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How to Create a Dissertation Timeline (With Examples + Tempate)

When it’s time to start thinking about writing your dissertation, it is vital to put together a dissertation timeline. This will help you map out the months you will be spending on your dissertation, and ensure that you’re staying on track. A specific and detailed dissertation timeline will serve as an outline to guide you, step by step, through what can be a long and challenging process. 

While we often refer to a dissertation in a way that makes it sound like a monolith, in reality, a dissertation consists of many moving parts. A dissertation timeline includes a series of milestones that leads up to the dissertation defense , revisions, and final submission of your dissertation. Constructing an outline of every step in the dissertation process , including rough estimates of how long each will take, will give you a realistic picture of where you are in the process at any given time. 

Before embarking on your dissertation, it is a good idea to meet with your dissertation advisor and sketch out a dissertation timeline that is realistic for the size and scope of your project and includes deadlines. This will provide you with much-needed structure and a sense of what will happen next. To get an idea of what a completed dissertation looks like and the components your program requires, ask to see samples from recent graduates in your department. 

These are a few frequently asked questions about crafting a dissertation timeline: 

• What does a dissertation timeline look like?
• What goes in a dissertation timeline? 
• How structured should a dissertation timeline be?
• What do you do with a dissertation timeline? 

What Does a Dissertation Timeline Look Like? 

One way to think about a dissertation timeline is as a kind of outline. While the outlining process is unique to each writer, there are commonalities shared by all of them. Likewise, when writing a dissertation timeline, you’ll want to include all of the basic elements of your dissertation as well as the amount of time you think you’ll need to execute them. 

The best dissertation timeline format is the one that works for you. Though I’ve reformed somewhat over the years, for a long time I wasn’t a fan of intensely detailed outlines. Many people don’t like outlines. And that’s okay! However, writing a dissertation is not the time to be flying by the seat of your pants. To get started, a simple, linear timeline that projects the amount of time you think you’ll need to write your dissertation will suffice. 

Example Dissertation Timeline

Below, you’ll find an example of a dissertation timeline, which you can view as an image in your browser or download as a spreadsheet. Feel free to use the spreadsheet as a template as you build your own dissertation timeline.

Or download the spreadsheet below:

Inclusion in a Dissertation Timeline

When constructing your dissertation timeline, include every element of the dissertation from the abstract to the conclusion. Keep in mind that you may not be writing your chapters in chronological order. For instance, after completing their first round of research and writing their research question, most graduate students will tackle their literature review next, even though it comes after the abstract and introduction in the final document. 

Depending on the field being studied, most dissertations will also include sections for methodology, results, and discussion. Many programs also require a detailed conclusion that alludes to future research possibilities. Every dissertation also has an extensive list of references (pro tip: write this as you’re writing your dissertation), as well as appendices for charts, graphs, and other ephemera. And don’t forget your acknowledgments! 

Dissertation Timeline Structure

The structure of your dissertation timeline will take shape once you’re engaged in the research process. While a road map may seem like an apt metaphor for a dissertation, once you get started you may notice a lot of starts and stops and circling back. After you’ve begun researching, you may realize that you need to allot more time for digging through the databases, or you may discover that you need to reformulate your research question entirely. 

I’ve seen many of my own graduate students use calendars to great effect, giving themselves hard and fast deadlines to meet. Many students also build out their dissertation timelines as they progress, attaching working drafts of their abstract, introduction, and literature review to their timeline within a giant spreadsheet that links to multiple documents and sources. All of these methods are valid. Devise one that works for you. 

Using a Dissertation Timeline

So once you have a thoughtful, soundly-constructed dissertation timeline, what do you do with it? First, and most importantly, try your best to adhere to it. Check in with your dissertation timeline regularly, and use it to keep yourself on track. Also, make adjustments to it as needed. If you find yourself breezing through your preliminary research but needing a bit more time for your literature review, consult your timeline and adjust accordingly. 

While meeting your deadlines is important, also construct your dissertation timeline with an understanding that many graduate students face delays once they start working on their dissertation. These can include hold-ups at the department or university level in the form of late IRB approval or limited lab space or grant funding that gets cut. Anything can happen, but having a dissertation timeline will help you get back on track as soon as the storm passes. 

In my own experience, I also found my dissertation timeline to be a great document to share and discuss with my dissertation chair and committee. Once I finished my comprehensive exams, I met with members of my dissertation committee and got feedback on my rough dissertation timeline to make sure my goals for submitting my dissertation and graduating were realistic. This also ensured that we were all on the same page. 

When writing a dissertation, timing is everything. Creating a dissertation timeline gives you definitive time limits for research and writing, and it also influences several other major decisions that you’ll need to make. These include preparation to go on the job market, which often coincides with writing your dissertation. There is no doubt that this will be a hectic time in your graduate school career, but having a well-organized dissertation timeline is a good way to keep everything in perspective. 

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Courtney Watson, Ph.D.

Courtney Watson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of English at Radford University Carilion, in Roanoke, Virginia. Her areas of expertise include undergraduate and graduate curriculum development for writing courses in the health sciences and American literature with a focus on literary travel, tourism, and heritage economies. Her writing and academic scholarship has been widely published in places that include  Studies in American Culture ,  Dialogue , and  The Virginia Quarterly Review . Her research on the integration of humanities into STEM education will be published by Routledge in an upcoming collection. Dr. Watson has also been nominated by the State Council for Higher Education of Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Rising Star Award, and she is a past winner of the National Society of Arts & Letters Regional Short Story Prize, as well as institutional awards for scholarly research and excellence in teaching. Throughout her career in higher education, Dr. Watson has served in faculty governance and administration as a frequent committee chair and program chair. As a higher education consultant, she has served as a subject matter expert, an evaluator, and a contributor to white papers exploring program development, enrollment research, and educational mergers and acquisitions.

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How to Create a Research Timeline for Your Thesis

5-minute read

• 21st May 2023

Beginning a dissertation can feel both thrilling and overwhelming. One of the best things you can do to prepare for the exciting journey of doing a dissertation is to design a comprehensive timeline as your guide. Here we will take you step by step through creating your thesis timeline and provide some example templates, so you’ll be well-prepared to begin your dissertation work.

Reasons for Creating a Timeline

There are many benefits to crafting a detailed dissertation timeline. In addition to helping with time management and meeting crucial deadlines, your timeline will also help you stay motivated by reviewing the tasks you have completed as you progress. A thorough timeline will be valuable during your dissertation proposal and useful if you are applying for grants or other additional funding.

Ste0ps for Creating a Timeline for Your Thesis:

• Research and record all requirements and deadlines.

Before you write out your timeline, ensure you know all of your program’s requirements and deadlines. Academic institutions often require you to complete your dissertation within a specified timeframe.

There are likely several recommended or mandatory deadlines for approval of certain items by your adviser (and possibly the rest of your committee members). Gather all these dates beforehand so you can allot an appropriate amount of time to meet your deadlines.

It will be beneficial to meet with your adviser to understand when you are expected to complete the major phases of your dissertation work and to confirm that there aren’t any other requirements or deadlines that you may not be aware of.

• List all of your tasks and bundle them into phases.

