The Characteristics Of Outstanding Ph.D. Dissertations – Performance Expectations From International Faculties

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Brief

• You will find the best dissertation research areas / topics for future researchers enrolled in Engineering and management.
• In order to identify the future research topics, we have reviewed the Engineering literature (recent peer-reviewed studies)
• The important observation by faculty of a dissertation which they consider as outstanding is the attribute of maturity and independent thinking on the part of the scholar.
• Often visibly influenced by the advisor, this category can also have assumed to be categorised as “not very good,” rather than “acceptable.”

Background


On the cusp of research and application, dissertations are submissions that can determine if the scholar will be noticed as one with promising talent or fade into oblivion among the masses of academics. With the staggering number of dissertations reviewed by committees every year with some topics covering similar territory, it is vital that the approach and content is top notch. While there are no hardwired evaluation metrics, each dissertation is assessed on the basis of criteria that’s broad and encompasses various qualities of the student that are visible in the work.

Picking the minds of faculty


Dissertations get a fillip when they are created around the criteria that faculty looks for during evaluation/review. A brief peek is offered below into the four different levels of quality by which the dissertations are classified by faculty.

1.Outstanding –

The important observation by faculty of a dissertation which they consider as outstanding is the attribute of maturity and independent thinking on the part of the scholar. The other characteristics faculty look for in a dissertation are no less important. The subject has to be meticulously researched and presented in a coherent and persuasive manner that’s insightful. The paper should ideally raise new questions and push the frontiers of the research to new exciting areas that will throw up interesting information, and answer questions with clarity. The whole paper should be presented in a seamless manner, fluidly connecting all components in a sequence that’s unambiguous. The research design of the paper should be a testimony of the author’s brilliance, authoritative knowledge and in-depth analysis of the subject. The content should rely on data from multiple sources and should be of a quality where it can be published in journals where readers look for expert opinion. The ultimate measure that catapults a dissertation into the ‘outstanding’ level will be when it is accepted as having added significant knowledge to what was already known.

2.Very good –

Though well researched and put forth in a coherent manner, it is considered “Very Good” or, in other words, “not outstanding.” Precluding it from the “outstanding” level is because of many avoidable errors, of which two of the most important would be the reduced level of originality and the diluted question that was raised. The reluctance or inability to explore issues that could have resulted in path-breaking information may have dragged the dissertation as not having contributed substantially to existing knowledge. This category fails to make the cut despite being of enviable standards, indicating strong traits of observation.

3. Acceptable –

Often visibly influenced by the advisor, this category can also have assumed to be categorised as “not very good,” rather than “acceptable.” This is primarily due to three reasons – including but not limited to – (a) ability to review but inability to discuss or take the review to a higher level, (b) offering feeble arguments despite the ability to sustain an argument in a simple manner and (c) conclusion in a way which the reader has already predicted or expects to be on similar lines. With nothing innovative to offer, the dissertation is likely, in all probability, to be either an extension or heavily inspired by the mentor. Despite efforts from a talented research scholar, various factors contribute to the side-lining of what could have been a dissertation that ought to have been classified as “Very good”, with inputs and assistance from a professional

4. Unacceptable –

As the name suggests, dissertations that fare poorly on virtually all counts are classified as “Unacceptable,” Beginning with grammar and spelling, the poorly written and presented paper plagiarises content, and misinterprets data to align with the body of work. This is indicative of a poor grasp of the study, and one of the issues that stand out like a sore thumb is the attempt to answer questions that have already been raised and replied. The overall assessment is that the student has failed to understand the basic concept and conventions of the discipline. The dissertation misses relevant literature on the subject and resorts to analysis that is flawed. The classification ‘unacceptable’ sums up in one single word, the quality of the content.

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