Friday, September 5, 2014

A dissertation calculator



Below is my version of a dissertation calculator. A few things to know, this is a "best case scenario," there are many unknowns that can't be predicted (you run into IRB trouble, have difficulty getting subjects, etc.). I have been conservative with faculty response times (allowing 2 weeks for each, I have built chair response times into the time for each chapter). If you have writing issues, personal issues, you have many revisions, etc. it will take you longer. My calculator will get you done in 2 years.

 
Target Date
Completed Date
Complete a premise or draft prospectus (allow 2 week; this is for chair recruitment)
 
 
Find your chair (allow a month)
 
 
 
Complete prospectus (allow a quarter); at the same time, find your committee member (allow a month)
 
 
Prospectus approved by chair, committee member, and program director (allow 2-4 weeks)
 
 
Complete Chapter 2 (allow 2 quarters)
 
 
 
Chapter 2 Approved by chair
 
 
 
Complete Chapter 1 (allow 6 weeks)
 
 
 
Chapter 1 approved by chair
 
 
 
Complete Chapter 3 (allow 6 weeks)
 
 
 
Chapter 3 approved by chair
 
 
 
Proof full proposal, references, complete appendixes, CV, table of contents (allow a month)
 
 
Proposal approved by chair, committee member (allow a month)
 
 
Proposal approved by University Research Reviewer (URR; allow 2-4 weeks)
 
 
Oral Defense of Proposal
 
 
 
IRB Approval (allow a month)
 
 
 
Conduct study (allow 1 quarter)
 
 
 
Complete data analysis and Chapter 4 (allow a quarter)
 
 
Chapter 4 approved by chair
 
 
 
Complete Chapter 5 (allow a month)
 
 
 
Chapter 5 approved by chair
 
 
 
Proof full dissertation, references, appendixes, CV, table of contents (allow 2-4 weeks)
 
 
Dissertation approved by chair, committee member (allow a month)
 
 
Dissertation approved by URR (allow 2-4 weeks)
 
 
Form and Style review (allow 2 weeks)
 
 
 
Oral Defense of Dissertation
 
 
 
Final URR approval (allow 2 weeks)
 
 
 
Chief Academic Officer (CAO) approval of abstract (2 weeks)
 
 
DONE!
 
 
 

Next time I will talk about starting your proposal. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu
 

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