Syllabus: Dissertation Proposal Development Seminar
Sociology 219, Winter 2018
Time/Place: Monday 2:00-4:50pm, SSPB 4206
Instructor: Evan Schofer
Office hours: Wednesday 3:00-4:00pm, SSPB 4271
Introduction
The course is designed to assist students who are developing or actively writing a dissertation proposal.
Choosing a dissertation topic is probably the most important and challenging task of the entire PhD program. A good dissertation proposal requires a compelling topic and an appropriate research design that addresses important sociological questions. At the same time, the proposal must be feasible, in order that students can graduate in a reasonable amount of time. Students rarely enter the program with skills to choose a good & tractable project on their own. A high-quality proposal is usually the outcome of an extended dialog between the student and one or more faculty members who provide needed experience and feedback.
For those just starting out, the course will provide basic information on what a proposal looks like and how one goes about developing a promising dissertation topic. For those with a topic, this course will provide a structured set of goals and feedback opportunities to advance the proposal toward completion.
Readings
Readings will be available online via webfiles here. Draft proposals may be in a shared class dropbox.
Assignments and Evaluation
Short Assignments. Short assignments will count toward 75% of your final grade.
Participation. The primary benefit of this course comes from attendance and participation in presentations, Q&A, and small-group discussions. Participation counts toward 15% of your final grade.
Individually Defined Research Goals. The course functions partly like an independent study. I will work individually with each student to choose some realistic goals in terms of developing your proposal. Progress on your independent research goals constitutes 10% of your final grade.
Your final grade will be computed based on the percentage weightings indicated. In the event of a borderline grade, I may use my discretion in adjusting grades based on course participation, improvement, and effort (or lack thereof). Incompletes will not be given, except in unusual circumstances.
Schedule
Jan 8-Mar 16, Holidays on Jan 15, Feb 19. Jan 8, 15 (holiday), 22, 29, Feb 5, 12, 19 (holiday), 26, Mar 5, 12
January 8: Week 1: Introduction: What is a dissertation proposal?
— Overview & purpose of the class; introduce some important future topics; basic information on proposals.
January 15: Week 2: Holiday, No Class Meeting.
January 22: Week 3: Developing a proposal = developing a “process”
Reading Task: Example proposal 1
Assignment 1 Due: Briefly describe the current state of your dissertation proposal (roughly one page). Be sure to indicate the area and topic (to the extent you know it; you can list multiple possibilities), your mentors, the empirical data and methods (actual or likely). Indicate some the main things you have been doing lately to move the project forward. In addition, write 2-3 sentences about your goals for the quarter.
January 29: Week 4: The proposal: structure and strategy
— Types of proposals; common structure/organization; when to defend (early vs late)
Reading Task: Example proposal 2
February 5: Week 5: Creating and managing your committee
— Requirements; common strategies; getting the most out of your committee; dealing with dissensus
Reading Task: Apoorva Ghosh Draft Proposal
Assignment 2 Due: Substantive memo: Write a brief memo (1 page or less) on key issues you are currently addressing. It could be the sketch of a potential project idea, an outline of a new section of the proposal to be drafted, or a memo about a current roadblock and potential solutions.
February 12: Week 6: Developing your own iterative process & developing your theoretical contributions
— Strategies and work habits
— Working toward a theoretical contribution to the literature
Reading Task: Jess Lee Proposal Draft
Assignment 3 Due: Mid quarter progress update (1 page or less): Summarize progress on individual research goals. Indicate problems; identify next steps.
February 19: Week 7: Holiday, No Class Meeting.
February 26: Week 8: Research design issues
Reading Task: Ted Watson Proposal Draft
Assignment 4 Due: Substantive memo: Write a brief memo (1 page or less) on key issues you are currently addressing. It could be the sketch of a potential project idea, an outline of a new section of the proposal to be drafted, or a memo about a current roadblock and potential solutions.
March 5: Week 9: The proposal defense
— How to prepare; common questions/issues; how to get the most out of it
Reading Task: Tania Docarmo
March 12: Week 10: Problems, setbacks & going forward…
— Writers block; alienation; roadblocks; making major course changes
— building on the defense feedback; next steps
Reading Task: Janet Muniz
Assignment 5 Due: Write a summary of progress on your personal research goals for the quarter. If you fell short, why? Discuss strategies to improve in the future.