Ph.D. Leadership Dissertation Manuscript
Policy Statement
All CU dissertation coursework and documents must follow the current APA Publication Manual at the time of the document submission.
Policy Procedures
The dissertation, for most graduate students, is the most challenging, rigorous, lengthy, and involved writing task they will ever undertake. Writing a PhD dissertation requires accuracy and clarity of expression, logical organization and flow, scholarly tone, and a well-founded grasp of subject matter content. The current APA Publication Manual is the 6th edition 2nd printing.
The Components of a Dissertation Manuscript
The PhD Dissertation Manuscript will consist of the components listed below.
Title and Title Page
A Dissertation title should accurately and concisely describe the dissertation study in no
more than 12 words in length. A student should aim to be clear and precise making sure
that every word counts.
Abstract
The Dissertation Abstract should be a single paragraph that concisely and accurately
summarizes the study in no more than 250 words. The Abstract should conform to
proper APA standards and address the following components.
- Briefly introduce the research area
- Clearly articulate the study problem
- Identify the research methodology
- Discuss the participants or data source utilized
- Present the key results, conclusions and recommendations for future research.
Table of Contents
The Table of Contents should include all main sections of the document starting with the Dedication page. It should list the titles of each chapter, plus all Level 2 Headings – these are the main sections within each chapter. All titles and headings should match what appears in the text exactly as it is written.
Chapter 1: Introduction
The Dissertation Topic is introduced in a few short paragraphs not to exceed two pages in length. The study topic is briefly described to establish the main concepts and framework. An overview of what is contained in Chapter 1 is provided. Additional components covered in chapter 1 include: Background, Problem Statement, Purpose Statement, Theoretical Framework, Research Questions and Hypotheses, Nature of the Study, Significance of the Study, Definitions, and Chapter Summary.
Chapter 2: Literature Review
The Literature Review is an extensive, critical review of all relevant professional, scholarly, and scientific literature, which includes substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological contributions related to the dissertation topic. It must be an orderly, cohesive, and well-sequenced narrative that relates the research problem to a body of scholarly work. It must involve a critical evaluation and combination of the relevant published research and methods of key studies.
The review should offer an historical viewpoint on the research topic, but the bulk of the literature reviewed should be scholarly, peer-reviewed work published in the past five years. The literature review should include enough scholarly sources to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of the significance and background of the project.
Chapter 3: Research Methodology
This chapter offers a detailed description of the research methods and procedures used in the study. The candidate should provide an explanation of the relevance of the methodology, and a detailed description of the recruiting method for obtaining subjects, and/or organizations. It should also include a rationale for the research design, research instruments, procedures, methods by which participants and/or organizations are recruited, and data analysis. The contents in this chapter need to describe and explain the research method in enough detail for other researchers to use it to replicate the study.
Chapter 4: Findings
Data is collected, processed, analyzed, and presented in response to the problem posed in Chapter 1 of the dissertation. Results of the data analysis are presented and a clear explanation of what the findings mean in light of the theory and/or conceptual framework is clearly articulated. Findings should be compared/contrasted to other related studies. Conclusively, an explanation of how the findings impact the overall field of study is presented.
Chapter 5: Implications and Recommendations
The implications of the study assure the reader that the study added to the existing body of knowledge. This section allows the candidate to present the significance and importance of the findings beyond the empirical findings. It gives the candidate the opportunity to express why he or she believes the results hold meaning.
Recommendations
Recommendations for future research need to be addressed and discussed. A candidate should consider different populations, instrumentation, theoretical constructs, and limitations. Recommendations for future research are a way to further increase knowledge in the field of study.
References and Appendices
A listing of all references, in proper APA format, must be included in the Dissertation Manuscript. All Appendices referenced in the manuscript must appear in the Appendices section. Every Appendix should also be referenced in the manuscript.
Outside Resources
Proofreading and Editorial Advising
A PhD student may employ the services of a style editor for grammatical and stylistic improvement.
Statistician
Students conducting quantitative research must be well versed in statistical tools and analysis. A student can consult with an outside statistician with approval from the Chair to verify the accuracy of the tool selection and analysis.
Failure to follow this policy may lead to disciplinary action.