dissertation dr

How To Write A Dissertation Or Thesis

8 straightforward steps to craft an a-grade dissertation.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Expert Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2020

Writing a dissertation or thesis is not a simple task. It takes time, energy and a lot of will power to get you across the finish line. It’s not easy – but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a painful process. If you understand the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis, your research journey will be a lot smoother.  

In this post, I’m going to outline the big-picture process of how to write a high-quality dissertation or thesis, without losing your mind along the way. If you’re just starting your research, this post is perfect for you. Alternatively, if you’ve already submitted your proposal, this article which covers how to structure a dissertation might be more helpful.

How To Write A Dissertation: 8 Steps

• Clearly understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is
• Find a unique and valuable research topic
• Craft a convincing research proposal
• Write up a strong introduction chapter
• Review the existing literature and compile a literature review
• Design a rigorous research strategy and undertake your own research
• Present the findings of your research
• Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Step 1: Understand exactly what a dissertation is

This probably sounds like a no-brainer, but all too often, students come to us for help with their research and the underlying issue is that they don’t fully understand what a dissertation (or thesis) actually is.

So, what is a dissertation?

At its simplest, a dissertation or thesis is a formal piece of research , reflecting the standard research process . But what is the standard research process, you ask? The research process involves 4 key steps:

• Ask a very specific, well-articulated question (s) (your research topic)
• See what other researchers have said about it (if they’ve already answered it)
• If they haven’t answered it adequately, undertake your own data collection and analysis in a scientifically rigorous fashion
• Answer your original question(s), based on your analysis findings

In short, the research process is simply about asking and answering questions in a systematic fashion . This probably sounds pretty obvious, but people often think they’ve done “research”, when in fact what they have done is:

• Started with a vague, poorly articulated question
• Not taken the time to see what research has already been done regarding the question
• Collected data and opinions that support their gut and undertaken a flimsy analysis
• Drawn a shaky conclusion, based on that analysis

If you want to see the perfect example of this in action, look out for the next Facebook post where someone claims they’ve done “research”… All too often, people consider reading a few blog posts to constitute research. Its no surprise then that what they end up with is an opinion piece, not research. Okay, okay – I’ll climb off my soapbox now.

The key takeaway here is that a dissertation (or thesis) is a formal piece of research, reflecting the research process. It’s not an opinion piece , nor a place to push your agenda or try to convince someone of your position. Writing a good dissertation involves asking a question and taking a systematic, rigorous approach to answering it.

If you understand this and are comfortable leaving your opinions or preconceived ideas at the door, you’re already off to a good start!

Step 2: Find a unique, valuable research topic

As we saw, the first step of the research process is to ask a specific, well-articulated question. In other words, you need to find a research topic that asks a specific question or set of questions (these are called research questions ). Sounds easy enough, right? All you’ve got to do is identify a question or two and you’ve got a winning research topic. Well, not quite…

A good dissertation or thesis topic has a few important attributes. Specifically, a solid research topic should be:

Let’s take a closer look at these:

Attribute #1: Clear

Your research topic needs to be crystal clear about what you’re planning to research, what you want to know, and within what context. There shouldn’t be any ambiguity or vagueness about what you’ll research.

Here’s an example of a clearly articulated research topic:

An analysis of consumer-based factors influencing organisational trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms.

As you can see in the example, its crystal clear what will be analysed (factors impacting organisational trust), amongst who (consumers) and in what context (British low-cost equity brokerage firms, based online).

Need a helping hand?

Attribute #2:   Unique

Your research should be asking a question(s) that hasn’t been asked before, or that hasn’t been asked in a specific context (for example, in a specific country or industry).

For example, sticking organisational trust topic above, it’s quite likely that organisational trust factors in the UK have been investigated before, but the context (online low-cost equity brokerages) could make this research unique. Therefore, the context makes this research original.

One caveat when using context as the basis for originality – you need to have a good reason to suspect that your findings in this context might be different from the existing research – otherwise, there’s no reason to warrant researching it.

Attribute #3: Important

Simply asking a unique or original question is not enough – the question needs to create value. In other words, successfully answering your research questions should provide some value to the field of research or the industry. You can’t research something just to satisfy your curiosity. It needs to make some form of contribution either to research or industry.

For example, researching the factors influencing consumer trust would create value by enabling businesses to tailor their operations and marketing to leverage factors that promote trust. In other words, it would have a clear benefit to industry.

So, how do you go about finding a unique and valuable research topic? We explain that in detail in this video post – How To Find A Research Topic . Yeah, we’ve got you covered 😊

Step 3: Write a convincing research proposal

Once you’ve pinned down a high-quality research topic, the next step is to convince your university to let you research it. No matter how awesome you think your topic is, it still needs to get the rubber stamp before you can move forward with your research. The research proposal is the tool you’ll use for this job.

So, what’s in a research proposal?

The main “job” of a research proposal is to convince your university, advisor or committee that your research topic is worthy of approval. But convince them of what? Well, this varies from university to university, but generally, they want to see that:

• You have a clearly articulated, unique and important topic (this might sound familiar…)
• You’ve done some initial reading of the existing literature relevant to your topic (i.e. a literature review)
• You have a provisional plan in terms of how you will collect data and analyse it (i.e. a methodology)

At the proposal stage, it’s (generally) not expected that you’ve extensively reviewed the existing literature , but you will need to show that you’ve done enough reading to identify a clear gap for original (unique) research. Similarly, they generally don’t expect that you have a rock-solid research methodology mapped out, but you should have an idea of whether you’ll be undertaking qualitative or quantitative analysis , and how you’ll collect your data (we’ll discuss this in more detail later).

Long story short – don’t stress about having every detail of your research meticulously thought out at the proposal stage – this will develop as you progress through your research. However, you do need to show that you’ve “done your homework” and that your research is worthy of approval .

So, how do you go about crafting a high-quality, convincing proposal? We cover that in detail in this video post – How To Write A Top-Class Research Proposal . We’ve also got a video walkthrough of two proposal examples here .

Step 4: Craft a strong introduction chapter

Once your proposal’s been approved, its time to get writing your actual dissertation or thesis! The good news is that if you put the time into crafting a high-quality proposal, you’ve already got a head start on your first three chapters – introduction, literature review and methodology – as you can use your proposal as the basis for these.

Handy sidenote – our free dissertation & thesis template is a great way to speed up your dissertation writing journey.

What’s the introduction chapter all about?

The purpose of the introduction chapter is to set the scene for your research (dare I say, to introduce it…) so that the reader understands what you’ll be researching and why it’s important. In other words, it covers the same ground as the research proposal in that it justifies your research topic.

What goes into the introduction chapter?

This can vary slightly between universities and degrees, but generally, the introduction chapter will include the following:

• A brief background to the study, explaining the overall area of research
• A problem statement , explaining what the problem is with the current state of research (in other words, where the knowledge gap exists)
• Your research questions – in other words, the specific questions your study will seek to answer (based on the knowledge gap)
• The significance of your study – in other words, why it’s important and how its findings will be useful in the world

As you can see, this all about explaining the “what” and the “why” of your research (as opposed to the “how”). So, your introduction chapter is basically the salesman of your study, “selling” your research to the first-time reader and (hopefully) getting them interested to read more.

How do I write the introduction chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this post .

Step 5: Undertake an in-depth literature review

As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need to do some initial review of the literature in Steps 2 and 3 to find your research gap and craft a convincing research proposal – but that’s just scratching the surface. Once you reach the literature review stage of your dissertation or thesis, you need to dig a lot deeper into the existing research and write up a comprehensive literature review chapter.

What’s the literature review all about?

There are two main stages in the literature review process:

Literature Review Step 1: Reading up

The first stage is for you to deep dive into the existing literature (journal articles, textbook chapters, industry reports, etc) to gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of research regarding your topic. While you don’t need to read every single article, you do need to ensure that you cover all literature that is related to your core research questions, and create a comprehensive catalogue of that literature , which you’ll use in the next step.

Reading and digesting all the relevant literature is a time consuming and intellectually demanding process. Many students underestimate just how much work goes into this step, so make sure that you allocate a good amount of time for this when planning out your research. Thankfully, there are ways to fast track the process – be sure to check out this article covering how to read journal articles quickly .

Literature Review Step 2: Writing up

Once you’ve worked through the literature and digested it all, you’ll need to write up your literature review chapter. Many students make the mistake of thinking that the literature review chapter is simply a summary of what other researchers have said. While this is partly true, a literature review is much more than just a summary. To pull off a good literature review chapter, you’ll need to achieve at least 3 things:

• You need to synthesise the existing research , not just summarise it. In other words, you need to show how different pieces of theory fit together, what’s agreed on by researchers, what’s not.
• You need to highlight a research gap that your research is going to fill. In other words, you’ve got to outline the problem so that your research topic can provide a solution.
• You need to use the existing research to inform your methodology and approach to your own research design. For example, you might use questions or Likert scales from previous studies in your your own survey design .

