Getting Started PhD Research
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| Phd Guidance |
Step 1: Most research begins with
a question.
- Think about which topics and theories you are interested in and
- What you would like to know more about.
- Think about the topics and theories you
have studied in your program.
- Is there some question you feel the body of
knowledge in your field does not answer adequately?
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| Creative Writing |
Step 2: Once you have a question in mind
- Begin looking for
information relevant to the topic and its theoretical framework.
- Read
everything you can academic research writing, trade literature, and information
in the popular press and on the Internet.
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| thesis writing |
Step 3: As you become well-informed about your topic and prior
research on the topic
- Your knowledge should suggest a purpose for your thesis /
dissertation.
- When you can articulate this purpose clearly, you are ready to
write your research prospectus / research proposal writing.
- This document
specifies the
- purpose of the study,
- significance of the study,
- a tentative
review of the literature (literature review writing) on the topic
- theoretical framework (a working bibliography should be attached in thesis
writing part),
- your research questions and/or hypotheses, and how you will
collect and analyze your data (your proposed instrumentation should be
attached).
Step 4: Recruit committee members and Preliminary meeting
- At this point, master's students need to recruit
committee members (if they haven't done so already) and hold a preliminary
meeting.
- The purpose of this meeting is to refine your plans if needed and to
make explicit expectations for completion of the thesis.
- Doctoral students
discuss their dissertation proposal (research proposal) as part of their
qualifying exam.
- At the completion of this meeting, the student should submit a
memo to committee members summarizing what was agreed upon during the meeting.
Step 5: Once instrumentation is developed
- Once your instrumentation is developed, you need to
clear it and your informed consent protocol with the Institutional Review Board
before you begin collecting data.
- Leave adequate time to do so.
- The process can
take several days or weeks.
Step 6: Collecting and Analyzing data
- Obviously, the next steps are collecting and analyzing
data, writing up the findings, and composing the final chapter.
- You also should
make sure Chapters 1 and 2 are now fully developed.
- Your chair and committee
members provide guidance as needed at this point but expect you to work as
independently as possible.
Step 7: Hire Assistance with Coding and Data entry
You should be
prepared to hire assistance with coding and data entry and analysis if needed.
Step 6: Gudielines from Universtity
- Get a copy of the graduate school's guidelines for
writing theses and dissertations and follow these guidelines exactly.
- Each thesis or dissertation is unique but all share
several common elements.
- The following is not an exact guide but rather a
general outline.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Purpose and Significance of the Study In the
first chapter, clearly state what the purpose of the study is and explain the
study's significance. The significance is addressed by discussing how the study
adds to the theoretical body of knowledge in the field and the study's
practical significance for communication professionals in the field being
examined. Ph.D. students also must explain how their research makes an original
contribution to the body of knowledge in their discipline. They also should
address the significance of the study for mass communication education. It is
especially critical that this chapter be well developed. Without a clearly
defined purpose and strong theoretical grounding, the thesis or dissertation is
fundamentally flawed from the outset. 3
Chapter 2: Literature
Review Writing
Review of the Literature The purpose of the study should
suggest some theoretical framework to be explained further in this chapter. The
literature review thus describes and analyzes previous research on the topic.
This chapter, however, should not merely string together what other researchers
have found. Rather, you should discuss and analyze the body of knowledge with
the ultimate goal of determining what is known and is not known about the
topic. This determination leads to your research questions and/or hypotheses.
In some cases, of course, you may determine that replicating previous research
is needed of thesis writing.
