C HA P T E R 2 : U ND E RS T AN D I N G T H E D I S S E R T AT I O N Defining the Dissertation Programs leading to the PhD at Capella University train highly qualified scholar-practitioners to master a field of study and contribute to their discipline by advancing original research. PhD programs train scholar-practitioners for a variety of careers in research, education, administration, and professional practice. The PhD credentials imply that the holder has completely mastered a specific subject area and is capable of extending the body of knowledge by: Conducting independent, thorough, and comprehensive research. • Exhibiting critical thought processes. • Writing at a scholarly level. • All doctoral programs require course work, qualifying comprehensive examinations, and a demonstration of research competence: the dissertation. At Capella, areas of specialization appear on a doctoral learner’s transcript, but in reality, the subject of the dissertation establishes the academic area of scholarly expertise. The dissertation is the culmination of a learning process that demonstrates a learner’s mastery and ability to conduct independent research: to ask a research question relevant to the practice or field of study, develop a systematic process of collecting and analyzing data to answer that research question, and interpret the findings in light of the related literature and current practice. A dissertation is original research that generates new knowledge and conforms to conventions for academic integrity and scholarly writing. The quality of the final draft of the dissertation will be appropriate for publication. Successful completion of the dissertation requires a number of crucial skills that together help the learner develop independent thought, judgment, and critical thinking faculties, while offering the opportunity to contribute original ideas to existing scholarship. The dissertation requires the learner to research and evaluate relevant reference materials to formulate pertinent questions and/or hypotheses, to design an appropriate research study to answer those questions or test the hypotheses, and to present findings in the form of a coherent scholarly manuscript of appropriate format. Completing a dissertation exercises organizational, writing, and research skills.
C HA P T E R 2 : U ND E RS T AN D I N G T H E D I S S E R T AT I O N Defining the Dissertation Programs leading to the PhD at Capella University train highly qualified scholar-practitioners to master a field of study and contribute to their discipline by advancing original research. PhD programs train scholar-practitioners for a variety of careers in research, education, administration, and professional practice. The PhD credentials imply that the holder has completely mastered a specific subject area and is capable of extending the body of knowledge by: • Conducting independent, thorough, and comprehensive research. • Exhibiting critical thought processes. • Writing at a scholarly level. All doctoral programs require course work, qualifying comprehensive examinations, and a demonstration of research competence: the dissertation. At Capella, areas of specialization appear on a doctoral learner’s transcript, but in reality, the subject of the dissertation establishes the academic area of scholarly expertise. The dissertation is the culmination of a learning process that demonstrates a learner’s mastery and ability to conduct independent research: to ask a research question relevant to the practice or field of study, develop a systematic process of collecting and analyzing data to answer that research question, and interpret the findings in light of the related literature and current practice. A dissertation is original research that generates new knowledge and conforms to conventions for academic integrity and scholarly writing. The quality of the final draft of the dissertation will be appropriate for publication. Successful completion of the dissertation requires a number of crucial skills that together help the learner develop independent thought, judgment, and critical thinking faculties, while offering the opportunity to contribute original ideas to existing scholarship. The dissertation requires the learner to research and evaluate relevant reference materials to formulate pertinent questions and/or hypotheses, to design an appropriate research study to answer those questions or test the hypotheses, and to present findings in the form of a coherent scholarly manuscript of appropriate format. Completing a dissertation exercises organizational, writing, and research skills.
all_diss_manual.docx