Alignment Makes or Breaks A Dissertation

by JoAnn Foley Markette, Ed.D.

Field Day! I don't know if kids enjoy this before-the-end-of school activity anymore, but I remember in elementary school when, on one glorious late May / early June day, the entire school spent the day outside playing game and competing for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons either individually or class-against-class. Balloon toss, sack race, hula hoop contest. Yes, tons of fun!

Without a doubt, the three-legged race always earned a spot on the Field Day agenda, and the winning strategy all came down proper alignment.

Kids partnered with their friends, tied the kerchief around their two inside legs and always, I mean always, agreed which feet would start first--the two inside or two outside--in order to take off in sync. In order to stay in rhythm, many would count together out loud as they raced to the finish line...One! Two! One! Two!

Alignment in one's dissertation is not all that different from the three-legged race. Most dissertations will require problem statements, purpose statements, and research questions to some degree or another. Additionally, foundational or theoretical theories serve as the metaphorical kerchief that ties those statements and questions together. All of these must be in proper alignment. Otherwise, the study stumbles. The dissertation falls.

If this happens, though, don't give up! Get up and keep running!

With only a little re-adjustment and re-alignment, doctoral students can rejuvenate their work and make it to the finish line, graduation. Below are two videos that will help you align your study step-by-step.

You can make it! We are rooting for you!

APA citation:

Markette, N. & Markette., J. [Dr. Markette]. (2021, July 8). How to ALIGN Your QUALITATIVE Study || Purpose, Problem, and Research Questions. [Video]. https://youtu.be/LtGXF7hwjcY

APA citation:

Markette, N. & Markette., J. [Dr. Markette]. (2021, October 16). How to ALIGN Your QUANTITATIVE Study || Purpose, Problem, and Research Questions. [Video]. https://youtu.be/aw6MvNiv7V4

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