An interactive AI dissertation tutor that works with you chapter by chapter, across multiple sessions, calibrated to your writing voice and your supervisor's feedback.
It has chapters that each follow different conventions. An argument that has to sustain across 15,000 words. A methodology section that essays do not have. Supervisor feedback that needs to be acted on across multiple sessions. The essay skills help with essays. This skill is built specifically for dissertations.
Before any writing feedback begins, the skill asks 5 questions and calibrates everything to your answers. You never have to repeat yourself.
The skill asks for your subject (Law, Biology, History, Sociology, Economics, etc.) and whether your dissertation is empirical or library-based. This determines which conventions apply throughout.
Where you are — proposal, early chapters, mid-dissertation, late stages, or final polish. What your word count target is and how far along you are.
Paste any feedback your supervisor has given you — even a brief email. The skill calibrates all its guidance to address the specific problems your supervisor raised.
This is the feature no other tool offers. Your supervisor knows your work. This skill uses what they said.Paste 2-3 paragraphs of your own previous academic writing. The skill reads them and anchors all feedback to how you actually write — not a generic academic style.
Tell it which chapter you are working on and the session begins. Every session starts here — the setup ensures nothing is generic.
Asks questions until your research question is specific, researchable, and positioned against a genuine gap in the literature.
Pushes hard on synthesis versus summary — the most common literature review error. Checks critical engagement and gap positioning.
Covers research paradigm, design justification, sampling, analysis method, ethics, and limitations. Adapts to your subject's conventions.
Repeatedly checks the presenting-versus-interpreting distinction. Links findings back to the literature review at every stage.
The chapters where most marks are won or lost. Pushes for contribution, not just summary. Checks the research question is actually answered.
Grammar and register audit, flow and transitions check, and a spell-check awareness prompt for the words academic spell checkers miss.
Checks that the research question in the introduction matches the answer in the conclusion, and that terminology is consistent across all chapters.
Type "suggest" at any point to see a model version of what you are working on. Rewrite it in your own words — the suggestion is a teaching example, not a draft.
The skill applies different conventions depending on your subject. You tell it your discipline once at setup — it handles the rest.
IMRD structure, evidence hierarchy, results vs discussion separation, Vancouver/APA
Thematic chapters, close reading as methodology, primary vs secondary balance, MHRA/Chicago
Doctrinal vs socio-legal, legal context chapter, methodology articulation, OSCOLA
Conceptual framework, research philosophy, mixed methods, Harvard
Research paradigm, thematic analysis, statistical reporting, APA/Vancouver/IEEE
After purchase, follow these steps. The whole setup takes about 5 minutes.
Go to claude.ai and download the free Claude desktop app for Mac or Windows. Create a free account if you do not have one. No paid plan required.
Payhip sends your download link immediately after purchase. Check inbox and spam. The file downloads in seconds.
Double-click the downloaded .skill file. Claude opens and shows a prompt asking if you want to save the skill. Click Save skill. That is the entire installation.
Open Claude and start a new conversation. Look for the skills menu near the message bar. Select your EssayEdge skill. The skill activates immediately.
The skill asks a few questions about what you are working on, then asks for 2-3 paragraphs of your own previous writing. This calibrates all feedback to your actual voice. The more detail you give, the better the session.
The skill asks one question at a time. Answer each one before moving on. Type suggest at any point to see a model example — the skill shows what good looks like then asks you to rewrite it yourself. Type next to move to the next stage.
The subject skills (Science, Law, Humanities, etc.) are designed for essays — single arguments at essay length. The Dissertation Tutor Skill is designed for the full dissertation structure: chapter-by-chapter guidance, methodology, supervisor feedback integration, and cross-dissertation consistency checks. They are complementary products, not competing ones.
Each new chat starts fresh — this is how Claude works. Run the 5-question setup at the start of each session. It takes about 3 minutes and ensures every session is calibrated to your current stage and supervisor feedback.
Yes. The skill adapts to word count — masters dissertations are typically 15,000-25,000 words and have higher expectations for methodological rigour. Tell it your level and word count in the setup and it adjusts accordingly.
Claude has a free tier that includes Cowork mode. The Dissertation Tutor Skill runs on the free tier, though a paid plan gives you more messages per session — useful for longer dissertation feedback sessions.
EssayEdge skills are writing assistance tools. The skill asks questions and gives feedback. It does not write your dissertation. You are responsible for complying with your institution's AI policy.
One-time purchase. Use it across every session until submission.
Also available: Dissertation Prompt Pack (£35) and Complete Pack (£65)