As you can see, a good literature review is more than just a summary of the published research. It’s the foundation on which your own research is built, so it deserves a lot of love and attention. Take the time to craft a comprehensive literature review with a suitable structure .

But, how do I actually write the literature review chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this video post .

Step 6: Carry out your own research

Once you’ve completed your literature review and have a sound understanding of the existing research, its time to develop your own research (finally!). You’ll design this research specifically so that you can find the answers to your unique research question.

There are two steps here – designing your research strategy and executing on it:

1 – Design your research strategy

The first step is to design your research strategy and craft a methodology chapter . I won’t get into the technicalities of the methodology chapter here, but in simple terms, this chapter is about explaining the “how” of your research. If you recall, the introduction and literature review chapters discussed the “what” and the “why”, so it makes sense that the next point to cover is the “how” –that’s what the methodology chapter is all about.

In this section, you’ll need to make firm decisions about your research design. This includes things like:

• Your research philosophy (e.g. positivism or interpretivism )
• Your overall methodology (e.g. qualitative , quantitative or mixed methods)
• Your data collection strategy (e.g. interviews , focus groups, surveys)
• Your data analysis strategy (e.g. content analysis , correlation analysis, regression)

If these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these in plain language in other posts. It’s not essential that you understand the intricacies of research design (yet!). The key takeaway here is that you’ll need to make decisions about how you’ll design your own research, and you’ll need to describe (and justify) your decisions in your methodology chapter.

2 – Execute: Collect and analyse your data

Once you’ve worked out your research design, you’ll put it into action and start collecting your data. This might mean undertaking interviews, hosting an online survey or any other data collection method. Data collection can take quite a bit of time (especially if you host in-person interviews), so be sure to factor sufficient time into your project plan for this. Oftentimes, things don’t go 100% to plan (for example, you don’t get as many survey responses as you hoped for), so bake a little extra time into your budget here.

Once you’ve collected your data, you’ll need to do some data preparation before you can sink your teeth into the analysis. For example:

• If you carry out interviews or focus groups, you’ll need to transcribe your audio data to text (i.e. a Word document).
• If you collect quantitative survey data, you’ll need to clean up your data and get it into the right format for whichever analysis software you use (for example, SPSS, R or STATA).

Once you’ve completed your data prep, you’ll undertake your analysis, using the techniques that you described in your methodology. Depending on what you find in your analysis, you might also do some additional forms of analysis that you hadn’t planned for. For example, you might see something in the data that raises new questions or that requires clarification with further analysis.

The type(s) of analysis that you’ll use depend entirely on the nature of your research and your research questions. For example:

• If your research if exploratory in nature, you’ll often use qualitative analysis techniques .
• If your research is confirmatory in nature, you’ll often use quantitative analysis techniques
• If your research involves a mix of both, you might use a mixed methods approach

Again, if these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these concepts and techniques in other posts. The key takeaway is simply that there’s no “one size fits all” for research design and methodology – it all depends on your topic, your research questions and your data. So, don’t be surprised if your study colleagues take a completely different approach to yours.

Step 7: Present your findings

Once you’ve completed your analysis, it’s time to present your findings (finally!). In a dissertation or thesis, you’ll typically present your findings in two chapters – the results chapter and the discussion chapter .

What’s the difference between the results chapter and the discussion chapter?

While these two chapters are similar, the results chapter generally just presents the processed data neatly and clearly without interpretation, while the discussion chapter explains the story the data are telling  – in other words, it provides your interpretation of the results.

For example, if you were researching the factors that influence consumer trust, you might have used a quantitative approach to identify the relationship between potential factors (e.g. perceived integrity and competence of the organisation) and consumer trust. In this case:

• Your results chapter would just present the results of the statistical tests. For example, correlation results or differences between groups. In other words, the processed numbers.
• Your discussion chapter would explain what the numbers mean in relation to your research question(s). For example, Factor 1 has a weak relationship with consumer trust, while Factor 2 has a strong relationship.

Depending on the university and degree, these two chapters (results and discussion) are sometimes merged into one , so be sure to check with your institution what their preference is. Regardless of the chapter structure, this section is about presenting the findings of your research in a clear, easy to understand fashion.

Importantly, your discussion here needs to link back to your research questions (which you outlined in the introduction or literature review chapter). In other words, it needs to answer the key questions you asked (or at least attempt to answer them).

For example, if we look at the sample research topic:

In this case, the discussion section would clearly outline which factors seem to have a noteworthy influence on organisational trust. By doing so, they are answering the overarching question and fulfilling the purpose of the research .

For more information about the results chapter , check out this post for qualitative studies and this post for quantitative studies .

Step 8: The Final Step Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Last but not least, you’ll need to wrap up your research with the conclusion chapter . In this chapter, you’ll bring your research full circle by highlighting the key findings of your study and explaining what the implications of these findings are.

What exactly are key findings? The key findings are those findings which directly relate to your original research questions and overall research objectives (which you discussed in your introduction chapter). The implications, on the other hand, explain what your findings mean for industry, or for research in your area.

Sticking with the consumer trust topic example, the conclusion might look something like this:

Key findings

This study set out to identify which factors influence consumer-based trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms. The results suggest that the following factors have a large impact on consumer trust:

While the following factors have a very limited impact on consumer trust:

Notably, within the 25-30 age groups, Factors E had a noticeably larger impact, which may be explained by…

Implications

The findings having noteworthy implications for British low-cost online equity brokers. Specifically:

The large impact of Factors X and Y implies that brokers need to consider….

The limited impact of Factor E implies that brokers need to…

As you can see, the conclusion chapter is basically explaining the “what” (what your study found) and the “so what?” (what the findings mean for the industry or research). This brings the study full circle and closes off the document.

Let’s recap – how to write a dissertation or thesis

You’re still with me? Impressive! I know that this post was a long one, but hopefully you’ve learnt a thing or two about how to write a dissertation or thesis, and are now better equipped to start your own research.

To recap, the 8 steps to writing a quality dissertation (or thesis) are as follows:

• Understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is – a research project that follows the research process.
• Find a unique (original) and important research topic
• Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal
• Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter
• Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review
• Undertake your own research
• Present and interpret your findings

Once you’ve wrapped up the core chapters, all that’s typically left is the abstract , reference list and appendices. As always, be sure to check with your university if they have any additional requirements in terms of structure or content.  

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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20 Comments

thankfull >>>this is very useful

Thank you, it was really helpful

unquestionably, this amazing simplified way of teaching. Really , I couldn’t find in the literature words that fully explicit my great thanks to you. However, I could only say thanks a-lot.

Great to hear that – thanks for the feedback. Good luck writing your dissertation/thesis.

This is the most comprehensive explanation of how to write a dissertation. Many thanks for sharing it free of charge.

Very rich presentation. Thank you

Thanks Derek Jansen|GRADCOACH, I find it very useful guide to arrange my activities and proceed to research!

Thank you so much for such a marvelous teaching .I am so convinced that am going to write a comprehensive and a distinct masters dissertation

It is an amazing comprehensive explanation

This was straightforward. Thank you!

I can say that your explanations are simple and enlightening – understanding what you have done here is easy for me. Could you write more about the different types of research methods specific to the three methodologies: quan, qual and MM. I look forward to interacting with this website more in the future.

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions 🙂

Hello, your write ups is quite educative. However, l have challenges in going about my research questions which is below; *Building the enablers of organisational growth through effective governance and purposeful leadership.*

Very educating.

Just listening to the name of the dissertation makes the student nervous. As writing a top-quality dissertation is a difficult task as it is a lengthy topic, requires a lot of research and understanding and is usually around 10,000 to 15000 words. Sometimes due to studies, unbalanced workload or lack of research and writing skill students look for dissertation submission from professional writers.

Thank you 💕😊 very much. I was confused but your comprehensive explanation has cleared my doubts of ever presenting a good thesis. Thank you.

thank you so much, that was so useful

Hi. Where is the excel spread sheet ark?

could you please help me look at your thesis paper to enable me to do the portion that has to do with the specification

my topic is “the impact of domestic revenue mobilization.

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Doctoral Theses

Academic Commons holds the full text of doctoral theses written since 2011 at Columbia and of theses written for a Doctorate of Education at Teachers College since mid 2018. A selection of dissertations from Union Theological Seminary, and from Columbia before 2011, are also available. You can start exploring theses by selecting one of the doctoral programs below.

