Navigating The Dissertation
  • I: From Start to Proposal Defense
    • 1: Types >
      • Introduction for Types of Dissertations
      • Overview of the Dissertation
      • Self-Assessment Exercise
      • What is a Dissertation Committee
      • Different Types of Dissertations
    • 2: Overview >
      • Introduction for Overview of the Dissertation Process
      • Responsibilities: the Chair, the Team and You
      • Sorting Exercise
      • Stages of a Dissertation
      • Managing Your Time
      • Create Your Own Timeline
      • Working with a Writing Partner
      • Key Deadlines
      • Self Assessment Exercise
      • Additional Resources
    • 3: Background >
      • Purpose and Goals
      • Read and Evaluate Chapter 1 Exemplars
      • Draft an Introduction of the Study
      • Outline the Background of the Problem
      • Draft your Statement of the Problem
      • Draft your Purpose of the Study
      • Draft your Significance of the Study
      • List the Possible Limitations and Delimitations
      • Explicate the Definition of Terms
      • Outline the Organization of the Study
      • Recommended Resources and Readings
    • 4: Lit Review >
      • Purpose and Goals
      • Purpose of the Literature Review
      • What is the Literature?
      • Article Summary Table
      • Writing a Short Literature Review
      • Outline for Literature Review
      • Synthesizing the Literature Review
      • Recommended Resources and Readings
    • 5: Methods >
      • Purpose and Goals
      • Purpose of the Methodology Chapter
      • Topics to Include
      • Preparing to Write the Methodology Chapter
      • Self-Assessment Exercise
      • Confidentiality
      • Building the Components for Chapter Three
      • Recommended Resources and Readings
    • 6: Qualify Exam & IRB >
      • Preparing for Your Qualifying Exam (aka Proposal Defense)
      • What is Needed for Your Proposal Defense?
      • Submitting Your Best Draft
      • Preparing Your Abstract for IRB
      • Use of Self-Assessment
      • Preparing Your PowerPoint
      • During Your Proposal Defense
      • After Your Proposal Defense
  • II: Data Collection and Analysis
    • 1: IRB
    • 2: Data Collection >
      • Pre-observation – Issues to consider
      • During Observations
      • Wrapping Up
      • Recommended Resources and Readings (Qualitative)
      • Quantitative Data Collection
      • Recommended Resources and Readings (Quantitative)
    • 3: Data Analysis >
      • Qualitative: Before you Start
      • Qualitative: During Analysis
      • Qualitative: After Analysis
      • Qualitative: Recommended Resources and Readings
      • Quantitative: Deciding on the Right Analysis
      • Quantitative: Data Management and Cleaning
      • Quantitative: Keep Track of your Analysis
  • III: Findings, Discussion, and Final Defense
    • 1: Chapter 4 >
      • The Purpose of Chapter 4
      • The Elements of Chapter 4
      • Presenting Results (Quantitative)
      • Presenting Findings (Qualitative)
      • Chapter 4 Considerations
      • Recommended Resources and Readings
    • 2: Chapter 5 >
      • The Purpose of Chapter 5
      • Preparing Your Abstract for the Graduate School
      • Draft the Introduction for Chapter 5
      • Draft the Summary of Findings
      • Draft Implications for Practice
      • Draft your Recommendations for Research
      • Draft your Conclusions
      • Recommended Resources and Readings
    • 3: Preparing for Defense >
      • What is Needed
      • Submitting Your Best Draft
      • Use of Self-Assessment
      • Preparing Your PowerPoint
      • What Happens During the Final Defense?
      • What Happens After the Final Defense?
      • Graduation

Different Types of Dissertations
Topic 1: Types of Dissertations

USC was at the forefront in distinguishing the EdD dissertation (i.e., the purpose of the degree) from that of the PhD. We see the EdD as being about the preparation of scholarly education leaders – “scholarly” here referring to having the ability to translate educational research into practical applications to improve outcomes. The PhD, on the other hand, focuses on the generation of new knowledge, which hopefully has relevance to practice, but that application isn’t the primary focus. As a result, the dissertations have different foci. The EdD dissertation focuses on a problem of practice – understanding elements of it so that practice can be improved. The Carnegie Project on the Educational Doctorate (CPED), of which USC is a founding member, continues this refinement of EdD programs and dissertations, nationally (http://cpedinitiative.org). 

Beyond the differences between the PhD and EdD dissertation, within the EdD, itself, several approaches to the problem solving dissertation are emerging: (a) the traditional inquiry approach; (b) the evaluation approach; and (c) the problem-solving approach.  

The traditional inquiry approach includes the case study and best practice types of dissertations. These types of studies may look at a particular site to understand some aspect about how that site works, or they may take the same problem and look across multiple sites. 

The evaluation approach asks to what extent an “intervention” (a program, policy or practice) is working or how it might be improved. It can look at a single site, or across multiple sites using the same intervention. 

The problem solving approach typically helps a site determine what it could do about a particular problem by exploring possible causes and solutions. 

Why dissertation type matters to you: 
The implications for you about the type of dissertation you use appear in the method you use to explore your research question and in the structure of the dissertation document, itself. While the three types vary from one another in method, the problem solving approach also varies from the other two in written format. This course was created to accommodate all three types, so you will see topics that may not apply to you and your type of dissertation. Your Chair will help you distinguish which topics to focus on (although all could be helpful).

Dissertation Models (.pptx)
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