Dissertation-related lessons developed by the Dissertation101 Founder, Dr. Lonny.  Leveraged for personalized review and mentoring services offered.  Free to use!

 

• Topic Selection and Development - Taking the first step is often the most difficult towards one’s doctoral dissertation. This lesson provides key considerations for choosing a dissertation topic, including a review of some potential roadblocks to consider. The earlier these are identified and addressed, the better the chance for timely progress and success.

• Problem Statement - All credible doctoral dissertation research begins with the identification of a general and specific problem to be addressed. After determining the dissertation topic, the problem statement is often the most challenging step. This lesson includes key criteria for developing a well-structured problem statement suitable as the basis for beginning your dissertation. 

• Purpose Statement - Dissertations follow a structured format whereby the problem leads to the purpose, which drives the research questions and ultimately the methodology. This lesson provides a description of the purpose statement, criteria for development, logical linkages, and example.

• Research Questions - The research method cannot be selected or determined without the proper development of the research question(s), which logically like to the problem and purpose. Development of the research question(s) for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed studies is addressed within this lesson.

• Hypotheses - For quantitatively-oriented and mixed method studies, hypotheses are developed for the measurement and inferential testing of the independent and dependent variables (e.g., correlations and differences) associated with the phenomenon identified within the problem, purpose, and associated quantitative research questions. Guidelines for development of hypotheses are addressed within this lesson.

• Research Method - As determined by the research questions, this lesson covers the determination of the appropriate research method and a basic overview of each.

• Theoretical Framework - egardless of the type of degree sought, including DBA, all research must be grounded in theory, along with additional prior key scholarly research. The theoretical framework establishes the basis for this grounding, eventual interpretation of the findings, and where required, the basis for determining the extension of theory (esp. PhD).

• Annotated Bibliography - Provides an overview of the annotated bibliography, including an explanation as to why an annotated bibliography is important, what it is used for, content, and formatting.

• Literature Review - Dissertation101 overview of the literature review, including an explanation as to why a literature review is important, what it is used for, content, and example.

• Prospectus Roadblocks - Provides an overview of the obstacles most frequently experienced by doctoral candidates during the prospectus stage of their dissertation – or worse, may be experienced later in the dissertation process.