Dissertation Timeline
Proposal Stage
16-12 months
- •Topic selection and refinement
- •Literature review
- •Research design
- •Proposal defense
Research Stage
212-18 months
- •IRB approval
- •Data collection
- •Data analysis
- •Findings documentation
Writing Stage
36-12 months
- •Chapter drafting
- •Advisor feedback
- •Revisions
- •Final formatting
Defense Stage
42-3 months
- •Committee review
- •Defense preparation
- •Final defense
- •Post-defense revisions
Dissertation Structure
Chapter 1: Introduction
Background and contextProblem statementResearch questionsSignificance
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Theoretical frameworkEmpirical studiesSynthesis and gapsConceptual model
Chapter 3: Methodology
Research designPopulation and samplingData collectionData analysis plan
Chapter 4: Results
Descriptive statisticsMain findingsTables and figuresHypothesis testing
Chapter 5: Discussion
InterpretationImplicationsLimitationsFuture research
Essential Tools
🔍
Research Gap Analyzer
Identify gaps in existing literature
Topic Selection📑
Literature Matrix Builder
Organize and synthesize research papers
Literature Review🧮
Sample Size Calculator
Determine optimal sample size
Methodology📝
APA Formatter
Format citations and references
WritingDefense Timeline
8 weeksSubmit final draft to committee
4 weeksSchedule defense date and location
2 weeksPrepare presentation slides
1 weekConduct mock defense
Common Defense Questions
- •What is the main contribution of your research?
- •Why did you choose this methodology?
- •What are the limitations of your study?
- •How does your work advance the field?
- •What are the practical implications?
- •What future research do you recommend?
💡 Topic Selection
- • Choose a topic you're passionate about
- • Ensure data accessibility
- • Keep scope manageable
- • Align with career goals
✍️ Writing Tips
- • Write daily, even 30 minutes
- • Start with outlines
- • Back up work regularly
- • Get feedback early
🎯 Success Factors
- • Clear research questions
- • Regular advisor meetings
- • Join support groups
- • Track milestones