Now that you’ve assembled your dates, working backward from your deadlines is a good rule of thumb. List all of the required tasks that must be completed to meet each milestone, from coming up with your research questions to writing each chapter of your dissertation .

Even though your list will be unique to your research project, it can help to refer to a thesis checklist . It’s also helpful to assemble tasks into different phases (e.g., dissertation proposal, research recruitment). Grouping tasks into phases gives anyone looking at your timeline a quick overview of your research plan.

• Organize your tasks into a schedule and assign task deadlines.

Now it’s time to build your timeline. There are many different free templates available online, from straightforward lists of deliverables to colorful options with room for notes and customization.

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A popular organizational approach for thesis timelines is a Gantt chart , which is a type of bar chart often used in project management in which the length of the bar corresponds to the time the task will take. The best choice for you will depend on the specifics of your research study and personal preferences. Whichever option you select, make sure you can easily edit and revise it as need be.

Sanity-Saving Tips:

●  Pay attention to your work style. Some people are more productive when writing in short bursts, while others write better after taking time to get into the zone. Some people choose to start writing parts of their thesis while still conducting research, while others prefer to focus on one phase at a time. Set yourself up for success by reflecting on what type of schedule will help you create the best quality work.

●  Schedule breaks. Almost everyone will work better after a well-deserved break. Make sure to schedule regular breaks into your timeline, as well as provide enough time to sleep, eat well, and do anything else you need to do to safeguard your well-being. 

●  Always have a plan B. Your dissertation is an extensive endeavor with many moving parts. It’s impossible to anticipate and plan for every conceivable event, but it’s helpful to expect something may occur that will cause a deviation from your original timeline. Perhaps study recruitment takes longer than you expected, or one of your committee members gets sick and you have to postpone your dissertation proposal. After you draft your timeline, check that it is not so strict that any disruption will cause a total derailment of your plan. Aim to strike a balance between goals that will inspire you to progress steadfastly and have some leeway in your timeline for the inevitable curveball that life will throw at you somewhere along the way.

Following these three steps will help you draft a timeline to steer the course of your dissertation work: research and record all requirements and deadlines; work backward from your dissertation deadline and assemble your task lists; and organize your tasks into a timeline.

Don’t forget to include ample time for editing and proofreading your dissertation . And if you are interested in any help from us, you can try a sample of our services for free . Best of luck in writing your dissertation!

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Dissertation Checklist and Timeline

Completing all of the crucial steps to the dissertation process can be complicated. Time and task management will be key to your success. Review the suggested tasks and print out this checklist to assist you in your dissertation journey.

Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

*The Caveat *

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.  

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

• Acknowledgements page
• Abstract (or executive summary)
• Table of contents , list of figures and tables
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Literature review
• Chapter 3: Methodology
• Chapter 4: Results
• Chapter 5: Discussion
• Chapter 6: Conclusion
• Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

• The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
• The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
• The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
• The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

• Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
• Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
• Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

• The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
• The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
• Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or  mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

• Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
• Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
• Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
• Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

• Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
• Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
• Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
• Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

Table of contents

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

• What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
• Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
• What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
• What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
• How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
• How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

• What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
• Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
• How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
• How does your research contribute something original?
• How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

• Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
• Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings . In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

• Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the  Grad Coach Blog .

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This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Expert Freelance Writer with 12+ Years of Professional Experience

How to Create a Timeline for Writing Your Dissertation or Thesis

Author: Melanie Green October 19, 2016

Academic Writing , Editing Services

dissertation timeline

Writing a dissertation, thesis, or capstone project is a major undertaking for graduate students around the world. When it’s time to write about all of your research, it can be overwhelming to say the least. You should create a timeline and a plan for how you are going to tackle the work on time so you don’t compromise quality or rush through it. Use these tips to create a solid timeline to complete your project you can rely on.

Start Your Dissertation ASAP

As soon as you can, start your dissertation. If you still have to conduct an experiment, it’s okay to write the other chapters that the experiment won’t change, such as your introduction and methodology chapters. You don’t want to put off this important academic document until last minute and potentially fail graduate school.  It is much better to start and finish early than to put it off.

Write These Chapters First

Most dissertations and theses have the same chapters, more or less:

• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Future Research/Conclusion

Fortunately, the Methodology and Literature review chapters are the easiest, so start writing them first to get them out of the way. The Methodology chapter is more or less the same across all dissertations, as you’ll need to know your research design, variables, and data sources. Do a quick search for other people’s dissertations to understand what is expected or speak with your university’s writing center.

Plan on Writing One Page an Hour

When you schedule in your calendar when you plan to write, you should plan on one page (or 250 words) taking you one hour to write. Use this as a guide to push yourself a little during writing sessions with accountability so you won’t slack off. It’s also a realistic number of words per hour that you  can  do. The writing of most dissertations should take somewhere between 40 and 80 hours to complete. Schedule this time after you’ve had time to gather research and conduct an experiment.

When you plan on how you’ll finish writing your dissertation, it takes away a lot of stress. Once you’ve written your dissertation, it may be time to look at professional dissertation editing services . This is especially true if you’re planning to publish it.

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Trapped in dissertation revisions?

Dissertation timeline, published by steve tippins on june 26, 2022 june 26, 2022.

Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 05:21 am

So, you’re writing a dissertation? Amazing! Congratulations! (Also, I’m sorry. And good luck.). 

If you’re embarking on this difficult journey, you need to go where you’re going. Every treasure hunt begins with a good map. (This particular treasure hunt happens to be for information that fills an extremely specific gap in the scholarly literature ).

Your dissertation timeline is the map you’ll rely on as you navigate the stormy waters of your dissertation journey. It will tell you what you need to be working on at any given stage of the process, and what you should prepare for when you’re done with your current task.

Expect the Unexpected

Remember that the map is not the journey. You can plan everything out perfectly, but life happens. Life even happens to doctoral students, who have ostensibly given up having a life.

The point is, don’t beat yourself up when your experience doesn’t match up with your dissertation timeline. The timeline is there to guide you and provide useful goals, but it can be adapted along the way as things come up. 

Perhaps your proposal needs five rounds of revision instead of the one or two you planned for (a common occurrence, except for those who have the foresight to hire a dissertation editor ). Maybe your committee chair decides to take an unexpected vacation. Maybe an unexpected family event happens.

All of these bumps are normal parts of the dissertation process. Don’t worry if you don’t live up to your own expectations as far as how quickly you finish. The important thing is not to go quickly, but to get to completion. 

Here are the major steps you’ll need to take when writing your dissertation, from ideation to graduation.

Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations.

Step 1: Prospectus

The timeline for a dissertation begins with the generation of your idea. This usually takes the form of a prospectus . A prospectus explains, What are you planning to do? Then, you get your chair and committee to agree that it’s a reasonable topic. Most people go through more than one idea before settling on their topic, and that can take some time. 

It may take you a month to come up with your idea because you’re going to be looking for a gap in the research. Once you find a gap in the research, see whether you could complete a relevant study within a reasonable time period. 

A tip – most students try to tackle topics that are entirely too broad. Look at past dissertation topics in your department, and you’ll see just how specific you need to be. 

