What is a Dissertation Consultation Exactly?
I’ll do my best to explain how I ally with you to ensure your success.
In general, a dissertation consultation is hiring an expert to help you complete what you cannot complete, don’t have time to complete, or don’t want to complete. Typically this is the data analysis portion, but it can be anything you need help with. Outside of data analysis I most often assist with study design, literature review strategies, APA-formatted reporting of results, and preparing for defense by generating questions I anticipate will be asked.
I wish more students contacted me in the design phase, but most have already collected data. Working together in the design phase leads to a stronger study with more meaningful results. More importantly the data analysis should be easier and faster when designed to be this way from the beginning. Overall consultations are often cheaper when I am involved beginning to end, due to anticipating challenges before they happen. More often, I help sort out an analysis that doesn’t fit the data well, or hit unexpected challenges. I’ve seen more dissertations analyses that most chairpersons, so I see more of these in the design phase, preparing for these challenges from the beginning.
What people value most is probably having an ally. I take the difficult tasks on as my own, and guarantee quality work. Bringing clarity and progress to stressful and stalled projects brings me tremendous satisfaction, and students often view the help as “saving” their project and mental health.
What are the limits? Can I pay you do finish my project? Will my University allow this?
Ethical limitations: All consultations are 100% confidential, so nobody will know you’ve hired me unless you tell them. You can take all the credit, and it is never expected to cite your consultant. However, I do not want to participate in unethical assistance. I will not write your dissertation/thesis for you, and will refuse any clear violations of academic ethical standards. All students are responsible for ensuring that the use of my services are allowed by their institution. It may be appropriate to ask me to sign non-disclosure agreements, or register me as an official assistant with your institution. I have not yet come across any institution that does not allow help at least for statistics, editing, or learning new strategies (coaching, consulting, etc.). I will provide training and coaching, which often involves doing examples for you, but never completing entire sections. You will ultimately defend the project and must understand what has been done!
If you are doing a project for yourself, your business, or other situations where paying to have it completed are ethical, just let me know.
More Detail on the Consultations I Provide.
A sample page from a consultation is below. As you’ll see the output is explained, not just “done”, and I’ll show you what all the numbers mean, which ones we care about, and why. I also provide APA-formatted tables and examples of how to report the statistics used. You can use these examples like a template. You can also email, call, or text me with questions – then ask me to review your writing for errors. Ultimately, by the time your committee sees it you’ll know it is compliant and not even worry.
