The PTD Process and Development of Your Final Product

Step-By-Step

  • Select and have approved by all members of your committee a PTD topic.
  • Develop, write, submit and have approved by all members of your committee a formal proposal. This proposal should include, at a minimum, sections that detail what you plan to do; why you plan to do it; reference to the literature in which your project will be grounded; and the way in which you plan to carry the project through to completion (methodology and timetable).
  • Begin and complete the research process, maintaining contact with the head of your committee, as well as any members of your committee who have substantive knowledge in the issue area in which your are working.
  • Submit your first draft to the head of your committee, who will help you with revisions, if any.
  • Submit revised manuscript to entire committee.

It is only after this last step is completed that you can schedule your defense. It is your responsibility to keep track of departmental and graduate school guidelines and timetables (for example, you need to be aware of the deadlines for filing various forms, submitting an application to graduate, and scheduling your defense). The department needs enough prior notification to post an announcement, make your manuscript available to those in the department who need or want to read it.

It is important to note and remember that, while some papers that are generated in the methods sequence can, upon expansion and/or revision, stand as defensible professional papers or theses, such acceptance is not automatic. It depends on the make-up of your committee; the topic of and methods used in the paper; your own personal preference, etc. Please do not plan, with no prior consultation whatsoever, to hand to your committee a completed term paper and expect them to accept it without qualification. The job of the committee is to see to it that you develop and are able to present an orally defensible paper that does both you and the department justice. If you have any questions or need additional information, please call your Chairperson.