Step 2: Proposal (Chapters 1 to 3)

After your prospectus, you move on to the proposal stage. At most universities, that means writing Chapters 1, 2, and 3. These three chapters are going to be about 60 to 70 pages total. You are going to have to do a lot of writing and research and get committee approval. 

A timeline might say you can do your dissertation proposal in three to four months, but that is only true as long as what you’re submitting is well-written and your committee approves it. For argument’s sake, we’ll say it takes four months. The next level of your dissertation is to collect data. But before you can collect data, you have to get IRB approval. 

Step 3: Institutional Review Board Approval

Approval from the Institutional Review Board, or IRB, states that what you’re going to be doing will not harm any participants in your study. IRB approval is usually relatively quick, depending on what type of research you’re doing. If you want to research small children, for example, it’s going to take longer to get approval. There must be safeguards in place to protect those children. Once you have IRB approval, you move on to collecting your data. 

Step 4: Data Collection

Collecting data can be as short as a couple of hours if you are accessing data for a quantitative study from a secondary data source . In that case, you would just be getting the data you need from the database. Then, take that data, make sure it’s in the format you need, and enter it into the appropriate statistical software package. If you need help with this, check out our quantitative data analysis services.

On the other hand, if you’re doing a qualitative study and you have to track people down, it can take several months in order to just find and interview them. Then, you can process those interviews by transcribing and entering them into the appropriate statistical or software program to come up with themes. 

Step 5: Analysis and Conclusion (Chapters 4 and 5)

Once you have statistical results and themes, you can write Chapter 4 and report your findings. Then, write Chapter 5 , in which you analyze your findings. Say what they mean and how it fits in the literature. Compare your findings to the literature you used to begin your study and address what future research should be done. 

This phase could take anywhere from three to nine months, depending on how quickly you can collect your data. It is conceivable that you could finish your dissertation within a year or a year and a half. All of these time periods we’ve presented so far assume you’re working on your dissertation full-time. If you have a job and a family and are also working on a dissertation, it can take longer.

Step 6: Defense

Once you have finished your dissertation (Chapters 1 through 5) you have to go back to your committee, get approval, and then do your dissertation defense. This process can be as short as a month. But if your committee has problems with what you’ve done or it needs more work, it could take several months. 

Variables in the Dissertation Timeline

There are a number of variables outside your control. For example, you might finish in July and then one or two of your committee members are off on research projects of their own and won’t be back until September. But in an ideal timeline, a year to a year and a half is reasonable.

While we can present ideals and hypotheticals, you do have a lot of control over the timeline. If you dedicate yourself and work ahead, you can minimize the amount of time it will take to have “Dr.” in front of your name. 

Dealing With Unexpected Events

Unexpected things can come up as well. First of all, if you’re not a full-time student, life can throw many things in your way. Somebody could become sick, a pandemic could come about, or your job could increase its demands on you. 

You don’t control your committee’s time, and they may have other things going on that prevent them from responding quickly. Funding interruptions can also happen. Being good at handling details is going to help you stay on track as much as possible. 

That’s where a dissertation timeline comes in. Get this together from the very beginning, and you’ll be better-equipped to deal with unexpected events and finish your dissertation in as little time as possible.

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

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What is a thesis?

What is a dissertation, getting started, staying on track.

A thesis is a long-term project that you work on over the course of a semester or a year. Theses have a very wide variety of styles and content, so we encourage you to look at prior examples and work closely with faculty to develop yours. 

Before you begin, make sure that you are familiar with the dissertation genre—what it is for and what it looks like.

Generally speaking, a dissertation’s purpose is to prove that you have the expertise necessary to fulfill your doctoral-degree requirements by showing depth of knowledge and independent thinking.

The form of a dissertation may vary by discipline. Be sure to follow the specific guidelines of your department.

• PhD This site directs candidates to the GSAS website about dissertations , with links to checklists,  planning, formatting, acknowledgments, submission, and publishing options. There is also a link to guidelines for the prospectus . Consult with your committee chair about specific requirements and standards for your dissertation.
• DDES This document covers planning, patent filing, submission guidelines, publishing options, formatting guidelines, sample pages, citation guidelines, and a list of common errors to avoid. There is also a link to guidelines for the prospectus .
• Scholarly Pursuits (GSAS) This searchable booklet from Harvard GSAS is a comprehensive guide to writing dissertations, dissertation-fellowship applications, academic journal articles, and academic job documents.

Finding an original topic can be a daunting and overwhelming task. These key concepts can help you focus and save time.

Finding a topic for your thesis or dissertation should start with a research question that excites or at least interests you. A rigorous, engaging, and original project will require continuous curiosity about your topic, about your own thoughts on the topic, and about what other scholars have said on your topic. Avoid getting boxed in by thinking you know what you want to say from the beginning; let your research and your writing evolve as you explore and fine-tune your focus through constant questioning and exploration.

Get a sense of the broader picture before you narrow your focus and attempt to frame an argument. Read, skim, and otherwise familiarize yourself with what other scholars have done in areas related to your proposed topic. Briefly explore topics tangentially related to yours to broaden your perspective and increase your chance of finding a unique angle to pursue.

Critical Reading

Critical reading is the opposite of passive reading. Instead of merely reading for information to absorb, critical reading also involves careful, sustained thinking about what you are reading. This process may include analyzing the author’s motives and assumptions, asking what might be left out of the discussion, considering what you agree with or disagree with in the author’s statements and why you agree or disagree, and exploring connections or contradictions between scholarly arguments. Here is a resource to help hone your critical-reading skills:

http://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/criticalread.pdf

Conversation

Your thesis or dissertation will incorporate some ideas from other scholars whose work you researched. By reading critically and following your curiosity, you will develop your own ideas and claims, and these contributions are the core of your project. You will also acknowledge the work of scholars who came before you, and you must accurately and fairly attribute this work and define your place within the larger discussion. Make sure that you know how to quote, summarize, paraphrase ,  integrate , and cite secondary sources to avoid plagiarism and to show the depth and breadth of your knowledge.

A thesis is a long-term, large project that involves both research and writing; it is easy to lose focus, motivation, and momentum. Here are suggestions for achieving the result you want in the time you have.

The dissertation is probably the largest project you have undertaken, and a lot of the work is self-directed. The project can feel daunting or even overwhelming unless you break it down into manageable pieces and create a timeline for completing each smaller task. Be realistic but also challenge yourself, and be forgiving of yourself if you miss a self-imposed deadline here and there.

Your program will also have specific deadlines for different requirements, including establishing a committee, submitting a prospectus, completing the dissertation, defending the dissertation, and submitting your work. Consult your department’s website for these dates and incorporate them into the timeline for your work.

Accountability

Sometimes self-imposed deadlines do not feel urgent unless there is accountability to someone beyond yourself. To increase your motivation to complete tasks on schedule, set dates with your committee chair to submit pre-determined pieces of a chapter. You can also arrange with a fellow doctoral student to check on each other’s progress. Research and writing can be lonely, so it is also nice to share that journey with someone and support each other through the process.

Common Pitfalls

The most common challenges for students writing a dissertation are writer’s block, information-overload, and the compulsion to keep researching forever.

