Background
When I first began chairing doctoral dissertations, I noticed that my students had never read a dissertation, yet ‘hoped’ to write a dissertation of their own. From this I developed the following analogy:
Imagine that you are stuck in the Arctic and must construct an igloo in which to live and survive. You likely know what an igloo looks like from pictures, films, etc., but could you actually construct one for yourself if your life depended on it? For many of us, the answer is “likely not.”
Much the same way, doctoral students at many universities reach dissertation phase without having read a dissertation or attended a dissertation defense. They are, in fact, trying to create something which they have never seen, read, or experienced. This is a problem.
To address this problem, I realized that my doctoral students needed to be reading dissertations…but not just pleasure reading. It had to be a focused, purposeful reading through which they were actively thinking about and analyzing the construction of dissertations. They would need a tool to help guide their process.
I created the Dissertation Analysis Template as a tool which graduate and doctoral students can use to read, analyze, and capture key structural elements of dissertations and theses.
About Me
I am a Professor of Education at Millersville University of Pennsylvania where I teach master’s and doctoral courses in education and educational leadership and direct the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership. Prior to this appointment, I was an Associate Professor of Education at West Liberty University in West Virginia and also have served as a school teacher and school and district administrator. I am the founder and editor of The Excellence in Education Journal (ISSN 2474-4166, indexed by ERIC and EBSCO) and you can read more about me on our website: www.excellenceineducationjournal.org. I have chaired and been a committee member for numerous doctoral dissertations and an AERA and CIES dissertation mentor to doctoral students across the United States and in various other countries worldwide.
Purpose of this Site
In this site, I present the Thesis and Dissertation Analysis Template as a tool for university faculty to use in their classes and with their graduate and doctoral students to read, analyze, and outline key points of a thesis or dissertation.
Organization of this Site
This site includes the following materials:
Keys to Utilizing the Dissertation Analysis Template, Dissertation Analysis Assignment, Dissertation Analysis Template (attachment), Dissertation Analysis Template sample analyzed dissertation (attachment).
I hope you find this site to be helpful!
All the Best,
Ann Cancilla Gaudino, Ed.D.
Professor, Millersville University
Founder and Editor, The Excellence in Education Journal (ISSN 2474-1466, Indexed in ERIC and EBSCO). Website: www.excellenceineducationjournal.org
Contact: ann.gaudino@millersville.edu
Background
When I first began chairing doctoral dissertations, I noticed that my students had never read a dissertation, yet ‘hoped’ to write a dissertation of their own. From this I developed the following analogy:
Imagine that you are stuck in the Arctic and must construct an igloo in which to live and survive. You likely know what an igloo looks like from pictures, films, etc., but could you actually construct one for yourself if your life depended on it? For many of us, the answer is “likely not.”
Much the same way, doctoral students at many universities reach dissertation phase without having read a dissertation or attended a dissertation defense. They are, in fact, trying to create something which they have never seen, read, or experienced. This is a problem.
To address this problem, I realized that my doctoral students needed to be reading dissertations…but not just pleasure reading. It had to be a focused, purposeful reading through which they were actively thinking about and analyzing the construction of dissertations. They would need a tool to help guide their process.
I created the Dissertation Analysis Template as a tool which graduate and doctoral students can use to read, analyze, and capture key structural elements of dissertations and theses.
About Me
I am a Professor of Education at Millersville University of Pennsylvania where I teach master’s and doctoral courses in education and educational leadership and direct the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership. Prior to this appointment, I was an Associate Professor of Education at West Liberty University in West Virginia and also have served as a school teacher and school and district administrator. I am the founder and editor of The Excellence in Education Journal (ISSN 2474-4166, indexed by ERIC and EBSCO) and you can read more about me on our website: www.excellenceineducationjournal.org. I have chaired and been a committee member for numerous doctoral dissertations and an AERA and CIES dissertation mentor to doctoral students across the United States and in various other countries worldwide.
Purpose of this Site
In this site, I present the Thesis and Dissertation Analysis Template as a tool for university faculty to use in their classes and with their graduate and doctoral students to read, analyze, and outline key points of a thesis or dissertation.
Organization of this Site
This site includes the following materials:
Keys to Utilizing the Dissertation Analysis Template, Dissertation Analysis Assignment, Dissertation Analysis Template (attachment), Dissertation Analysis Template sample analyzed dissertation (attachment).
I hope you find this site to be helpful!
All the Best,
Ann Cancilla Gaudino, Ed.D.
