QP and Dissertation Don’t Freak Out, Just Be Prepared

What is the QP?

It is your Research Proposal

Work with your chair to determine the

structure of your QP

First 3 Chapters

25-50 page proposal

Elements of the QP Introduction

Literature Review

Orienting Theoretical Frameworks

Statement of the Problem

Purpose of the Study

Significance of the Study

Methodology/Procedures

Summary

References

Appendices

You’re Not in Kansas Anymore

You set your own schedule now

Work with chair on a plan for the semester

Good idea to have a chair/co-chair with expertise in your methodology. This can help with planning when collecting and analyzing data.

Use the Academic Calendar and plan backwards

Know when grades are due for the semester

Pick a tentative defense date and work back from that date

Make sure you have time to distribute and defend

Writing on your own. Are you being held accountable?

Keep in mind, your chair is only paid for one semester of QP and one semester of dissertation. Other members are not paid for being on your committee. The time and efforts of all committee members are valuable. Work diligently so as not to drag out the process and wear down committee members

The QP Defense

After your chair gives you the go-ahead, distribute hard and

electronic copies to committee members

Allow them 2 weeks (10 working days) to read

Prepare a 20-30 minute presentation

You are responsible for booking a room for your defense

The QP defense is private, Dissertation defense is public

LEAD Conference Room may be used for QP defense

It’s not as scary as you might think

What Should I Cover in the QP

Defense?

Helpful to have a full committee meeting BEFORE your QP

defense to make certain you have included all the elements

they would like to see

Defend the selection of your topic

How did you arrive at this topic/problem?

Why should we care?

Review of the pertinent literature

What’s your framework?

What’s the purpose of the study? Why is it significant?

How are you going to answer questions or test hypotheses?

What Will Happen at the

Defense?

Your chair will start the meeting by giving an overview of the session

You will give your 20-30 minute presentation

Your committee will ask questions

You will be asked to leave the room so the committee can deliberate

You will be asked back in and the committee inform you of next steps

Pass

Pass w/ revisions

Re-enroll in QP hours to continue work

Your Defense Went Well…Now

Fill Out This Form

Committee Appointment Form

Get required signatures and return to the Graduate School

Form can be found on the Graduate School Website under the Thesis/Dissertation link

Petition for Candidacy

Complete the Form

Get required signatures and return to the Graduate School

Form can be found on the Graduate School Website under the Petition for Candidacy link

Have these ready at your defense so you can get all required signatures

Return the signed committee page to the Graduate School after the defense. Make a copy for your records.

Next Steps

Make any needed changes to your proposal from your committee and committee chair.

Meet with your committee chair to set a timeline for moving forward (key deadlines, benchmarks, ect.)

Understand how your chair wants you to proceed in regards to sending drafts and communicating with members of the committee.

Similar to the QP process, you set your own pace and you are self-directed in this process. Certainly, you have the support of your chairperson and committee members. However, they read the sense of urgency and timeline from you.

Next Steps

Submit your IRB paperwork

Plan for the next components of your document

The Dissertation Defense

After your chair gives you the go-ahead, distribute hard and

electronic copies to committee members.

Allow them 2 weeks (10 working days) to read

You are responsible for booking a room for your defense

The Dissertation defense is public…Be sure to work with Dr.

McClellan to ensure a notice goes out to students in program

LEAD Conference Room may be used for QP defense

It’s not as scary as you might think

After the defense

Make any needed edits discussed in the defense

Provide the edits and revised document to your committee

chairperson and members (work with chairperson on this)

The Graduate School

Check the important dates for the graduation process

through the Graduate School:

http://uca.edu/graduateschool/graduation-forms/

Students must file an application for graduation form. It is

early in the term of intended graduation and includes a

graduation fee at the Business or Graduate Office.

The intent to graduate form is due early in the semester (ie:

February 7, 2014 for May 3, 2014 graduation) along with a

$40 fee.

One finished draft for reviewing due 3 weeks before

graduation:

Two final copies for binding due 2 weeks before graduation:

* See Thesis and Dissertation Preparation Guide

Three weeks prior to graduation, submit one draft copy of the

dissertation to the Graduate School for review from a formatting

perspective.

It will be reviewed relative to the formatting described in the

Graduate School’s Thesis and Dissertation Guide. Make sure your

page numbers and page orders are consistent with the guide.

See page 13.

Additional Steps

Final Steps

Two weeks prior to graduation, submit two final copies of approved dissertation along with

Routing form signed by chair, department chair, and College Dean

Signature form from committee

One copy on 20 pound weight acid-free or equivalent paper; the second can be on regular copy paper

Once it is approved by the Graduate Dean, you will be asked to upload the document as a PDF with signatures to the ProQuest Database.

Once the document is approved in ProQuest, you are done!

What Else Can We Say? Questions? Things we didn’t cover?