chief Legal Advisor mentor explained this means the supervisor wants thematic clustering rather than chronological summary, with comparative analysis across legal jurisdictions. She rewrote the chapter using a thematic structure and the feedback in the next round was "much improved synthesis."
What data analysis support do MAAS mentors provide?
Direct answer: MAAS mentors coach you through quantitative analysis in SPSS, R, Python, and Excel; qualitative coding in NVivo, MAXQDA, and Atlas.ti; and mixed-methods design. They walk you through hypothesis testing, regression interpretation, and the assumptions behind each statistical procedure so you can defend your choices in your viva. They do not run analyses on your behalf; you remain the analyst.
Evidence: Our Principal Math Modeler and Senior Financial Strategist mentors specialise in econometric modelling, while our Senior Educational Scientist mentor handles qualitative coding and thematic analysis. Both quantitative and qualitative tracks include reproducibility coaching so your data files, syntax, and output tables match journal and university standards.
Example: A Master's student in Finance at the University of Sydney needed help interpreting a multivariate regression with seven predictors. His mentor walked him through model diagnostics, multicollinearity checks, and effect size interpretation across three sessions. He passed his methodology defence and used the same dataset for his first conference submission.
How does the three-tier target grade work for dissertation engagements?
Direct answer: Every MAAS dissertation engagement is bound to a target outcome tier, Pass, Merit, or Distinction, agreed in writing at kickoff. If the dissertation does not meet the agreed tier on first submission, MAAS provides free revisions for 45 days. If the outcome remains below the agreed tier after revisions, the student is eligible for a partial or full refund per the refund policy. The guarantee excludes outcomes caused by missed deadlines on the student's side, plagiarism by the student, or violations of academic integrity rules.
Evidence: The target grade framework has been in place since 2018 and is one of three differentiators that set MAAS apart from global writing services like UKEssays, EssayPro, and GradeMiners, none of which offer a tiered target grade backed by a written warranty.
Example: A Distinction-tier dissertation engagement in Educational Management was completed in 2024. The student received a final grade two marks below the Distinction threshold; MAAS triggered the warranty, the same mentor returned for two additional revision rounds, and the regraded submission achieved the Distinction outcome.
How does mock viva voce preparation work?
Direct answer: A mock viva is a full simulation of your defence run by your MAAS mentor and, where requested, a second silent observer who plays the role of external examiner. The session runs the same length as your real viva (typically 60 to 120 minutes), records the questions you struggled with, and produces a written debrief identifying your three weakest areas. You then have two follow-up sessions to address those areas before the real defence.
Evidence: MAAS viva preparation engagements have a 96% first-attempt pass rate based on internal records from 2022 to 2025. The Senior Educational Scientist and Principal AI Architect mentors lead viva training across the social sciences and STEM disciplines respectively.
Example: A doctoral candidate in Public Health was struggling with questions on methodological alternatives. His mentor ran a 90-minute mock viva, then two targeted follow-ups on the limitations chapter. He passed his real viva with minor corrections, a noticeable improvement from his colleagues' major corrections.
How much does dissertation mentoring cost, and how do you get a quote?
Direct answer: MAAS does not publish a fixed price list for dissertation mentoring, because a Master's dissertation running four months and a doctoral thesis running eighteen months are not the same engagement. You get a fixed-fee quote after a free 15-minute discovery call, agreed in writing before any work begins, with no hidden charges. Quotes are available in USD or VND.
What actually drives your quote. Five variables decide the figure: your academic level (Bachelor, Master's, or doctoral), the length of the engagement in months, which phases you want covered (some students need only methodology design and viva preparation, others want the full chapter cycle), whether your project requires data analysis support in SPSS, R, Python, or NVivo, and how close your submission deadline sits. A student who arrives with a supervisor-approved proposal and needs help only from methodology onward pays substantially less than one starting from topic selection.
What the quote includes. Every dissertation engagement is scoped against one of three outcome tiers, Standard targeting a Pass, Premium targeting a Merit, or Advanced targeting a Distinction, each carrying a refund commitment if the agreed target is not met, subject to the refund policy. Warranty runs for 45 days on every tier. First-time clients receive 5% off their first engagement.