There are many strategies for avoiding writer’s block, such as freewriting, outlining, taking a walk, starting in the middle, and creating an ideal work environment for your particular learning style. Pay attention to what helps you and try different things until you find what works.

Efficient researching techniques are essential to avoiding information-overload. Here are a couple of resources about strategies for finding sources and quickly obtaining essential information from them.

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_in_literature_detailed_discussion/reading_criticism.html

https://students.dartmouth.edu/academic-skills/learning-resources/learning-strategies/reading-techniques

Finally, remember that there is always more to learn and your dissertation cannot incorporate everything. Follow your curiosity but also set limits on the scope of your work. It helps to create a folder entitled “future projects” for topics and sources that interest you but that do not fit neatly into the dissertation. Also remember that future scholars will build off of your work, so leave something for them to do.

Browsing through theses and dissertations of the past can help to get a sense of your options and gain inspiration but be careful to use current guidelines and refer to your committee instead of relying on these examples for form or formatting.

DASH Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard.

HOLLIS Harvard Library’s catalog provides access to ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global .

MIT Architecture has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

Rhode Island School of Design has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

University of South Florida has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

Harvard GSD has a list of projects, including theses and professors’ research.

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Planning your dissertation can feel like time has sprouted wings and taken off without you. Fear not, for the trusty companion of the dissertation, Gantt Chart is here to rescue you from the chaos of research, writing tasks, and impending deadlines. 

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In this article, we will explore the world of Gantt charts, demystify their purpose, and explore how to create a Gantt Chart. You can find here a dissertation Gantt chart guide with steps for creating the chart, a template and tips to help you create your own chart.

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What is dissertation gantt chart.

“A Gantt chart for dissertation is a visual representation of the tasks and milestones in completing a dissertation. It is a useful tool for planning and tracking your progress and can help you to stay on track and avoid procrastination.”

The Gantt Chart provides a dissertation timeline and guiding light amidst the foggy labyrinth of academic pursuits. It's a visual representation of the researcher or student project's timeline, providing a clear picture of the tasks that need to conquer. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will any dissertation be. But with a well-crafted Gantt chart, a researcher breaks down their work into manageable chunks and tackles them systematically.

Creating a Dissertation Gantt Chart: Steps to Follow

Here are the steps on how to create a dissertation Gantt chart;

• Conduct a literature review on the topic of social media and teenagers.
• Collect data on how teenagers use social media.
• Analyze the data and write a report on your findings.
• Write your dissertation.
• Estimate the time it will take to complete each task. This will help you to create a realistic timeline for your dissertation. Be sure to factor in time for unexpected delays, such as data collection taking longer than expected or having to revise your dissertation after your advisor provides feedback.
• Create a Gantt chart. There are many different software programs that you can use to create a Gantt chart, like Google Sheets, WPS sheets and more. Once you have created your chart, you can add the tasks, their estimated time frames, and any other relevant information.
• Track your progress. As you make progress on your dissertation, be sure to update your Gantt chart to reflect your progress. This will help you to stay on track and identify any areas where you might be falling behind.
• Adjust your plan as needed. Things don't always go according to plan, so it's important to be flexible and adjust your plan as needed. For example, if you find that you are spending more time on one task than you expected, you might need to adjust the time frame for other tasks.

Using a dissertation Gantt chart is a helpful way to stay on track and avoid procrastination. It also helps you to identify areas where you can improve your efficiency. 

Here are a few things you don't have to worry about; 

Not being afraid to change your Gantt chart as needed

Don't forget to add important comment in case of delay or over time 

Neglecting unwanted commitments

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Dissertation Gantt Chart Template

Here is a Gantt chart template for dissertation that help researchers and student to craft their own chart to achieve their goals. 

This template is general that doesn’t stick to any research. Also, every dissertation or research report has its time to completion. The dissertations for graduation, master's, and PhD are often required to be completed in a different timeframe, with a different research style and methodology. Here is an example of PhD Gantt Chart ;

This Gantt chart provides a high-level overview of the dissertation timeline involved in a PhD program. It is important to break down your program into smaller, more manageable tasks. This will make it easier to track your progress and make adjustments to your timeline as needed.

It is also important to build in some buffer time between tasks. This will allow for unexpected delays, such as difficulty finding sources, equipment failure, or illness.

Finally, be sure to track your progress and make adjustments to your Gantt chart as needed. This will help you stay on track and avoid falling behind.

Additional Tips for Dissertation Gantt Chart 

Here are some additional tips for using a dissertation Gantt chart:

• Use a software program to create your Gantt chart. There are many different software programs that you can use to create a Gantt chart. Some popular options include Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and Trello.
• Make your Gantt chart visual. Use colors, fonts, and symbols to make your Gantt chart easy to read and understand.
• Share your Gantt chart with others. This can help you to stay accountable and get feedback from others.
• Don't be afraid to adjust your Gantt chart as needed. Things don't always go according to plan, so it's important to be flexible and adjust your Gantt chart as needed.

Conclusion 

A Gantt chart is an indispensable tool, akin to a trusty compass guiding you through uncharted waters. It helps you break down your work into manageable chunks, consider dependencies, and maintain flexibility. By embracing the power of this visual aid, you'll be able to navigate the daunting dissertation journey with confidence. So, let the Dissertation Gantt Chart be your co-pilot, ensuring that time flies not in vain but in harmony with your research and writing goals.

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Planning the timeline and progress of your doctoral dissertation (or Masters/undergraduate thesis)

One of my PhD students lamented this week with me that she had a lot to juggle (taking children to and from schools and to and from activities, etc.) and that she needed a strategy to make her research move forward. I had been planning to write this blog post for a while, since this is the one question I get asked the most by doctoral students (“ how do I plan my unstructured time over the summer ” being the other one).

Do you have one like this but for dissertations? From how to pick your topic to how to plan your chapters or something similar? 🙂 — Mariana Miguélez (@Scherezadda) March 27, 2018

I had to rush to get this blog post done because my student is 2 years away from the deadline her university has imposed for her thesis defence, which is why I sat down with her last night to show her how I do things. I have two other PhD students at exactly the same stage (2 years to defense) so I figured I might as well finish this blog post.

While I’ve suggested that people read one (or more) of the books that I’ve digested myself (check my Writing a Doctoral Dissertation page), one of the main things I teach my students is how to apply backcasting techniques to develop a project plan . I was trained as a project manager, and I worked in that capacity for a number of years, so I understand exactly the kind of work that needs to be done to develop good project plans.

There are a few resources for students, which I mentioned on Twitter earlier today (October 5th, 2018), many of which are listed in the thread that will appear if you click anywhere on the tweet shown below. Thanks to everyone who responded to my query, though I think many of them were professors describing their own process, which is not the same as having a doctoral dissertation (ONE GOAL) to finish in X number of years. My students are doing theirs in the 3 papers’ model, which is a bit closer to the day-to-day life of a professor, but still, the trajectory is quite different. Anyhow, here are some recommendations (click on the tweet to expand the entire thread).

