This article explores the narratives of two doctoral candidates in a curriculum and instruction program, revealing their dissertation experiences after challenging conventional norms in their coursework. Through qualitative analysis, we identify themes of cultural authenticity, power of the academy, and theory vs. practice. These themes underscore…

Inspired by bell hooks (1994), this dialogic inquiry documents seven scholars' thinking and reflections on dissertations in practice. Our scholarship contributed to the knowledge base in our respective fields by and while embarking on dissertations authentic to us. We rooted in the literature, interrogated issues, collected data, and shared our…

Any research collaboration can potentially transform the participants' understandings and enhance their professional relationships with one another and with significant others. If this transformation is to eventuate, research collaborators need to exhibit mindfulness with regard to their multiple relationships, as well as to the intentions and…

Thesis by publication (TBP) is well-established in some geographic and disciplinary contexts, but is still emerging in others. The unique challenges of the TBP for doctoral researchers and supervisors have been well-covered in recent studies, but there has been limited attention given to examiners, despite the high stakes of the examination…

In this article, I argue that Ph.D. students' construction of academic identity depends on the boundary-making process in academia. The presented ethnographic account of Ph.D. students at one of the research-intensive universities in Turkey is based on 15 months of fieldwork, including observations and 21 in-depth interviews with PhD students.…

Practitioner-oriented dissertations are unique in their potential to address wicked problems through relevant and timely applications of empirical research that can facilitate rapid change. This account describes the dossier style dissertation, a newly re-imagined dissertation of Johns Hopkins University's Doctor of Education program, with two…

This study examines 39 education doctorate (EdD) dissertations that were completed by members of five cohorts of EdD students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's (UNL) Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education (TLTE) to consider what constitutes an alternative dissertation. All of the dissertation authors began their EdD…

Purpose: This study aims to offer an original criterion of assessment for examiners of practice-based doctorates in contemporary arts practices, based upon the degree of intrigue, perceptual and conceptual, afforded by the research outputs. It is argued that intrigue is the necessary stimulus for the states of attention required for the…

Despite the positive experiences of many candidates and the existence of many skilled examiners, the closed-door viva has been widely scrutinised on the basis of issues surrounding its reliability and quality. This study aimed to explore the views of examiners regarding this assessment method; specifically, in relation to how the issues with…

Led by CPED's reconceptualization of the Education Doctorate, EdD programs nationally continue to explore ways to re-envision the Dissertation-in-Practice (DiP) specifically for the development of Scholar-Practitioners. Even as work on innovative dissertation formats has accelerated, many, if not most, DiPs still resemble traditional five-chapter…

Completing a higher degree is a complex and demanding undertaking for doctoral students. Along with the cognitive demands of study, there are competing personal and contextual factors which contribute to stress for students during the process. This study seeks to contribute to existing literature by acknowledging the characteristics of the…

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is reshaping the research paradigm of doctoral education, with growing evidence suggesting that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools could promote innovative behaviour among doctoral students. However, the use of AI tools in scientific research should be approached with special caution, as…

Doctoral researchers are our present and future knowledge-makers. Social justice requires democratic opportunities for knowledge creation, and to this end doctoral supervision theory and practice have become increasingly inclusive, flexible, culturally responsive, and person-centred over time. However, consideration of trauma and trauma-informed…

Purpose: Structural mentoring barriers are policies, practices and cultural norms that collectively disadvantage marginalized groups and perpetuate disparities in mentoring. This study aims to better understand structural mentoring barriers at the postdoctoral training stage, which has a direct impact on faculty diversity and national efforts to…

This study aimed to understand experiences of nontraditional doctoral students pursuing their PhD in Communication. Although the term "nontraditional student" exists in the literature (Cox & Ebbers, 2010; Stone & O'Shea, 2019), there is little consensus about demographics of nontraditional doctoral students (NTDS), nor their…