Individual departments may have additional requirements for dissertations more extensive than those detailed here. The doctoral candidate should become familiar both with the requirements described in this handbook and with those of the specific department. A doctoral dissertation is evidence of an individual's ability to conceptualize and carry out research and to communicate the results of that research in a coherent document. The research should address an important problem of manageable scope in the chosen field of study, and should make a significant contribution to the profession's theory or practice. Most commonly, the work builds on previous research findings and involves the collection, analysis, and interpretation of new data.
Some dissertations focus on the re-examination of previously collected data.
A dissertation is not merely the effort of one scholar working in isolation. Doctoral candidates benefit greatly from the input and support of faculty members, advisors, and administrators. The dissertation committee and others can offer important advice to the doctoral candidate in areas such as the project's research design, data collection procedures, and use and analysis of data. Ultimately, however, the student remains responsible for the integrity of the research. Before beginning the dissertation process, a doctoral candidate should become familiar with dissertations previously published in the specific field of study.