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

Responsibilities: the Chair, the Team and You
Topic 2: Overview of the Dissertation Process

We’ve learned that it is easier to complete a dissertation if you work in a team. Even if you are doing an independent dissertation with no thematic group, you can still assemble an effective team around you. The three main groups are the Chair, your colleagues, and you. This page provides some guidance about the responsibilities of each of these. Ultimately, the responsibility for completing a dissertation lies with you, the student. But making effective use of the resources around you can make your experience more rewarding.

The Dissertation Chair
Watch the video below to hear Dr. Julie Slayton discuss strategies for working effectively with your dissertation chair.
Your Colleagues
When we asked successful EdD graduates what helped them the most to get through the dissertation process, the most common answer was "my colleagues.” But what is it about your colleagues that is helpful? They coax, nag, and cajole. They read your work. They share resources. They help you pace yourself. Whether you are in a dissertation group, or working independently, the most useful thing you can do is partner with someone. We refer to this as a having a "writing partner.” Make a commitment with this person to meet regularly, share your work, offer feedback, and, most importantly, hold each other accountable – encourage each other to keep going. You, then, become this source of support for someone else, too. Watch the video below to hear how a student has made the writing partner idea work.
Yourself
In the end, the person responsible for your finishing this project is you. The faculty has worked out the timelines, and broken down the project into manageable pieces mapped on to that timeline, but you are the person who has to actually write the drafts, make the changes, do the study, and do the thinking needed to pull it all together. No one else can do that for you. The faculty, collectively, has successfully guided more than a thousand students through this process, so listen when they make suggestions or offer advice. If you follow the timelines provided, and do the related work, you should be able to finish within the time limits.
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