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How to Create a Dissertation Timeline (With Examples + Tempate)
When it’s time to start thinking about writing your dissertation, it is vital to put together a dissertation timeline. This will help you map out the months you will be spending on your dissertation, and ensure that you’re staying on track. A specific and detailed dissertation timeline will serve as an outline to guide you, step by step, through what can be a long and challenging process.
While we often refer to a dissertation in a way that makes it sound like a monolith, in reality, a dissertation consists of many moving parts. A dissertation timeline includes a series of milestones that leads up to the dissertation defense , revisions, and final submission of your dissertation. Constructing an outline of every step in the dissertation process , including rough estimates of how long each will take, will give you a realistic picture of where you are in the process at any given time.
Before embarking on your dissertation, it is a good idea to meet with your dissertation advisor and sketch out a dissertation timeline that is realistic for the size and scope of your project and includes deadlines. This will provide you with much-needed structure and a sense of what will happen next. To get an idea of what a completed dissertation looks like and the components your program requires, ask to see samples from recent graduates in your department.
These are a few frequently asked questions about crafting a dissertation timeline:
- What does a dissertation timeline look like?
- What goes in a dissertation timeline?
- How structured should a dissertation timeline be?
- What do you do with a dissertation timeline?
What Does a Dissertation Timeline Look Like?
One way to think about a dissertation timeline is as a kind of outline. While the outlining process is unique to each writer, there are commonalities shared by all of them. Likewise, when writing a dissertation timeline, you’ll want to include all of the basic elements of your dissertation as well as the amount of time you think you’ll need to execute them.
The best dissertation timeline format is the one that works for you. Though I’ve reformed somewhat over the years, for a long time I wasn’t a fan of intensely detailed outlines. Many people don’t like outlines. And that’s okay! However, writing a dissertation is not the time to be flying by the seat of your pants. To get started, a simple, linear timeline that projects the amount of time you think you’ll need to write your dissertation will suffice.
Example Dissertation Timeline
Below, you’ll find an example of a dissertation timeline, which you can view as an image in your browser or download as a spreadsheet. Feel free to use the spreadsheet as a template as you build your own dissertation timeline.
Or download the spreadsheet below:
Inclusion in a Dissertation Timeline
When constructing your dissertation timeline, include every element of the dissertation from the abstract to the conclusion. Keep in mind that you may not be writing your chapters in chronological order. For instance, after completing their first round of research and writing their research question, most graduate students will tackle their literature review next, even though it comes after the abstract and introduction in the final document.
Depending on the field being studied, most dissertations will also include sections for methodology, results, and discussion. Many programs also require a detailed conclusion that alludes to future research possibilities. Every dissertation also has an extensive list of references (pro tip: write this as you’re writing your dissertation), as well as appendices for charts, graphs, and other ephemera. And don’t forget your acknowledgments!
Dissertation Timeline Structure
The structure of your dissertation timeline will take shape once you’re engaged in the research process. While a road map may seem like an apt metaphor for a dissertation, once you get started you may notice a lot of starts and stops and circling back. After you’ve begun researching, you may realize that you need to allot more time for digging through the databases, or you may discover that you need to reformulate your research question entirely.
I’ve seen many of my own graduate students use calendars to great effect, giving themselves hard and fast deadlines to meet. Many students also build out their dissertation timelines as they progress, attaching working drafts of their abstract, introduction, and literature review to their timeline within a giant spreadsheet that links to multiple documents and sources. All of these methods are valid. Devise one that works for you.
Using a Dissertation Timeline
So once you have a thoughtful, soundly-constructed dissertation timeline, what do you do with it? First, and most importantly, try your best to adhere to it. Check in with your dissertation timeline regularly, and use it to keep yourself on track. Also, make adjustments to it as needed. If you find yourself breezing through your preliminary research but needing a bit more time for your literature review, consult your timeline and adjust accordingly.
While meeting your deadlines is important, also construct your dissertation timeline with an understanding that many graduate students face delays once they start working on their dissertation. These can include hold-ups at the department or university level in the form of late IRB approval or limited lab space or grant funding that gets cut. Anything can happen, but having a dissertation timeline will help you get back on track as soon as the storm passes.
In my own experience, I also found my dissertation timeline to be a great document to share and discuss with my dissertation chair and committee. Once I finished my comprehensive exams, I met with members of my dissertation committee and got feedback on my rough dissertation timeline to make sure my goals for submitting my dissertation and graduating were realistic. This also ensured that we were all on the same page.