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| thesis writing |
This chapter describes and
justifies the data gathering method used. This chapter also outlines how you
analyzed your data. Begin by describing the method you chose and why this
method was the most appropriate. In doing so, you should cite reference
literature about the method. Next, detail every step of the data gathering and
analysis process. Although this section varies depending on method and analysis
technique chosen, many of the following areas typically are addressed:
--description of research design internal validity external validity
--description of population and description of and justification for type of
sample used or method for selecting units of observation
--development of
instrument or method for making observations (e.g., question guide, categories
for content analysis) pre-test reliability and validity of instrument or method
--administration of instrument or method for making observations (e.g.,
interviews, observation, content analysis, implementation such as matlab
developing, ns2 implementation)
--coding of data
--description of data analysis
statistical analysis and tests performed identification of themes/categories (qualitative
or historical research)
Chapter 4: Findings
This chapter addresses the results
from your data analysis only. This chapter does not include discussing other
research literature or the implications of your findings. Usually you begin by
outlining any descriptive or exploratory/confirmatory analyses (e.g.,
reliability tests, factor analysis in thesis writing) that were conducted. You
next address the results of the tests of hypotheses. You then discuss any ex
post facto analysis. Tables and/or figures should be used to illustrate and
summarize all numeric information. For qualitative and historical research,
this chapter usually is organized by the themes or categories uncovered in your
research. If you have conducted focus groups or interviews, it is often appropriate
to provide a brief descriptive (e.g., demographic) profile of the participants
first. Direct quotation and paraphrasing of data from focus groups, interviews,
or historical artifacts then are used to support the generalizations made. In
some cases, this analysis also includes information from field notes or other
interpretative data (e.g., life history information of thesis writing).
Chapter 5: Discussion
The purpose of this chapter is not
just to reiterate what you found but rather to discuss what your findings mean
in relation to the theoretical body of knowledge on the topic and your
profession. Typically, students skimp on this chapter even though it may be the
most important one because it answers the "So what?" question. Begin
by discussing your findings in relation to the theoretical framework introduced
in the literature review. In some cases, you may need to introduce new
literature (particularly with qualitative research for thesis writing). This
chapter also should address what your findings mean for communication
professionals in the field being examined. In other words, what are the study's
practical implications? Doctoral students also should discuss the pedagogical
implications of the study. What does the study suggest for mass communication
education? 4 This chapter next outlines the limitations of the study. Areas for
future research then are proposed (research proposal writing). Obviously, the
thesis writing or dissertation writing ends with a brief conclusion that
provides closure. A strong final sentence should be written.
Finishing
10. Do not expect to begin and finish your thesis in the
same semester. You need to make significant progress (which usually means you
are already collecting data for various tools such as matlab, ns2, java etc.,)
the semester before you want to graduate. The defense is scheduled when the
thesis has been completed successfully--not when it is convenient for the
student to graduate. Even if nothing goes wrong (and things often do), a
quality thesis takes about six to nine months to complete (from inception to
graduate school clearance). Obviously, the same principles apply for
dissertations as well but doctoral students must allot even more time. A
quality dissertation usually takes about a year to complete (best case
scenario).
11. Do not expect your chair or committee members to copy
edit your thesis writing or dissertation writing. Before turning in any drafts,
you should carefully edit and spells check your work. Thesis Editing occurs at
two different levels at least. Micro editing involves correcting spelling and
grammatical errors. It also involves checking for proper paragraph and sentence
structure, consistent use of terms, and variety in word choice. Macro editing
assesses the overall structure of the thesis writing. This includes making sure
each chapter flows logically from the previous chapter, headings and
subheadings are used properly and consistently, and transitions are included
between major topics. Macro editing also determines whether any parts of the
thesis writing need to be streamlined or expanded. In some cases, it may be
necessary for you to hire a professional editor for thesis writers.
12. Leave time for the chair to read your completed
thesis writing or dissertation writing at least twice before giving it to your
committee members. Don't expect to submit the completed thesis or dissertation
for the first time to the chair and defend in the same or following week. Also,
it is customary to give the thesis writing or dissertation writing to committee
members at least a week before the defense.
13. It is the student’s responsibility to reserve a room
for the defense and to bring the signature page and the examination form to the
defense.
14. Be prepared for revisions after the defense. You can
expedite clearance by the graduate school by letting the staff examine a draft
of the thesis writing or dissertation writing before you defend.
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| thesis writing |
15. It is customary to provide your chair and committee
members with a bound copy of the final version of the thesis (complete thesis) or dissertation (complete dissertation).
