How to Write and Produce a Dissertation

How to Write and Produce a DissertationIntroduction while the course work is an important disperse of any doctoral program, it is the discourse that is uniquely you. The yield chosen should be one that interests you, and that represents an area of remove that you sack up use to identify you as one with special expertise in a particular area. Therefore, it is very important to proceed with forethought into the oration process. get the radical with care. Also be current to choose your advisors carefully, as they leave alone be your guides and mentors.This guidebook has been de sign to fork out you with the information you need to successfully bonk this process. Read and follow it carefully. You are responsible for understanding and applying its contents. look into CriteriaTo produce a sermon of which you and your school can be justly proud, it is essential that your dissertation meet certain quality quantitys that are generally recognized in graduate education. The follow ing policy statement, by the Council of Graduate develops, indicates in general footing what is expected.The document (doctoral dissertation) should demonstrate breadth of scholarship, depth of research, and ability to investigate riddles independently and efficiently.It (dissertation) mustiness(prenominal)iness be a significant contribution to scholarship.It should reveal the students ability to analyze, interpret, and synthesise and demonstrate thorough knowledge of the literature relating to the projectMore specifically, the cogency of the schooltime of gentility has adopted the following criteria indicating that the doctoral research shouldPresent the relevancy of existing theories to the problem.Include an original and unique dimension which builds on cited research.Enable the candidate to enter the national or regional debate.Be sufficiently unsubtle from which to generalize to a larger audience.Acculturate the candidate to differing academic communities.Encourage the continuation of scholarly playactivity.Reflect the methodology appropriate to the type of research unremarkably found in dissertations.Dissertation Topic and CommitteeHow do I get started? How is my charge formed?The first steps in producing a dissertation are (1) the selection of a topic (2) the selection and appointment of a research advisor and (3) the selection and appointment of a research committee to provide slowness throughout the process.Dissertation TopicEarly in your doctoral studies, you should be thinking about research topics that interest you. Keep a notebook computer of ideas as they come to you. As you read for your various classes, add to or delete from your notebook of ideas. Talk informally with your professors. Find out their interests. Discuss- ing your ideas for potential dissertation topics with several faculty members helps you in selecting your topic and in choosing a committee. As your ideas about topics and committee members crystallize, you voliti on want to discuss them with your adviserand department death conduce. The topic you eventually select must be a topic useful to you and a topic of interest to a faculty member willing to dish out as your advisor.Final selection of your topic will not occur until your coursework is nearly completed. You will need to consider such factors as the relationship ofyour topic to your field of specialized theater of operations. Select a topic related to an area of academic strength in which you can conduct research responsibly. Finally, be sure that adequate La Sierra University resources are available for the support of the research, such as faculty guidance, library holdings (or access to relevant documents), and laboratory facilities.The look into advisorThe dissertation committee chair is the first member of the committeeselected. The function forassigning a chair ultimately restswith the dean, but you contract the initial responsibility to find a chairthat is willing to work wi th you and is interested in your topic. Thischair must be a faculty member withinthe School of Education and is usually an individual in your major department. Because it is important to arrive at a chair who has an interest in yourproposed topic, you should have achair delegate before you enroll inthe last research methods class, EDRS704.Finally, make your formal request for theassignment of the chair to the dean.Dissertation CommitteeYour dissertation committee must contain at least(prenominal) three members. The membership shall consist of a chair, one additional facultymember from within the School ofEducation, and one faculty member that whitethorn be within the larger La Sierra University faculty, or possibly a faculty member ina divers(prenominal) University.Approach potential committee members directly asking about their relationship toyour executable topic and whether they would have an interest in serving onyour committee. When you have agree- ment from all your potent ial committee members, be sure to newspaper publisher back to the dean forfinal assignment of your committee.The chair carries the primary(a) responsibility for guiding you through your dissertation and is the