The Composition Resource Guide

Setting Transparent Standards for the Dissertation in Practice for Students, Faculty, and Administration

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2026.545

Keywords:

dissertation, doctoral student writing, student support

Abstract

This article explores the challenges that a recent CPED Program of the Year award-winning program experienced implementing a dissertation in practice (DiP) within an EdD program and the innovative solution of creating a program-specific Composition Research Guide (CRG) to establish transparent standards and guidelines for students and committee members. We begin by defining the central problem encountered early in the program—the inconsistencies in assumed dissertation expectations faced by students, faculty, and administrators due to prevailing PhD assumptions. This problem led program leadership to develop the CRG to standardize expectations and clarify programmatic standards for other interested parties at the institution. By detailing the process of creating the CRG, this article aims to provide insights into fostering dialogue among higher education institutions grappling with similar challenges.

References

Andrews, R., & Grogan, M. (2005). Form should follow function: Removing the EdD dissertation from the PhD straight jacket. Education Faculty Articles and Research, 46(2), 10–13.

Blanchard, C., & Haccoun, R. R. (2020). Investigating the impact of advisor support on the perceptions of graduate students. Teaching in Higher Education, 25(8), 1010–1027. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2019.1632825

Blevins, B., Cooper, S., Crocker Papadakis, L., Earl, J., Howell, L., Lively, C., Meehan, J., Murray, E. A., Pratt, S., Sanguras, L., Talbert, S., Talbert, T. L., & Werse, N. R. (2022). Reframing the problem of practice: Transitions in Baylor University’s Ed.D. in Learning and Organizational Change program. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 7(1).

Buss, R. R., & Zambo, D. (2014). A practical guide for students and faculty in CPED-influenced programs working on an action research dissertation in practice. Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate.

Gillham, J. C., Williams, N. V., Rife, G., & Parker, K. K. (2019). Problems of practice: A document analysis of education doctorate dissertations. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 4(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2019.85

Hoffman, R. L., & Perry, J. A. (2016). The CPED framework: Tools for change. In J. A. Perry (Ed.), The EdD and the scholarly practitioner: The CPED path (pp. 13–26). Information Age.

Kaul, C. R., Werse, N. R., Smith, J., Shelton, R. N., Jones Davis, B. K., Howell, L., Sanguras, L. Y., & Crocker Papadakis, L. K. (2024). Exploring doctoral writing self-efficacy and apprehension in a dissertation writing course. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 19(6). https://doi.org/10.28945/5308

Perry, J. A. (Ed.). (2016). The EdD and the scholarly practitioner: The CPED path. Information Age.

Reyes, C., & Zhang, J. (2024). Systematic comparative analysis of doctor of education (EdD) programs: Unraveling inconsistencies and informing student choices. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 9(2), 42–50. https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2024.408

Shelton, R. N., Werse, N. R., & Davis, B. K. (2023). Scaffolding the research process: Mitigating imposter syndrome before the dissertation. In C. Benedetti & A. Covarrubias (Eds.), Teaching critical inquiry and applied research: Moving beyond traditional methods (pp. 19–34). Myers Education Press.

Smith, J. (2021, September 6). Our mysterious dissertation committees. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/our-mysterious-dissertation-committees/

Smith, J., Shelton, R. N., Jones, B. K., Howell, L., & Kaul, C. R. (In Press). Doctoral students’ perceptions of the similarities and differences between student and advisor dissertation evaluation scores. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice.

Werse, N. R., Cooper, S., Meehan, J. P., & Sanguras, L. (2023). Designing dissertation courses for the dissertation in practice: Both dissertation and practice. In C. Benedetti & A. Covarrubias (Eds.), Teaching critical inquiry and applied research in Ed.D. programs: Moving beyond traditional methods. Myers Education Press.

Werse, N. R., Murray, E. A., Cooper, S., Sanguras, L., & Crocker Papadakis, L. (2023). Innovation and excellence in the Baylor University EdD in Learning and Organizational Change program. In K. Ingle & H. T. Rasmussen (Eds.), Innovation and impact: The origins and elements of EdD program excellence. Myers Education Press.

Wiest, L., & Treacy, A. (2021). The role of non‐chair committee members in doctoral dissertations. National Teaching & Learning Forum, 30(6), 6–8. https://doi.org/10.1002/ntlf.30300

Downloads

Published

2026-07-29

How to Cite

Werse, N. R., Smith, J., Shelton, R. N., Sanguras, L. Y., Howell, L., Crocker Papadakis, L. K., & Jones, B. K. (2026). The Composition Resource Guide: Setting Transparent Standards for the Dissertation in Practice for Students, Faculty, and Administration. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 11(3), 73–76. https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2026.545

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 3 (2026): Regular Issue

Section

Essays

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Nicholas R. Werse, Jess Smith, Ryann N. Shelton, Laila Y. Sanguras, Leanne Howell, Lacy K. Crocker Papadakis, Brenda K. Jones

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. The Author retains copyright in the Work, where the term “Work” shall include all digital objects that may result in subsequent electronic publication or distribution.
  2. Upon acceptance of the Work, the author shall grant to the Publisher the right of first publication of the Work.
  3. The Author shall grant to the Publisher and its agents the nonexclusive perpetual right and license to publish, archive, and make accessible the Work in whole or in part in all forms of media now or hereafter known under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License or its equivalent, which, for the avoidance of doubt, allows others to copy, distribute, and transmit the Work under the following conditions:
    1. Attribution—other users must attribute the Work in the manner specified by the author as indicated on the journal Web site;
    with the understanding that the above condition can be waived with permission from the Author and that where the Work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license.
  4. The Author is able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the nonexclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the Work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), as long as there is provided in the document an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  5. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post online a prepublication manuscript (but not the Publisher’s final formatted PDF version of the Work) in institutional repositories or on their Websites prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. Any such posting made before acceptance and publication of the Work shall be updated upon publication to include a reference to the Publisher-assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the online abstract for the final published Work in the Journal.
  6. Upon Publisher’s request, the Author agrees to furnish promptly to Publisher, at the Author’s own expense, written evidence of the permissions, licenses, and consents for use of third-party material included within the Work, except as determined by Publisher to be covered by the principles of Fair Use.
  7. The Author represents and warrants that:
    1. the Work is the Author’s original work;
    2. the Author has not transferred, and will not transfer, exclusive rights in the Work to any third party;
    3. the Work is not pending review or under consideration by another publisher;
    4. the Work has not previously been published;
    5. the Work contains no misrepresentation or infringement of the Work or property of other authors or third parties; and
    6. the Work contains no libel, invasion of privacy, or other unlawful matter.
  8. The Author agrees to indemnify and hold Publisher harmless from Author’s breach of the representations and warranties contained in Paragraph 6 above, as well as any claim or proceeding relating to Publisher’s use and publication of any content contained in the Work, including third-party content.

Revised 7/16/2018. Revision Description: Removed outdated link.