Everyone: one of my PhD students today asked me how to plan her day/week/month/time table. Can you tweet me your process before I tweet/thread mine? Thanks! (I'm off to dinner because I've already written 460 words). — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) October 3, 2018

The core planning strategy I would thus recommend doctoral, masters and undergraduate students is to engage in a combination of Gantt Chart Design and project backcasting techniques .

The Gantt chart is a technique I learned in graduate school when I took project management courses. This is a hypothetical Gantt chart for my doctoral student, covering about 15 months.

What I suggested to her was to use backcasting techniques to plan backwards from her goal (PhD thesis defense) to intermediate goals. This post explains how I backcast a project https://t.co/wAmyejeoa0 since her dissertation is a 3-papers one, I suggested she uses that model. — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) October 5, 2018

For Gantt Chart templates, you can see Dr. Emma Sheppard’s here.

Project planning for research students https://t.co/ku7shfB5uL excellent template by @DrESheppard which may be of interest to students from undergrad, Masters and PhD levels. pic.twitter.com/ujQVlYocH7 — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) September 3, 2018

Here is another resource that you can use to create Gantt Charts.

To do Gantt charts you can use Excel or Microsoft Project (which is how I learned to do them), or Visio (which has been bought by the evil company and is now Microsoft Visio). I liked this detailed approach that uses connectors between milestones and tasks https://t.co/xVjNmM1q7c — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) October 5, 2018

Hugh Kearns and Maria Gardiner have lots of resources on their site, and have published books on this as well.

I just realised @ithinkwell and @ithinkwellHugh have excellent FREE templates on their website https://t.co/Q859jNiM6Q for PhD students to plan their trajectories, etc. #PhDChat (thanks, Maria and Hugh!) — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) October 5, 2018

Dr. Patrick Dunleavy’s book “ Authoring a PhD ” is incredible and really does help students who are planning their PhD process. I recommend it to my own doctoral students.

And of course I would be remiss if I forgot to recommend Dr. Ellie Mackin Roberts (my coauthor for a forthcoming book on research planning) and her website. Ellie has A TON of downloadable printables for you to plan your own research. She is fantastic.

Both for doctoral students AND for post-PhD folks, my coauthor Dr. @EllieMackin has an entire website for research planning https://t.co/unXMqmaf2Z she offers FREE downloadable printable templates that you can use to plan your own research. — Dr Raul Pacheco-Vega (@raulpacheco) October 5, 2018

In the end, the process I recommended to my students and that I do myself is – set a target defense date and then work backwards and plan tasks, activities, and intermediate goals. For example, I have asked my students to plan submission dates for their 3 papers (to be sent to journals) and then schedule fieldwork and data analysis accordingly. This process has worked well, and I hope my description of the process will help my students and others!

In a subsequent blog post I’ll describe how to go from long-term goals (submit paper X by Y date) to daily tasks. That blog post will definitely apply to doctoral students and post-PhD folks.

If you liked this blog post, you may also be interested in my Resources for Graduate Students page, and on my reading notes of books I’ve read on how to do a doctoral degree.

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Thesis & dissertation.

  Understanding Deadlines and Requirements

The final requirement in earning a graduate degree is the completion and defense of the master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. Understanding the steps and associated deadlines in the thesis/dissertation submission and degree conferral process is necessary to establish a successful plan and realistic timeframe.

2024 Thesis/Dissertation Submission to the Graduate School Deadlines:

• For May 26, 2024 conferral, deadline is May 1.
• For August 31, 2024 conferral, deadline is August 1.
• December 31, 2024 conferral, deadline is December 1.

See our  Planning Timeline  for more detailed information.

  Writing Your Thesis/Dissertation

The Graduate School offers several writing resources to help you get started, meet your goals, and complete your thesis/dissertation on time. 

Before You Begin:

• Guide to Writing Your Thesis/Dissertation
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Resources for Writing:

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Once you have submitted your draft thesis/dissertation to your committee you are ready to defend. This involves scheduling and taking your final exam (“B” exam), an oral exam/dissertation defense for Ph.D. candidates, or (“M” exam), an oral exam/thesis defense for Master’s candidates.

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• Defending Your Thesis or Dissertation
• Taking Exams

 Submitting Your Thesis/Dissertation

Policy requires the thesis/dissertation be submitted within 60 days of the final exam. The Graduate School uses a service called ProQuest to administer the electronic thesis/dissertation (ETD) submission and committee approval process. Once you have made any necessary revisions and the thesis/dissertation is final, you are ready to begin the approval and submission process.

Before initiating the submission process, students are required to complete an ORCID iD and complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates.

• Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID iD)
• Survey of Earned Doctorates 
• Thesis & Dissertation Submission Process
• Submission Fees
• Graduation Requirements 

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The Thesis Timeline

1. topic selection and proposal submission:.

•   Timeline : Typically, within the first few weeks to a month of your thesis initiation.
• Considerations : This period involves identifying a research topic, conducting preliminary literature reviews, discussing with supervisors, and drafting a proposal outlining your research question, methodology, and expected outcomes.

2. Literature Review Completion:

• Timeline : Usually within the first 2-3 months of the thesis process.
• Considerations : This phase involves extensive reading and analysis of existing research to establish a theoretical foundation for your study and identify gaps your research will address.

3. Research Methodology Approval:

• Timeline : Immediately after the literature review is completed, often in conjunction with proposal approval.
• Considerations : Finalize and receive approval for the research methods you’ll use to collect and analyze data. This might also involve ethics approval if required.

4. Data Collection:

• Timeline : Varied, depending on the nature of your research, but often a few months in the middle of your thesis timeline.
• Considerations : Collect primary or secondary data as per your methodology. The time required can vary significantly based on the complexity, scale, and type of data.

5. Data Analysis:

• Timeline : Immediately following data collection, often takes several weeks to a few months.
• Considerations : Analyze the data using the chosen methods. This phase may overlap with data collection in some iterative research designs.

6. Writing the First Draft:

•   Timeline : This should start after initial data analysis, often around 6-8 months into the thesis process.
• Considerations : Begin drafting your thesis chapters, interpreting findings, discussing implications, and weaving together literature review, methodology, results, and discussion.

7. Revision and Feedback:

•   Timeline : After the first draft completion, at least 2-3 months before the final submission.
• Considerations : Revise your draft based on feedback from your supervisor and possibly peers. This phase may involve several rounds of revisions to refine arguments, clarify findings, and strengthen the overall narrative.

8. Preparation for Defense:

• Timeline : A month or two before the final submission.
• Considerations : If required, prepare for the oral defence of your thesis. This involves creating a presentation, anticipating questions, and rehearsing your defence. This is most likely not a requirement for an undergraduate thesis. If you are completing an undergraduate thesis, you may be required to create a research poster to present at your institution’s graduate fair.

9. Final Submission:

•   Timeline : As per the university’s deadline, usually at the end of your academic program.
• Considerations : Ensure your thesis meets all formatting and submission requirements set by your university. Double-check all citations, references, and the overall structure.

10. Post-Submission Revisions (if applicable):

General tips:.

