Free Doctor of Education Dissertation Proposal Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What does the preliminary examination serve to accomplish?

To complete the Ph.D. program
To submit the Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Hearing Form
To complete the Ph.D. program
To defend a written Dissertation Proposal (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To defend a written Dissertation Proposal

The preliminary examination is a critical milestone in a doctoral program, designed to assess a student's readiness for independent research. Its primary purpose is for the student to formally defend a comprehensive written Dissertation Proposal before their advisory committee, demonstrating their understanding of the research topic and methodology.

Question 2: What are the Preliminary Examination's two components?

Part I: Approval of the Graduate School, Part II: Oral presentation of results
Part I: Written examination, Part II: Oral examination
Part I: Approval of the Ph.D. Advisory Committee, Part II: Written dissertation submission
Part I: Approval of the written Dissertation Proposal, Part II: Oral defense of the proposal (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Part I: Approval of the written Dissertation Proposal, Part II: Oral defense of the proposal

The Preliminary Examination typically comprises two distinct but interconnected components. Part I involves the submission and subsequent approval of a detailed written Dissertation Proposal, while Part II requires the student to orally defend that proposal, presenting their research plan and answering questions from their advisory committee.

Question 3: Who decides if a student is qualified to take the preliminary exam?

Graduate School (Correct answer)
Departmental Graduate Committee
Ph.D. Program Assistant
Ph.D. Advisory Committee

Correct answer: Graduate School

The Graduate School is the central administrative body responsible for overseeing all graduate academic policies and requirements within a university. Therefore, it is the Graduate School that ultimately determines a student's eligibility and qualification to take the preliminary examination, ensuring adherence to institutional standards for doctoral candidacy.

Question 4: How much space should a dissertation proposal take up?

20-25 single-spaced pages
1-5 single-spaced pages
30-35 single-spaced pages
10-15 single-spaced pages (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 10-15 single-spaced pages

A dissertation proposal needs to be comprehensive enough to detail the research plan without being overly lengthy. A typical range of 10-15 single-spaced pages allows for sufficient depth to cover the background, methodology, and anticipated outcomes, providing enough information for the advisory committee to thoroughly evaluate the project's feasibility and scholarly merit.

Question 5: What is covered in the proposal's Specific Aims section?

Summary of critical questions the research aims to answer (Correct answer)
Results of preliminary experiments
Hypotheses of the research
Approaches and techniques to be used

Correct answer: Summary of critical questions the research aims to answer

The 'Specific Aims' section of a dissertation proposal is crucial for clearly and concisely outlining the precise goals and objectives of the proposed research. It functions as a summary of the critical questions or hypotheses that the study intends to investigate and answer, providing a focused roadmap for the entire project.

Question 6: What information should be presented in the proposal's preliminary results section?

Unpublished results related to the dissertation topic (Correct answer)
Background information about the topic
Published literature reviews
Approach and techniques description

Correct answer: Unpublished results related to the dissertation topic

The preliminary results section of a dissertation proposal serves to demonstrate the student's initial progress and the feasibility of their proposed research. It should include unpublished data or findings directly related to the dissertation topic, which support the rationale for the study and illustrate the student's capacity to conduct the planned experiments.

Question 7: What is covered in the section on the experimental plan?

Preliminary results and experimental design
Abstract of the proposal
Approach, techniques, hypothesis, and anticipated results (Correct answer)
Background and significance of the research

Correct answer: Approach, techniques, hypothesis, and anticipated results

The experimental plan section is the core of the methodology, detailing exactly how the research will be conducted. It comprehensively covers the specific approaches and techniques to be employed, the hypotheses being tested, and the anticipated results, providing a clear roadmap for the practical execution of the dissertation research.

Question 8: What belongs in the section about the background and significance?

Experimental plan and methodology
Discussion of relevant reviews and published literature (Correct answer)
Summary of research objectives
Description of research outcomes

Correct answer: Discussion of relevant reviews and published literature

The 'Background and Significance' section of a dissertation proposal serves to contextualize the proposed research within the existing body of knowledge. It involves a thorough discussion of relevant literature reviews and published studies, demonstrating the student's understanding of the field and highlighting the gap that their research aims to fill, thereby establishing its importance.

Question 9: When should the Advisory Committee receive the Dissertation Proposal?