personwith whom you work most closely. Aneasy, working relationship with yourcommittee chair is most important. The responsibilities of the chair are to(1) provide guidance for the disserta- tion plan of marriage and act as chairpersonduring the committee meetings, (2)supervise completion of the disserta- tion, and (3) act as chairperson ofthe final oral defense.The responsibilities of the committee members are to (1) provide additional advisement to the student and/or act as a chairperson in the absence of the chairperson, (2) serve on a committee to read the dissertation intention of marriage and participateduring consideration of the suggestion, and (3) serve on a committee to read the dissertation and participate during the final oral defense.In addition to the three (or more)committee members, each dissertationThe final causeWhat is the proper format for a proposal? What are the steps in getting a proposal approved?The proposal serves as a contract between the student and the dissertation committee that, when approved by all parties, constitutes an agreement that data may be gathered and the chew over may be completed. As long as the student follows the steps schemad in the proposal, committee members should be discouraged from demanding significant changes to the ask after the proposal has been approved. Naturally, it is not un communal to expect small changes, additions or deletions, because one can never envision the unpredictable turns that studies can take.The dissertation proposal is protrudeed to show the purpose and organization of your research. The proposal gives your committee enough information to determine whether the topic your are investigat- ing and the procedures you will be using will be appropriate.Proposal DevelopmentTh e Research Methods Class, EDRS704a or 704b, is designed to help you understand the process of writing aformal research proposal and, hopefully, in the class you will havecompleted or nearly completed theresearch proposal. Regardless, this class will be a valuable resource,although final proposal approval is a responsibility of your committee.Proposal Format and ContentIn both the proposal and the dissertation you are to follow the latest edition of The School of Educa- tion Doctoral Dissertation Handbook and the American Psychological Association PublicationManual, 5th edition.Unless new(prenominal)wise indicated by your committee, your proposal will generally consist of the follow- ing chapters and sectionsChapter 1Purpose and OrganizationIntroduction and background of the studyStatement of the problemPurpose of the study/significance of study divinatory foundationResearch questions and nonentity hypothesesLimitations and delimitationsDefinition of TermsSummary and outline of the remainder of the proposalChapter 2Review of Related MaterialInclude an overview and description of represen- tative literature that supports the methodology utilize in the research. For certain types of research (such as statistical or clinical studies) this may require a brief description of procedures and instrumentation of forward studies.This follow-up is not expected to be as extensive as the completed Chapter 2 in the final dissertation. A typical outline for this chapter is as followsSummaries and critiques of previous studies abbreviation of theories which bear on the studiesUnresolved Issues, significantproblems or questions requiring further study.Evidence that the specific study proposed arises out of needs demonstrated in this chapter and that the proposed study could overindulge in gaps or add to substantive or theoreti- cal understandingSummaryChapter 3Research MethodologyListed below are the most common sections to be included in this chapter. For some studies su ch as historical, philosophical, ordevelopmental studies, other items would be proper.Introduction Population and sample Description of instrument(s)Research procedures and time period of the studyAnalytical procedures to be used to attain the objectives, test the hypotheses, or respond to the research questions of the studySummaryPreparation of Your ProposalYou must prepare your proposal in a logical, polished form. Your committee judges your fitness to conduct research on your topic based on the quality of the proposal.If you have any problems with the English language, we advise you to employ the services ofan editorial assistant who can aid you in presenting to your committee polished prose in approved format and style. Your committee is not respon- sible to be your editor or writer. As a researcher, these responsibilities are yours.Committee InvolvementDuring the preparation of your proposal you have chance to establish a working relationship with your committee chair. First s ubmit all drafts to your committeechair for evaluation and comment.After your committee chair has effrontery approval, share the draft with theother members of your committee. You must maintain this approach throughout the writing of the dissertation.When both your committee chair and the members of your committee have had opportunity to evaluate your proposal, request your committee chair to call your committee for formal consider- ation of your