Dissertation Trilogy

Dr. Sharon L. Bender

June, 2006

3Rs of Research

The Dissertation Trilogy simplifies accomplishing the dissertation by breaking it down into three major sections: 1) Introduction, 2) Methodology, and 3) Conclusions. Typically there are five or six sections in the quantitative dissertation that often leads to confusion for its author. All that is necessary in any dissertation is to accomplish three phases exemplified in the 3Rs of Research:

Recommend: Define and convey the study. Develop the question. 

Research: Collect and analyze the data. Perform the investigation.

Report: Evaluate and narrate the findings. Produce the determination.

Write an effective dissertation with ease by reducing its complexity and accomplishing its "original" and "substantial" objectives. All you need are three chapters: 1) Introduction, 2) Methodology, and 3) Conclusions.

Three-Chapter Approach

Dissertations often follow a five-chapter format, which is a quantitative approach. A qualitative approach may be one with any number of chapters. Consider that all that is needed are three major dissertation sections (chapters) to produce an effective dissertation with greater ease through reducing its complexity and accomplishing its "original" and "substantial" objectives.

The Dissertation Trilogy consists of the three major sections upon which any quantitative, qualitative, or quasitative dissertation may be developed. Here is a plausible breakdown of the three-chapter approach and how we are able to recommend, research, and report in the dissertation or research project:

Chapter 1: Introduction 

Statement of the Problem

Purpose of the Study

Significance of the Study

Research Questions

Literature Review

Definition of Terms

Recommend the need for the study in solving the problem by defining the problem, the purpose of the study, and the significance of the study; provide the literature that supports the need and that reveals what is already known about the study from primary and secondary or ancillary works; and define the consistent terminology that is to be used throughout the study to offend ambiguity.

Chapter 2: Methodology

Variables

Sample

Instrumentation

Procedures

Statistical Hypotheses

Statistical Analyses

Limitations of the Study

Research is performed once this chapter is approved. Operationalize the study by defining independent and dependent variables; provide a comprehensive description of the population under study; discuss the reliability, validity, norms, and any other issues related to internal validity of the instrumentation of measurement; enumerate the procedures of of data collection, setting, and means of analysis; produce a statistical hypotheses if appropriate; perform a statistical analysis for justification of analysis if necessary; enumerate the limitations of the study such as its generalizability and any other issues related to external validity.

Chapter 3: Conclusions

Findings

Discussion

Recommendations 

Report the facts of your findings, discuss critical outcomes, and make recommendations for further research.

Cover these and you will likely have covered the most critical components of the dissertation. Add front-end pages such as title page, acknowledgements, table of contents, and abstract. Add references (bibliography) and supporting and logistical appendixes. Be sure to check with your dissertation committee members to be certain you will be permitted to follow this or any particular formulation of the dissertation. Typically, if you can "defend" it, you can "amend" it.

Once Chapters 1&2 are approved, you are able to conduct your study (not before). Then you are able to go back to these chapters and rework the content so that it does not discuss the proposal of your study, explaining what you "would" do, but rather it now discusses what you "did" do. Add Chapter 3 to now report the actual findings and conclusions.

Most students will likely find that this is a much simpler process. Again, this is suitable for a "qualitative" study. A "quantitative" study is typically five chapters in length. Both methods of research may follow the five-chapter approach, however. Overall, follow what your dissertation committee decides it wants you to do in terms of dissertation structure. Every university is different. Many are now providing classes to take the dissertation step a piece at a time.

Dissertation Navigation

Navigating the dissertation process includes dealing with dissertation committee members. Each will have a unique position and a distinct opinion, which is one reason there are a number of members, each sharing a portion of the responsibility and never the entire responsibility for the outcome. In general, the doctoral candidate is "solely" responsible for the outcome. The candidate can easily contribute to a "disjointed" effort that is intended to be a "joint" effort. So be an honest contributor. Never seek to "pit" one member against another for instance. This is not accomplishing behavior. Never complain about one member to another. In the end, you may wind up ABD (all but dissertation) like a great many candidates, each having their own unique explanation for failure. So avoid problems by directing your committee, not disconnecting your committee. Remember, it's up to you!

According to Callahan (2001), "Many will tell you the advisor is the driver of the Ph.D. program, but this is not true. You are the driver." Additionally, "The politics and gamesmanship needed to get through the Ph.D. program is required daily in the corporate world" (Callahan, 2001). In short, navigating the dissertation process can test your ability to navigate in other aspects of your life. Take the challenge seriously. Respect the process; and never, never, never cast blame on others for your failure. Likewise take credit for your success! Think, "If it is to be, it's up to me."

According to UCSB (2005), you must take sole responsibility for your success or failure in the dissertation process as it is typical for advisors to take a disinterested role. In fact "few professors really enjoy dissertation advising. That's not what they were trained to do, not what they were hired to do, and usually not what they want to do" (UCSB, 2005).

According to Aronson (2001), working on a dissertation can involve intense one-to-one relationships. If you are having trouble getting along with faculty in your program, you will likely experience difficulty in the dissertation process. And the program is probably under no legal obligation to provide a Chair for you, especially if you have managed to create personal problems with all the faculty. If you get help from a committee member, thank that person because few professors feel it's important to serve on dissertation committees and they just don't want to put their time into it. One more tip here. Select a winning team if you are provided the opportunity. Do not select faculty with whom you have a history of difficulties for instance. That could be detrimental to your success. Bad feelings can carry over into your dissertation process and cause problems with all of the committee as each party struggles unwittingly to manage the problems you create. For instance, you might reject every attempt at evaluation from the party with whom you are disgruntled. 

Take responsibility in understanding the tenets of dissertation writing as well. Research writing is not like any other form of writing. Remember, even though you may "pound the keys for hours on end, you may not be pounding the keys to defend." Do a bit of research about performing research before you begin. Preparation work now will save you from performing wasteful work later. And while it may be common to "build" upon the studies of others in producing the doctoral dissertation, it is never acceptable to "copy" the works of other dissertation authors without citing and referencing such authors. These are owners of original works too! Remember, "cite is might." Simply put, do not state facts or copy works without a citation. Incorporation into your work, does not mean that someone else's work belongs to you! "Without citation, it's plagiarism!"

So take the dissertation process seriously and don't rely on anyone else to help you accomplish it. Seek support from family, friends, and peers. Support groups are everywhere including online. But you have to sift through the advise and make your own determination whether it is sound. Keep in mind that too many opinions can lead to confusion. Additionally, you must decide how you will work with your committee and, as in the real world, you alone will bear the responsibility for the outcome of your decisions.

Sources

Aronson, J. E. (2001). Working on the dissertation: Short version. For Decision Line. The University of Georgia. http://www.terry.uga.edu/~jaronson/ShortWorkingonYourDissertation.html

Bassalleck, B. (2004). The thesis (master's degree/dissertation (Ph.D.) outline. The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of New Mexico. http://panda.unm.edu/AcadAdv/thesis-dissertation-info.html

Bender, S. L. (n. d.). Producing the doctoral dissertation. Unpublished Manuscript.

Callahan, D. W. (2001). The Ph.D. process: What it takes to get it done. IEEE Potentials, (20) 6-10. http://www-ece.eng.uab.edu/DCallaha/Pubs/00954531.pdf

UCSB (2005). Dissertation Advisor User's Manual. University of California Santa Barbara http://www.english.ucsb.edu/grad/2nd-exam-resources/advisor_advice.asp