5 steps of a dissertation

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

As the culmination of a PhD program, a doctoral dissertation represents the original research that contributes to a student’s field of study. It’s a significant undertaking, and one that might seem daunting as you explore the different stages of the doctoral journey.

For any large project like this, understanding the steps and sequence can help reduce some of the uncertainty you may feel about writing a dissertation.

What is a dissertation?

A dissertation is a long-form research paper based on a student’s proposed topic. The work showcases their original research, writing and analytical skills.

Once a dissertation is completed, the PhD candidate presents their dissertation to a faculty committee, where they defend their work as a way to demonstrate their level of expertise and to answer in-depth questions about their research.

There are several sections in a dissertation:

• An outline of the full background of the study
• A comprehensive literature review that supports the research
• A discussion of the chosen research design, data collection and analysis, and details of the research steps
• The actual data analysis and results
• The final evaluation and interpretation of results

As you progress through a PhD program, each of the steps described below is designed to help make the dissertation process more manageable.

Step 1: Project ideation

Your coursework is designed to give you deep insights into the theories and practices central to your field of study. You’ll gain broad exposure to the field to help you to start thinking about a specific topic for your project. You will also be given opportunities to learn more about research ethics and methodologies to help you formally develop your project proposal in the next phase.

Step 2: Project development

In this step, you’ll narrow down your choice of topics and begin to build the detailed format of your project. This step involves developing a detailed research plan that outlines the theoretical basis for your research, the questions you hope to answer, a research methodology and proposed data analyses. Creating such a detailed research plan develops much of the content for the first three chapters of your dissertation. You will submit your plan for approval to faculty to help prepare you for the next phase of completing your actual research.

Reach out to support systems your university offers, such as Capella’s academic coaches, faculty or the Writing Center if you have questions during this step.

Step 3: Project implementation

This step begins with submitting your study for approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB will review your project to ensure it meets the standards for ethical research. Once you get IRB approval, you can start to gather the data that you will analyze in the next step. During this step, you will also write and synthesize much of the content for the remaining chapters of your dissertation.

Step 4: Project conclusion

As you near completion of your work, you’ll finish collecting your data and analyze the results. You will also complete the final two chapters of your dissertation in which you summarize your findings and connect them back to the questions and theories you discussed in earlier chapters. Review and edit your dissertation prior to submitting it for faculty approval.

Step 5: University approvals

In the final step of completing your dissertation, you will submit your project for final format editing and approval from your faculty.

Whatever step you’re on, one of the key factors to help you succeed is time management. Every step requires considerable work. Breaking down each step (as Capella does) is a good approach, as is diligently scheduling time every week to continue working. It may feel overwhelming to contemplate the entire process at once, but bundling steps into smaller goals could help the work become more manageable.

The dissertation is more than just the final step toward earning a PhD. Knowing that you could be contributing knowledge to your chosen field can be rewarding. It’s hard work, but it can be followed by an immense feeling of satisfaction when you reach the end.

If you want to read more about earning a PhD, check out our blog post on comprehensive exams.

Capella University offers PhD and professional doctoral degree programs across various fields of study. Learn more about our online PhD programs.