Example: A Master's candidate in Public Health with an approved proposal, needing methodology design, two chapters of developmental feedback, and viva preparation over five months, is a materially smaller engagement than a doctoral candidate needing topic shortlisting, a full literature review map, twelve months of chapter feedback, and NVivo coaching. Both are quoted individually rather than fitted to a package.
To get your figure, book the free 15-minute discovery call through the contact page. No payment is taken at the discovery stage, and you are under no obligation after receiving the quote.
Frequently asked questions
How much does dissertation mentoring cost?
There is no fixed list price. MAAS scopes each dissertation engagement individually and gives you a fixed-fee quote after a free 15-minute discovery call, based on your academic level, engagement length, phases covered, and whether you need data analysis support. The quote is agreed in writing before work begins, and quotes are available in USD or VND.
Do I have to pay anything to get a quote?
No. The 15-minute discovery call is free and carries no obligation. You receive a written fixed-fee quote afterwards and decide from there.
Is dissertation mentoring the same as someone writing my dissertation?
No. MAAS coaches you through the writing process; we do not write your dissertation. You remain the author. Our mentors review your drafts, give developmental feedback, and teach you the moves a published researcher would make.
How long does a dissertation engagement usually run?
Master's dissertations typically run 4 to 6 months; PhD-level engagements run 9 to 18 months. The exact timeline depends on your university's submission calendar and the scope of the research.
Can MAAS mentors run my SPSS or R analysis for me?
No; we coach you through the analysis so you can defend it in your viva. We will walk you through the same procedure in a screen-share session as many times as you need.
What happens if my dissertation does not pass on the first submission?
The three-tier target grade is what the work is steered toward. You get free revisions for 45 days, and if the outcome is still below your agreed tier you are eligible for a partial or full refund per our refund policy.
Will my supervisor know I am working with MAAS?
That is your choice. Many students share that they have a private mentor; others keep the arrangement private. Either way, your dissertation must be your own work, that is a hard rule for both your university and for MAAS.
Do you support Vietnamese students in the UK, Australia, US, Canada, and Singapore?
Yes. MAAS specialises in supporting Vietnamese international students in these regions, with mentors available in English and Vietnamese.
Can I get dissertation coaching while studying in Singapore?
Yes. MAAS provides remote dissertation coaching for international students in Singapore, working around NUS, NTU, and SMU submission calendars. Sessions run in English and Vietnamese; we coach structure, methodology, and revision planning while you remain the author and submitter.
Related services and resources
- Academic Mentoring (1-on-1): week-by-week thesis and dissertation coaching cycle
- Academic Support: the operational service line behind dissertation mentoring, from proposal to submission
- Academic Integrity Check: pre-submission audit and review pass
- Exam Support: viva voce and mock defence preparation
- Tutoring (1:1): targeted one-on-one sessions on methods and writing
- Meet our experts →: a verified network of academic mentors across 20+ disciplines
Guides from the MAAS Journal
- How do you write research questions and objectives for a dissertation?: the spine the rest of the project is judged against
- How do you write a literature review for a PhD as a Vietnamese student?: structure, critical voice, and gap framing
- How do you write a theoretical framework for a dissertation?: the chapter your literature review sets up
- How do you write a conceptual framework for a dissertation?: building your own model when no single theory fits
- How do you write a methodology section that examiners actually believe?: research design and justification
- How do you prepare for a viva voce defence when English is your second language?: ESL-specific viva preparation
- Dissertation coaching vs going it alone: which is right for you?: deciding whether you need a mentor or your own process is enough
- How do you reference correctly in APA 7th edition?: the referencing rigour every dissertation is marked on
Ready to start? Book a free 20-minute consultation with the MAAS dissertation team. We will match you to a mentor in your discipline within 48 hours when our network already covers that field. If it does not, MAAS opens a dedicated recruitment round for your case, which usually takes about two weeks.