• Start Early : Begin each phase earlier than you think you need to. Unexpected delays are common in research.
• Regular Check-ins : Have frequent meetings with your supervisor to ensure you’re on track.
• Set Personal Deadlines : Establish personal deadlines that are earlier than the official ones to buffer against unforeseen delays.
• Stay Flexible : Be prepared to adjust your timeline based on progress and feedback.

Crafting Research Narratives that Transcend Technical Jargon Copyright © by Sevda Montakhaby Nodeh is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Time Management Resources for Graduate Students and Postdocs

Dissertation plan

Completing your dissertation can be overwhelming and stressful. It is a critical period of time to manage time effectively and execute your well-thought-out plans. In this section, we aim to provide some checkpoints or milestones that help you to complete your dissertation in a timely manner:

• Find out the requirements and deadlines set by the department and graduate school. Having the end goal in mind will help you plan your way to get there.
• Have the initial meeting with your advisor to discuss the goals of your dissertation and set up an overall timeline. For example, determine when to have the defense, when to send the dissertation to committee, when to send out the schedule poll to committee, etc.
• Create an outline of the dissertation with sections and subsections for each chapter according to the initial discussion, and map out deadlines for each section.
• Meet with your advisor to discuss and finalize the outline and roadmap, including what kind of format (by chapters or the whole dissertation) your advisor expects, and how to maintain the line of communication (face-to-face or email) and how often you should communicate, so that you can get support and feedback along the way.
• Reach out to your committee members to let them know your dissertation plan and schedule the defense date. Ask if they are willing to provide feedback on your drafts.
• Incorporate the feedback comments and edit your dissertation for submission to your committee for defense.

*You can create a timeline table to help you visualize your plan.

Execution plan:.

• On your daily schedule, block off a couple of hours when you are most effective for your dissertation writing. Having this specific time block will help you prioritize and fit other tasks around your writing. Stick to the schedule and treat it as your appointment with your advisor or doctor.
• Limit the distraction during your blocked writing time in order to fully concentrate.
• Set a daily goal. For example, writing 2 pages each day on chapter 1 or finishing the method session on chapter 2, etc.
• Find a place that you find yourself most productive and efficient, and write there.
• Monitor your progress by calendars and project management apps.
• You are not alone. Find someone who is also writing their dissertation to be your writing buddy to help encourage one another and keep each other on track.
• Work/life balance (refer to the work/life balance )

https://www.stcloudstate.edu/elhe/_files/documents/dissertation/time-management-tips.pdf

https://sph.umd.edu/sites/default/files/files/StrategiesDissertationCompletion3_8_07.pdf

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Manage Your Dissertation Writing and Research Time

Writing a dissertation for dummies.

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Writing a dissertation is likely to be the biggest piece of work you’re going to tackle on your university course. To do your dissertation justice means spending a lot of your time and energy on your dissertation – and sometimes tears.

It need come as no surprise that you’re expected to write a dissertation as part of your course having been given all the information about your course when you first started. So there’s no reason for waiting until the first day of your last year to start thinking about it!

Most universities allow one academic year for students to complete their dissertation, but some university courses require a longer or shorter project. Whatever the timescale of your university or institution, a year stretching ahead of you can seem an age.

Anyone who’s done a dissertation tells you with glee that this is merely an illusion and you that you need to do some careful planning to make the best use of your time. Time has a way of evaporating like thin air – and all too soon the submission date is hanging over you like a dark cloud.

Be realistic about your dissertation deadline

Right – time for a reality check. How long is a year? ‘Twelve months’ I hear you say. ‘Nope, the year I’m talking about is four months long!’ I reply. ‘How so?’ you protest. ‘Well, it’s like this. . ’

Usually you have one academic year to write your dissertation. I say ‘academic year’ because an academic year is shorter than a calendar year. You probably start the academic year sometime between the middle of September and the middle of October, and you have to submit your finished dissertation (polished and perfect, completed and bound) in the following May or June. That’s actually about seven months in total.

Take out a few weeks for sickness, holidays and trips to the pub, and you have about six months. Now deduct the time you need for your other course work: essays, presentations and attending lectures. Also take off the hours a week you spend doing paid part-time work. On top of this subtract the time you need for keeping up with your family and friends, and the many groups you’re involved in that make inroads on the time you have for your dissertation.

Oh, and don’t forget – you also have to spend time eating and sleeping. Now – how long is a year?

Rather scarily, your ‘year’ may seem a lot less time than it first appeared. This doesn’t have to be a problem however. What you need to do is plan your time effectively and then manage your time well. The best way of managing your time is by having a timeline.

Create a dissertation timeline

A timeline is a schedule of events or a plan and it is presented chronologically. Your approach to your dissertation timeline depends on a number of factors such as your work space and whether you prefer ideas, for example, to be presented in a visual map or a linear list. A way of working out what is best for you is to think about how you like taking notes – straight prose, lists and numbered information, or using more organic lists with coloured diagrams, linked together with arrows?

You may like to create a table with overlapping lines called a Gantt chart, showing the different tasks you’ve set yourself and how the tasks run alongside one another. You can see an example of a Gantt chart in the following figure.

Make contingency plans for dissertation writing

Sometimes you find your careful plans for managing your dissertation going pear-shaped. You need to be able to cope with setbacks and salvage what you can. Aim to complete each task as early on as possible so that you have time to make any necessary changes.

You can help yourself by building enough time into your dissertation timetable to allow for mini disasters and keeping ahead of the game so that any crises don’t slow you up too much. The plans you make when crises occur differ depending on what you need to change or develop.

At this stage, you can think about what you’d most like to get done, but also think of an alternative if you run into difficulties. For example, you may prefer to distribute your questionnaire to 50 students at your university but your contingency plan would be to add up all the friends and acquaintances you have from the classes and clubs you attend and see if that would be a reasonable sample.

You may try asking a tutor if you can give out your questionnaire during a taught session. It would mean reducing your ideal number from 50 to, say, 25, but at least you have some data you can use.

About This Article

This article is from the book:.

• Writing a Dissertation For Dummies ,

About the book author:

Dr Carrie Winstanley is a Principal Lecturer in Education at Roehampton University, London, where she works with both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Carrie was recently named one of the Top 50 university teachers in the UK by the Higher Education Academy, for which she was awarded a national teaching fellowship.

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• Essential Networking when Writing a Dissertation
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• Organising Your Working Methods while Writing a Dissertation
• Settling on Your Dissertation Research Question
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Dissertation timeline, developing a realistic timeline.

Upon confirmation of a Dissertation Chair and successful completion of the Comprehensive Assessment defense, development of a realistic timeline for completing the tasks that culminate in a successful Dissertation should be established between the candidate and the faculty member Chair. Components of this process include (all steps in consultation with the Chair):

• Preparation of the Prospectus  
• Prospectus defense  
• Preparation of the Proposal  
• Proposal defense  
• IRB application  
• Data collection (upon IRB approval)  
• Data analysis  
• Submission of the complete manuscript to the Chair  
• Preparation for the Pre-Defense  
• Pre-Defense  
• Preparation for the final defense  
• Final Defense  
• Completing revisions and preparing the manuscript for formatting review  
• Submission of the manuscript to the Graduate School via the university's digital repository  
• Completing final formatting revisions  
• Preparation for graduation

Anticipated dates will likely need to be revised along the way. The candidate must maintain a realistic schedule that allows sufficient time for each step in the process, including the project Chair’s reading of, and feedback on, drafts of the Prospectus, Proposal, and final manuscript. Sufficient time must be allotted for the committee members’ reading of those documents as well. Candidates and Chairs should recognize that each committee member may need  up to   14 days  to review each draft of the manuscript. During the break between semesters, committee members are responsible for syllabi preparation, course construction, and comprehensive assessment and other defenses, therefore, the customary 14-day time frame for reviewing dissertation drafts does not apply during the intersession. Committee members will return to the standard 14-day review guidelines on the first day of the semester. These factors should be considered when scheduling committee meetings and the final defense.