Professor, Millersville University
Founder and Editor, The Excellence in Education Journal (ISSN 2474-1466, Indexed in ERIC and EBSCO). Website: www.excellenceineducationjournal.org
Contact: ann.gaudino@millersville.edu
Keys to Utilizing the Dissertation and Thesis Analysis Template
1-Provide the Form in Electronic Format
In this way, students can save and utilize the form for any dissertation or thesis they wish to examine.
2-Provide an Example
I provide students with a sample completed template in which I analyze my own dissertation (attached below). Having both the directions and this sample have been most helpful to them.
3-Make Completion a Required Assignment
When I first realized that my students were not familiar with dissertations, I suggested they read dissertations to become more acquainted with them. Well, as the adage goes, “what gets measured gets done” and a few students followed my advice. When I provided the template and made it a required course assignment, every student became much more familiar with dissertations. When other instructors began using the template in their classes, students had multiple opportunities to examine a variety of dissertations in a variety of course contexts. Some courses required that students analyze dissertations on a certain theme (for instance, poverty) while others require certain methodologies (for instance, quantitative). Utilizing the template through these various lens creates opportunities for students to analyze many types of dissertations.
4-Make Completion a Required Assignment in Several Courses
When students began talking about how helpful the template was, other instructors opted to incorporate it into their classes. This also helped to put faculty into good conversation about contents of dissertations and defenses.
5-Provide a Dissertation or Thesis for Students to Analyze Together
At first, and if students are early in their program, it may be helpful to provide the same dissertation or thesis to the class for everyone to analyze. Students can even work on the template in groups which leads to good dialogue. You can carefully vet the type, topic, length, quality etc. of the dissertations/theses for analysis. I often give two to analyze---one high quality and one lacking in various merits. Students learn as much from bad examples as from good ones.
6-Provide Guidance on How Students Can Access Dissertations
If you give students the option of locating and choosing a dissertation to analyze, be sure to tell them where to find dissertations. This may be in your university library database, on ProQuest Theses and Dissertations Open etc.
7-Provide Guidelines for the Characteristics of Dissertations to be Analyzed
You can also assign students to analyze dissertations with certain characteristics. Some options could include methodology type, year of publication, demographics of subjects, etc.
8-Have Students Present their Analysis to the Class
I take students a step beyond just writing the analysis by requiring them to present copies of their analysis and an oral explanation in class. Students give electronic or hard copies of their analysis to every student in the class, and have 10 minutes or so to discuss both the merits and weaknesses of the dissertation. This dialogue provides students an even greater exposure to dissertations beyond the few they themselves analyze. Students leave class with a packet of completed dissertation analysis templates which they can reference for structure when they begin writing their own dissertation.
9-Explain that Just Because a Dissertation is Published Doesn’t Mean It is Quality
Students often have the misconception that published dissertations are meritorious. However, some are not. Encourage students to approach the analysis of the dissertation with a critical lens no matter the author, location, or institution.
10-Have Students Analyze Dissertations/Theses Written By Other Students in Your Program
This is a great way to help students get to know the dissertation requirements of your program and you as a chair. Also, they can form connections with Alums who are willing to give them advice on dissertation writing or even serve as additional committee members.
11-Have Students Attend Dissertation/Theses Defenses
Throughout our doctoral program, I suggest to students that they attend dissertation defenses by telling them, “You don’t want the first defense you attend to be your own.” Many attend several defenses prior to their own to support one another and also get a feel for the process. Attending dissertation defenses can also be a course or degree requirement.
12-Make the Assignment Enjoyable
As the saying goes, "time flies when you’re having fun." I try to give students options on choosing dissertations to analyze including factors such as topic, institution, methodology, etc. Adults like to have choice in their learning, and this is a small way to offer it.
Keys to Utilizing the Dissertation and Thesis Analysis Template
1-Provide the Form in Electronic Format
In this way, students can save and utilize the form for any dissertation or thesis they wish to examine.
2-Provide an Example
I provide students with a sample completed template in which I analyze my own dissertation (attached below). Having both the directions and this sample have been most helpful to them.
3-Make Completion a Required Assignment
When I first realized that my students were not familiar with dissertations, I suggested they read dissertations to become more acquainted with them. Well, as the adage goes, “what gets measured gets done” and a few students followed my advice. When I provided the template and made it a required course assignment, every student became much more familiar with dissertations. When other instructors began using the template in their classes, students had multiple opportunities to examine a variety of dissertations in a variety of course contexts. Some courses required that students analyze dissertations on a certain theme (for instance, poverty) while others require certain methodologies (for instance, quantitative). Utilizing the template through these various lens creates opportunities for students to analyze many types of dissertations.
4-Make Completion a Required Assignment in Several Courses
When students began talking about how helpful the template was, other instructors opted to incorporate it into their classes. This also helped to put faculty into good conversation about contents of dissertations and defenses.
