Beyond the Five Chapter Dissertation: Matching

Form to FunctionAlisa Belzer, Rutgers University

Bradley Carpenter, University of LouisvilleTiffanie Lewis, University of Louisville

Kate Reedy, Lynn University

Formats Traditional Semi Traditional

◦ Traditional chapters 1-4◦ Product instead of Chapter 5

Portfolio◦ Introduction explaining the contents of the portfolio

and design description (if appropriate◦ 3 distinctly different products ◦ Conclusion that describes what actions have or will

be taken as a result of the study and what the overall learnings have been from completing the project.

Rutgers University

Products Presentation (and supporting materials) for

faculty, school board, conference attendees, community, etc).

Evaluation Plan Curriculum Design/Curriculum Materials Professional Development Design Policy Brief Journal article (practitioner or academic) Funding Proposal Video documentary Pecha Kucha

Regardless of the format, the EdD dissertation should: focus on a problem of practice that is relevant to the

student and his/her professional context (when possible)

have direct implications for policy and practice uphold common standards of high quality (well

written, rigorous and coherent approach to methodology, thorough grounding and bounding, etc.)

Alternative format dissertations must be approved by the curriculum committee and make clear: Intended audience(s) and the specific contribution

of each product. How the 3 products are distinct from each other. The connection of the products to the goals of the

Ed.D. program.

Standards/Rigor

Formats/Options Traditional five chapter dissertation

◦ Must include Policy Brief Executive Summary for District Leadership

Capstone/Group Manuscript Model ◦ Must include

Common introduction/Common Implications Each student must complete unique, publishable

manuscript that aligns or incorporates with the other manuscripts in the group

Policy Brief Executive Summary

University of Louisville

Products Formal Presentation to UofL Faculty,

Committee, Cohort(s), & District-Level Constituents

Policy Brief for District Stakeholders Executive Summary for District

Stakeholders Publishable Manuscript (peer-review journal

article)

University of Louisville

Standards/Rigor Majority of Dissertations/Capstones should be a

culminating product of participatory action research endeavors.

Products should have researched-based implications for most pressing educational problems of community in which practitioners are located.

Products should be of the highest quality, as expectations are they will be published in a top-tier research journal.

Products must be distilled for local practitioners in a way that they can be made useful for local policy decisions.

University of Louisville

Traditional 5 chapter dissertation Non traditional dissertation in practice In order to appeal to the 21st Educational

Leader and the problems that they will face, Lynn encourages doctoral candidates to propose topics. “The sky is the limit.”

Lynn University

With a new dean of the College of Education named, Dr. Weigel, the emphasis will move from the traditional five chapter dissertation to encourage students to create “their own box”.

Projects need approval, but the emphasis on more non-traditional formats.

Dissertation in Practice

11 member dissertation in practice 3 products

◦ iBook◦ Lit Review plus 2-3 publishable articles◦ Executive Summary

Defense will be done individually “How does a group work collectively with

such diverse backgrounds to write something valuable.”

Cohort 5 – Group Dissertation