How many pages for each dissertation chapter?
by Constance Davis | October 21, 2010
On occasion, I get questions from my advisees and other researchers who want to know how long each specific chapter in the dissertation needs to be.
My response is that each chapter should be as many pages as it takes to complete the purpose of that chapter. That is an area where you and your mentor need to communicate so that you have a very good idea about your mentor’s expectations for content. Once all of the content is in the appropriate chapter, then you know how many pages that chapter needs to be.
Here is why I am not going to give anyone a more specific answer about how many pages any of the chapters in a dissertation needs to be. And this is why it is hard for anyone else to specify how long any given chapter should be.
Every dissertation is unique. Each chapter has a specific purpose. You may certainly use the templates, the Dissertation Manual and the Track 3 workbook as guides for each of the chapters, but at the end of the day each chapter will contain the amount of information that your mentor and your committee believe is adequate to fulfill the purpose of that chapter. Some topics might require many pages of additional material to help explain or justify. Others will not.
Let us use the literature review chapter as an example. Here at Capella, according to our Dissertation Manual, a literature review “demonstrates the learner’s mastery in the discipline through a thorough scrutiny of the existing literature and the integration, synthesis, and evaluation of relevant theories and research.”
The Manual lists five specific areas that a literature review should incorporate:
1. Identify critical and relevant literature.
2. Highlight the crucial theoretical and/or conceptual debates.
3. Pinpoint the gaps in existing research or theory/theories.
4. Evaluate viable research designs and methodology.
5. Indicate how the proposed research will help to bridge these gaps and lead to greater understanding of the phenomenon.
How do you put a page number on a chapter that is required to explore those five specific areas? And, depending upon the topic, the literature review might very well be asked to perform a broader role.
So, don’t ask your mentor how many pages s/he expects for any of the chapters. Instead, focus on providing the right amount the information and detail you need to include so that the chapter can serve its purpose. When that chapter is finally approved, then you will know how many pages that chapter needed to be.
3 Responses to "How many pages for each dissertation chapter?"
Jonathan Watson says:
Thanks for your feedback.
Peggie Yoney says:
First of all I would like to say fantastic blog! I had a quick question which I’d like to ask if you do not mind. I was curious to know how you center yourself and clear your head prior to writing. I’ve had a hard time clearing my mind in getting my ideas out. I truly do take pleasure in writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are generally wasted simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or hints? Many thanks!
Constance Davis says:
I think that one of the best ways to get started each day is to leave yourself a starting point each evening when you conclude your work for the day. Write yourself a note (I have always loved using the sticky notes) as a reminder of where you are picking up. Another strategy I like to use is to go back and re-read the last few paragraphs or pages to remind me of where I am going with this particular section of the dissertation.
On July 29, 2011, The Chronicle of Higher Education published an article about dealing with intrusive thoughts and some of the ideas from that piece included using the sticky notes to rank the tasks you have. Sometimes the simple fact of ranking your tasks gets that out of the way and allows you to get back to your writing. I hope these ideas help.