Completing and Defending the Dissertation Project
Under the Supervision of
Robert Gaines

Once your dissertation prospectus has been approved, it remains for you to complete and defend the dissertation project as the final steps before your Ph.D. degree is awarded. The following represent principles which will guide my service as a dissertation project adviser.

1. As a general rule, I read and comment upon only full drafts of dissertations (it is strongly recommended that you submit drafts of your dissertation to me electronically, as email attachments in Word.doc format). The probability is that three or more revisions of your dissertation will be required before it is ready for defense. The only means by which I will communicate with you about your work on the dissertation project are as follows:

(a) Notes and comments on pages of your dissertation drafts. Early drafts typically require significant notation, and this may necessitate that commentary be entered on a hard-copy of your draft. Later drafts may be subject to notes entered directly in the electronic file.

(b) Summary comments and recommendations (based on hard-copy notes and comments) in an electronic message or hard copy letter.

(c) Face-to-face meetings.

2. You are strongly encouraged to remain in residence at the University of Maryland, College Park, while you complete your dissertation project. Should you choose to complete the dissertation project at a distance, you must accept responsibility for the awkwardness and duration of the process.

3. Every doctoral Candidate must maintain continuous registration in COMM899 (Doctoral Dissertation Research) until the degree is awarded. It is your responsibility to undertake continuous registration during each Fall and Spring semester without my intervention. You cannot expect my active supervision of your dissertation project at any point during a Fall or Spring semester in which you are not already registered for COMM899 (Doctoral Dissertation Research).

5. You cannot expect my active supervision of your dissertation project during times at which I am not compensated by the University.

6. Under normal circumstances, there will come a time at which I indicate to you my belief that your dissertation is ready for defense. If you wish to defend your dissertation before I believe it is ready, it is your prerogative to do so. However, in exercising this prerogative, you must accept responsibility for exposing yourself to inherent academic risks involved.