Under the guidance of his or her Supervisor, the student will research, write, and submit a dissertation on an approved topic of specialized interest in the student’s major field of study. All scholars need to communicate discoveries. The Ph.D. dissertation provides training for communication with other scholars. Writing a dissertation requires a student to think deeply, to organize discussion, to muster arguments that will convince other scholars, and to follow rules for rigorous, formal presentation of the arguments and discussion. A dissertation is a lengthy, formal document that argues in defense of a particular thesis. Two important adjectives used to describe a dissertation are “original” and “substantial.” The research performed to support a thesis must be both, and the dissertation must clearly demonstrate the student’s academic contribution to the chosen field of study.
Credits: 6
Department: ACEXP - PhD Advanced Capstone Experiences