Health Professions Division Dissertation Guide

8 candidates are encouraged to make appointments to meet with faculty members. Remember that faculty are available to talk with candidates, and candidates should take advantage of every opportunity to meet with faculty. Candidates are expected to use the library, the Internet, and the World Wide Web extensively. Candidates may use the University's electronic library, which can be accessed through their NSU email account. Note, it is necessary to go through the Health Professions Division (HPD) Library (http://www.nova.edu/hpdlibrary/) t o access all the available databases. Many candidates become anxious because they do not have a dissertation topic, but this anxiety is not unusual, and almost every candidate goes through this search process. Candidates may also experience one or more false starts that result in the search for new topics, which is also a normal part of the process and should be expected. Resources for dissertation samples are found at (http://www.dissertation.com) or use the search engine Google and type in “dissertation.” IDEA PAPER PROPOSAL The idea paper or draft proposal should be a short document approximately seven to 14 double-spaced pages in length. Candidates will risk rejection by submitting shorter or longer papers. The dissertation idea paper proposal needs to be clearly and concisely stated with supporting documentation. It is not intended to be a one-time or static document. As dissertation work proceeds, goals evolve. Format and Content of the Idea Paper Proposal Use following outline and instructions for the idea paper proposal. The candidate should refer to him/herself as “the investigator” and refer to his/her study as the “dissertation study” to be clear in distinguishing the dissertation study from studies in the literature used to support points made. Use the following level one headings. For a qualitative study, see the information starting on page 31 because the language is a little different from other study designs. Use the present tense. Use the past tense when referring to studies from the literature. Remember the active voice is preferred. Be careful not to give a human quality to an inanimate object, which is anthropomorphism. Studies, findings, results, literature, research, theories, tables, or figures cannot explain, compare, deduce, explore, examine, assess, conclude, interpret, support, discuss, address, focus, highlight, provide, give, or determine anything. Objects have a limited vocabulary. They can find, show, indicate, demonstrate, and include. Only people or organizations can perform actions. Instead, have author doing the action, or use the passive voice. Remember to be clear when referring to the dissertation study and referring to studies that support the dissertation study.