Expectations for Dissertation-Related Research

Please read the following sets of expectations and norms for dissertation research prior to asking me to serve on your dissertation committee. NOTE: I typically do not provide out-of-class consulting on statistical analysis for dissertations unless I am a member of the dissertation committee.

If you are asking me to serve as a member of your dissertation committee:
 
All committees:

• You must have already spoken with your dissertation chair about committee membership, and your chair should have already approved of you asking me to serve on your committee.
• You will be asked to meet with me to discuss your dissertation project prior to any commitment on my part.
• I can typically return feedback on dissertation research products in 2-3 weeks.
• I also expect 2-3 weeks lead time to read and comment on products in advance of any attempt to schedule a general oral exam, proposal meeting, or dissertation defense.

 
As a quantitative methodologist:

• You must have taken a minimum of six credit hours (two courses) in research methods with me as the instructor (ERMA-prefixed courses), and have received course grades of A or B.
• Your planned dissertation work must be quantitative or mixed-methods research.
• You must be planning an analytic approach for which you have taken supporting coursework.
• If you submit your dissertation research for publication, it is expected that you offer me co-authorship on any resulting manuscripts on which I have invested substantial labor.
• I will only comment on Chapters 3 and 4 (or their equivalent) in your dissertation.

 
As a content expert:

• If there is applicable coursework in the content area, you should have taken that coursework, with me as the instructor when possible (e.g., critical dissertation student should have taken ERMA 7410 with me).
• Areas in which I am comfortable serving as a content expert for a dissertation are as follows: Critical theory in education and/or critical pedagogy; Queer issues and/or queer theory in education (including studies of LGBTQ experiences in education); Time-related academic behavior (i.e., procrastination and timely engagement); Expectancy-value and/or achievement goal theory for motivation in education.
• If you submit your dissertation research for publication, it is expected that you offer me co-authorship on any resulting manuscripts on which I have invested substantial labor.
• I will primarily comment on Chapters 1, 2, and 5 (or their equivalent) of your dissertation.

 
If you are asking me to chair your dissertation:
 
As an Educational Psychology Ph.D. Student:

• You should have extensive research experience with me through a combination of coursework, out-of-class research experiences, and/or research assistantships.
• Your dissertation should be on a topic for which I am a content area expert (see above for a list of content areas in which I am comfortable serving).
• You should be comfortable with a one- to two-year timeline for completing the dissertation, and be planning to publish your work. It is expected that you offer me co-authorship on any resulting manuscripts.
• If I chair your dissertation committee and you later decide not to pursue publication of your dissertation study, I may proceed with preparing a manuscript based on the study, on which you would be invited to serve as an author or co-author.
• You will be expected to form a dissertation agreement which sets out the specific dissertation expectations and establishes a tentative timeline for completion.
• If I was not your advisor when you entered the program, your advisor must agree to a change in committee structure before you approach me about the dissertation committee.
• You must consult with me prior to approaching faculty members to serve as committee members.
• I can typically provide feedback on dissertation-related products within 2-3 weeks.
• I will provide extensive feedback on all portions of your dissertation, and you will address all feedback.
• I expect regular communication. At a minimum, I should hear from you once per month.

 
As a student outside the Educational Psychology Ph.D. program:

• I am not normally able to chair committees outside the Educational Psychology Ph.D. program.
• If you have a dissertation chair or advisor who has advised you to ask me to chair/co-chair the committee, that may be possible. All of the criteria listed above would apply, pending an agreement between you, your within-program chair/advisor, and myself.