proposal.For this meeting, you must furnish one copy of your dissertation proposal to your committee chair and each committee member. Your committee, in formal face-to-face meeting discusses your proposal and questions you on any parts they believe may need revision. The committee will then discuss whether or not they will give approval to your proposal. They may or may not invite you to remain for this session. Consult with your com- mittee chair. aptitude Research SpecialistEach dissertation committee shall receive formal input, in writi ng, from a faculty research specialist prior to the time of proposal approval. cornerstoneal Research Board (IRB)If you are conducting research involving human subjects as part of your degree program, you must submit a proposal of research to the Institution of Review Board (IRB) for approval. This proposal includes a general summary of the purpose of the study, a detailed description of the study, the letter of informed consent to be signed by thesubjects or their parents/guardians, and the copies of tests to be administered (if other than well- known standard tests). Detailed guidelines concerning this proposal are available in the office of the chairperson of the IRB. A report from the IRB should be attached to the final approved proposal.6 Only after approval of your proposal are yourready to begin collection of the data for the dissertation itself.DissertationHow does my committee function? What is the role of consultants?What are the contents of a dissertation?An excellently p roduced dissertation will demon- strate your familiarity with the literature pertinent to the topic, demonstrate your competence to conduct independent research and present a logically organized and readable account of the investigation, its findings, conclusions, and impli- cations. It should focus on a clearly definedproblem of strong importance to the profession and employ well planned and executed acceptable research techniques.Working with the CommitteeThe chair of your dissertation committee carries the primary responsibility for guiding the disserta- tion and holds the prerogative of deciding when draft copy is or is not ready for examination by the other members of the committee. The preferred method of dissertation development in the School of Education is chapter-by-chapter submission to the committee, however, the committee chair has the privilege of choosing another procedure with the consent of the committee.When your committee chair has cleared achapter or section, pr epare copies to present to the other members of your committee. After receiving their response, move on to the next chapter or section. It is well not to begin a new chapter for your dissertation until you resolve all questions on the previous chapter. If you have not heard from your committee members within a reasonable period, consult with your committee chair.In qualitative research, questions will continue to surface until the end of the study. Therefore, workon several chapters may proceed simultaneously. Plan to pace your submissions to your committeechair and members. Professors should be given opportunity to read you material thoughtfully. Plan on approximately two weeks time. Do notexpect committee members to respond to your time schedule.Working with ConsultantsIt is possible that you may wish or need toconsult with individuals with special expertise such as statisticians or editors. Use such consultants discriminatingly to assist in growth your own understanding of and a bility to communicate the various dimensions of the study.Arrangement of ContentsEvery dissertation consists of three parts prelimi- nary pages, text, and reference materials. In addition, it must have an abstract. All the pages of these parts occur in a certain order and are counted and/or numbered according to specific rules. The following outlines incorporate a step by step excursion through the skeleton of the dissertation. Not every dissertation will need every heading. Some dissertations, on the other hand, may needto add headings not mentioned here or subdivide some of these. Keep in mind there is no standard outline all dissertations are required to follow, however, this is a suggested guideline. It must be understood that this outline may not be suffi- ciently comprehensive to fit all studies and that modifications, deletions, or additions may be madeas needed.Quantitative DissertationThe following items are normally in a quantita- tive dissertation. The items to include an d the location of the items within sections may vary. For more detailed descriptions regarding each section, refer to published guide books to a doctoral dissertation.Front subject area Title page AbstractAcknowledgments (optional) Dedication (optional) evade of contentsList of tables, figures and illustrationChapter 1Purpose and OrganizationIntroduction and background of the studyStatement of the problemPurpose of the study/significance of studyTheoretical foundationResearch questions and null hypotheses Limitations and delimitations Assumptions and definition of terms Organization of the documentChapter 2Review of Related MaterialIntroductionSummaries and