Successful completion of a doctoral dissertation

Introduction

Congratulations! You’ve finished your dissertation! Now what? Congratulations, too, for completing this part of the PhD. It’s often a stressful period and it’s important to be sure you’re doing everything possible to make sure your dissertation gets into the hands of other researchers who can use it.

Choosing a topic for the dissertation.

The first step to successfully completing a doctoral dissertation is to choose a topic. This decision will be based on many factors, including your research interests and aspirations, the field in which you are pursuing your degree, as well as the profession itself.

In choosing a topic for your dissertation, it’s important that it interests you and can be related back to one or more of these areas:

• Research interests – Are there things about this subject matter that intrigue me? Have I read anything on this topic before? What other topics might relate closely enough so that they could inform my research but not disrupt its direction or focus? Will this project serve as an opportunity for me to explore something new or different than what I’ve already studied before? Do I have any specific questions about this particular issue (or issues) anyway)?

Justifying the relevance of the dissertation to your research program.

The dissertation is a reflection of your ability to clearly define and defend the relevance of your research program. It demonstrates that you can think critically about your research questions, hypotheses, methods, results and conclusions.

The dissertation should also demonstrate that you have considered all relevant aspects in addressing the question(s) posed by the supervisor or panel. In addition, it should show how these aspects interact with one another through multiple levels (e.g., theoretical/empirical; methodological/practical; etc.).

Searching for literature, and finding good literature.

The first step in locating good literature is to search for it. This can be done using any number of different methods, including the ones listed below:

• Use an online database such as Google Scholar or JSTOR (Journal Storage)

• Go through your local library and check out any books that look interesting to you

• Read reviews on Amazon or Goodreads

Formulating and testing hypotheses.

In the process of hypothesizing and testing, you will formulate and test hypotheses. Hypotheses are testable statements about the relationship between variables. They often take the form of “if-then” statements such as:

• “If I am given a certain treatment, then I will experience an improvement in my hearing ability.”

• “If I eat more fruits and vegetables than usual over a period of time (e.g., 6 months), then I may be able to reduce my risk for developing cancer by half or more.”

Annotating and organizing references.

Once you have finished reading your sources and written down what you learned, it is time to organize them. This is not as easy as it sounds because there are many different ways of organizing references. The first step is to decide how you will annotate your references. Annotations can include:

• The author’s name and title (if applicable)

• The name of the journal or book that contains the article

• The date that the article was published in print or online (if applicable)

Writing clearly and concisely.

You’ve likely heard the phrase “write like you would speak.” This is a good rule of thumb to follow when writing. When you write, think about how your reader would interpret what they read. If it’s not clear, ask yourself: “Is this sentence understandable?”

It’s also important to avoid jargon and overdone words or phrases. Words that are commonly used in academic writing can be replaced with simpler alternatives (e.g., instead of “theory,” say “theory”). Additionally, try using examples from real-world situations when possible—these help illustrate your point better than abstractions do! Also avoid using passive voice because it makes for duller prose; instead use active voice by saying something like: “The research showed…”

Takeaway:

• Make sure you have a clear and concise thesis statement.

• Make sure your ideas are organized.

• Make sure you have a strong introduction that introduces the reader to the topic and provides context for it (elements such as scope, purpose, audience).

• This section should also include a literature review of relevant sources that discuss related topics; this will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of these areas when asked questions about them during oral exams or peer review processes (if applicable). The literature review may be further subdivided into sections based on the type of research being conducted: experimental vs nonexperimental studies; qualitative vs quantitative studies; etcetera…

Conclusion

I hope this article has given you a helpful guide to completing your dissertation. I also hope that it has helped you understand some of the issues involved in writing such a document, and how to work through them. Remember that even if something seems straightforward at first, it may not be until after you have spent hours on end working on your dissertation and looking for answers that those questions seem to disappear altogether! This is just one of the many things about doing research that makes it exciting but also challenging at times