A dissertation is the product of extensive research and presents an original contribution to knowledge in a given field. It documents the candidate’s ability
- To make substantive contributions to answering a major intellectual question
- To communicate research results with professional competence.
In all cases, the dissertation must constitute an integrated, coherent work, whose parts are logically connected. It must have a written introductory chapter that sets forth the general theme and core questions of the dissertation research and that explains the relationship among the constituent chapters or parts. The introduction will typically include, as is appropriate to the discipline, a review of the literature relevant to the dissertation, an explanation of theories, methods, and/or procedures utilized by the author, and a summary discussion of the contribution of the dissertation project to knowledge in the field. In its final deposited form, the dissertation must constitute an achievable product, which meets the standards prescribed by the university.
The dissertation may consist (in whole or in part) of co-authored chapters and articles, but the candidate must be a major contributor to the research and writing of any such papers and must describe her/his ideas, individual efforts, and contributions to the larger work. In order to be in compliance with the university’s policy on plagiarism and academic integrity,* a dissertation that incorporates co-authored work must also include in its introduction an explanation of the role of the candidate in the research and in the writing of the co-authored work.
If a dissertation includes previously published materials (authored or co-authored), the candidate must provide a full referencing of when and where individual papers have been published. Because prior publication and multiple authorship have implications with respect to copyright, DBA candidates should discuss copyright with advisors and obtain copyright clearance from any co-authors well in advance of defending the dissertation. Written permission must be obtained in order to include articles copyrighted by others within the dissertation. It is the responsibility of the student and the student’s dissertation committee to ensure that the dissertation meets all requirements regarding authorship, academic integrity, and copyright, as here outlined.