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Prepare to Chair

Leading the Dissertation and Thesis Process

Gretchen Oltman; Jeanne L. Surface and Kay Keiser

Leading the thesis or dissertation process can be a challenging and rewarding experience. However, serving as a doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis Chair is often a role assumed with very little faculty development and a lot of guesswork. Many new (and yes, even experienced) Chairs rely on the secondhand advice of seasoned faculty or on their own lived experiences as graduate students (both good and bad). This can lead to confusion, frustration, and contentious relationships. Without a chairperson who is invested and who has a clear set of best practices, both the Chair and the student are left guessing as to the best course to proceed This book provides a clear set of best practices for the dissertation or thesis chairperson by providing hands-on tools, real-life illustrations, and practical advice for any faculty member guiding and coaching the student through the thesis or dissertation process.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 172 • Trim: 6½ x 9

978-1-4758-4261-6 • Hardback • May 2019 • $75.00 • (£58.00)

978-1-4758-4262-3 • Paperback • May 2019 • $38.00 • (£30.00)

Subjects: Education / Higher, Education / Doctoral Studies, Education / Research, Education / Teacher & Student Mentoring

Prepare to Chair

Leading the Dissertation and Thesis Process

Hardback

Paperback

Summary

Leading the thesis or dissertation process can be a challenging and rewarding experience. However, serving as a doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis Chair is often a role assumed with very little faculty development and a lot of guesswork. Many new (and yes, even experienced) Chairs rely on the secondhand advice of seasoned faculty or on their own lived experiences as graduate students (both good and bad). This can lead to confusion, frustration, and contentious relationships. Without a chairperson who is invested and who has a clear set of best practices, both the Chair and the student are left guessing as to the best course to proceed This book provides a clear set of best practices for the dissertation or thesis chairperson by providing hands-on tools, real-life illustrations, and practical advice for any faculty member guiding and coaching the student through the thesis or dissertation process.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 172 • Trim: 6½ x 9

978-1-4758-4261-6 • Hardback • May 2019 • $75.00 • (£58.00)

978-1-4758-4262-3 • Paperback • May 2019 • $38.00 • (£30.00)

Subjects: Education / Higher, Education / Doctoral Studies, Education / Research, Education / Teacher & Student Mentoring

Author

Gretchen Oltman is an assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She is an attorney, educator, and author.

Kay Keiser is an associate professor of educational leadership and serves as chair of the educational leadership department at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Jeanne L. Surface is an associate professor of educational leadership at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She is a former K-12 superintendent.

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1- 10 Questions to Ask Before Accepting Your First Chair Assignment

Who is the student?

What are the institution’s expectations of a Chair?

Where can I find policies and procedures regarding the process?

Who can I turn to for help?

What form or format does a thesis or dissertation need to be at this university?

How do I know what I don’t know? (and what if someone finds out what I don’t know??)

Does the methodology and topic the student hopes to use fit your expertise?

Do I have time for this?

Do I want to do this?

What am I bringing from my own experiences into this?

Chpater 2- Being a Chair

The Importance to the Student

The Importance to the Institution

The Importance to the Field of Study

The Importance to the Chair

The Chair as Leader

Takeaway Tips

Chapter 3- Crafting of the Committee

A Committee as an Organization

Storming Toward Consensus

Performing the Defense

Takeaway Tips

Chapter 4- Planning the Dissertation with the Candidate

Comfort the Afflicted

Afflict the Comfortable

Criteria to Set as Ground Rules

Impact of the Method on the Journey

Takeaway Tips

Chpater 5- Feedback and Failure

Setting Up Student/Chair Communication

Helping Students Understand the Timing of the Process

The Chair’s Workload

Tears and Fears

Critical Feedback or Coaching?

Shouldn’t the Student Already Know This?

