WAQP Week 9 Assignment 2

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Addressing Dissertation Challenges

In accomplishing every step of the doctoral research, it is important to maintain

continuous communication and plan carefully. A good relationship with the dissertation chair

can facilitate academic growth, improve the methodological approach, and advance the

dissertation-writing process. Good communication is also helpful in foreseeing possible

challenges in the research process. In maintaining open communication with the dissertation

chair, it is essential to consider all methodological and ethical limitations to ensure the feasibility

of a qualitative study.

Communication with the dissertation chair should imply progress reports, active

discussion, and professional consultation regarding methodological questions. Constructive

criticism should be seen as an opportunity to improve the dissertation rather than as a challenge.

It is recommended to voice concerns politely and support them with references to scholarly

literature to foster problem-solving. As the Walden University Writing Center (2020) stated,

scholarly communication, reflective thinking, and discussion of feedback contribute to

productive writing and the development of the dissertation.

Several limitations and barriers should be considered while designing the proposed

qualitative study. Firstly, it may be difficult to recruit 12-15 justice-involved racial and ethnic

minorities who face barriers in access to forensic mental health services due to stigma,

confidentiality concerns, and unwillingness to disclose personal information. Also, it may take

some time to obtain approvals from community organizations, behavioral health agencies, and

the Institutional Review Board before recruiting participants. Additionally, several ethical

considerations should be kept in mind: there should be no overlap between the researcher's and

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participant's roles; all data should be protected by encryption; voluntary participation of all

participants should be ensured; and interviews should be conducted in a trauma-informed

manner. All limitations mentioned above align with the feasibility considerations described in

the prospectus approved during the dissertation work. Walden University Office of Research and

Doctoral Services (2020) recommended considering potential recruitment, ethical, and data

management barriers in the prospectus to enhance the study's feasibility.

Continuous communication with the dissertation chair is an essential element of

successful dissertation writing. Active planning and consideration of limitations and barriers are

helpful both for research quality and feasibility.

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References

Walden University Office of Research and Doctoral Services. (2020). Doctoral prospectus form.

https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/research-center/program-documents

Walden University Writing Center. (2020). Scholarly writing: Overview.

https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/scholarly