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Waiting to Get Your Dissertation Accepted?
Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 02:34 am
Having found your Chairperson to work with, now it is time to fill you committee. Regardless of the number of additional committee members that you need, it is important to go about this process strategically. As with the beginning of any relationship, how you begin is important.
In this article, I cover:
- How to find members for your dissertation committee
- A sample email for a dissertation committee request
- How to evaluate potential committee members
- How to ask them to be on your committee
Finding and Choosing Dissertation Committee Members
Ask Your Committee Chair
Talking to your chair is a good place to start in looking for additional dissertation committee members. Who do they recommend for your specific project? You can ask who they don’t work well with, but most people won’t answer this question for obvious reasons.
Talk to Other Students
You probably have a network of fellow students. Ask for their input on potential committee members. I suggest you do this through private emails or in conversation rather than on group message boards so that people can speak freely about their experiences.
Do Your Research
Once you get a list of names either from your Chair, a university list, or from fellow students do some research. Find the CV of each person (most schools have this type of information available). See what types of research they have done.
Where have they published? How recently have they published? What types of methodology have they used? You may also find people with whom you share an interest which helps when making a connection.
Get Your Dissertation Accepted On Your Next Submission
Look at previous dissertations that they have worked on. What were the topics? What methodologies were used? Were they acknowledged by previous students?
Dissertation Committee Request: Sample Email
Once you have come up with a final list of potential candidates, email them to gauge their interest. Many students wonder how to ask someone to be on their dissertation committee. I have included a sample email for a dissertation committee request below.
Dear Dr. ____
Please let me introduce myself. My name is ___ ___ and I am a doctoral student at ___ University working on my dissertation. My topic is ___. I am searching for an additional committee member for my dissertation committee.
I know that you are busy but I have looked at the committees that you have worked on and your research [it is flattering to include a specific example] and think that your membership on my committee could be very beneficial for me.
If you have an interest in filling this position please let me know so that we can set up a time to talk and get to know each other.
Respectfully,
Ima Student
Interviewing Potential Dissertation Committee Members
After you get responses you should write to set up phone calls with interested potential committee members. I suggest that you prepare a list of questions to ask each person. Example questions include:
- Do you like to see work in pieces as it’s completed or in finished chapters?
- Do you prefer direct communication or for all communication to go through the Chair?
- How long do you usually take to do reviews?
- Are there faculty members that you work well with and don’t fit well with?
- What attributes do you see in students who succeed?
- Do you have any initial ideas based up what I have shared with you about my topic?
- Do you have any questions that you want to ask me?
Students often forget that they can interview potential committee members. Doing so tends to impress faculty, as it indicates your seriousness and commitment. I can say that very few people have interviewed me to be a member of their committee, and those that have have been especially successful in navigating the challenges of writing a dissertation.
How to Ask Someone to Be on Your Dissertation Committee
If you’ve followed all of the above steps, the rest should be pretty simple. The professor knows that you’ve taken the time to see if they’re a good fit, and that you are conscientious enough to do your research and respect their time. A simple email telling them that you would be honored if they would serve as your committee member is just fine. Remember, though, it’s still an ask–you’re not telling them they’re on your committee.
How to Request a Dissertation Committee Member: Summary
Choosing committee members is important. You want a committee where everyone is pulling for you to reach your goal. It doesn’t take a lot of time to explore potential committee members, and in the long run that small time investment can pay off.
For additional support, you can also consider a dissertation coach. They can help guide you through the process and even finish more quickly, as you will avoid unnecessary pitfalls and delays. Read more about how to choose a dissertation coach here.
