Writing the dissertation

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Steps to Writing the Dissertation

	Writing the Dissertation
Before Getting Started	While there is no "one way" to write a dissertation, if you follow these general steps, you'll have a better handle on the process.
Step 1: Find one or more topics	Identify one or more topics of interest - you are going to spend a LOT of time writing your dissertation, so choose a topic that you care about. Learn something that will advance your career. Remember, the dissertation is designed to make you an expert in your subject area.
Step 2: Gather articles	READ about your topic. Get to the library every chance you get, and take advantage of your online resources. Start gathering articles about your topic(s) and cataloguing them. Create file folders and name them by variable. Print out and file articles in a logical fashion so you can access them later.
Step 3: Write papers	WRITE about your topic. Try to make every literature review you write for your classes about some angle on your topic. Examine the topic from every possible angle.
Step 3: Learn APA (or whatever style your school requires)	Keep the APA Publication Manual next to you as you write and use it. Use a reference/database software program like BOLD PaperMaker to store your references in a database so you don't have to retype them in every paper.
Step 4: Identify your problem	It will probably take several attempts before you get this one - that's ok. Just keep working at it. However, DON'T try to do this step until you've completed steps 1, 2, and 3. If you haven't done a lot of reading on your topic, you're not ready to identify your problem. Remember that The problem is something that needs to be solved - it is NOT your purpose statement The answer is not yet known - if you HAVE an answer to the problem, there's no point in studying it, is there? You need to support the problem with recent citations - if the citations are more than 1 or 2 years old, someone else has probably already addressed the problem. For more detailed information on how to write a problem statement, visit http://bold-ed.com/problem.htm
Step 5: Write the purpose statement	This one's actually easier than it seems. After all, the PURPOSE of the study is to SOLVE THE PROBLEM. So be sure to use a lot of the same language. For more detailed information on how to write a purpose statement, visit http://bold-ed.com/purpose.htm
Step 6: Write your research questions and hypotheses	Make sure that the research questions (and hypotheses if you are doing a quantitative study) directly address the problem and purpose statements. If they don't, you either have not written good questions and hypotheses, or you have not addressed the problem and purpose, or you really need to go back to step 3 or 4.
Step 7: Walk away	At any time in the process if this is getting overwhelming, walk away for a while - an hour, a day, a week. Sometimes just clearing your head helps it all come together. (Repeat this step as necessary throughout the process!).
Step 8: Identify the significance of the study	Make sure that the results of your study will be meaningful. How will the results change the lives of stakeholders, participants/subjects? If the results cannot lead to some meaningful conclusion, then you need to go back to step 3 or 4 (and that's ok - you may repeat steps 3 and 4 multiple times!).
Step 9: Identify your methodology	Remember that the problem, purpose, and questions lead to the methodology, not the other way around. Explore your options: will a mixed methodology be better than either quantitative or qualitative? Consult with a professional researcher/statistician if you're unsure of the methodology.
Step 10: Write the literature review	By this time, writing the literature review should be easy, because you've already done most of it in steps 2, 3, and 4. Now you just need to put it all together. Keep reviewing the literature throughout the process. Because your job is to become an expert in this topic, you need to know the very latest research being published.
Step 11: Write the introduction to your study	Write the introduction to your study (chapter 1). This should also be relatively painless, because you've already done most of it in steps 3 through 9.
Step 12: Write your methodology section	Write the methodology section (this is usually chapter 3). This will take some detailed research, but it's very important to get it right! You don't want to get approval for your study, then gather your data and find out you've indicated the WRONG analysis! Consult with a professional statistician BEFORE submitting your proposal for approval or gathering your data- you don't want the statistician telling you the instrument or analysis are wrong AFTER you've gotten approval and gathered your data.
Step 13: Get committee and school approval	Different schools will have different requirements, so check with your school on the correct steps. You won't be able to move forward without Institutional Review Board approval and committee approval.
Step 14: Gather your data	Depending on the type of study, your instrumentation, and the availability of your participants/subjects, this step may be easy or difficult, fast or slow. If you have doubts, consult with a professional statistician before getting too deep!
Step 15: Analyze your data	You'll do this EXACTLY the way you said you would in chapter 3, which is why it is so important to get step 12 right the first time!
Step 16: Write up the analysis	Once you've gathered and analyzed your data, you'll do the write up (this is usually chapter 4). Review previous similar dissertations to see the best way to do this, and keep that APA manual next to you (or hire a professional APA editor and statistician to help you with this process). But remember, you can't just buy your chapter 4. In the end, this is YOUR study, and you're the one who will have to describe and defend it to your committee. And believe me, they'll know if you don't understand your own study!
Step 17: Interpret the results	In your last chapter, this is your opportunity to interpret your results. Tell us what they mean and how it will improve the lives of stakeholders.
Step 18: Defend your results	Once it's all written, you'll have to defend your results to your committee. Be sure you understand your study! If you hired a professional statistician to assist you, be sure that you consult with that statistician so that you can clearly describe and interpret the process, analyses, and results.
Step 19: Get passed the final reviewer	Depending on the process at your school, you'll have to pass one more review by the dean or a reviewer. Each school has different requirements at this stage, so check with your school to find out what you need to do.
Step 20: Celebrate!	You're done!

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