Читать книгу Qualitative Dissertation Methodology - Nathan Durdella - Страница 51

From program orientations, first-year program advising, and first-year coursework, both formal and informal elements of dissertation research development take place. For example, first-year workshops, seminars, and methods courses cover issues related to the identification of a dissertation research topic; dissertation format and chapter contents; dissertation chair selection guidance (if a chair has not been assigned to students at program entry); and support for an exploratory search of the empirical literature to initiate the development of a dissertation research problem, purpose, and questions. As students transition from the first to second years of their programs, dissertation work tends to take the form of advanced methods courses, faculty research participation, and formal exam processes. With a majority of classroom work done, preparing for and passing qualifying or comprehensive (comp) exams and developing an advanced skill set in the qualitative methodological areas of focus for dissertation work tend to occupy the focus of student advising. Parallel to coursework and exam processes, revisions to dissertation research problems, purposes, and questions—all within the contexts of developing dissertation proposals—occur. At the end of the second year of program study, dissertation proposal hearings may take place—but frequently these events move into the third year and beyond—so let us take a look them now.