Writing tip: Read other defended dissertations
Many students that I work with have never read a defended dissertation and have little or no idea what the final document is supposed to look like. By reading the defended dissertations of other students in your college or department, you will not only have a better understanding of how the written document should be structured, but you will also know what to expect when defending your own dissertation. I recommend that you start by looking for a dissertation that applied the same study design and methodology you have chosen for your study. For example, if you are conducting a qualitative case study, you should search for a defended dissertation in your college or department that used a qualitative case study. I also recommend searching for a defended dissertation under the name of your dissertation chair. This can be particularly helpful if your chair has not provided a template clearly outlining their expectations.
Reading defended dissertations can also spark ideas and alleviate writer’s block. In fact, I often recommend reading a dissertation related to your topic if you are struggling with various components of your study – such as the literature review or theoretical framework. The literature review in a dissertation on a similar topic may provide you with ideas about strands of literature that you have not considered. A word of caution: make sure you fully understand the information you are reading before including it in your study!