How to Write a Summary for a PhD Qualifying Committee

The qualifying exams for a PhD program are enough to strike fear into the heart of any graduate student. These exams determine whether you have learned enough from your coursework to be admitted into candidacy for the doctorate and if you may begin writing your dissertation. When a graduate student prepares for her qualifying exams, she will be asked to prepare a reading list with books and articles in her area of expertise. Then, she will have to write a summary or literature review of those materials, or a summary of her research and coursework. The length and format of the summary depends on her university and department's preference.

Instructions

    • 1

      Read the requirements for the summary very carefully. If you do not understand any part of the instructions, ask the head of your exam committee for assistance.

    • 2

      Review all of your notes from your reading list, and group the sources into general categories. You should see some themes beginning to emerge.

    • 3

      Write a detailed outline of your summary. Make a list of which sources are relevant for each theme or topic.

    • 4

      Ask your head of your exam committee to review your outline to ensure that you are on the right track.

    • 5

      Write the summary according to the specifications set forth by your department. Make sure that you are citing sources correctly and in the format specified by your department.

    • 6

      Ask the head of your exam committee to review the summary for problem areas. Revise the summary according to her comments.

    • 7

      Proofread the final draft of the summary very carefully. Errors will affect your credibility, so you should not have any.

    • 8

      Turn in the summary at the time specified by your exam committee.

Learnify Hub © www.0685.com All Rights Reserved