When writing a dissertation, timing is everything. Creating a dissertation timeline gives you definitive time limits for research and writing, and it also influences several other major decisions that you’ll need to make. These include preparation to go on the job market, which often coincides with writing your dissertation. There is no doubt that this will be a hectic time in your graduate school career, but having a well-organized dissertation timeline is a good way to keep everything in perspective.
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Courtney Watson, Ph.D.
Courtney Watson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of English at Radford University Carilion, in Roanoke, Virginia. Her areas of expertise include undergraduate and graduate curriculum development for writing courses in the health sciences and American literature with a focus on literary travel, tourism, and heritage economies. Her writing and academic scholarship has been widely published in places that include Studies in American Culture , Dialogue , and The Virginia Quarterly Review . Her research on the integration of humanities into STEM education will be published by Routledge in an upcoming collection. Dr. Watson has also been nominated by the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Rising Star Award, and she is a past winner of the National Society of Arts & Letters Regional Short Story Prize, as well as institutional awards for scholarly research and excellence in teaching. Throughout her career in higher education, Dr. Watson has served in faculty governance and administration as a frequent committee chair and program chair. As a higher education consultant, she has served as a subject matter expert, an evaluator, and a contributor to white papers exploring program development, enrollment research, and educational mergers and acquisitions.
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Dissertation Checklist and Timeline
Completing all of the crucial steps to the dissertation process can be complicated. Time and task management will be key to your success. Review the suggested tasks and print out this checklist to assist you in your dissertation journey.
| Student's Name: | ||
| Choose Dissertation Advisor | ||
| Choose Dissertation Committee with advisor approval on the Application to Candidacy Form | ||
Form with other students. Become familiar with the . Formatting your dissertation using these guidelines from the start will save you time. | ||
| Identify defense deadlines. Develop timelines for following steps working backwards from these deadline dates. | ||
| Dissertation Proposal Draft to Advisor | ||
| Revision 1 | ||
| Revision 2 (if needed) | ||
| Revision 3 (if needed) | ||
| Final approval from advisor | ||
| Submit human subjects form to Institutional Review Board (IRB) if needed | ||
| Search for dissertation funding, e.g., Prof. Raimondi's grant writing course | ||
| Remaining course work, e.g., independent studies for dissertation parts (if any) | ||
| Schedule Proposal Defense (check with advisor's schedule first) | ||
| Dissertation Proposal Defense (announcement) | ||
| Submit GSE Dissertation Proposal Form w/Abstract & Timeline to chair's secretary | ||
| Revise Dissertation Proposal (if needed) | ||
| Collect Data | ||
| Dissertation Chapters Drafted | ||
| Prepare and submit conference proposals (optional) | ||
| Prepare and submit manuscripts to journals (optional) | ||
| Revise Chapter XX (as needed, number of days to be determined with advisor) | ||
| Revise Chapter XX (as needed, number of days to be determined with advisor) | ||
| Revise Chapter XX (as needed, number of days to be determined with advisor) | ||
| Revise Chapter XX (as needed, number of days to be determined with advisor) | ||
| Revisions to advisor (number of days to be determined with advisor) | ||
| Prepare, practice, and give conference talks (optional) | ||
| Dissertation Approved by Advisor | ||
| Dissertation Submitted to Committee and Wait for Comments | ||
| Dissertation Chapters Revised for Committee Members | ||
| Advisor and Committee Members Agreement to Schedule Defense | ||
| Dissertation Defense Scheduled (check with advisor's and members’ schedule first) | ||
| Dissertation Defense (announcement) | ||
| Dissertation Defense | ||
| Revisions to Dissertation 1 (# of days to be determined by advisor) | ||
| Revisions to Dissertation 2 (if needed, # of days to be determined with advisor) | ||
| Revisions to Dissertation 3 (if needed, # of days to be determined with advisor) | ||
| Final Approval by Advisor and Committee Members | ||
| Final Paperwork to UB Graduate School | ||
| Send Form to Dean's Office by to March in May Graduation | ||
Check with Advisor's Availability Schedule prior to submitting drafts. Major Advisor is not available during: | ||
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- Writing Tips
How to Create a Research Timeline for Your Thesis
5-minute read
- 21st May 2023
Beginning a dissertation can feel both thrilling and overwhelming. One of the best things you can do to prepare for the exciting journey of doing a dissertation is to design a comprehensive timeline as your guide. Here we will take you step by step through creating your thesis timeline and provide some example templates, so you’ll be well-prepared to begin your dissertation work.
