College of Education Dissertation Award
The purpose of the College of Education’s annual Dissertation Award is to recognize and reward the most outstanding dissertation defended in the College each year. While all students who successfully defend dissertations in the College are expected to meet high standards of scholarship, this award is designed to recognize the student whose dissertation most demonstrates exemplary creativity, skill, and thoroughness in designing, conducting and writing up research. Dissertations may be qualitative or quantitative and may draw from a variety of disciplines. Only dissertations that have been or will be defended within this academic year will be eligible.
The winning dissertation will display the following characteristics:
- Significance/Contribution—The dissertation contributes to or complicates extant knowledge within the field on a significant educational issue.
- Originality—The dissertation demonstrates original thought and creativity in topic and approach.
- Research design—The design is appropriate to the research purposes and demonstrates a solid understanding of the relevant methodological literature.
- Data—The data is rich and interesting, and the author’s analysis is thoughtful, conscientious, and consistent with the highest standards in the author’s field.
- Argument—The dissertation’s argument unfolds in a logical and clear manner and is well supported by the data.
- Prose—The dissertation is well written, engaging, and free of editorial or grammatical errors. Sentences, paragraphs and ideas are complete and flow well. Transitions between paragraphs, ideas, and chapters are clear and smooth. There is little or no extraneous information.
The winner will receive a $1000 prize.
Procedures
- Submit one (1) hard copy of the dissertation to RA 245; Mark the package to the Attention of the Research Committee; Dr. Janice H. Laurence, Chair
- Submit an electronic copy (WORD or PDF) to: janice.laurence@temple.edu
- Provide a 2-3 page summary with the following content:
- Name of applicant
- Title of Dissertation
- Temple status (expected graduation date; department/program)
- Research summary/abstract (up to 200 words)
- Description of applicant’s interest in the research topic and why the applicant feels he/she deserves the award (up to 200 words)
- Dissertation Committee Chair’s endorsement (signature and short statement of support)
Deadline
- Application deadline: April 9, 2010
- Anticipated award announcement : May 14, 2010