critiques of previous studies analysis of theories which bear on the studies Unresolved issues, significant problems andunanswered questions requiring studyEvidence that the specific study proposed arises out of needs demonstrated in this chapter and that the proposed study could fill in gaps or add to substantive or theoreti- cal understandingSummaryChapter 3Research Methodology Introduction Population and sampleDescription of instrument(s)Research procedures and time period of the studyHow the data are to be analyzed to attain the objectives, test the hypotheses, or respond to the research questions of the studyChapter 4Results (or Findings) of the depth psychology of DataIntroductionResults (of findings) regarding the first hy- pothesis, or question being investigatedResults of findings regarding the second (and others in sequence)Results regarding interactions, if any, among the hypotheses or research questionsResults and findings on matters not planned aspart of the study but which were uncovered in the investigation course and which are relevantSummaryChapter 5Conclusions, Implications andRecommendationsIntroductionConclusions drawn regarding the hypotheses, or research questions as stated in Chapter 1 (Each is dealt with as a topic separately. Ifthere are interactions among some or all of the objec tives, hypotheses, or research questions, those interactions are eluding-hardened as separate topics.)SummaryRecommendations for further studies and programmatic recommendationsEnd MatterReference and notesAppendicesQualitative DissertationQualitative dissertations are field focused and therefore cease the researcher to approach writing the dissertation with flexibility in format. For more detailed descriptions regarding each section, referto published guidebooks to a doctoral dissertation.Front Matter Title page AbstractAcknowledgments (optional) Dedication (optional)Table of contentsList of tables, figures and illustrationChapter 1IntroductionBackground, history and/or conjectural orientation of the studyPurpose of the study Description of the site Questions in the study Importance of the studyChapter 2Review of the LiteratureAnalysis of previous related studies Analysis of related theoretical literature Relationship of the literature to the currentstudyChapter 3MethodologyDes cription of the studyResearch design (The research design will be planned in cooperation with the doctoral committee.)AnalysisChapters 4+Presentation of the FindingsThese chapters will present the findings in amanner appropriate to a given study. There may be one or several chapters needed to present the study. Arguments will be well formed, insightful and grounded in thestudy. Theoretical arguments will be formed from the data and presented in a coherentand informative manner.Final ChapterConclusionThis chapter will present the conclusions drawn from the study, relate the findings to broader theoretical issues, critique the precess used, and describe implications which could affect other similar sites.End MatterReference and notesAppendicesForm and StyleWhat are the typing rules for my dissertation? Who is the final authority on form and style?What kind of paper do I use?The School of Education DoctoralDissertation Handbook must be used in conjunction with the American Psycho- logi cal Association PublicationManual, 5th edition. Where there arediscrepancies between the APA publica- tion manual and The School of Education Handbook, the doctoral disserta- tion handbook is to be followed.ProductionDissertations shall be produced by a word processor. All dissertations are to be printed in black ink, using standard 10-12 point fonts, and using only one side of the page. Text must be clean, straight, and dark enough to be read and duplicated easily. Final copies must be laserprinted.PaperAll copies shall be produced on standard size 8-1/2 x 11 paper. For draft copies, use white bond of at least 20 pound weight. Final copies shall be run on high quality paper 20 pound bond with at least 25 percent rag content. To insure longer shelf life, use an acid-free paper with a minimum of 2% alkaline reserve.MarginsThe left-hand margin must be 1 1/2 inches and all other margins must be a full 1 inch. The initial page of a chapter or a major section (i.e., table ofcontents, ref erences, etc.) has a 2-inch margin at the top of the page.Absolutely nothing may be outside of these margins, except for the pagenumber. Do not use right or full justification.Page NumberingPreliminary pagesPreliminary pages that precede the main text are numbered with lower case Roman numerals. Thetitle page is not numbered but isconsidered as the first page. If youelect to register a copyright, enclose a copyright page, but do not number it or include it in the pagination sequence. Subsequent numerals are centered 3/4 inch from the bottom edge of the paper. principal(prenominal) textAll pages are numbered at the top, 1 inch from the right margin, above thetext. The first page of the disserta- tion text is page 1. All pages must be numbered consecutively. To keep their location and size uniform throughout the disserta- tion, page numbers are added after reducing tables or figures.