Steps After Dissertation Submission

After you’ve submitted your dissertation, there are several key steps in the process leading up to your final graduation. Here’s what to expect:

1. Acknowledgment of Receipt

Confirmation Email: Upon submission, you will typically receive an acknowledgment from your university confirming they’ve received your dissertation. This may include details about the next steps, like scheduling your defense.
Check Submission Details: Ensure that you’ve submitted everything required, including any required forms, payment for binding, or additional materials like an abstract.

2. Review Process

Initial Review: The first step in the review process is usually a check for basic requirements such as proper formatting, word count, and submission of all necessary documents.
Preliminary Advisor Review: Your advisor might perform an initial review, checking for any minor issues such as typos or small formatting errors.

3. Defense Scheduling and Preparation

Scheduling Your Defense: After your dissertation is confirmed for review, you will work with your advisor or department to schedule a defense date. This usually occurs within a few weeks to a couple of months after submission.
Preparation: Begin preparing for your defense by reviewing your dissertation, practicing your presentation, and anticipating potential questions from your committee.

4. Dissertation Defense

Present Your Work: The defense is an opportunity to present your findings, methodology, and conclusions to your committee. It typically involves a 20-30 minute presentation followed by a Q&A session.
Be Prepared for Scrutiny: Expect detailed questions regarding your research methodology, the significance of your findings, and any challenges you encountered. Prepare to discuss the limitations of your research and how your findings contribute to the field.

5. Post-Defense Revisions

Feedback and Revisions: After your defense, you will receive feedback from your committee. They may suggest changes to improve clarity, structure, or even some content. You will likely be given a timeline for making the revisions.
Make Necessary Revisions: Address the feedback provided by the committee, and make any necessary revisions to your dissertation.

6. Final Approval and Submission

Committee Approval: Once you’ve made the revisions, your committee will review them. If everything is satisfactory, they will provide final approval.
Final Submission: Submit the final version of your dissertation, including any required forms, and make sure it meets your university’s submission guidelines.

7. Graduation Process

Degree Conferral: Once your dissertation is submitted and approved, you will be eligible for graduation. Your university may require that you submit an electronic version to their digital repository or a specific database for public access.

8. Archiving and Publication

Dissemination: Depending on your university’s requirements, your dissertation will be archived in the university library or a dissertation database like ProQuest, making it available to other researchers.
Consider Publishing: You may want to consider publishing parts of your dissertation in academic journals. This will allow you to share your research with a wider academic audience.

Published by oriaku