Reasons for Creating a Timeline
There are many benefits to crafting a detailed dissertation timeline. In addition to helping with time management and meeting crucial deadlines, your timeline will also help you stay motivated by reviewing the tasks you have completed as you progress. A thorough timeline will be valuable during your dissertation proposal and useful if you are applying for grants or other additional funding.
Ste0ps for Creating a Timeline for Your Thesis:
- Research and record all requirements and deadlines.
Before you write out your timeline, ensure you know all of your program’s requirements and deadlines. Academic institutions often require you to complete your dissertation within a specified timeframe.
There are likely several recommended or mandatory deadlines for approval of certain items by your adviser (and possibly the rest of your committee members). Gather all these dates beforehand so you can allot an appropriate amount of time to meet your deadlines.
It will be beneficial to meet with your adviser to understand when you are expected to complete the major phases of your dissertation work and to confirm that there aren’t any other requirements or deadlines that you may not be aware of.
- List all of your tasks and bundle them into phases.
Now that you’ve assembled your dates, working backward from your deadlines is a good rule of thumb. List all of the required tasks that must be completed to meet each milestone, from coming up with your research questions to writing each chapter of your dissertation .
Even though your list will be unique to your research project, it can help to refer to a thesis checklist . It’s also helpful to assemble tasks into different phases (e.g., dissertation proposal, research recruitment). Grouping tasks into phases gives anyone looking at your timeline a quick overview of your research plan.
- Organize your tasks into a schedule and assign task deadlines.
Now it’s time to build your timeline. There are many different free templates available online, from straightforward lists of deliverables to colorful options with room for notes and customization.
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A popular organizational approach for thesis timelines is a Gantt chart , which is a type of bar chart often used in project management in which the length of the bar corresponds to the time the task will take. The best choice for you will depend on the specifics of your research study and personal preferences. Whichever option you select, make sure you can easily edit and revise it as need be.
Sanity-Saving Tips:
● Pay attention to your work style. Some people are more productive when writing in short bursts, while others write better after taking time to get into the zone. Some people choose to start writing parts of their thesis while still conducting research, while others prefer to focus on one phase at a time. Set yourself up for success by reflecting on what type of schedule will help you create the best quality work.
● Schedule breaks. Almost everyone will work better after a well-deserved break. Make sure to schedule regular breaks into your timeline, as well as provide enough time to sleep, eat well, and do anything else you need to do to safeguard your well-being.
● Always have a plan B. Your dissertation is an extensive endeavor with many moving parts. It’s impossible to anticipate and plan for every conceivable event, but it’s helpful to expect something may occur that will cause a deviation from your original timeline. Perhaps study recruitment takes longer than you expected, or one of your committee members gets sick and you have to postpone your dissertation proposal. After you draft your timeline, check that it is not so strict that any disruption will cause a total derailment of your plan. Aim to strike a balance between goals that will inspire you to progress steadfastly and have some leeway in your timeline for the inevitable curveball that life will throw at you somewhere along the way.
Following these three steps will help you draft a timeline to steer the course of your dissertation work: research and record all requirements and deadlines; work backward from your dissertation deadline and assemble your task lists; and organize your tasks into a timeline.
Don’t forget to include ample time for editing and proofreading your dissertation . And if you are interested in any help from us, you can try a sample of our services for free . Best of luck in writing your dissertation!
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Creating a dissertation timeline gives you definitive time limits for research and writing, and it also influences several other major decisions that you’ll need to make. These include preparation to go on the job market, which often coincides with writing your dissertation.
Dissertation Checklist and Timeline. Completing all of the crucial steps to the dissertation process can be complicated. Time and task management will be key to your success. Review the suggested tasks and print out this checklist to assist you in your dissertation journey.
Following these three steps will help you draft a timeline to steer the course of your dissertation work: research and record all requirements and deadlines; work backward from your dissertation deadline and assemble your task lists; and organize your tasks into a timeline.
Here are some important timelines to consider during the thesis process: 1. Topic Selection and Proposal Submission: Timeline: Typically, within the first few weeks to a month of your thesis initiation.
The approximate workload is 5-10 hours per week. This estimates come from an experienced formatter’s educated guesses about the time it would take an average word-processing user to research and perform the above-listed tasks for a thesis or dissertation with 150 pages, 10 block quotes, 10 tables, 5 figures, 2 landscaped pages.
Discover how to effectively plan your dissertation project with our comprehensive guide. Learn the importance of creating a dissertation project plan, breaking down tasks, managing time efficiently, seeking feedback, and staying organized to ensure the successful completion of your research.