Guiding the dissertation proposal: a student advocacy approach  (Page 4/11)

The doctoral advisor who knows these faculty strengths and abilities enhances the student’s doctoral experiences. The advisor who is negligent in advising students on these issues creates barriers and obstacles in the student’s doctoral process.

The doctoral advisor must assist students in selecting courses that will support the writing of the dissertation. Specific courses in research methodology that facilitate the writing of the proposal and conducting the dissertation research are essential. Courses should be selected based on (a) the content that will augment the doctoral study and (b) the teaching strengths of the faculty members.

Models of Excellence

One of the best ways to get students comfortable with writing a proposal is to have them read a variety of other research proposal types. These models will help them envision what a proposal looks like, what its components are, and how it is structured. However, warn students that not all proposal structures look the same. It depends on what the researcher wants to accomplish. Highlight the necessary components they share.

Another resource for students of the doctoral dissertation process is the group of doctoral students who have presented their dissertation proposals to their committees. These students can present their proposals to the students who are embarking on the dissertation proposal process, describe their preparation for the presentation, reflect on the presentation to the committee and their learning from the experience, and provide recommendations for those who are in the proposal preparation process. These students can provide insights and answer questions that reflect the student view of the process. They also are a potential resource to the students who are following them in the doctoral process.

Videotaping the proposal presentations and the final oral defenses provides a great resource for the faculty member who is guiding doctoral students. These videotapes, when acquired with the appropriate permissions, can be used in the classroom, as an addition to distance classes taught by methods such as Blackboard, or in one-on-one advising of doctoral students.

Talking to individuals who recently completed their dissertations or those who have recently presented their dissertation proposals builds student confidence. The process and expectations are demystified by these conversations. Viewing videotapes of the presentations are alternative means of giving doctoral students an inside look at the process. In addition, these conversations or videotapes are instructional from a content perspective and a research methodology perspective. The knowledge gained from these experiences is a worthy addition to doctoral studies. Students may gain different perspectives on their research studies by exposures to these experiences.

The goal of showcasing the parade of graduates and students who have presented their proposals is to present models of excellence. These models include examples of excellence in writing, in selecting a topic that has critical significance to the study of educational leadership, and in presenting the study. These models also include examples of excellence in research methods. They are critical to the students preparing their proposals. The models often reveal new procedures or questions that can guide a study. The variety, depth, and richness of these models surpass the examples that can be included in books on preparation of dissertation proposals.