A dissertation is the final stage in the preparation of highly qualified academic personnel. Regardless of the subject area, the successful completion of this work depends largely on how consistently the scholar approaches the planning of each stage. The period of work on a dissertation typically ranges from three to five years – depending on the degree level and specialisation. Failure to follow the established sequence of steps may delay the path to the defence.
Where to begin work on a dissertation?
The starting point is the selection and official approval of the topic. The candidate, working together with their academic supervisor, establishes the relevance and current state of research on the topic, its object and subject matter, as well as its correspondence to the academic specialisation in accordance with the Nomenclature approved by the “Higher Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan” (HAC).
The topic is recorded in an individual plan, which is approved at the level of the department or research unit. At this stage, it is also advisable to outline the preliminary structure of the dissertation and define the research methodology.
At the same time, the review of scholarly literature begins: the degree of existing research on the problem is assessed, gaps in the theoretical foundation are identified, and the specific aims and objectives of the work are formulated.
Stages of dissertation preparation
The dissertation passes through several successive stages, each of which is connected to the previous one:
- Approval of the topic and drawing up an individual work plan.
- Review of scholarly literature and analysis of the existing state of research on the topic.
- Development of the methodology and conducting the research.
- Writing the chapters and forming the main body of the dissertation.
- Publication of articles on the dissertation topic in journals included in the HAC list.
- Preliminary discussion of the dissertation at the department or research unit.
- Formatting the dissertation and abstract in accordance with HAC requirements.
- Submission of documents to the dissertation council and passing the public defence.
The volume of a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy must be between 200,000 and 240,000 characters (excluding illustrations, tables, graphs and appendices). For a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Sciences, the established range is 400,000-440,000 characters. In the humanities, a volume increase of up to 20% is permitted; in the exact and natural sciences, a reduction within the same margin is allowed. These requirements are set out in the dissertation formatting rules approved by the HAC Presidium.
How long does dissertation preparation take?
The timeline for reaching the defence is influenced by a number of factors – some are determined by the standard duration of the doctoral programme, while others depend on how the candidate organises their own work:
- the time required to have the individual plan approved within the institution
- the duration of collecting and processing empirical data
- review timelines at academic journal editorial offices
- the time needed for the preliminary discussion of the work
- preparation and distribution of the abstract within the required period before the defence
In practice, a considerable proportion of delays are associated with the publication stage: journal review may take anywhere from several weeks to several months, depending on the publication. This is precisely why it is advisable to prepare articles in parallel with writing the main dissertation text, rather than leaving this work until the final stage.
Publications as a condition for admission to the dissertation defence
Prior to the defence, the candidate must publish articles reflecting the main findings of the dissertation research in journals included in the HAC list, or in international peer-reviewed academic journals. Conference paper abstracts serve as an additional means of academic approbation – they allow the candidate to present interim research findings to the professional community in a timely manner.
When planning a publication schedule, it should be taken into account that journals employ different peer review formats and the time to receive an editorial decision may vary considerably. It is advisable to begin preparing manuscripts as individual sections of the dissertation are completed, rather than waiting until the full manuscript is ready.
What should be considered before the dissertation defence?
The final stage involves the preliminary discussion of the work within the research unit, obtaining official reviews and compiling the documentation package for the dissertation council.
The abstract – a concise summary of the main propositions and findings of the dissertation – is distributed to council members and specialists before the day of the defence, within the timeframe stipulated by the particular council's regulations. All pre-defence procedures typically take several months, and it is therefore essential to incorporate them into the overall work plan well in advance.
Dissertation work is manageable when each stage is planned in a consistent and systematic manner. A clear distribution of time resources, timely publication activity in HAC-listed journals and compliance with formatting requirements reduce the likelihood of forced delays. Candidates who establish a work plan at an early stage tend to have a more even workload throughout the entire period of preparation.
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