So this is probably a very newbie question, but I have seen repeatedly on here and on the PhD programs i've seen online, that you need a thesis advisor and then to finish your program you need to write a dissertation and defend it. It usually seems like your first year is finding a thesis advisor, and then the following years are writing your dissertation, and your final year is defending it. I have only ever seen a MA program. In this program you also write a thesis and try to defend it, but this appears to be different from that. For a MA program, it is simply informin g your department of everything you've done (research wise) in your project during your time there. A dissertation however seems a bit different, but quite honestly, I actually have no idea what it is? A google search just shows that a thesis defense is what I described above, but a dissertation appears to be 1) longer and 2) something completely different from what you're actually doing in the lab. I've also seen on here that often times they discuss getting funding for *Your research, not the PI you work under. I am very unfamiliar with the way a PhD program works in general, and now a few questions have arised from this.
1) Is a PhD dissertation completely different from what you're doing in the lab you join? Is it similar in regards to concept but different in theory?
2) Do you work in the lab, and do your own project on the side? From everything I've read it appears you need to have your own unique project different from your PIs, but if so, do you work on both yours and the PIs?
3) If your dissertation is similar to your PIs, can you just use your data to back up your statements? Do you need to acquire your own data? I've seen multiple times on here people stating getting funding from their PI so they may obtain I guess their own data. If so, does the PI need to fund you for your project? What if they don't?
In general, I am completely unaware of the entire process, so this question is primarily:
Can someone please explain how the PhD dissertation process works? The only thing I know about programs is from MA programs where you just do your PIs research, attempt to finish it, then just explain/write everything you've done. How is a PhD program different from it?
Question
samman1994
Hello,
So this is probably a very newbie question, but I have seen repeatedly on here and on the PhD programs i've seen online, that you need a thesis advisor and then to finish your program you need to write a dissertation and defend it. It usually seems like your first year is finding a thesis advisor, and then the following years are writing your dissertation, and your final year is defending it. I have only ever seen a MA program. In this program you also write a thesis and try to defend it, but this appears to be different from that. For a MA program, it is simply informin g your department of everything you've done (research wise) in your project during your time there. A dissertation however seems a bit different, but quite honestly, I actually have no idea what it is? A google search just shows that a thesis defense is what I described above, but a dissertation appears to be 1) longer and 2) something completely different from what you're actually doing in the lab. I've also seen on here that often times they discuss getting funding for *Your research, not the PI you work under. I am very unfamiliar with the way a PhD program works in general, and now a few questions have arised from this.
1) Is a PhD dissertation completely different from what you're doing in the lab you join? Is it similar in regards to concept but different in theory?
2) Do you work in the lab, and do your own project on the side? From everything I've read it appears you need to have your own unique project different from your PIs, but if so, do you work on both yours and the PIs?
3) If your dissertation is similar to your PIs, can you just use your data to back up your statements? Do you need to acquire your own data? I've seen multiple times on here people stating getting funding from their PI so they may obtain I guess their own data. If so, does the PI need to fund you for your project? What if they don't?
In general, I am completely unaware of the entire process, so this question is primarily:
Can someone please explain how the PhD dissertation process works? The only thing I know about programs is from MA programs where you just do your PIs research, attempt to finish it, then just explain/write everything you've done. How is a PhD program different from it?
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