Order Dissertation Premise Discussion

Order Dissertation Premise Discussion
The Dissertation Premise document is used in two ways:
• To identify a preliminary topic (problem) for your dissertation. This topic should be the
product of an initial investigation on your part but will be subject to change and
refinement and will inform the development of your prospectus.
• To help assign the faculty members who will guide your development of the
Dissertation Prospectus. This process varies across different programs, so please follow
the guidance in your program of study.
Completing the Premise
Order Dissertation Premise Discussion
The Dissertation Premise consists of four parts: title, problem statement, approach for the
study, and references. An annotated outline is included in this guide and should be used to create
your premise document. You will also find a sample premise herein to serve as a model for your
work, and a preformatted template is available on the Writing Center’s Doctoral Capstone Form
and Style website.
Your primary goal for the premise is to narrow your dissertation topic such that you have
provided a general sense of the direction of your research by identifying an initial problem to
study. At this point, you do not need to know everything about the research project, especially
Order Dissertation Premise Discussion
the details of your methodology. Many of those specific decisions are made during the proposal
development phase of your dissertation, although some consideration of how you will execute
your study is appropriate from the beginning.
All documents related to your dissertation, including the premise, should follow the guidelines in
the sixth edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and
should be saved in either a .doc, .docx, or .rtf file format. When completed, please follow the
submission guidelines for your program. You may also want to review the Litmus Test for a
Doctoral-Level Research Problem, which has been provided at the end of this guide and is
available on the Center for Research Quality site.
Every doctoral student’s journey is a little different at Walden, so it is difficult to say exactly
when to start the Dissertation Premise. Some students have an idea for a possible topic when
they enroll, but many others begin seeing gaps in the existing research and strategies for
addressing them as they complete their coursework and research training. Be sure to check your
program of study and follow the guidance in your courses and from your program leaders.
Your Supervisory Committee