As a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from an APA-approved school, a clinician, and statistician with 16 years of experience, I have a thing or two to say about dissertation consulting. There are lots of reasons to hire a dissertation consultant or dissertation consultancy services. My company, Statistics Solutions, is a dissertation and thesis consultancy for over 16 years. By hiring a Ph.D. or thesis consultant, a firm like ours can assist with the dissertation proposal or thesis proposal, your research questions and hypotheses, clarify the survey instruments, create the data analysis plan, and justify the sample size. My immediate advice is to pick a consultant with a Ph.D., with expertise in research methods, and a company that will stick with you until you complete your degree. To follow are the kinds of consulting we specialize in at Statistics Solutions.
Dissertation Consultants Help with the Dissertation Proposal
Proposal writing is one of the most challenging aspects of the dissertation process: experiencing frustration is not uncommon. Writing your proposal entails introducing your research problem, providing the background to the study, and writing a Problem Statement, and a rationale for the study. Your proposal should include purpose of the study (typically to add to the body of literature in the field). In the proposal, you should lay out a research design (note, if you have not purchased a copy of Creswell, you should do so as this book is very helpful and easy to read). Also, you should tell the committee whether you’re research design is experimental, quasi-experimental, or non-experimental. An experienced dissertation consultant can help with all of these areas.
Dissertation Consultants Help with Research Questions
Most often the dissertation consulting (and thesis consulting) begins by examining the research questions and null hypotheses. Refining the research questions are critical and are the cornerstone of the research. Consulting with dissertation students involves writing the research questions in statistical language. For example, dissertation student will phrase a research question such as “What is the relationship between supervisor stress and gender.” Dissertation consultants can speak with you to better understand what you really want to examine, which may be “Are there differences on Supervisor Stress scores by gender?” As dissertation consultants, we can help form your research questions and explain them in a way that makes sense. Dissertation students don’t need to waste time struggling through refining research questions--you can hire an experienced dissertation consultant to walk you through this process.
Dissertation Consulting Help with Survey Instruments
Dissertation consulting often involves assisting dissertation and thesis students with their survey instruments. At Statistics Solutions, we can understand any reverse coding in the scores, how to compute composite scores using SPSS, and assist you to understand the relevant reliability and validity of your instrument. The type of variables that are derived from the survey is important in developing the data analysis plan.
Dissertation Consultants Can Help with Data Analysis Plan
When we consult with dissertation students or thesis students we very often work to help the students select the correct statistics. The correct statistics are determined by two criteria: the research questions and the type of variables (i.e., nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio). In the example above, “Are there differences on Supervisor Stress scores by gender?” a t-test would be the appropriate statistical test because the dependent variable (Stress scores) is a ratio-level variable and independent variables (gender) is a nominal-level variable. Competent consultants definitely address the assumptions of statistics. For a t-test there are two primary assumptions: homogeneity of variance (essentially that the standard deviation of the males’ stress scores is similar, or homogeneous, to the standard deviation of the females’ stress scores) and normality (the distribution of the males’ and females’ scores are relatively bell-shaped. Dissertation consultants not only address the statistical assumptions, but can explain them in plain English.
Dissertation Consultants Often Assist Dissertation Students with Sample Size Justification
Another big area of concern for dissertation and thesis students is justifying the sample size. That is, how many participants are necessary to find statistical differences if in fact they exist in the data. Typically, researchers want to use a power of .80, with a large effect size, at an alpha cut-off of .05. Your consultant should be able to select the sample size for a particular statistical test, and explain it you.
Dissertation Consultants Assist Dissertation and Thesis Students with Results Chapter
When consulting with dissertation and thesis students, we assist with the results chapter. We clean the data file, create composite scores, conduct descriptive statistics, conduct the analyses, being mindful of the assumptions of the analyses, and importantly, report the findings and create APA-style tables and figures. We also explain the analyses and work through all of your committee feedback. While everything we do is confidential, we have at times been on three-way call with committee members because sometimes, even they are unclear what the findings indicate. We are experts in dissertation and thesis results, and will be there to assist you through the entire process.
Dissertation Consultants Help ABD students become Ph.D.’s
In our time consulting with dissertation students, we’ve helped many ABD (all-but-dissertation) students. ABD’s have done all of the work to complete their degree: you have passed (and paid for) the classes, been through your comprehensive exams, and are likely through the proposal phase. ABD’s just need a little help to get over the hump and complete the degree. As the owner of a statistical consulting company who spent years editing my own dissertation, I can relate to your situation, and help you complete your degree!
Dissertation Consultants are Statisticians with Solid Grounding in Research Methods
Statistical consulting on dissertations and theses is more than conducting tests and explaining them. You consultant should demonstrate through their experience and education that they have mastered quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. During my dissertation, my colleagues and I spent a full year reading psychotherapy transcripts and identify and naming qualitative themes. After a degree in Electrical Engineering and a minor in math, and over 20 statistics and research methods classes through my Master’s degree in research psychology and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, I became an expert in data analysis techniques. As Statistics Solutions, all of my research experiences and training is brought to bear on your dissertation or thesis.
Hire a Professional Dissertation Consultant with a Ph.D.
Let’s face it, a smart High School student who has taken an elementary statistics course can conduct an ANOVA—but will they know how to navigate through dissertation or thesis committees or know how to handle their feedback or be committee savvy? No. Most dissertation consultants DO NOT have a Ph.D.! (Would you hire a mechanic that could not get his own car running?) Do other consultants, in whom you put your trust and educational career, know the political “ins and outs” of dissertation committees? Probably not. Is the company run by someone with a Ph.D. or are they just business individuals or have a math background? We have Ph.D.’s and the know how to get you finished. CLICK HERE for a free consultation with a Ph.D. Dissertation Consultant