• Anthropology (125)
• Anthropology and Education (26)
• Applied Anthropology (27)
• Applied Behavior Analysis (79)
• Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics (131)
• Architecture (36)
• Art History and Archaeology (182)
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• Biomedical Informatics (58)
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• Business (208)
• Cellular Physiology and Biophysics (20)
• Cellular, Molecular and Biomedical Studies (190)
• Cellular, Molecular, Structural, and Genetic Studies (12)
• Chemical Engineering (117)
• Chemical Physics (35)
• Chemistry (269)
• Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics (119)
• Classical Studies (16)
• Classics (32)
• Clinical Psychology (78)
• Cognitive Studies in Education (92)
• Communication, Media, and Learning Technologies Design (2)
• Communications (44)
• Comparative and International Education (45)
• Computer Science (252)
• Counseling Psychology (65)
• Counseling and Clinical Psychology (4)
• Curriculum and Teaching (89)
• Developmental Psychology (14)
• Earth and Environmental Engineering (89)
• Earth and Environmental Sciences (186)
• East Asian Languages and Cultures (110)
• Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology (65)
• Economics (285)
• Economics and Education (71)
• Education Leadership (17)
• Education Policy (16)
• Electrical Engineering (275)
• English Education (76)
• English and Comparative Literature (181)
• Environmental Health Sciences (47)
• Epidemiology (131)
• French and Romance Philology (50)
• Genetics and Development (66)
• Geological Sciences (1)
• Geology (1)
• Germanic Languages (45)
• Health and Behavior Studies (115)
• History (264)
• History and Education (12)
• Human Development (8)
• Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (131)
• Intellectual Disabilities-Autism (13)
• Interdisciplinary Studies in Education (26)
• International and Transcultural Studies (8)
• Italian (44)
• Kinesiology (14)
• Latin American and Iberian Cultures (58)
• Materials Science and Engineering (34)
• Mathematics (142)
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• Measurement and Evaluation (37)
• Mechanical Engineering (151)
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• Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies (73)
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• Neuroscience (4)
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• Philosophy (78)
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• Physical Disabilities (13)
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• Politics and Education (25)
• Population and Family Health (21)
• Psychology (149)
• Pure Science (1)
• Religion (69)
• School Psychology (51)
• Science Education (68)
• Slavic Languages (26)
• Slavic Languages and Literatures (19)
• Social Work (180)
• Social-Organizational Psychology (42)
• Sociology (94)
• Sociology and Education (19)
• Sociomedical Sciences (77)
• Speech and Language Pathology (28)
• Statistics (103)
• Sustainable Development (60)
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Defending Your Dissertation: A Guide

Written by Luke Wink-Moran | Photo by insta_photos

Dissertation defenses are daunting, and no wonder; it’s not a “dissertation discussion,” or a “dissertation dialogue.” The name alone implies that the dissertation you’ve spent the last x number of years working on is subject to attack. And if you don’t feel trepidation for semantic reasons, you might be nervous because you don’t know what to expect. Our imaginations are great at making The Unknown scarier than reality. The good news is that you’ll find in this newsletter article experts who can shed light on what dissertations defenses are really like, and what you can do to prepare for them.

The first thing you should know is that your defense has already begun. It started the minute you began working on your dissertation— maybe even in some of the classes you took beforehand that helped you formulate your ideas. This, according to Dr. Celeste Atkins, is why it’s so important to identify a good mentor early in graduate school.

“To me,” noted Dr. Atkins, who wrote her dissertation on how sociology faculty from traditionally marginalized backgrounds teach about privilege and inequality, “the most important part of the doctoral journey was finding an advisor who understood and supported what I wanted from my education and who was willing to challenge me and push me, while not delaying me.  I would encourage future PhDs to really take the time to get to know the faculty before choosing an advisor and to make sure that the members of their committee work well together.”

Your advisor will be the one who helps you refine arguments and strengthen your work so that by the time it reaches your dissertation committee, it’s ready. Next comes the writing process, which many students have said was the hardest part of their PhD. I’ve included this section on the writing process because this is where you’ll create all the material you’ll present during your defense, so it’s important to navigate it successfully. The writing process is intellectually grueling, it eats time and energy, and it’s where many students find themselves paddling frantically to avoid languishing in the “All-But-Dissertation” doldrums. The writing process is also likely to encroach on other parts of your life. For instance, Dr. Cynthia Trejo wrote her dissertation on college preparation for Latin American students while caring for a twelve-year-old, two adult children, and her aging parents—in the middle of a pandemic. When I asked Dr. Trejo how she did this, she replied:

“I don’t take the privilege of education for granted. My son knew I got up at 4:00 a.m. every morning, even on weekends, even on holidays; and it’s a blessing that he’s seen that work ethic and that dedication and the end result.”

Importantly, Dr. Trejo also exercised regularly and joined several online writing groups at UArizona. She mobilized her support network— her partner, parents, and even friends from high school to help care for her son.

The challenges you face during the writing process can vary by discipline. Jessika Iwanski is an MD/PhD student who in 2022 defended her dissertation on genetic mutations in sarcomeric proteins that lead to severe, neonatal dilated cardiomyopathy. She described her writing experience as “an intricate process of balancing many things at once with a deadline (defense day) that seems to be creeping up faster and faster— finishing up experiments, drafting the dissertation, preparing your presentation, filling out all the necessary documents for your defense and also, for MD/PhD students, beginning to reintegrate into the clinical world (reviewing your clinical knowledge and skill sets)!”

But no matter what your unique challenges are, writing a dissertation can take a toll on your mental health. Almost every student I spoke with said they saw a therapist and found their sessions enormously helpful. They also looked to the people in their lives for support. Dr. Betsy Labiner, who wrote her dissertation on Interiority, Truth, and Violence in Early Modern Drama, recommended, “Keep your loved ones close! This is so hard – the dissertation lends itself to isolation, especially in the final stages. Plus, a huge number of your family and friends simply won’t understand what you’re going through. But they love you and want to help and are great for getting you out of your head and into a space where you can enjoy life even when you feel like your dissertation is a flaming heap of trash.”

While you might sometimes feel like your dissertation is a flaming heap of trash, remember: a) no it’s not, you brilliant scholar, and b) the best dissertations aren’t necessarily perfect dissertations. According to Dr. Trejo, “The best dissertation is a done dissertation.” So don’t get hung up on perfecting every detail of your work. Think of your dissertation as a long-form assignment that you need to finish in order to move onto the next stage of your career. Many students continue revising after graduation and submit their work for publication or other professional objectives.

When you do finish writing your dissertation, it’s time to schedule your defense and invite friends and family to the part of the exam that’s open to the public. When that moment comes, how do you prepare to present your work and field questions about it?

“I reread my dissertation in full in one sitting,” said Dr. Labiner. “During all my time writing it, I’d never read more than one complete chapter at a time! It was a huge confidence boost to read my work in full and realize that I had produced a compelling, engaging, original argument.”

There are many other ways to prepare: create presentation slides and practice presenting them to friends or alone; think of questions you might be asked and answer them; think about what you want to wear or where you might want to sit (if you’re presenting on Zoom) that might give you a confidence boost. Iwanksi practiced presenting with her mentor and reviewed current papers to anticipate what questions her committee might ask.  If you want to really get in the zone, you can emulate Dr. Labiner and do a full dress rehearsal on Zoom the day before your defense.

But no matter what you do, you’ll still be nervous:

“I had a sense of the logistics, the timing, and so on, but I didn’t really have clear expectations outside of the structure. It was a sort of nebulous three hours in which I expected to be nauseatingly terrified,” recalled Dr. Labiner.

“I expected it to be terrifying, with lots of difficult questions and constructive criticism/comments given,” agreed Iwanski.

“I expected it to be very scary,” said Dr. Trejo.

“I expected it to be like I was on trial, and I’d have to defend myself and prove I deserved a PhD,” said Dr Atkins.

And, eventually, inexorably, it will be time to present.  

“It was actually very enjoyable” said Iwanski. “It was more of a celebration of years of work put into this project—not only by me but by my mentor, colleagues, lab members and collaborators! I felt very supported by all my committee members and, rather than it being a rapid fire of questions, it was more of a scientific discussion amongst colleagues who are passionate about heart disease and muscle biology.”

“I was anxious right when I logged on to the Zoom call for it,” said Dr. Labiner, “but I was blown away by the number of family and friends that showed up to support me. I had invited a lot of people who I didn’t at all think would come, but every single person I invited was there! Having about 40 guests – many of them joining from different states and several from different countries! – made me feel so loved and celebrated that my nerves were steadied very quickly. It also helped me go into ‘teaching mode’ about my work, so it felt like getting to lead a seminar on my most favorite literature.”

“In reality, my dissertation defense was similar to presenting at an academic conference,” said Dr. Atkins. “I went over my research in a practiced and organized way, and I fielded questions from the audience.

“It was a celebration and an important benchmark for me,” said Dr. Trejo. “It was a pretty happy day. Like the punctuation at the end of your sentence: this sentence is done; this journey is done. You can start the next sentence.”

If you want to learn more about dissertations in your own discipline, don’t hesitate to reach out to graduates from your program and ask them about their experiences. If you’d like to avail yourself of some of the resources that helped students in this article while they wrote and defended their dissertations, check out these links:

The Graduate Writing Lab

https://thinktank.arizona.edu/writing-center/graduate-writing-lab

The Writing Skills Improvement Program

https://wsip.arizona.edu

Campus Health Counseling and Psych Services

https://caps.arizona.edu

https://www.scribbr.com/

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Resources to Find Dissertations: Home

Description.

This page provides links to databases and websites to find dissertations. This includes links to general databases to find dissertations, databases focused on the humanities, foreign dissertations, dissertations on religion, and dissertations hosted by other universities.

