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NCU Library / LibGuides / Library How-To Guides / Research Process / Resources for Dissertation Research

Research Process These pages offer an introduction to the research process

at a very general level.

Home

Finding a Research Topic

Determining Information Needs

Scholarly Research

Preparing to Search

Reading a Scientific Article

Evaluating Information

Finding Similar Resources

Resources for a Literature Review

Dissertation Research

Dissertation topics are a special subset of research topics. All of the

previously mentioned techniques can, and should, be utilized to locate

potential dissertation topics, but there are also some special

considerations to keep in mind when choosing a dissertation topic.

Dissertation topics should interesting, feasible, relevant, and worthy.

The criterion of feasibility is especially important when choosing a

dissertation topic. You don’t want to settle on a topic and then find out

that the study you were imagining can’t be done, or the survey

or assessment instrument you need can’t be used. You also want to

make sure that you select a topic that will allow you to be an objective

researcher. If you select a topic that you have worked closely on for

many years, make sure you are still open to new information, even if

that information runs counter what you believe to be true about the

topic. To learn more about feasibility, see the Center for Teaching &

Learning's Feasibility Checklist.

It is very important to think about these considerations beforehand so

that you don’t get stuck during the dissertation process. Here are some

considerations to keep in mind when choosing a dissertation topic:

Access to the primary literature relating to your topic Access to grey literature relating to your topic Access to the surveys and assessment instruments that you will need

Access to the study group to conduct your study

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5/2/22, 11:03 PM Resources for Dissertation Research - Research Process - LibGuides at Northcentral University

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Resources for Dissertation Research

Finding Dissertations

Researching Theoretical Frameworks

Research Methods & Design

Tests and Measurements

Organizing Research & Citations 

Scholarly Publication

Learn the Library 

Ask Us!

IRB approval for your study

Access to equipment for your study, if needed

Note that published surveys and assessment instruments are generally

NOT free. Due to copyright laws you will more than likely need to

purchase the survey from the publisher in order to gain permissions to

use in your own study. Unpublished surveys and assessments (usually

found in the appendices of articles) may be freely available, but you

will need to contact the author(s) to gain permission to use the survey

in your research.

Looking at previously published dissertations is a great way to gauge

the level of research and involvement that is generally expected at the

dissertation level. Previously published dissertations can also be good

sources of inspiration for your own dissertation study. Similar to

scholarly articles, many dissertations will suggest areas of future

research. Paying attention to those suggestions can provide valuable

ideas and clues for your own dissertation topic. Note that dissertations are not considered to be peer-reviewed documents, so carefully review and evaluate the information presented in them.

The literature review section in a dissertation contains a wealth of

information. Not only can the literature review provide topic ideas by

showing some of the major research that has been done on a topic,

but it can also help you evaluate any topics that you are tentatively

considering. From your examination of literature reviews can you

determine if your research idea has already been completed? Has the

theory that validates your study been disproved by new dissertation

research? Is your research idea still relevant to the current state of the

discipline? Literature reviews can help you answer these questions by

providing a compact and summative description of a particular

research area.

You may find it difficult to find scholarly articles, and books in which

your hypothesis is directly addressed. If so, then expand your search

to theories and variables that are related, but not directly so. No matter

how specific or elusive your topic is there is research out there that is

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5/2/22, 11:03 PM Resources for Dissertation Research - Research Process - LibGuides at Northcentral University

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Last Updated: Apr 14, 2022 5:09 PM URL: https://library.ncu.edu/researchprocess  Print Page Login to LibApps Report a problemTags: annotated bibliography, Boolean operators, cited, cited references, citing articles, dissertation

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NCU Dissertation Center

NCU Dissertation Center Find valuable

resources and

support

materials to

help you

through your

doctoral

journey.

If you are

looking for a

document in

the

Dissertation

Center and

can't find it

please contact

your Chair or

The Center for

Teaching and

Learning at

[email protected]

how specific or elusive your topic is, there is research out there that is

relevant, so keep looking. Look for resources that address one or two

of the variables in your study, theories that are either directly or

indirectly related, as well as research that relates specifically to the

population of interest. By focusing on resources that address different

parts of your research topic, you can combine this information in a way

that is directly applicable.

The sub-pages in this section provide resources for your Dissertation

Research.

Dissertation Research FAQs

What is a validated test instrument or survey? (https://ncu.libanswers.com/faq/168343)

How do I find completed dissertations in the NCU Library? (https://ncu.libanswers.com/faq/168390)

How do I connect Google Scholar to NCU's Library? (https://ncu.libanswers.com/faq/168328)

Can the Library assist me with my problem statement? (https://ncu.libanswers.com/faq/168348)

Where can I find test instruments for dissertation research? (https://ncu.libanswers.com/faq/168382)

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