Blog Index

2015, Current to 9/30

Topic	Dates of Posts
Dissertation, general	1/7, 3/6
Dissertation calculator	3/9
Selecting a Topic
Committee Members	9/14
URR
Center for Research Quality
Overview of Process
Premise
Prospectus
Proposal
Research questions	6/19
Research design	6/15, 6/22, 6/26
Theory	6/15, 6/17
C. 1	3/11, 3/13, 3/16, 3/18, 3/20, 9/18, 9/21
C. 2 (literature related)	1/9, 3/23, 3/25, 3/27, 4/3, 4/8, 9/23
C. 3	4/10, 4/13, 4/15, 4/17, 4/20, 4/22, 4/24, 4/27, 4/29, 5/4, 5/6, 5/8, 5/11, 5/13, 5/15, 5/18, 9/25
Defense	9/28
IRB	6/24
Data Collection	6/24
Quantitative	5/4, 5/8, 5/11, 5/13, 5/15, 7/1, 7/6, 7/8, 7/13, 7/15, 7/17, 7/20, 7/22, 7/24
Qualitative	1/5, 1/12
Mixed Methods	4/10, 5/6, 5/8, 5/11, 5/13, 5/15
C. 4	5/20, 5/22, 5/25, 5/27, 6/3, 6/5
C. 5	6/5, 6/8, 6/10, 6/12
Appendixes
Final Defense
Career
Goal Form
Motivation	1/21, 3/2, 7/3, 7/10, 9/2, 9/4, 9/7, 9/9 9/11
Organizing	7/27, 7/29, 8/3, 8/5, 8/10
Secondary Data
Support, Getting	1/26
Resilience	2/6, 2/16, 2/18, 2/20, 2/23, 2/25, 3/4
Writing	1/14, 1/23, 2/9
Other	1/16, 1/19, 1/28, 1/30, 2/4, 2/11, 2/13, 4/1, 4/6, 6/1, 8/12, 8/14, 8/19, 8/21, 8/24, 8/26, 8/31, 9/16

 Previous Years

Topic	Dates of Posts - 2013	Dates of Posts - 2014
Dissertation, general	7/5, 8/16, 8/19, 9/27, 10/2	6/25, 12/5
Dissertation calculator		9/5
Selecting a Topic	4/23, 7/8, 7/10	4/28, 5/9, 8/25
Committee Members	4/17, 5/3, 6/10, 7/19, 8/21	5/7, 10/8, 12/22
URR	5/8, 5/27
Center for Research Quality	12/9
Overview of Process	4/19, 9/18, 12/13
Premise (no longer used)	4/17, 9/6
Prospectus		4/4, 4/7, 4/9, 4/11, 4/14, 4/18, 4/21, 4/23, 4/25, 4/28, 5/2, 5/5, 8/27
Proposal	4/22, 9/9	9/8, 11/3, 11/5
Research questions	10/9	4/18
C. 1	5/6, 10/21, 10/23, 10/25, 10/28, 11/1	11/7
C. 2 (literature related)	4/26, 5/29, 6/3, 6/12, 6/17, 6/28, 9/16, 10/11, 11/4, 11/6, 11/9, 11/15	6/9, 6/11, 6/16, 9/10, 9/15, 9/17, 9/19, 9/26, 9/29, 11/10, 12/26
C. 3	5/1, 10/16, 10/28, 11/18, 11/20, 11/22, 11/25, 12/2, 12/4, 12/6, 12/11, 12/16, 12/18, 12/20, 12/23, 12/27	1/3, 1/6, 1/13, 11/12
Defense	4/23, 5/8
IRB	5/10, 10/14	1/10, 1/15, 1/17, 1/20, 1/22, 1/24, 1/27, 1/29, 2/3, 2/5, 2/7, 2/10, 2/12, 2/17, 2/19, 2/21, 2/24, 10/13, 10/15, 10/17, 10/20, 10/22, 10/24, 10/27
Data Collection	5/13, 5/15, 10/16
Quantitative	5/17, 7/24, 7/26, 7/29, 7/31, 8/2, 8/5, 10/4, 10/7, 11/20, 12/2, 12/4, 12/6, 12/18, 12/23, 12/27	1/3, 2/26, 3/12, 7/9, 7/14, 7/16, 7/18, 7/21, 7/23, 7/25, 7/28
Qualitative	5/20, 11/20, 11/22, 11/25, 12/11, 12/16	1/6, 3/14, 10/29, 12/12, 12/15, 12/17, 12/19
Mixed Methods	5/22, 11/18, 11/20, 11/22, 11/25, 12/11, 12/20, 12/23, 12/27	1/3, 1/6
C. 4	5/17, 5/20, 5/22, 7/17	3/5, 3/10, 3/12, 3/14, 3/17, 3/19, 3/21, 11/14
C. 5	5/24, 9/20, 10/11	3/21, 3/24, 3/26, 3/28, 11/19
Final Defense	4/23, 5/27/ 9/11
Career	7/12	8/18, 8/20
Goal Form	8/12	5/23, 5/26, 6/2, 8/15, 11/24
Motivation	6/5, 6/26, 7/1, 8/16, 8/23, 9/2, 9/18, 10/18, 11/8, 11/27	1/1, 6/4, 6/6, 7/4, 7/11, 9/22, 10/10, 12/3
Organizing	4/22, 10/2	8/1, 8/4, 8/6, 8/8, 8/11, 8/13, 12/8
Secondary Data	5/31	2/24
Support, Getting	4/26, 6/5, 6/24, 8/16	5/21
Writing	4/26, 4/29, 6/12, 6/21, 7/3, 8/9, 8/14, 9/4, 9/23,9/25	5/16, 5/19, 6/16, 6/18, 6/20, 7/2, 7/7, 8/27, 12/10
Other	4/18, 6/7, 6/14, 6/19, 6/24, 6/26, 7/1, 7/8, 7/15, 7/19, 7/22, 8/7, 8/16, 8/19, 8/26, 8/28, 8/30, 9/2, 9/13, 9/18, 10/18, 11/27, 12/13, 12/25	2/14, 3/3, 3/7, 4/16, 5/12, 5/14, 5/28, 6/2, 6/13, 6/23, 6/27, 8/22, 9/1, 9/3, 9/12, 10/3, 10/6, 11/17, 11/26, 12/1, 12/24, 12/29, 12/31