5-Provide a Dissertation or Thesis for Students to Analyze Together
At first, and if students are early in their program, it may be helpful to provide the same dissertation or thesis to the class for everyone to analyze. Students can even work on the template in groups which leads to good dialogue. You can carefully vet the type, topic, length, quality etc. of the dissertations/theses for analysis. I often give two to analyze---one high quality and one lacking in various merits. Students learn as much from bad examples as from good ones.
6-Provide Guidance on How Students Can Access Dissertations
If you give students the option of locating and choosing a dissertation to analyze, be sure to tell them where to find dissertations. This may be in your university library database, on ProQuest Theses and Dissertations Open etc.
7-Provide Guidelines for the Characteristics of Dissertations to be Analyzed
You can also assign students to analyze dissertations with certain characteristics. Some options could include methodology type, year of publication, demographics of subjects, etc.
8-Have Students Present their Analysis to the Class
I take students a step beyond just writing the analysis by requiring them to present copies of their analysis and an oral explanation in class. Students give electronic or hard copies of their analysis to every student in the class, and have 10 minutes or so to discuss both the merits and weaknesses of the dissertation. This dialogue provides students an even greater exposure to dissertations beyond the few they themselves analyze. Students leave class with a packet of completed dissertation analysis templates which they can reference for structure when they begin writing their own dissertation.
9-Explain that Just Because a Dissertation is Published Doesn’t Mean It is Quality
Students often have the misconception that published dissertations are meritorious. However, some are not. Encourage students to approach the analysis of the dissertation with a critical lens no matter the author, location, or institution.
10-Have Students Analyze Dissertations/Theses Written By Other Students in Your Program
This is a great way to help students get to know the dissertation requirements of your program and you as a chair. Also, they can form connections with Alums who are willing to give them advice on dissertation writing or even serve as additional committee members.
11-Have Students Attend Dissertation/Theses Defenses
Throughout our doctoral program, I suggest to students that they attend dissertation defenses by telling them, “You don’t want the first defense you attend to be your own.” Many attend several defenses prior to their own to support one another and also get a feel for the process. Attending dissertation defenses can also be a course or degree requirement.
12-Make the Assignment Enjoyable
As the saying goes, "time flies when you’re having fun." I try to give students options on choosing dissertations to analyze including factors such as topic, institution, methodology, etc. Adults like to have choice in their learning, and this is a small way to offer it.
Dissertation Analysis Assignment
Note this assignment has two parts:
Part 1:
Access the ProQuest Dissertation and Theses Open Database on the University Library webpage. Using the attached Dissertation Analysis Template, choose a high quality doctoral dissertation (Ed.D. or Ph. D.) completed since 2010. This dissertation may come from any discipline (education, psychology, sociology etc.) and any country. Submit link to dissertation on D2L under Dissertation Analysis by Week 3 for instructor approval.
Use the attached template to analyze the dissertation. Refer to the attached sample as an example of how to complete the template.
How to Access ProQuest Theses and Dissertations:
- Go to this page on the Library website:
- Scroll down and click on ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Open (Note there are several ProQuest links. Be sure to click on the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Open).
- In the search box, enter a topic and select dates from 2010 to present. You may click on More Search Options for suggestions on how to refine your search.
Part 2:
Share your analysis with the class next week (you will have about 10 minutes to speak). Bring enough hard copies of your analysis for all colleagues.
See attachments below for more information.
Dissertation Analysis Assignment
Note this assignment has two parts:
Part 1:
Access the ProQuest Dissertation and Theses Open Database on the University Library webpage. Using the attached Dissertation Analysis Template, choose a high quality doctoral dissertation (Ed.D. or Ph. D.) completed since 2010. This dissertation may come from any discipline (education, psychology, sociology etc.) and any country. Submit link to dissertation on D2L under Dissertation Analysis by Week 3 for instructor approval.
Use the attached template to analyze the dissertation. Refer to the attached sample as an example of how to complete the template.
How to Access ProQuest Theses and Dissertations:
- Go to this page on the Library website:
- Scroll down and click on ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Open (Note there are several ProQuest links. Be sure to click on the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Open).
- In the search box, enter a topic and select dates from 2010 to present. You may click on More Search Options for suggestions on how to refine your search.
Part 2:
Share your analysis with the class next week (you will have about 10 minutes to speak). Bring enough hard copies of your analysis for all colleagues.
See attachments below for more information.
Thank you for accessing
Dissertation and Thesis Analysis Template!
Ann Cancilla Gaudino, Ed.D.
ann.gaudino@millersville.edu