NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION STUDIES
SAMPLE TIMELINE REPORT
**Please note that this is a sample and you can customize it to fit your timeline and expected date of graduation.
Student Name:______
Work Phone:______Cell:______Home:______
Email:______
For office use only: Update in system______/______/______
Dissertation Proposal Timeline
Chair: ______
Committee Members: 1. ______email:______Phone:______
Committee Members: 2. ______email:______Phone:______
Working Title:______
Date Signaling Start of Proposal Writing Process: ______
Projected Proposal Defense Date: ______
Comments on current progress/status: I am currently working on………..I expect to finish by ……… etc….
Month / Activity / Status
SEPTEMBER
1st – 31st / Gather data for literature review
-Target 10 to 20 articles/week / In progress
15th – 31st / Begin reviewing literature and taking notes
-Begin categorization of literature and create outline
-Begin documenting specific questions, ideas, facts
OCTOBER
1ST – 16TH / Complete review of literature and begin compiling literature review
5th – 16th / Schedule meeting with committee chair and members in Florida
-
16th – 31th / Complete literature review and formulate research questions
-Determine methodology
-Begin composing draft proposal
Meet with committee members to discuss proposal
NOVEMBER
1st – 7th / Complete first draft of proposal
-Submit draft proposal to committee for feedback
8th – 21st / Continue to refine and finalize proposal
-Receive feedback from committee members
21st – 30st / Break
DECEMBER
1st – 7th / Finalize proposal
7th / Submit finalized proposal to committee
7th – 18th / Await signoff from committee on final proposal
-Make any necessary changes if needed
31st / Schedule and defend proposal on or before the 31st

*Please note: Timeline is subject to change

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION STUDIES
CARD 7901: DISSERTATION PREPARATION
Student Name:______
Work Phone:______Cell:______Home:______
Email:______
For office use only: Update in system______/______/______
Dissertation Proposal Timeline
Chair: ______
Committee Members: 1. ______email:______Phone:______
Committee Members: 2. ______email:______Phone:______
Working Title:______
Date Signaling Start of Proposal Writing Process: ______
Projected Proposal Defense Date: ______
Comments on current progress/status: I am currently working on………..I expect to finish by ……… etc….
Month / Activity / Status
JANUARY
1st – 31st / Complete or renew CITI training.
Develop the Institutional Review Board (IRB) profile and proposal if you are doing research with human subjects. / In progress
15th – 31st / Gather data for literature review for the dissertation itself
-Target 10 to 20 articles/books per week
Begin reviewing literature and taking notes
-Begin categorization of literature and create outline
-Begin documenting specific questions, ideas, facts
FEBRUARY
1ST – 16TH / Complete review of literature and begin compiling literature review into an outline for a narrative
16th – 30th / Schedule face to face meeting with chair/committee members in Florida
Meet with committee to discuss dissertation
MAY
1st – 7th / Complete first three chapters of dissertation
-Submit draft of dissertation to chair for feedback
8th – 21st / Continue to refine the dissertation
21st – 31st / Receive feedback from chair on draft of dissertation
JUNE-JULY
1st – 7th / Continue data collection
7th – 31th / Work on plan for data analysis
Continue reading and documenting literature relevant to dissertation
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION STUDIES
CARD 7901: DISSERTATION PREPARATION
Student Name:______
Work Phone:______Cell:______Home:______
Email:______
For office use only: Update in system______/______/______
Dissertation Proposal Timeline
Chair: ______
Committee Members: 1. ______email:______Phone:______
Committee Members: 2. ______email:______Phone:______
Working Title:______
Date Signaling Start of Proposal Writing Process: ______
Projected Proposal Defense Date: ______
Comments on current progress/status: I am currently working on………..I expect to finish by ……… etc….
Month / Activity / Status
AUGUST
1st – 31st / Finalize data analysis / In progress
15th – 31st / Continue reading for the literature review
Continue documenting specific questions, ideas, facts, research notes
SEPTEMBER
1ST – 2TH / Organize data analysis for narrative description—findings/results
5th – 16th / Work on outline for findings/results
16th – 28th / Keep in touch with Chair/committee with any questions
OCTOBER
1st – 7th / Finalize proposal chapters 4 & 5
8th – 21st / Submit finalized completed chapters for review
21st – 31st / Await committee’s comments
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER
1st – 7th / Work on editing draft of dissertation/hire a copy editor
7th – 18th / Work on committee revision suggestions
30st / Submit revised draft for additional comments
Develop timeline with Chair for dissertation defense

***The Dissertation Proposal Timeline was developed by Ms. Terre Bethea, under supervision of Dr. Claire Michele Rice, Department of Conflict Analysis & Resolution, GraduateSchool of Humanities & Social Sciences (Fall, 2007). Modified for Dissertation Preparation Course, Fall 2015.