The Dissertation from Start-To-Finish and Nearing the Finish Line

I apologize for not posting in the last few months. Life has been crazy.

A dissertation is an experience unto itself. Anyone who has done a masters thesis often perceives a doctoral dissertation as the same thing. Well that is not the case.

A doctoral dissertation is a painful learning experience that I realize now was beneficial for me. It was only beneficial because now I have the PhD in-hand and can be called 'Dr. Horgan'. It was really unneccessarily difficult and the process was too subjective. Truth be told, I believe there needs to be objectivie standardization to evaluating and preparing dissertations.

Some advice for those of you who are thinking of pursuing a dissertation. First, be careful who you pick for you advisor. I had senior professor which was good in that I learned a lot from her years of experience. Unfortunately, she worked me almost to death. When I defend dissertation, a faculty who I passed in the hall wished me luck. He asked me who my dissertation chair was and he said,

"I wouldn't worry, I know your chair and she works her doctoral students hard. They don't call her Attilla the Nun around here for nothing".

Second, pick a topic you are interested in and that everybody on your dissertation committee knows little about. This works to your advantage because you become expert on your topic and you become the teacher. Finally, while you are in doctoral coursework, I would kiss up to the political 'big whigs' in your program/department.

Third, I cannot stress this enough, PATIENCE! As a dissertation writer, you have to understand that you are dealing with academics who have sensitive egos and you have to stroke these egos. You may be brillient and smarter than them but you have to stroke their egos so they will sign off on your dissertation. Also, it is because of their sensitive egos that you (the dissertation writer) are required to make it sound like it was their idea. By stroking their egos, you need to make these academics percieve themselves as smart, important, and superior.

That last paragraph about patience and stroking egos is especially important. However, it does not mean the members of your committee have the right to be verbally abusive. A good dissertation chair will nip that right in the bud if a member of your committe displays that behavior during your proposal/final defense. I was fortunate that I did not have that happen during my proposal/final defense but I know a lot of people who did not finish their dissertation (and thus not completing their doctorates) because of that type of behavior.

Fourth, when picking a committee (after you pick your chair), try to get your department head on the committee because this will speed up the paperwork and get things moving. If you can get the Dean of your college to serve or Chair your dissertation committee then you will be in the clear. Faculty members will not argue with the Dean about your research. Next, you want a research methodolgist on your committee. It is wise to have the same professor you took your research methods classes with on your committee because that person is familar with your work.

*As a side note, when are taking your research methods courses, I would advise you to take a variety of professors in order to determine who you have good chemistry and connect with well. My research methodologist was actually an adjuct professor and an assistant professor at University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB). While he was not tenured at UA or UAB, I worked well with him because we were both 'nuts and bolts'. He and I had excellent work chemistry which is important. If your research methodologist and your dissertation chair are both in your corner, then you are more likely to have a successfull dissertation defense. Finally, have at least two (three is better)professors from your discipline/department serving on your committee.

Final notes

I did my dissertation in year but I am the exception to the rule. On average a dissertation takes five years to complete. Unfortuantely, a lot of people do not complete the dissertation. There is a 50% attrition rate for doctoral candidates writing their dissertation. I almost quit a few times because it was tough and for the most part a painful experience. I spent nights, weekends, holidays, and any other free time I had to complete my dissertation. When I traveled for work, I had my laptop with me and would spend hours upon hours just writing. A dissertation can effect you health if you are not careful. I developed ulcers in my esophagus because of the stress associated with my dissertation.

This all being said, I gained alot of the doctoral experience and would encourage anyone who thinks they have the stomach for it to pursue a Ph.D or an Ed.D. I will be happy on May 8th when I receive my Ph.D from The University of Alabama. Nobody can take this away from me. NOBODY!