How to select project committee and thesis topic?

The Project Committee

The committee is composed of a Chairperson and two Readers. The Chairperson serves a number of important functions during the development of the project. The Chairperson serves as a sounding board in the conceptualization stage of the project.

As previously mentioned, during the development of the preliminary proposal the student must mentally integrate the information obtained in the initial review of the research literature with what the student knows about the topic based on observation and experience. At the point that the student believes the topic has become focused and the student has some clarity of conceptualization, it is wise to approach potential chairpersons for discussion of the topic.

It is acceptable to approach potential candidates for the role of chairperson with the message, 

“I am a student at ............................................. I am thinking about doing my project on. .............................................. I understand that this is an area of expertise to you. Would you be willing to meet with me for half an hour to talk about my project and give some feedback about my ideas?” 

This will allow you to obtain valuable feedback from several professionals - feedback that can be considered with no obligation.

More importantly, these contacts will allow you to find someone with whom you have a feeling of rapport and who has some enthusiasm for your project. If this person agrees to be your chairperson, you can submit your preliminary proposal with the confidence that your chairperson believes in your idea.

It is not mandated that you locate a chairperson before submitting your preliminary proposal, but it is recommended. Some of those you interview may be unwilling to accept the position without seeing a written presentation of your idea. They may wish to see a sample of your writing and evaluate your ability to express your ideas clearly. You may wish to prepare a preliminary proposal to use as the basis for discussion in your meeting. If they make suggestions for modifications, these could be incorporated into the preliminary proposal before it is submitted to the Chairperson for approval. It is useful to think of your committee as a team and the sooner you get the chairperson on the team the better.

A potential chairperson will have questions about what is expected. The chairperson is expected to meet with you as needed to discuss the focus, conceptualization, and plan of the project. The chairperson should be familiar with the literature in one of the areas included in your project and can, therefore, judge the thoroughness of the literature review. The chair can guide you to issues or controversies that have been omitted or to resources that will assist you. The chairperson is expected to read drafts of the chapters as they are completed and is to provide you with feedback. The chair should evaluate the clarity and logic of the document, but should not function as a proofreader. All committee members can and should refuse to read drafts that are not grammatically correct and that have spelling and punctuation errors. The chairperson can provide you with encouragement toward steady progress and may wish to negotiate deadlines for the submission of sections of the document. When you and the chair are satisfied that you have produced a formal proposal that meets high standards of scholarship and that you are ready to defend this document, the chair must attend the qualifying exam. When you have completed the project, written the final chapters, and are again ready to defend, the chairperson must attend and chair the final oral defense.

The Readers (2) perform some of the same functions but are less involved. They may discuss the conceptualization of the project, guide you to literature that needs to be included, suggest that you enlarge or narrow the project, and give you feedback on the document prior to the qualifying exam. They are strongly encouraged to attend the qualifying exam; they are required to attend the final oral defense.

Most professionals are willing to serve as chairs or readers as a way of making a contribution back to the profession. Involvement in the lively, scholarly debate that occurs at qualifying exams and oral defense is a satisfying experience for committee members. This opportunity for scholarly debate is an experience that is often missing in the lives of busy professionals and is welcomed with pleasure.

Who is appropriate to serve on the committee? The Chair must have a doctorate or masters in the field of the degree being sought. It is preferable that the Readers also have a doctorate or masters in the same field, but when justified by the uniqueness of the topic, the Readers may possess degrees in closely related fields.

Typically project questions integrate two or more specialized areas of the literature, e.g.,

“The Relationship Between Concept X and Concept Y in Population Z” or “The Application of Method A to Problem B in Population C.” It is wise to attempt to find three committee members whose expertise differs and who collectively are familiar with the major areas of your question. In the first example you would hope to find expert X, expert Y, and expert Z; and then in the second, you would look for expert A, expert B, and expert C.

As you identify potential committee members and confirm their willingness to serve, you must submit a copy of each one’s vitae to the Director or Project Chair. This form requires a rationale for the person’s inclusion on your committee.

You may have two other consultants who are not official committee members, but who fill roles of extreme importance in the accomplishment of your project, i.e., a statistical consultant and an editor. Students should not expect to use a statistical consultant to plan, execute, and interpret their statistics. Students who attempt this misuse of a consultant find themselves unable to explain or defend their

work at the qualifying exam or final oral defense. The appropriate role of a consultant is to confirm that the student’s plan for data analysis is appropriate and sound. The consultant can write the instructions for the computer analysis of the information. The following analogy is intended to clarify the role of this consultant: A statistical consultant is to the data analysis as a typist/editor is to the written document. In both cases, you can receive suggestions for modification and also support in the technical execution of the job, but the creative work must come from you.

An editor is essential for every draft of the document. Foolish is the student who squanders the energy and goodwill of his or her committee members by turning in rambling, poorly organized documents filled with errors or grammar, spelling, and punctuation. The project requires a level of scholarly writing to which few students are accustomed. Students should expect to write, rewrite, and rewrite again each draft to obtain cogent, succinct logic and clarity of presentation. Students should strive to turn in drafts that are letter perfect It is rare when a person who can evaluate his own writing

and proofread his own work. A skilled (though not necessarily professional) editor is usually needed.