General Databases

Humanities dissertations, foreign dissertations, religion dissertations, dissertations of universities, yale divinity library.

Science Dissertations

• Last Updated: Aug 22, 2023 5:35 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.yale.edu/dissertations

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ASU Dissertations and Theses

• Introduction
• How to Get a Copy
• Doctoral Dissertations

Dissertations: Introduction

Dissertations: fall 2011 to the present, dissertations: 1999 - spring 2011, dissertations: 1973-1998, dissertations: 1954-1972, dissertations: 1938-1953.

• Masters Theses
• Honors Theses

At ASU, doctoral-level programs require a dissertation. "Dissertation" is the preferred term at the doctoral level as "thesis" is generally used to describe the document produced in Undergraduate Honors and Masters programs. 

The availability, location, and format of dissertations depend on the time period in which the student completed the doctoral degree:

• 2011 to the present
• 1938-1953 

The Graduate College requires doctoral students to submit an electronic copy of their dissertations to ProQuest; ProQuest waits for approval from the Graduate College before the dissertations are released into the ProQuest databases. ProQuest sends a digital copy of the bibliographic information and full text of these documents to the ASU Library for inclusion in several different databases.    

Note: Not all dissertations are available soon after graduation. The ASU Graduate College currently allows students to request an embargo of up to 2 years before their dissertation is made public; students may choose this option to protect their intellectual property rights or to preserve commercial publication opportunities among other issues. The full text of an embargoed dissertation will not be available for viewing in the following databases until the embargo period has ended.   The dissertations from this time period are available as follows:

• ASU Digitial Repository: ASU Electronic Dissertations and Theses Collection Has the full text of the dissertations, except for cases where the dissertation is within a requested embargo period; the full text is in PDF and is available for all to view, print, and/or download.   
• ASU faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students may access these databases from both on- and off-campus
• ASU Alumni and community members who live in the Phoenix area may access these databases from within an ASU Library; ProQuest does not permit us to offer off-campus access to alumni and community members.
• Alumni and individuals outside of the Phoenix area should check with their local libraries, particularly libraries at publicly funded colleges and universities, for the availability of the "ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) database.      
• ASU Library's Catalog Contains a bibliographic record for the dissertations and each record has a link to the full text in the ASU Digital Repository.    
• The ASU Library does not retain or accept print copies of dissertations available in the ASU Digital Repository.    

The Graduate College required doctoral students to submit two printed copies of their dissertation to the ASU Library, one printed copy to their academic unit, and an electronic copy to ProQuest.    

The dissertations from this time period are available as follows:

• ASU Digitial Repository: ASU Electronic Dissertations and Theses Collections Only the limited number of 2010/2011 dissertations selected for the electronic submission trial are available in full text (PDF); full text for 1999-2009 is not available.  
• Alumni and individuals outside of the Phoenix area should check with their local libraries, particularly libraries at publicly funded colleges and universities, for the availability of the "ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) database.  
• The first copy, aka the archival copy, is kept in storage and the user must contact the Wurzburger Reading Room (480-965-4932 or [email protected] ) in advance to set an appointment to view a dissertation. The copy may only be viewed in the Reading Room in Hayden Library and is not available for checkout or interlibrary loan.   
• The second copy, aka the circulating copy, is kept in the Library's high-density storage and may be checked out or loaned to other libraries.  Note: not every dissertation has a second copy and some of these copies may be shelved in libraries other than Hayden; see the catalog record for availability.  ASU dissertations are given the call number: LD179.15 [year] d [cuttered by author]

The Graduate College required doctoral students to submit two printed copies of their dissertation to the ASU Library, one printed copy to their academic unit and an electronic copy to UMI (predecessor to ProQuest).

The dissertations from this time period are available as follows: 

• ASU Alumni and community members who live in the Phoenix area may access these databases from within an ASU Library; ProQuest does not permit us to offer off-campus access to alumni and community members
• ASU Alumni and individuals outside of the Phoenix area should check with their local libraries, particularly libraries at publicly funded colleges and universities, for the availability of the "ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) database.  
• The first copy, aka the archival copy, is kept in storage and the user must contact the Wurzburger Reading Room (480-965-4932 or [email protected] ) in advance to set an appointment to view a dissertation. The copy may only be viewed in the Reading Room in Hayden Library and is not available for checkout or interlibrary loan.  
• The second copy, aka the circulating copy, is kept in the high-density collection and must be retrieved in advance of a visit. These copies may be checked out or used for interlibrary loan. Some dissertations during this time do not have a second copy. ASU dissertations are given call number:  LD179.15 [year] d [cuttered by author]
• The second copy, aka the circulating copy, is kept in the Library's high-density storage and must be retrieved in advance of a visit. These second copies may be checked out or used for interlibrary loan. Some dissertations during this time do not have a second copy.  ASU dissertations are given call number:  LD179.15 [year] d [cuttered by author]

The dissertations from this time period are only available in print: 

• The first copy, aka the archival copy, is kept in storage and the user must contact the Wurzburger Reading Room (480-965-4932 or [email protected] ) in advance to set an appointment to view a dissertation. The copy may only be viewed in the Reading Room in Hayden Library and cannot be checked out nor loaned to another library.   
• The second copy, aka the circulating copy, is kept in the Library's high-density storage and needs to be retrieved from the collection in advance of a visit. These copies may be checked out or used for interlibrary loan. Some dissertations during this time do not have a second copy.  ASU dissertations are given call number:  LD179.15 [year] d [cuttered by author]
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• Last updated: Jan 2, 2024 8:27 AM
• URL: https://libguides.asu.edu/asudissertations

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Dissertation Essentials

• Welcome to Dissertation Essentials

DSE Guides & Templates

Dissertation rubrics, preparing for your cmp course, academic success center services, library dissertation toolbox series, other resources, dissertation essentials webinars.

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• Doctoral Record
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Jump to DSE Guide

Need help ask us.

The Dissertation Essentials area houses guides, manuals, and templates to assist you in your doctoral journey.  There is also a section specifically for rubrics for each of the chapters as well as the proposal and manuscript.  Along with these items, there are additional resources provided for the ASC, Library, technology, accessing published dissertations, and even some school specific resources.

• DSE Manual (Previously Handbook) Use this guide throughout the dissertation process to support you in understanding the courses, deliverables, and expectations of students and the dissertation committee.
• Dissertation Proposal/Manuscript Template You will use this templates to write all chapters of the dissertation.
• PhD-DS Dissertation Proposal/Manuscript Template Students in the PhD Data Science program will use this template to write all chapters of the dissertation.
• DSE Dissertation Revision Timeline Use this template to create a timeline for deliverable revisions in the dissertation.
• SOBE Best Practice Guide for Qualitative Research and Design Methods
• SOBE Best Practice Guide in Quantitative Research and Design Methods

If you are working on your CMP course, your course will provide information on how to format your prospectus/portfolio.

• DSE Chapter 1 Rubric Use this rubric to guide you when writing Chapter 1 of your dissertation.
• DSE Chapter 2 Rubric Use this rubric to guide you when writing Chapter 2 of your dissertation.
• DSE Chapter 3 Rubric Use this rubric to guide you when writing Chapter 3 of your dissertation.
• DSE Dissertation Proposal Rubric Use this rubric to guide you when combining Chapters 1-3 into the Dissertation Proposal.
• DSE Chapter 4 Rubric Use this rubric to guide you when writing Chapter 4 of your dissertation.
• DSE Chapter 5 Rubric Use this rubric to guide you when writing Chapter 5 of your dissertation.
• DSE Dissertation Manuscript Rubric Use this rubric to guide you when combing all five of your dissertation chapters to produce your Dissertation Manuscript.

Not yet at the Dissertation phase?  Getting ready for your CMP course?  Check out the CMP Course Frequently Asked Questions document below:

• CMP Course Frequently Asked Questions

Library Dissertation Toolbox Workshop Series

The  Library Dissertation Toolbox Workshop Series  consists of engaging, skill-building workshops designed specifically for doctoral students. Students will learn how to effectively locate, evaluate, and use information relating to their dissertation research topics. Each toolbox session features a new research focus- sign up for the entire series, or just those that most appeal to you:

• Research Process Guide by NU Library Outlines important steps in the research process and covers topics such as evaluating information.
• Managing and Writing the Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation Dr. Linda Bloomberg's newest edition Completing Your Qualitative Dissertation: A Road Map From Beginning to End is out now. This resource includes an interview between Methodspace and Dr. Bloomberg.

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• Last Updated: Apr 25, 2024 12:27 PM
• URL: https://resources.nu.edu/c.php?g=1005138

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Dissertations & Theses/Capstones

• Find Dissertations & Theses

Dissertation, Thesis and Capstone Databases

Cite this library guide.

• Dissertation Research
• Requesting Dissertations through Interlibrary Loan

We are here to help you!

WilmU Librarians are available to help you with your research needs. Library instruction and research consultations are available by Zoom web conference, in person and by phone. You can Chat with one of the library staff or send an email for a quick question. If you have a more in-depth research need, please complete the consultation request form linked below.