Takeaway Tips

Chapter 6- The Ambiguity and Loneliness of the Graduate Student

The Mental Health Crisis Among Graduate Students

Encouraging Self-Care

Practice Makes Perfect

Chapter 7- Common Writing Issues

Guiding Student Writing

Building Habits with Online Tools

Tighten It Up

Emptying the Trash

Using Professional Voice

Plagiarism

The Internet and Other Writing Temptations

Synthesis

Revision

Stepping Away from the Paper

Takeaway Tips

Chapter 8- Problems, Delays, and Misunderstandings—Motivation and Insight

Building Relationship Through Understanding Style

Threatened Intent and Emerging Conflicts

Look in the Mirror

Data or Topic Dilemmas

Takeaway Tips

Chapter 9- Litigation Around the Dissertation and Thesis Process

Student/Faculty Relationship Fallout

Student Failure to Complete within a Designated Timeframe

Conflicts of Ownership and Authorship

Plagiarism

Takeaway Tips

Chapter 10- Preparing the Student for the Defense and Graduation

Preparing for the Defense Meeting

A Typical Committee Meeting

Handling Committee Questions

The Power of “I Don’t Know”

The Decision

Celebrating Success

Addressing Failure

Publication and Shared Authorship

Takeaway Tips

Chapter 11- Avoiding Mistakes and Missteps

Misstep #1. Make everything into a battle.

Misstep #2. Repeat the same conflict, repeatedly.

Misstep #3. Rely on your memory.

Misstep #4. Avoid issues with a pocket veto.

Misstep #5. Let them guess when or if they will get feedback.

Misstep #6. Be reluctant to say NO to a student

Misstep #7: Be the grammar sheriff.

Misstep #8. Use jargon, vague terms, sarcasm, and conflicting directions so students have to rewrite and revise repeatedly.

Misstep # 9. Ignore problems.

Misstep #10. Talk down other faculty members.

Misstep #11. Take advantage of students and junior faculty.

Misstep #12: Become too friendly or too close to the student.

Misstep #13: Assume the university will cover you, so don’t watch your back.

Misstep #14: Pretend that you do not make mistakes.

Steps in the Right Direction

Takeaway Tips

References

Appendix A: Beginning Chair Checklist

Appendix B: Preproposal, Prospectus, or Research Agreements

About the Authors

Reviews

Novice doctoral faculty members are often expected to chair dissertations with their experience as a doctoral student as their only knowledge of the process and its demands. It is an untenable position in which to place a new faculty colleague; one I know from my personal experience some twenty years ago. Drs. Oltman, Surface, and Keiser have performed a great service to the community of doctoral faculty, both novice and experienced, by writing this book and documenting the many, many factors that contribute to a positive or painful dissertation experience for both the chair and the student. It is rich in guidance from the early consideration a faculty member must give to the task of chairing a committee to the science and art of guiding both the student and dissertation committee toward a successful outcome. I will be reading it to refresh my outlook and function as a dissertation chair and will use it to assist in mentoring new doctoral faculty in the important work of the dissertation chair.
— Jennifer Sughrue, Professor, Educational Leadership, Florida Gulf Coast University

Oltman, Surface, and Keiser have produced an invaluable guide to successfully serving as a dissertation or thesis chair. Young academics from a wide range of disciplines could profit from this book, as instruction for chairing dissertations is often an overlooked part of a typical induction into the profession. Even scholars who have been around the block could improve their work with graduate students by spending a few hours with this trio of scholars.
— Paul Theobald, Visiting Professor of Educational Innovation, Co-Director, Ed. D. Program, University of Southern Indiana

While there is considerable information and guidance addressing the many research, teaching, and service duties and responsibilities of the contemporary faculty member, there is a noticeable absence of information involving a critical mentoring relationship in the doctoral education process, namely the role of today's faculty member as the designated chair of a student's doctoral dissertation. Recent research reveals that a doctoral student's selection of a faculty member to chair their dissertation is one of the most critical decisions a student can make in their doctoral education experience. In this book, the author(s) skillfully adopt a case study approach to illustrate both the complexity and importance of the doctoral dissertation chairing process and the faculty member's responsibilities as chair. Moreover, the author(s) provide invaluable considerations for faculty members when deciding whether or not to chair a student's dissertation. This book clearly addresses a current gap in the higher education literature involving the faculty's role in doctoral education and should be required reading for all faculty affiliated with doctoral degree granting programs.
— Kevin P. Brady

Prepare to Chair

Leading the Dissertation and Thesis Process

Gretchen Oltman; Jeanne L. Surface and Kay Keiser

Prepare to Chair

Leading the Dissertation and Thesis Process

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