Step 2 : Take the CES 700 course, writing Chapters 1 and
2 of your dissertation
Goals:
- To enroll in and successfully pass all the requirements of the core course, CES 700 Proposal Development during the summer term.
- To finish the CES 700 course having written a draft of Chapter One (that includes the literature review) and Chapter Two (Methods and Procedures) of your dissertation
Directions:
- Enroll in CES 700 Proposal Development
- Apply knowledge gained from earlier Research Methodology and Statistics courses.
- Do sufficient research to write Chapters One and Two.
- Give a mock presentation of your proposal online.
- Pass CES 700 Proposal Development.
Resources:
- Dissertation Handbook, pp. 7, 9-10
- Syllabus, CES 700 Proposal Development Course (on Blackboard)
Due Dates:
- Enroll during the Summer of Year Two.
- Fulfill the CES 700 requirements according to all deadlines, which will ensure that you emerge from the course with a draft of the first two chapters of your dissertation. It will also help you organize and present a proposal defense as practice before the actual proposal defense in front of your committee.
John's Experience:
John uses the assignments in his coursework in CES 700 to write the first
two chapters of his dissertation. He even gets to practice giving a mock
proposal defense to his CES 700 classmates, so some of his anxiety is relieved.
John is grateful for the advice he receives during the CES 700 course,
especially the practice session, and begins to feel more confident about
his proposal defense.
Pitfalls to Avoid:
- Don't miss internal CES 700 deadlines and wait until the end of the course to do research and writing. Meet all CES 700 deadlines and avoid last-minute rushing to produce a document that won't be a good foundation for your final dissertation.
- Don't do inadequate research into a topic, expecting the instructor of CES 700 to do the work of fleshing out your idea and plan.
- Don't waste the opportunity that CES 700 gives you to write a good, solid foundation to your dissertation and to practice giving your proposal defense to your peers over the internet.