• Student Consultation Request Students can request a one on one consultation for in depth research assistance.
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Wilmington University Dissertation, Theses and Capstone Databases

• Wilmington University Institutional Repository - Dissertation Collection This link opens in a new window Browse through Wilmington University's most recently digitized dissertations.
• Wilmington University Capstones & Theses Repository This link opens in a new window Browse through Wilmington University's capstone projects.

Wilmington University Library. (2020, July). Dissertations & Theses. https://libguides.wilmu.edu/dissertations

APA 7th edition. Always verify your formatting and punctuation.

[Revised by M. Jones: July, 2024]

What is a dissertation?

A dissertation is a book-length thesis or treatise prepared as a requirement for the award of a doctoral degree (Ed.D., D.B.A., D.N.P., Ph.D.)

What is a thesis?

A thesis is book-length essay or treatise prepared as a requirement for the award of a master's degree.

Why use these for my research?

Dissertations can be especially useful for locating recent research that may not yet be published in book or article format. Revised dissertations are often published later as books or scholarly articles; to find these, try searching for other works written by the same author.

• Next: Dissertation Research >>
• Last Updated: Apr 29, 2024 8:59 AM
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Education: Full-text Dissertations

• Handbooks, Encyclopedias, Dictionaries
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Dissertations - National

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global‎: Full Collection Citations to dissertations and some theses from 1861 to present. Most records are from the U.S. Fulltext for most dissertations added since 1997 and some coverage for older graduate works. Also includes PQDT UK & Ireland abstracted content. Some full-text PDFs for dissertations from select UK institutions are being added.

Penn Dissertations

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global: University of Pennsylvania subfile A subset of the ProQuest Dissertations covering Penn dissertations only. Citations from 1899 forward and fulltext from 1997 to the present. Selected full-text available prior to 1997. Search for advisor, author, or keywords. A search of the program name may pick up some dissertations for specific programs as this information may be on the cover page.
• Publicly Accessible Dissertations from University of Pennsylvania Starting in December 2015, Penn requires dissertations to be publicly available. These are hosted on the ScholarlyCommons website.

PennGSE Dissertations

Publically Accessible GSE Dissertations in ScholarlyCommons@Penn (2010-present)

GSE Dissertations in ScholarlyCommons@Penn (2008 and before) - Only accessible on campus

• GSE Dissertation records in the Franklin Catalog - Recent dissertations are available online, with a single print copy in the library collections. Older dissertations are represented by two print copies, as well as a microfilm copy. Print dissertations may circulate outside the Library. Search by author, title, or the subject heading: Penn dissertations--Education.
• PennCLO Dissertation records in the Franklin Catalog - Dissertations have the subject heading: Penn dissertations -- Chief Learning Officer Program or Work-based Learning Leadership .  Some records will be for print, others for online. Take the author/citation information and search in ProQuest dissertations for full-text.

Requesting Dissertations - Interlibrary Loan

• Interlibrary Loan - Book request form Non-Penn dissertations that are not available in full-text in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses may be requested through the Penn Library's Interlibrary Loan service. Make requests using the online request form for a book available on the left side of the BorrowDirect+/ILL page.

Penn Dissertion Manual

Dissertation Manual for the University of Pennsylvania Instructions on policies, formatting, and submissions.

Grad Center - Thesis and Dissertation Support

Dissertation Preparation guides

Additional Electronic Theses and Dissertation (ETDs) Search Sites

Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD)

• Global ETD Search
• Find ETDs - Listing of searchable these and dissertation sites arranged by country and region.

PQDT Open (ProQuest)

• Open Access Theses and Dissertations Records come for institutional repositories, regional or national ETD consortia, and a set of ETD catalog records provided by OCLC Worldcat. With few exceptions, records are harvested from these sites using a standard called the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH)  
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• Last Updated: Apr 16, 2024 8:23 AM
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Publications: Dissertations & Theses

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• Dissertations & Theses @ Walden University The database contains full text of dissertations and theses written by Walden students.
• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global The Dissertations and Theses database gives you full text access to over 3 million dissertations and theses from schools and universities around the world, including Walden dissertations. You can choose to search either all the dissertations and theses, or just those created at Walden.

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Dissertation Editing Consulting Sessions

This editing and proofreading service has been designed to help you prepare a high-quality dissertation that you can submit to the university of your choice with assurance and certainty.  We create packages based on your study and needs.

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This service is  designed to help you get to the finish line successfully.  We create individualized plans , create realistic work plans, increase accountability, and effectively help you overcome internal and external barriers that students experience on the path to earning a doctoral or master's degree.  We take the guesswork out of your "writing path" and make writing your dissertation manageable so that you can be successful.  

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My coaching experience with Dissertation Doctors and my coach, Dr. Vetter, has helped me navigate the doctoral journey. My biggest takeaway through this part of the journey has been the "mindset change" and organizational skills I have learned. Not only has the coaching helped me academically, but her strategies have supported me in my professional and personal life. My personal and professional life have greatly benefited from the coaching experience.

"Writing on the collegiate level was difficult for me when I first started my doctoral program. It had been years since I had been in school.  I was embarrassed and often procrastinated when writing all of the assignments until I was referred to Dr. Vetter. She was patient with me and first worked on my self-esteem and confidence "about writing before the "task" of writing. This was extremely impressive. She saw me as a person first, then as a client. 

This made my confidence skyrocket! I grew as a writer each week I met with her, and my grades improved dramatically. I ended the semester with an "A," and this was a first. She has been one of the best investments I've made in myself."

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Home > SOE > EdD

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Dissertations

Dissertations from 2024 2024.

AN EXPLORATION OF ADULT CHILDREN’S ATTACHMENT TO THEIR PARENTS ACROSS TWO CULTURAL GROUPS: INDIANS IN INDIA AND INDIANS WHO IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES , Vilasini Meenakshi Arun

Evaluating the Client Base and Housing Outcomes of a Community Based Organization Serving Unhoused Adults , Emi Caprio

RESILIENT AF: UNDERSTANDING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN OF COLOR PSYCHOLOGISTS IN FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH SETTINGS , Carisse A. Cronquist

Creating whole inclusive worlds: The impact of social media usage on Black gender expansive millennials’ experiences of social support and identity development processes , Meredith J. Holmes

The Transition from In Person Sessions to Telemental Health Sessions for College Counseling Center Counselors , Katherine L. Karimian

An Exploration of the Contributions of Parenting Styles and Peer Relationships on the Emotional Expression of Second-Generation Indian-Americans , Smitha M. Kashi

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN UNCERTAINTY, REPRODUCTIVE DISTRESS, AND AVOIDANCE IN ASSIGNED FEMALE AT BIRTH ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT (AYA-F) CANCER SURVIVORS , Devon Ann Pons

Dissertations from 2023 2023

STUDENTS AS CO-RESEARCHERS: USING PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH TO ADDRESS COLLEGE FOOD INSECURITY , Rachel Brand

WE ARE STILL PLAYING: A META-ANALYSIS OF GAME-BASED LEARNING IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION , Thomas Conmy

MOVING BETWEEN ENTITLEMENT AND CO-CONSPIRACY: A STUDY OF HOW SUPPORT, SKILLS, AND COMMUNITY CAN ADVANCE ANTI-RACISM EFFORTS OF WHITE PARENTS , Karin Marianne Cotterman

WHITE WOMANHOOD: FINDING OPPOSITIONAL EPISTEMOLOGIES AND COMMUNITY AT THE INTERSECTION OF WHITENESS AND WOMANHOOD , Hannah Joy Fischer

Understanding Filipino Wellness: Investigating the Effects of Colonial Mentality and Enculturation , Juliene Grace P. Fresnedi

A Qualitative Study of Ableism on the Postsecondary Campus , George Stuart Fuller

Alleviating Mathematics Anxiety For Middle School Students Using A Combined Intervention Approach Versus Only Using The Cognitive Intervention Approach For Increasing Mathematical Achievement: A Comparative Study , Patricia Anna Garcia

Parent-Child Conversations about Body Safety and Consent , Natasha Gerber

Experiences of Black American Millennials: A Qualitative Study of Internalized and Externalized Coping in the Face of Racial Trauma , Natalia Angelique Giles

The Mental Health of First-Generation College Students of Color , Devin Hallquist

Identity Formation and Role Expansion for Nurse Practitioner Residency Preceptors: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis , Angel Chen Kuo

Understanding the Lived Experiences of Ethnic-Racial Minority Former Foster Youth Who Identify as Queer , Cristian A. Lemus

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERVENTIONS TO INCREASE ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY (ART) ADHERENCE AMONG LATINX MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM) WITH HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV) IN THE UNITED STATES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW , Everardo Leon

Mental Health and Experiences of Pregnancy Among Black Women and Birthing People with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) , Madeleine E. Marcus

EARLY DIAGNOSIS METHODS FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW , Megan Denise McCarthy

The Association between Psychotic Symptoms and Romantic Relationship Quality among Young Adult Ethnic Minorites , Tashagaye T. McKenzie

