NURS9902 takes the refined research question from NURS9901 and builds it into a complete, defensible dissertation proposal — a full methodology, sampling plan, and analysis strategy ready for committee scrutiny.
Finalizing the dissertation methodology
NURS9902 requires students to finalize their research design and methodology — specifying the exact sampling strategy, data collection instruments or protocols, and analysis plan appropriate to their research question. Students must justify each methodological choice explicitly, connecting it back to their theoretical framework and research question rather than treating methodology as a checklist of unrelated decisions.
Building the complete formal proposal
The course covers assembling the complete dissertation proposal document — comprehensive literature review, theoretical framework, detailed methodology, and anticipated significance of the study — and preparing for the formal proposal defense presentation, where students must be ready to defend their methodological choices under committee questioning.
Key topics in NURS9902
- Finalizing sampling strategy, data collection instruments, and analysis plan
- Justifying methodological choices as connected to the theoretical framework and research question
- Assembling the complete dissertation proposal document
- Preparing for formal proposal defense presentation and committee questioning
- Anticipating and addressing likely committee critiques before the defense
- Finalizing IRB application materials in preparation for proposal approval
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Worked example: justifying a methodological choice under anticipated committee questioning
- Anticipated question: "Why did you choose a sample size of only 12 for a qualitative study?"
- Weak answer: "That seemed like a reasonable number"
- Strong answer: "Following Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis guidelines, small, homogeneous samples (typically 6-15) are recommended to allow the depth of analysis IPA requires; data saturation was anticipated based on similar published IPA studies of comparable scope"
- Lesson: Every methodological choice in the proposal must be defensible with a specific, literature-grounded rationale, not a general impression of reasonableness
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Dissertation proposal and defense-preparation assignments.
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Frequently asked questions
A dissertation committee's proposal review isn't simply checking whether a methodology section is present — it's evaluating whether each choice (sample size, sampling strategy, specific instruments, analysis approach) is the right choice for the specific research question and theoretical framework, and whether the student genuinely understands why they made each decision rather than following a generic template. NURS9902 requires explicit justification for every choice because an unjustified methodological decision — even if it happens to be a reasonable one — signals that the student may not fully understand the methodological principles involved, which raises legitimate committee concern about whether the student is prepared to make sound judgment calls independently once they move into actual data collection and analysis, where new methodological decisions will inevitably need to be made without direct guidance.
Effective proposal defense preparation involves anticipating the specific questions and critiques a committee is likely to raise about the proposal's weakest or most debatable points — this might include the adequacy of a sample size, the choice of one theoretical framework over a plausible alternative, potential validity threats in the chosen design, or how a particular measure was selected over other available instruments — and preparing clear, evidence-based responses to each before the defense itself. NURS9902 teaches that the strongest defense preparation comes from students genuinely stress-testing their own proposal in advance (often with the help of their dissertation chair or through mock defense sessions with peers), identifying the proposal's actual vulnerabilities honestly rather than assuming the committee won't notice them, since a defense where a student is caught off guard by a predictable, obvious critique reflects poorly on their preparation, while confidently and thoughtfully addressing an anticipated tough question demonstrates genuine methodological command.