Minimum Degree Credit Hours 

The Learning and Leadership doctoral degree requires a minimum of  66 total graduate credit hours (Ed.D.) / 75 total graduate credit hours (Ph.D.).   Each candidate is required to successfully complete  a minimum of 12 Dissertation credit hours (Ed.D.) / 15 Dissertation credit hours (Ph.D.)  and defend the Dissertation. Candidates who do not complete the Dissertation hours within the 12 credit hour timeframe (Ed.D.) or 15 credit hour time frame (Ph.D.) must take an additional 2 Dissertation credit hours each semester through graduation. The candidate must be enrolled in a minimum of 2 Dissertation credits (LEAD 7999) during the semester in which the Final Dissertation Defense is held.  

Graduation Deadlines  

It is also the responsibility of the Chair and candidate to consider deadlines for particular graduation dates. University graduation deadlines are published on the Graduate School website (links:  Thesis and Dissertation ). Since deadlines may change from one year to the next, candidates are advised to refer to the current deadlines when approaching the final stages of the Dissertation process. Candidates and Chairs should also consider program minimum review requirements when considering a potential graduation semester.  F or doctoral candidates, the graduation application should not be completed until the Pre-Defense stage of the dissertation process is approved  (link:  Pre-Defense Process ).

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We're here to help you, whether you are in the discover, focus or action phase of your career journey., it’s dissertation time(line).

Written by Silje Undlien, Third Year War Studies undergraduate at King’s College London & Student Enquiries Officer at King’s Careers & Employability.

The dissertation. Whether you’re an undergraduate or postgraduate student at King’s, it’s something you have to go through as part of your degree. You might consider it one of the most important challenges of your academic career. Or it’s just one of those things you know you have to get done.  Most students start off with a great deal of enthusiasm about their dissertation, but the scale of the project can easily throw them to despair. Whatever you might be feeling about writing your dissertation, it’s important that you discover how to devise and stick to a work schedule. Often, it’s the sticking to that will create problems. So how do I go about creating a dissertation timeline or work schedule, and why should I have a timeline at all?

The short answer is that I can’t really give you an answer. No single way of creating a dissertation timeline or work schedule will satisfy the needs and methods of every student. Everyone has their own way of doing things! But being organised is still key. You need to be realistic about your deadline and, more importantly, your time management skills. So, to get started, here are some questions to ask yourself:

• What type of dissertation am I writing?
• Am I an undergraduate or postgraduate student?
• How much time do I have to write my dissertation?
• How is my course organised? Am I doing my dissertation alongside other modules and commitments?
• Am I choosing my own topic? Or is my department choosing the project for me? Perhaps it’s a module-based project?
• What am I expecting from myself?

All of this will impact on how your dissertation research might progress. Especially important is realising just how much time you really have to get your project done. If you’re an undergraduate student with modules and coursework to do alongside your dissertation, it’s easy to get lost in the idea that you have a full year to write your dissertation. (Trust me, I’ve been there!) Realistically, however, you will only have a few months. Your full year is actually just an academic year. And from this academic year you’ll need to factor in time off, holidays, illness, part-time work, and all the other commitments you might have going on in and alongside your course. It might be the most general tip I can give you, but it’s an important one: Get started ASAP!

The first step is to learn your methods. One of our Marketing Assistants, currently writing her postgraduate dissertation, recently said: “You really do need to learn your methods. I’m still getting to know mine.” So ask yourself: How do I normally organise my work? What are my habits, good or bad? Your dissertation is probably going to be your biggest project yet, and, though you might be telling yourself that you’ll get rid of all your bad work habits, chances are you’ll fall into a similar routine or pattern of organising and doing your work to what you’ve done before. Have you normally been the last-minute essay writer? Establishing your own methods of studying is the first step to getting organised. I’m not saying that you should write your dissertation last minute, even if that’s your established method of getting work done. All I’m trying to point out is that you’ll be better-equipped to deal with the big task of writing your dissertation if you know yourself, and, importantly, if you create a work schedule which accommodates this knowledge about yourself, your work ethic, and your time management skills. It’s all about realistic planning…

So, how can I get organised? You’ll need to find a system that works for you. The most important thing is to find a way to write down a list of tasks or action points. Some people might prefer to set vague deadlines, while others will create a ‘Study Matrix’ (see example below) with detailed information abut how and when things are going to get done. Point is, it can be as detailed (or not detailed) as you like. It might be a good idea to plan out when you’ll have your meetings with your supervisor, and to pin-point what you’d like to discuss in each meeting. Ask your supervisor to help you create a set of action points after each meeting, so that you have a rough idea of what you need to do before the next one. If you feel like your supervisor is not pushing you enough; ask them to! (Stay tuned for a more detailed blog post about how to communicate with your supervisor!)

I mentioned before that finding a system can often be less problematic than making yourself stick to it. (Cheers to you, fellow procrastinators!) So what can I do to stay organised?  First of all, you should identify and deal with procrastination. Find out why you procrastinate and what you might do to avoid it. You might want to minimize distractions, ask someone to check up on you, or create a reward system. You should also find out in what kind of environment you work best. How, when, and where do I best stay focused? You can also try using Tomato Timer , a time management technique created for a more productive way to work and study. Secondly, it’s important to have emergency plans. What happens and what will I do if I experience unexpected delays? Staying organised is also about understanding that things are not going to go just the way you planned it to, and to find ways to deal with this without losing sight of the end goal.

On a final note, remember to schedule enough time for proof-reading and touch-ups, to edit with fresh eyes, and to make lots of backups as you go! It will also be useful to locate any departmental information or guidelines for dissertation-writing. So there you have it! It’s dissertation time!

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Your doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis is a scholarly publication reflecting the results of your research and academic pursuits at the University of Oregon.

Master's students completing a terminal project, capstone, final paper, or other types of non-thesis culminating projects should refer to their departments for guidelines and need not adhere to the Division of Graduate Studies' requirements for submission and format. Not sure whether you're completing a thesis or a project? Find more information here. 

Your electronic thesis or dissertation (ETD) will be made available to the public in Scholars’ Bank , UO’s open access repository for the intellectual work of faculty, students, and staff. All dissertations are also published by ProQuest .

* NEW * Dissertation Writing Assistance - from September 2023

Dissertation writing help is available to students at all stages of their dissertation from conception to final formatting. At no expense to students, the Division of Graduate Studies is sponsoring one-hour sessions with Alexa Weinstein, an experienced graduate-level academic editor and dissertation writing instructor. To schedule, email  [email protected]  with your upcoming available times.