META-ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING APPROACH ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION WORLDWIDE , Ziyu Meng

A Case Study of a School-Supported Extracurricular Activity's Influence on STEM Identity and Interest for Females , Letta Meyer

African American Women Make Meaning of Historical Trauma , Deidre A. MILLER

THE GRINDR COMPLEX: THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IMPACT OF SEXUAL RACISM ON LATINX MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN , Luisalfredo Plascencia

Working with Other Immigrants Brings the Parts That I Lost Back To Me: The Experiences of Latin American Immigrant Therapists Working with Latin American Immigrant Populations , Elizabeth P. Rivera

DECOLONIZING MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH HE/A/R/TOGRAPHY: CORAZONAR, SENTIPENSAR Y SENTISABER , Patricia Rojas-Zambrano

The Effects of Acculturation, Marianismo, and Religiosity on Pregnancy Related Anxiety in Latina Women , Jennifer M. Zanoli

Dissertations from 2022 2022

A Collaborative Autoethnography: Your Passport to Immigrant Women of Color Leader's Stories of Identity Exploration and Leadership Barriers and Possibilities , Fraylanie Adan Aglipay

RECLAIMING OUR HUMANITY: REDEMPTION, REIMAGINING, AND RESTORYING OF THE FOUNDATIONS FOR SUCCESS OF FORMERLY INCARCERATED AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES , Robert Mossi Alexander III

Fifty Years of Underrepresented Student Advocacy at One Jesuit Secondary School , Sonya Cotero Arriola

Voces of Little Michoacan: A Collective Narrative of Resistance and Preservation of Home , Ana Angel Avendaño

CLINICIANS' PERSPECTIVES ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRAUMA - FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN: A QUALITATIVE STUDY , Jada Carter

The Use of Simulation with the School of Nursing and Health Professions (SONHP) Prelicensure Students to Support Affirming Practice with Transgender Communities , Genevieve Charbonneau

Understanding the perspectives, practices, and expectations of Korean American parents toward the heritage language education of their children , Yunhee Choi

The Association between Physical Pain, Depression, Anxiety, and Nervios among Latinx Agricultural Workers , Iveth Cuellar Celallos

Incorporating Andragogy and Cognitive Theory Of Multimedia Learning Into Self-Paced Training and Development Programs , Shanshan Gao

An Exploration of Learning-At-Home Experiences Among Families and Children of Color Labeled with Disabilities During COVID-19: A Narrative Inquiry , Nam Ju Han

"What’s Race Got To Do With It?”: A Virtual Participatory Action Research Study of Community College Students Exploring Intersectionality In Queer Studies , Breana Hansen

"MY BODY GOES NUMB A LOT OF THE TIME": EXAMINING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-ATHLETE EXPERIENCES USING YOUTH PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH AND EMBODIED CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY , Gabriela Elizabeth Holmes

TOWARDS CHARISM IDENTITY: A CATHOLIC IDENTITY CASE STUDY THROUGH THE LENS OF LAUDATO SI’ , Kristofer Ross Koller

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Guide to the Doctor of Education (EdD) Dissertation

The Doctor of Education (EdD) dissertation is considered a central component of EdD programs. The EdD dissertation is a five-chapter document that investigates an issue in education, reviews the existing literature on this issue, adds additional insight through a qualitative and/or quantitative research study, and proposes one or more solutions. It is considered the culmination of a student’s knowledge of education systems and his or her training in the academic research process. Most EdD programs require students to formally publish their dissertation and/or present their findings to a group of faculty and peers.

The dissertation and dissertation defense are two of the most challenging experiences students will have during their program, but are also two of the most engaging and rewarding from an intellectual perspective. The dissertation allows students to truly apply all the skills and knowledge they have gained during their graduate work to an education issue in which they are invested. Below is a more detailed description of EdD dissertations and the important steps students should take to successfully prepare for, complete, and defend their dissertation.

Doctorate of Education Dissertations

EdD dissertations are students’ opportunity to contribute original research on and insight into an issue in education, such as educational disparities, curriculum development or instruction challenges, school funding problems, college counseling and guidance, job skills development, or standardized testing. For their dissertation, students complete research under the guidance of a research mentor, and receive academic credit for this work. Students typically attend seminars and/or other classes that provide structure around the processes of developing a research question, formulating a research plan, reviewing existing academic literature, and writing about their findings. Many programs require students to present their findings to a committee and/or publish their dissertation in an academic journal.

The Structure of EdD Dissertations

As mentioned previously, dissertations are traditionally divided into five chapters: Introduction, Literature Review, Research Methodology, Results and Analysis, and Discussion and Conclusions. A brief description of each chapter section is below:

• Introduction : The introduction includes background information about the topic of study and its purpose, the significance of the student’s research, and existing literature on the subject. It also provides a summary of the results of one’s study, and their implications.
• Literature Review : This section explains the existing literature on the student’s topic of study, and places the student’s work in the context of existing theoretical frameworks that are relevant to one’s research.
• Research Methodology : This chapter focuses on how the student gathers qualitative and/or quantitative data regarding his or her research query.
• Results and Analysis : This section explains in detail the results of the student’s study, and analyzes it to arrive at actionable conclusions.
• Discussion and Conclusions : This chapter places the student’s findings in the context of the educational system(s) of focus (e.g. private or public education, secondary or post-secondary) to illustrate how the student’s research contributes to the larger understanding of the educational issue at hand. This section also makes recommendations for the application of the student’s findings to real-world education practice as well as further research on the subject.

Dissertations are typically very long, in-depth works. Many dissertations are between 100 and 200 pages in length or longer, and seek to comprehensively investigate a specific issue or problem in education. Due to the intensive nature of dissertation research and writing, students must plan their research query and methodology well in advance, and seek the support of research mentors and other faculty throughout the process.

Overview of the EdD Dissertation Completion Process

In general, students begin thinking about their dissertation topic during the second year of their program. The second year is also when students begin taking courses in research and data analysis. The term prior to the beginning of their independent research, students typically take a dissertation seminar, during which they discuss potential research topics to explore and learn more about the academic research process. During their third year, students delve into independent research, while still receiving guidance from their selected faculty research mentor. Students generally submit several drafts to a dissertation committee for review and revision suggestions before they finalize their paper. Upon the completion of their dissertation, students may be required to publish their writing and/or present on their research.

Below is a general timeline of the dissertation completion process, followed by a description of the eight steps to successfully completing an EdD dissertation. The timeline below should be used for example purposes only, as programs vary in terms of when they have students complete their requisite research courses.

The Steps to Completing an EdD Dissertation

Choose a research topic and review the existing literature.

During their classes, students should take note of the topics within education that interest them and the issues that they have encountered during their work in education that they would like to see resolved. These areas are often rich with potential research questions. Conducting research within these areas of interest by reading academic articles is an important step in finding a potential question or issue in education that merits further investigation. It is important that students select a research question that is specific enough to allow for in-depth research, is not overwhelming, and is engaging enough to students to carry them through over a year of independent research.

After identifying their field of focus and preliminary research query, students must gain a thorough understanding of the existing literature concerning their field, as well as the theoretical frameworks and conceptual models that have shaped current research methodologies. In general, students should start with articles that have been published within the last 3-5 years, and then review less recent studies that are considered flagship works that have shaped the field in important ways. While reading through this research, students should stay organized with their notes, the conclusions they draw from their literature review, and how these conclusions impact their research study, as they will have to write about these topics in their dissertation.

Select a Research Advisor and Committee

One of the most important parts of students’ research process is selecting a dissertation advisor and committee. Students’ dissertation advisors are faculty members within the school’s EdD program who work closely with students to ensure that they select a research question and project that are manageable in scope, meet certain research and writing deadlines, and have the support and mentorship they need to succeed.

The dissertation committee is comprised of a group of faculty members and instructors who are qualified to read through and provide feedback on a student’s dissertation. The chair of the committee is a student’s dissertation advisor, and the student selects other members based off of their work and expertise in their area of research. Many schools have guidelines around the individuals students can select to be a part of their committee. For example, an EdD program may require students to select one more faculty member from within the EdD program (in addition to their faculty advisor), one individual outside of the department who works in a related field, and one subject matter expert from inside or outside the department who can give in-depth advice regarding the student’s research project. Students must obtain approval from their program for their committee member selections.

A student’s dissertation committee not only provides feedback and support on a student’s research, but also serves as a collective evaluator of a student’s research progress and final product. For example, the committee generally sets dissertation chapter completion and submission deadlines to keep students on track, and also listens to and evaluates students’ dissertation defense, which is a requirement for graduation.

Create and Defend Research Proposal

After students receive approval of their dissertation committee, they work individually and with their dissertation chair/advisor to develop a formal research proposal. The proposal typically includes the first three chapters of a student’s dissertation: the Introduction, the Literature Review chapter, and the Research Methodology chapter. In this proposal, students must outline their specific research query and its relevance to and impact on different spheres of education. They must also explain the work that has already been done in their area of research, their methodologies for the study they will conduct, and their tools and plans for analysis.

