Who is impressed?

I love this cartoon because I think it reflects the feeling that so many students have with their dissertations. I have been asked "why all the fuss about a dissertation? It is just another paper." But the reality is that it is not "just another paper." I have talked previously about the reasons for doing a dissertation, today I want to talk about whom at Walden sees your paper (and is hopefully impressed).

First, of course, is your chair. He or she is responsible for monitoring the quality of your paper. Your chair is not an unbiased reader: others will evaluate him or her as to your performance. Also, your chair will read your drafts many times, after a while they probably will no long see the details. Ideally, you can impress him or her with your writing skills, research knowledge, and persistence.

Second, is your committee member. This person also checks the quality of your paper but has more distance from you and has a less biased perspective. He or she reviews the paper fresh, and has less personal investment in it. They will also be impressed with your writing ability and knowledge of the subject.

Third, the University Research Reviewer (URR) reviews your paper for consistency and accuracy. He or she will have totally fresh eyes and be able to offer an unbiased opinion. Clear, concise writing, with a clear relationship between your research questions and research methods will impress them, as well as inclusion of the required elements on the dissertation checklist.

Fourth, is the Institutional Review Board (IRB). This committee reviews your project from an ethical viewpoint. They will be impressed if you have clearly stated your research questions, and have clearly outlined your research method. Be sure to check their web site for info on common ethical concerns.

Fifth, is the CAO when your final abstract is reviewed. Make sure that you follow the template guidelines and include the necessary elements.

Finally, future students and researchers will read your paper through the Dissertation databases and be impressed with your final paper's careful attention to detail and complete literature review!

Next time, we will take a look at some issues that arise in Chapter 5. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Send me an email with your ideas. leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu