Evaluating Dissertation Quality

Adams & White (1994) proposed 6 indicators of dissertation quality:

1. Research was on a researchable topic of some potential value to the field.
2. Research was guided by some explicit theoretical or conceptual framework.
3. Research was relevant to theory and could contribute to theory development.
4. Research has practical relevance within the research setting.  It could have helped change or improve something in that setting.
5. Research has practical relevance beyond the research setting.  Something could have been learned that might inform practice in another setting.
6. There are no serious flaws in the research (e.g., sample too small to draw reasonable conclusions, generalization of findings from a single case study, use of an inappropriate statistic, blatant errors in logic, inappropriate research design given the research problem, serious misapplication of some theory to the research problem).

The Dissertation:  From Beginning to End
Peter Lyons & Howard J. Douek