At the beginning of the doctoral program
Two weeks before the Preliminary Examination (Correct answer)
At least three (3) weeks before the exam date
After approval by the Graduate School

Correct answer: Two weeks before the Preliminary Examination

Providing the Dissertation Proposal to the Advisory Committee two weeks before the Preliminary Examination is a standard practice that ensures committee members have ample time to thoroughly review the document. This allows them to prepare questions, identify areas for discussion, and provide informed feedback during the actual examination.

Question 10: What does the oral defense serve to prove?

To present the Dissertation Proposal and answer questions (Correct answer)
To review preliminary results
To receive feedback on written proposal
To discuss published literature

Correct answer: To present the Dissertation Proposal and answer questions

The oral defense of a dissertation proposal is a formal presentation where the doctoral student articulates their research plan to their advisory committee. Its primary purpose is to allow the student to present their proposal, elaborate on its components, and critically engage with questions and challenges posed by the committee, demonstrating their comprehensive understanding and readiness for the research.

Question 11: The results of the preliminary examination are decided by whom?

Departmental Graduate Committee
Biological Sciences Graduate Program Director
Ph.D. Advisory Committee (Correct answer)
Graduate School

Correct answer: Ph.D. Advisory Committee

The Ph.D. Advisory Committee, composed of faculty members overseeing the student's doctoral progress, is directly responsible for evaluating the student's performance during the preliminary examination. Based on the written proposal and the oral defense, this committee collectively decides whether the student has successfully met the requirements to proceed with their dissertation research.

Question 12: What happens in the event that a student fails the preliminary exam a second time?

Not allowed to retake the exam (Correct answer)
Advised to make a direct appeal to the departmental Graduate Committee
Placed on academic probation
Allowed to retake the exam for the third time

Correct answer: Not allowed to retake the exam

Failing the preliminary examination a second time typically signifies that the student has not met the rigorous academic standards required to continue in the doctoral program. Most institutions have a strict policy that disallows further retakes after a second failure, leading to dismissal from the program as it indicates insufficient readiness for independent dissertation research.

Question 13: What is permitted for students to do before to the preliminary examination?

Enroll in credited courses outside the Ph.D. program
File the Application for the Doctoral Preliminary Examination(s)
Receive financial support as a TA, PA, RA, or Fellow
Petition to take only one (1) credit during the semester (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Petition to take only one (1) credit during the semester

Doctoral students preparing for the demanding preliminary examination are often permitted to petition to take only one credit during that semester. This allowance is designed to provide them with dedicated time and focus to thoroughly prepare for the exam, write their dissertation proposal, and engage in the intensive study required for success.

Question 14: Who is eligible to join the examination committee?

Biological Sciences Graduate Program Director
Appropriate UWM graduate faculty or Ph.D. committee members (Correct answer)
Doctoral Program Assistant
Ph.D. Advisory Committee members

Correct answer: Appropriate UWM graduate faculty or Ph.D. committee members

The examination committee for a doctoral preliminary exam must consist of qualified individuals who can rigorously evaluate the student's research proposal and academic readiness. Therefore, eligible members are typically appropriate graduate faculty from the university or existing members of the student's Ph.D. advisory committee, ensuring expertise and adherence to academic standards.

Question 15: When should the doctoral preliminary examination warrant be filed after it has been signed?

Before approval by the Graduate School
Two weeks before the examination
Along with the Dissertation Proposal
After passing the Preliminary Examination (Correct answer)

Correct answer: After passing the Preliminary Examination

The doctoral preliminary examination warrant is a formal document that officially certifies a student's successful completion of the preliminary examination. It is filed with the Graduate School *after* the student has successfully passed both the written and oral components of the exam, serving as a record of their advancement to candidacy.

Question 16: Who is anticipated to be responsible for writing the proposal?

The advisory committee
The student (Correct answer)
The Graduate School
The advisor

Correct answer: The student

The dissertation proposal is a foundational document that outlines the student's original research plan, demonstrating their intellectual ownership and capacity for independent scholarly work. Therefore, the student is solely responsible for writing the proposal, although they receive guidance and feedback from their advisor and advisory committee.

Free Doctor of Education Dissertation Proposal Questions and Answers

What does the preliminary examination serve to accomplish?