Once students have written these three chapters and formalized their research proposal, they must meet with their committee to present and defend their research proposal. This defense is meant to identify any issues with a student’s research objective, review of the literature, or study methodology, so that the student can address these issues prior to conducting their research.

Develop a Timeline for Research and Writing

Students work with their dissertation committee to establish timelines for the completion of certain chapters and milestones in their study (e.g. the conducting of surveys or the compilation and analysis of data or records). A reasonable timeline may have students writing the first three chapters during the fall term of their third year, and the fourth and fifth chapters during the spring term of the same year. However, dissertation timelines will vary depending on whether students are pursuing their degree full-time or part-time, how early in their program they are able to take the requisite research courses prior to starting their independent work, how soon they are able to identify a research question, and other factors.

Apply for Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

The Institutional Review Board protects the rights and well-being of human subjects of research studies by working to ensure their consent to certain research procedures, and assuring their ethical treatment during the research process. All EdD research projects must receive IRB approval before proceeding. The IRB approval application is generally comprised of any study subject consent forms; copies of any surveys, questionnaires, or other data collection methods and tools to be used; a completed application form; and proof of IRB Training completion. IRB Training is typically completed through an online course module that is delivered through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) program.

Conduct Study and Analyze Results

Once students have received IRB approval, they are ready to proceed with their planned study. Data collection methods vary depending on the nature and scope of one’s research project, but may include sending out surveys, conducting interviews, conducting student or teacher assessments, compiling student performance metrics from public records, and other methods of collecting relevant data to try and answer their research query. Once students have gathered sufficient data, they move to the analysis of this data to try and find trends or patterns that help answer their research question. Throughout this process, students consult with their advisor and with members of their dissertation committee as necessary.

Complete Dissertation and Submit for Review and Revision

Once students have completed their analysis, they must write the Results and Analysis and Discussion and Conclusions sections of their dissertation. The Results and Analysis chapter is a straightforward explanation of one’s study results and the conclusions that can be drawn from them. The Discussion and Conclusions section places the study results in the context of the larger educational issue(s) affected by one’s research, makes recommendations for the application of one’s findings, and also provides suggestions for further research in the area of study. Upon the completion of a full dissertation manuscript, students submit their work to their committee for review and commentary. Students may go through several revisions and then final edits of their dissertation prior to their final defense and formal manuscript submission.

Conduct Dissertation Final Defense

A milestone in the EdD student’s graduate school career is the dissertation final defense, which is a formal presentation that students make to their dissertation committee, in which they explain their research objectives, methodology, and findings. During and after their presentation, committee members ask questions in an effort to identify any weaknesses, inconsistencies, or other issues in the student’s research. When faced with these questions, students must answer clearly and defend the validity of their research methods, results, and conclusions. After the presentation and questions are over, the committee confers to decide whether the student has passed his or her final defense and will receive the doctoral degree.

Before completing their dissertation defense, it is recommended that students prepare well in advance by attending the defenses of other students within the same program and discussing their dissertation manuscript with their advisor and asking any questions regarding what to expect during the defense. Students should craft a strong and well-organized presentation, and also anticipate questions that their committee members may ask them.

Submit Dissertation for Formal Review

The final step students need to take to complete their dissertation is to submit their fully edited manuscript for formal review by their dissertation committee, after making any necessary modifications in response to recommendations given during their dissertation defense. Some programs require students to publish their dissertation in an academic journal, which requires students to format their manuscript according to journal guidelines.

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Home > Andrew Young School of Policy Studies > Dissertations > 82

AYSPS Dissertations

Essays on environmental economics.

John Alexander Gomez Mahecha Follow

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4319-1391

Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2024

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

First Advisor

Dr. Spencer Banzhaf

Second Advisor

Dr. Jorge A. Bonilla Londoño

Third Advisor

Dr. Andrew Feltenstein

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Garth Heutel

This dissertation discusses the results of new empirical evidence in two topics of significant importance in the environmental economics field, both of them also an essential part of my research agenda. First, carbon pricing is one of the most significant contributions of Economics to the ongoing climate crisis. Based on the Pigouvian tax, carbon pricing is expected to be a major tool for achieving the required reductions in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and other greenhouse gases efficiently. On the other hand, the effect of air quality on health outcomes, and therefore human welfare, has been one of the major issues of research in the field. Understanding the associated costs is needed to properly assess the alternatives to address air pollution in our cities and countries. The long tradition in the literature has accumulated years of research in the topics, with results continuously showing significant costs on health outcomes. This document presents three research papers on these two topics, addressing particular gaps in the current literature and providing additional empirical evidence.

Chapters I and II touch base on climate policy in developing countries by exploring the consequences and challenges of carbon pricing in Colombia. Previous studies have been centered on the experience of developed countries or groups of them. Colombia is an opportunity to evaluate a carbon pricing strategy under a design that is similar to what we can expect from future implementations in other developing countries. First, from a causal inference framework, Chapter I estimates the effects of the carbon tax on the country’s emissions. In Chapter II, I use a general equilibrium model to evaluate the environmental and economic costs of a major exemption on the Colombian carbon tax design.

Chapter III deeps into the literature on air pollution and its health outcomes. This chapter, written in collaboration with Dr. Wes Austin, Dr. Stefano Carattini, and Dr. Michael Pesko, explores the relationship between contemporaneous air pollution exposure and COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.

Recommended Citation

Gomez Mahecha, John Alexander, "ESSAYS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS." Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2024. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/aysps_dissertations/82

Since May 15, 2024

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April 29, 2024

Anna-Lisa Lawrence, Ph.D., '21 ,  a former student in the O’Riordan lab, was awarded the 2023 Ward J. MacNeal Educational and Scientific Memorial Trust Distinguished Dissertation Award . This M&I prestigious award recognizes overall scholarly credentials; degree of innovation, creativity, and insight; scope and importance of the work; and effectiveness of the writing, including whether it is written in language that is reasonably understandable to readers in a variety of disciplines. Awardees are invited to give a lecture in Ann Arbor.

On Friday, April 12, 2024,  Lawrence gave the 2023 MacNeal Distinguished Dissertation Award Lecture, titled "Elucidating immune cell drivers of  Mycobacterium tuberculosis heterogeneity." Lawrence defended her dissertation on December 7, 2021. Her dissertation title was “Human intestinal organoids as a model to study intestinal infection by the foodborne pathogen  Salmonella enterica.”  Her mentor, professor Mary O'Riordan, said: “Anna-Lisa’s sharp intellect and careful attention to detail led her to exciting discoveries and also made her a valued colleague for everyone in the lab.”

Lawrence started her postdoctoral training in October 2022, in professor Shumin Tan’s lab at Tufts University School of Medicine where she pursues her research on the spatial heterogeneity that occurs during  Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

She has always been very interested in how pathogens can overcome host immunity to cause infection. In the O’Riordan lab, she focused on how the host responds to bacterial infection focusing on how similar pathogens elicit unique responses by the host. Now she is focusing on the bacterial side to understand how bacterial programming changes over the course of infection in order to continue successfully infecting its host. For this research, she is applying microscopy based techniques to probe how  M. tuberculosis  transcriptional programming changes spatially and temporally during infection. 

You get beautiful images and you can really see what’s going on! —Anna-Lisa Lawrence, PhD  

Higher magnification images of lesion core and cuff regions. These images reveal that at 6 weeks post infection more Mtb are active in the lesion core compared to in the lesion cuff where they reside within host immune cells.

About Anna-Lisa Lawrence Lawrence was born, raised and entirely educated in Ann Arbor, attending Huron High School and doing all her college training at the University of Michigan (U-M). Since her parents are professors in biology, she was quite familiar with the department and with microbiology research. “There was always science at the dinner table,” she said. During her undergraduate studies, she did an internship in the Carruthers lab and that experience confirmed her liking for microbiology. Choosing U-M M&I was an easy decision and a natural path.

She started her graduate training as a U-M PIBS student and after a first rotation in the department of Cell and Molecular Biology, she switched to Microbiology & Immunology and joined the O’Riordan lab. From that experience, she recommended “to do a fun rotation because you never know what will happen when you take some of the pressure off.” She also encouraged students to ask a lot of questions to take advantage of the many resources available at Michigan.

During her first years of college, she was not considering a career in academia having seen first-hand how stressful it can be, but her passion for research took over. “In academia, you’ve more control over what you’re working on, as opposed to research in industry,” she said. “It’s a very competitive job market and you have to do well in your postdoc, but that's the goal and it’s worth it.” After years of research and months of writing, her first publication was hugely rewarding.

Lawrence also emphasized the importance of collaboration and of the lab team. “You don’t succeed doing work by yourself,” she said. “It’s a very important aspect of science and it makes it more fun too.”

You don’t succeed doing work by yourself. It’s a very important aspect of science and it makes it more fun too. —Anna-Lisa Lawrence, PhD

She is also grateful for the two outstanding women principal investigators who have trained her. “As a woman in science, it’s very helpful to see and be mentored by other successful women in my field.”