Thesis and Dissertation Policies and Procedures

Additional resources.

• Video Presentation
• PDF Copy of Presentation Slides
• Thesis and Dissertation Research and Organization Strategies (Video)
• Academic Writing Tips (Video)
• Research Ethics and Compliance
• Resources for LaTeX Users

We are unable to offer in-person editing assistance. You can contact the Division of Graduate Studies  to ask formatting questions and/or arrange preliminary electronic review—subject to staff availability—of drafts of your document after you have formatted it to meet the style guidelines.

For other questions, please contact the Division of Graduate Studies at 541-346-5129 or [email protected] . 

Ordering Printed Copies of Your Thesis or Dissertation

If you would like to purchase printed copies of your thesis or dissertation, you may order bound copies through ProQuest (Order copies page), or you may order copies on your own through other outlets.

Other online options, such as Thesis on Demand , allow you to upload your manuscript as a PDF and order copies online.

In any case, the student is responsible for investigating the costs and quality of the chosen vendor. The university does not endorse or recommend any specific printing service.

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• Common Mistakes to Avoid in Dissertation Writing

Writing a dissertation is a monumental task that requires careful planning, dedication, and meticulous attention to detail. Yet, many students encounter common pitfalls that can significantly hinder their progress and the quality of their work. Understanding and avoiding these mistakes can make the journey smoother and more successful.

If you find yourself thinking, "Help me write my dissertation," remember that resources are available to support you. For additional support, students often seek services to write my dissertation, but it’s crucial to engage actively in the process to benefit from the learning experience truly.

Inadequate Planning and Time Management

One of the most critical errors in dissertation writing is poor planning and time management. Without a clear timeline, it's easy to lose track of progress and miss important deadlines. Setting specific, realistic deadlines for each phase of the dissertation—from research to writing to revision—is essential. This helps ensure steady progress and reduces last-minute stress, which may make you say: “Can someone do my dissertation for me ?”

Procrastination is another major issue, often stemming from feeling overwhelmed or lacking motivation. To combat this, break down the dissertation into manageable tasks and set short-term goals. Regularly revisiting and adjusting your schedule can keep you on track and motivated. If procrastination persists, seeking external support or setting up a structured routine might be necessary.

Additionally, time management tools and techniques can be incredibly beneficial. Using digital calendars, project management software, or even simple to-do lists can help organize your tasks and deadlines. Prioritizing tasks based on their importance and deadlines can ensure that you tackle the most critical elements first, preventing unnecessary delays.

Poor Topic Selection

Choosing the right topic is crucial for a successful dissertation. Topics that are too broad can lead to an unmanageable scope of work, while overly narrow topics may lack sufficient research material. It's important to find a balanced, researchable topic that allows for comprehensive analysis without being overwhelming.

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Additionally, selecting a topic that genuinely interests you and aligns with your academic goals can make the process more engaging and rewarding. A topic with clear relevance to your field not only contributes to existing knowledge but also keeps you motivated throughout the research process. Ensuring the topic's relevance and potential contributions can prevent future regret and lack of interest.

It's also beneficial to discuss potential topics with your advisor or peers. Their insights can provide valuable feedback on the feasibility and relevance of your chosen topic. Exploring current trends and gaps in your field can also inspire a topic that is both innovative and significant.

Inadequate Literature Review

A thorough literature review is the foundation of any dissertation. Failing to cover enough ground or depth can undermine the credibility of your research. Conducting a comprehensive review requires a diligent search and evaluation of existing literature to provide a solid theoretical framework for your study.

Equally important is critically analyzing the sources rather than merely summarizing them. This involves evaluating the methodologies, findings, and implications of previous research and identifying gaps that your dissertation aims to fill. Developing critical engagement skills can significantly enhance the quality and impact of your literature review.

Utilizing various databases and libraries can expand your scope of sources. Keeping track of your sources with citation management tools ensures that you maintain proper citation practices and can easily reference key studies. Synthesizing information from multiple sources can help create a cohesive and comprehensive review.

Weak Research Methodology

Selecting inappropriate research methods is a common mistake that can jeopardize the validity of your dissertation. The chosen methodology should align with your research question and objectives. Understanding the strengths and limitations of qualitative and quantitative methods can guide you in making informed choices.

Moreover, errors in data collection and analysis, such as using a small or biased sample, can compromise the reliability of your findings. Adhering to best practices in data collection and employing rigorous, ethical analysis techniques are crucial for producing credible and meaningful results.

It's also essential to pilot your data collection instruments to ensure they are effective. This preliminary testing can help identify potential issues and refine your methods before full-scale data collection. Engaging with methodological literature and seeking guidance from your advisor can further refine your approach.

Lack of Clarity and Structure

A well-defined thesis statement and clear research questions are the backbone of a dissertation. Ambiguity in these elements can lead to confusion and a lack of direction in your research. Crafting precise and focused research questions can guide your study effectively.

Disorganized writing and poor flow are also common issues. Ensuring logical progression and coherence in your writing involves creating a clear outline and using transitions to connect ideas smoothly. This helps readers follow your arguments and enhances the overall readability of your dissertation.

Incorporating subheadings and topic sentences can further clarify your structure. Each section should logically lead to the next, building a coherent argument that supports your thesis. Seeking feedback on your draft's structure can help identify areas that need reorganization.

Neglecting Revisions and Feedback

Revisions are a critical part of the writing process, yet many students overlook their importance. Editing and proofreading improve clarity, coherence, and overall quality. Practical self-editing tips include reading your work aloud, taking breaks between writing and editing sessions, and using tools like grammar checkers.

Ignoring feedback from advisors and peers is another mistake to avoid. Constructive criticism can provide valuable insights and improvements. Incorporating feedback iteratively ensures your dissertation meets academic standards and expectations.

It's also beneficial to seek feedback from multiple sources. Peer review groups or writing centers can offer diverse perspectives on your work. Regularly revising your work based on feedback helps refine your arguments and enhances the overall quality of your dissertation.

Ethical Considerations

Maintaining academic integrity and adhering to ethical standards is fundamental in dissertation writing. Plagiarism, intentional or not, can have severe consequences. Proper citation and a thorough understanding of what constitutes plagiarism are essential for maintaining academic honesty.

Ethical issues in research design and execution must also be addressed. This includes obtaining necessary approvals, ensuring participant confidentiality, and avoiding bias. Recognizing and addressing these ethical considerations is crucial for conducting responsible and credible research.

Conducting ethical research not only upholds academic standards but also builds trust in your findings. Familiarizing yourself with the ethical guidelines of your institution and field can prevent potential issues. Transparent reporting of your methodology and findings also enhances the credibility of your dissertation.

Writing a dissertation, or to hire someone to write my dissertation, is a complex endeavor that demands careful attention to various aspects. By avoiding common mistakes such as inadequate planning, poor topic selection, insufficient literature review, weak research methodology, lack of clarity and structure, neglecting revisions, and ethical lapses, you can enhance the quality of your work – and achieve academic success!

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