 Next time I have some things to celebrate with you. 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

The Proposal Defense

There are few things that bring as much as fear to a doctoral student as the word "defense". What are faculty looking for? Why is a defense necessary? (Keep in mind that you should have a discussion of these issues with your own committee, as they may have different ideas/ philosophies).
Despite its name, a doctoral defense is rarely confrontational, it is an opportunity for everyone to hear the full study one more time and make sure any possible bugs have been eliminated. As a faculty reviewer, I am looking to see that the student understands the study they are discussing. Today, in a time of massive concerns of cheating and plagiarism, I want to be sure that this has really been the student's ideas.
In a proposal defense, I want to hear a brief discussion of the literature and theory, enough to put it into context. I expect to have the student discuss the research questions and how they relate to his or her research method. I want to hear about the method in detail so I can determine if there are any issues that we should discuss. My questions will primarily be clarification ones, e.g., how will recruitment be done? Have you considered what you will do if you cannot get sufficient participants? How would you interpret results that do not come out as expected, how would that effect the theory you are using?
It is ok to admit that you do not know something, but offer to find it out and report back on it. If you are not sure how to handle a method issue that arises, ask for your committee's suggestions. Keep in mind that in research you are going into the unknown, there are often a variety of way to reach the destination.
Next time I will post an updated blog index. 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

Chapter Three

Chapter Three is a key part of your dissertation, it is here you will discuss your methodology and how you will go about doing the project. As a faculty reviewer, I expect to see a deep understanding of your research design why you choose it and its connection to your research questions. I expect a detailed discussion of your study, from recruitment to analysis of your data. I want to see that you understand the relevant ethical issues, as well as, any threats to validity, and have thought through how best to handle them. By the time I have completed Chapter 3, I should be able to conduct the study based upon your explanations, and understand how it relates to your research questions and to the planned analysis. 

Next time I will examine the proposal defense. 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

Chapter Two

Chapter Two is primarily the literature review for your project. As a faculty reviewer, I will expect it to begin with a short overview of your project, the study's purpose, and then the literature sources that you used and key terms. Typically, the theoretical basis for your study is discussed in some detail, often from a historical perspective leading to its predictions or expectations for your study. 

I expect to see your variables or the topics of your study reviewed in depth, with what has been previously found in relevant studies as well as the methodology the researchers utilized. Be sure to relate each topic back to your study. If there is not an obvious link to your study, the topic probably does not need to be included. Remember Chapter 2 is demonstrating your expertise and knowledge of the topic areas; it should be a discussion of the topics not just a listing of studies. Examine and critique previous work in the area, show how your study will add to the literature and knowledge in your field. By the time I complete Chapter 2, I should have a detailed understanding of the history of all aspects of your study and be convinced that you understand the relevant areas and topics. 

Next time I will examine Chapter 3. 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

Chapter One

Chapter One begins your dissertation, it is separate from the abstract and any information mentioned in the abstract needs to be repeated. (Please note that I go into much more detail on each required element in my book). As a faculty member reading your paper, I will look for an introduction to your study, which puts the study into context, addressing the "why do we care about this?" question. Also in the introduction, briefly discuss the current literature, indicating how your study addresses the gap in the literature. By the time, I finish reading this section, I should understand the key issues that your study addresses and why your study is important.  

In this chapter, I will expect to see the theoretical basis for your study, the problem statement, purpose, your research questions and hypotheses, an explanation of the type of study you will do, assumptions and limitations, and definitions of terms. Think of the chapter as concise summaries of information to be discussed in future chapters. It generally works best to write this chapter after you have written Chapters 2 and 3. 

By the time I have completed reading Chapter One, I should have a clear understand of your study, why it is needed, an overview of your research method and analyses, and any concerns you have identified. As a faculty reviewer, I will expect the chapter to be well written with appropriate grammar and spelling. 

Next time I will examine Chapter 2. 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 

The Abstract

As a faculty member, what do I look for when I get your dissertation? Over the next few posts, I will explore faculty's expectations when reading a draft of your dissertation. First, I will carefully read your abstract; it will be published in Dissertation Abstracts, so it has to be written as well and be as complete as possible. I will make sure that you briefly put your study into context (just a sentence or so), so I understand the "why do I care about this" question. I will look for the theory used as the framework for the study, the type of study, and key variables. I will want to know the number of participants, where and how you recruited them. I will want an explanation of the analyses you completed (briefly, typically no actual statistics are given). I will then look for a description of your key results, and finally some implications of your study. All of this in one page or less! 

You should write the abstract last, so you fully understand the key issues. Remember that the abstract must stand alone in explaining all aspects of your study. You should not give citations nor write out numbers (even if they start a sentence) in it.  

Next time I will move on to Chapter One. 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