Outside the lab, Lawrence enjoys the many restaurants and cafes in the Boston area, as well as hiking/checking out nearby parks and cross-country skiing when there is snow!

Dr. Anna-Lisa Lawrence gives the 2023 MacNeal Distinguished Disseration Award Lecture

More about Lawrence’s research interests: Lesions that form in the lung during  Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection are known to be highly heterogeneous. This heterogeneity includes differences in local environment, such as non-uniformity in ion or pH levels, which can affect the interactions of bacteria with the host. Changes in bacterial replication and metabolism resulting from differences in the environment can affect efficacy of drug treatments, separate from the ability of a drug to penetrate into the lesion. However, the extent and underlying causes of heterogeneity in different regions of the lesion are incompletely understood. My research aims to elucidate both bacterial and host transcriptional signatures during  M. tuberculosis infection, to fully understand the spatial heterogeneity that occurs during infection.

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Teen walks at graduation after completing doctoral degree at 17

Dorothy Jean Tillman II was 10 when she entered college as a freshman.

A teenager from Chicago walked in her graduation ceremony this month after earning her doctoral degree at 17.

Dorothy Jean Tillman II told " Good Morning America " that she was homeschooled in her early years before entering college at age 10.

In 2020, she said she earned a Master of Science degree, and then, one year later, at age 15, was accepted into the Doctorate of Behavioral Health Management program at Arizona State University.

In December 2023, at 17, Tillman successfully defended her dissertation to earn her doctoral degree in integrated behavioral health from ASU's College of Health Solutions.

On May 6, she walked at ASU's spring commencement ceremony.

Tillman told "GMA" she has always held education in such high regard in part due to her family's background.

"People in my life like my grandmother, who was part of the Civil Rights movement, she of course harped on the importance of education and consistently learning something always," Tillman said. "But the way I always held education so high on my own, aside from being raised that way, was finding different things to be educated about."

She continued, "I feel like that urge to learn something new just never didn't exist for me."

Teen who battled leukemia and homelessness as a child graduates college at 18

Dr. Lesley Manson, a clinical associate professor at ASU, told "GMA" that Tillman is the youngest person in school history to earn a doctoral degree in integrated behavioral health.

Manson said she oversaw Tillman's dissertation for the doctoral program offered through ASU Online.

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During her studies, Tillman wrote a journal article of her dissertation and completed an internship at a university student health center, according to Manson.

"She really led change and worked on different forms of management to really reduce healthcare stigma and improve that student population there to be able to enter and accept student health services," she said of Tillman. "It was wonderful to see her and help her navigate some of those personal and professional interactions and grow through those experiences."

Manson described Tillman as an "inquisitive" and "innovative" student, and emphasized just how rare it is to accomplish what she has so far.

"It's a wonderful celebration ... but this is still something so rare and unique," she said. "She has innovative ideas and motivation, which is wonderful, and truly, I think what is inspiring is that she embodies that meaning of being a true leader."

Manson said she hopes Tillman continues to inspire people with her love of learning, saying, "That curiosity is always there, and I think all learners come with that, but it's great to be able to see it in someone so young as well."

Her inspiration and how she gives back to community

Tillman said her own journey wouldn't be possible without the support of her mom, who she said is one of her biggest motivators.

"Seeing my mother consistently work so hard to continuously uphold our family's legacy, and be that person that everyone was able to go to, if they needed anything ... always seeing [her] like [a] 'wonder woman' definitely made me want to grow up [into] an accomplished person," she said.

An advocate for education, Tillman is also the founder and CEO of a leadership institute that emphasizes the arts and STEM.

"I feel like adding art and putting a focus on it throughout science, technology, engineering and math makes the kids excited to learn all those things," she said. "And it opens them up to all of the possibilities and all the knowledge provided in that area of just STEM."

'Super dad' graduates with master's while working 3 jobs

As for her plans after graduation, Tillman said she is "just like any other teenager, still figuring out what my specific dreams and goals are."

"I'm really just grateful that the world is my oyster, and that I've done so much so young," she said. "And I have time to kind of think that through."

Tillman added that she hopes young people will take away from her story that it's OK to continually figure out what you want to do in life.

"Always remember that everyone has points in their life where they feel like they're figuring it out," she said. "And so figuring things out, not knowing what you want isn't a bad thing. But making the choice not to sit down and try to figure it out is."

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional quotes from Tillman since its original publish date of May 13, 2024.

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Fearless Fulbrights: Dr. Matthew Thomann

Dr. Matthew Thomann traveled to Kenya in 2022 to the University of Nairobi to examine sexuality and the politics of health in sub-Saharan Africa and the United States.

1. What is your field of interest, and can you explain your Fulbright project?

I am a cultural and critical medical anthropologist. My research examines sexuality and the politics of health in sub-Saharan Africa and the United States, crossing subfields of medical anthropology, global health, and queer anthropology. Between January and August of 2022, with the support of a U.S. Fulbright Scholar award (African Regional Research Program), I conducted ethnographic research documenting the landscape of care available to sexual and gender minorities living with advanced cases of anogenital warts caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) in Nairobi, Kenya. 

In the Kenyan context, the association between receptive anal sex and the clinical presentation of anal warts leads members of this community to avoid health facilities, fearing homophobic retaliation from health providers. This delayed clinical presentation, combined with high rates of undiagnosed and/or uncontrolled HIV infection, has resulted in a regionally localized pattern of severely advanced, often obstructive cases of HPV-related anal warts requiring surgical intervention. 

My work highlights patient’s therapeutic trajectories–their narratives of treatment encounters, suffering, and the affective impact of this condition on their livelihoods, vital social networks, and forms of sexual intimacy. In addition to generating anthropological knowledge and developing an evidence base that community leaders can use to bolster their efforts to confront this emerging health crisis, this work responds to the global health alarm over emerging cancer epidemics in African contexts hardest hit by the HIV epidemic.

2. What was the most rewarding aspect of being a Fulbright Scholar?

A large part of my Fulbright research involved conducting participant observation in a home-based care center, where patients spent a week recovering from what was often an invasive medical procedure. Despite the trauma and pain they experienced living with such a stigmatized condition and undergoing the procedure, in the space of the recovery center it produced forms of relationality, humanity, and healing between patients and caregivers. As a queer researcher committed to working in solidarity towards health justice and equity alongside queer communities, it was deeply meaningful to find myself intertwined in those webs of relationality, humanity, and healing.

3. What inspired you to start this process of becoming a Fulbright Scholar? Have you always been interested in international research?

While I regularly conduct research in collaboration with communities in the United States, I maintain an active international research agenda. My dissertation research in Côte d’Ivoire focused on HIV vulnerability and community-led responses within donor-funded programming. In 2011, after spending months preparing my application materials for a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad award, the program was suspended due to the insecurity caused by contested 2010 elections. Nearly a decade later, the Fulbright was an ideal funding mechanism for this new project on HPV in Kenya.

4. What was the most surprising thing you discovered during your Fulbright experience?

I’m queer and an anthropologist – it’s pretty difficult to surprise a queer anthropologist.

5. How have you carried forward your experience overseas now that you've returned home?

Since leaving Nairobi in August of 2022, I have returned for two shorter research trips and am in the process of writing up research findings for publication. Most recently, I received funding from the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Research to support dissemination activities in Nairobi this summer (2024). I am also exploring funding opportunities to support further data collection to understand the potential future burden of HPV-related anal cancer, which is vital to ongoing community-led advocacy for inclusion in national HPV prevention and treatment programming.

6. How and why did you choose your partner institution?

My partner institution was the University of Nairobi, and more specifically the Institute of Anthropology, Gender, and African Studies. The university had already hosted a few Fulbright scholars, including anthropologists who had affiliated with the institute. 

7. For other Terps that are interested in becoming Fulbright Scholars in the future, what advice do you have for them?

Start early! I think it’s particularly important to reach out to academic units you’re hoping to partner with as soon as possible. While many university faculty/staff will be open – and even excited – about the opportunity to host a Fulbright scholar, there are many factors they may need to consider. Reaching out well in advance signals to the potential host institution and the humans working inside it that you’re collegial and considerate.

Visit our Fulbright Scholars gallery to meet our fearless scholars engaging with the world. For general program information and application guidance, visit our "How to Fulbright at Maryland" section at the bottom of the page. Interested in applying for your own Fulbright, or want to learn more about the program? Email UMD’s Fulbright U.S. Scholars liaison [email protected].  

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History Department

Graduate student Temirlan Tileubek awarded the Maya K. Peterson Dissertation Research Grant

• by Jakob Wompo Stanton
• May 14, 2024

Graduate student Temirlan Tileubek has been awarded the Maya K. Peterson Dissertation Research Grant in Environmental Studies. This extremely prestigious grant, awarded by the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, will support his dissertation fieldwork in Kazakhstan this summer. Congratulations, Termirlan!

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Dr. Kaiser Arndt successfully defends his dissertation

Congratulations to Kaiser Arndt who successfully defended his dissertation! Kaiser is one of the founding members of the graduate program and 2nd student to graduate from the English Lab. 

Click here to see his defense flyer.