There is a preconceived anticipation that Ph.D. students hold about their committee’s involvement with their dissertations. Students anticipate that each committee member will thoroughly review each chapter of their dissertation. They will make constructive comments that will help the student improve the presentation and tighten up the presentation.

In an ideal world perhaps this is true. In a world that is not found in our galaxy perhaps. But from my personal experience serving as a committee member on countless dissertations, committee members who actually read dissertations are the exception rather than the rule.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Consultations