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Dissertation Manual
A manual on procedures for planning and writing a dissertation at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology at National Louis University, College of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences.
Revised, Fall 2025 (updated July 2026) For cohorts that began ISPP Fall 2023
Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................4 Acceptable Dissertation Formats............................................................................................................5 Empirical Dissertations.......................................................................................................................5 • Qualitative Research Designs .................................................................................................5 • Experimental and Quasi-experimental Research Designs .......................................................5 • Correlational Research Designs ...............................................................................................5 • Quantitative Single Case Research Designs ............................................................................5 • Social Systems Research Designs ...........................................................................................6 Case Study Dissertations ....................................................................................................................6 Theoretical Dissertations ....................................................................................................................6 The Dissertation Process and Planning...................................................................................................6 Dissertation Courses ............................................................................................................................... 7 Registration and Grading ....................................................................................................................7 I. Dissertation Proposal Development Seminar – PSYD 849 ........................................................8 II. Dissertation I – PSYD 856 .........................................................................................................9 III. Dissertation II: Data Collection- PSYD 857 ..........................................................................9 IV. Dissertation III: Final Draft and Research Dissemination Plan– PSYD 859 .........................9 V. Dissertation Final Steps: Editing, Dissemination, and Publishing...........................................10 Learning and Library Support..............................................................................................................11 Doctoral Student Writing and Learning Support Services ...............................................................11 NLU Library Resources....................................................................................................................11 Dissertation Committee........................................................................................................................11 Selecting the Chair............................................................................................................................11 Selecting the Readers........................................................................................................................12 Committee Declaration Form............................................................................................................12 Chair’s Role ......................................................................................................................................12 Reader’s Role .................................................................................................................................... 13 Communicating with Committee Members ......................................................................................13 Approval Process for Proposal and Final Draft ....................................................................................13 Deadlines.............................................................................................................................................. 14 Deadlines to Apply for Internship ....................................................................................................14 Deadlines to Graduate and to Obtain Doctoral Degree ....................................................................15 Institutional Review Board (IRB) Procedures ......................................................................................15 Timeline for IRB Review .................................................................................................................16 What to Submit to the IRB................................................................................................................16 Using GoReact for Interview Data ...................................................................................................17 Collaboration with Outside Agencies (if needed) ............................................................................17 Communicating with the IRB ...........................................................................................................17 Editing the Final Draft ..........................................................................................................................17 Process for Requesting Unapproved Editors.....................................................................................18 Roles and Responsibilities ................................................................................................................18 Timing of Copy Editing ....................................................................................................................19
Editor’s Completion Form ................................................................................................................19 Disseminating the Dissertation Research ............................................................................................... 19 Publishing the Dissertation (to the NLU Digital Commons) ...............................................................20 Certificate of Approval to Publish ....................................................................................................20 Procedures to Publish .......................................................................................................................21 Structure of the Dissertation ................................................................................................................21 Abstract ............................................................................................................................................. 23 Introduction & Literature Review ....................................................................................................23 Methods ............................................................................................................................................23 Results ..............................................................................................................................................23 References ........................................................................................................................................24 Formatting of the Dissertation................................................................................................................24 Appendix and Helpful Hyperlinks .......................................................................................................27 Appendix A: Dissertation Timeline and Checklist ...........................................................................27 Forms located in Tevera ...................................................................................................................27 Forms located in the Microsoft Teams ISPP Student Resources channel ........................................27
Introduction
This manual aims to help students meet the required standards of organization, appearance, and format for a dissertation at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology at National Louis University. As a Psy.D. degree requirement, every student must complete a dissertation. The dissertation is expected to be original research formulated by the student, written in a scholarly manner, and approved by the student's dissertation committee. The goal of the dissertation is for students to demonstrate their ability to design and conduct research, analyze and evaluate data, and draw conclusions. It requires each doctoral student to articulate a particular clinical question, or set of questions, that they attempt to address in the following way: • Review of the relevant theoretical, clinical, and research literature • Design of a research study to address gaps in the literature • Collect data • Report findings based on data analysis • Discuss the results in light of the organizing question(s), the clinical/research literature, and critical applications. The faculty of ISPP hope students will research topics that are personally exciting and fulfilling while adding to the knowledge base of the field of clinical psychology. Dissertations—and research in general—has the aim of facilitating useful dialogue among scholars, even (and perhaps especially) when they don’t agree with each other initially. These norms allow academically serious people to learn from each other, and they allow those who disagree initially to be persuaded by data or at least clarify the exact nature of their disagreement. Students may be able to see the value of this kind of disciplined, restrained writing if they picture themselves wanting to learn about a new field that they want to judge for themselves, or they might picture themselves reading research by a writer with whom they seriously disagree but want to give a fair hearing. In these situations, the reader might want to understand what research or opinions are being marshaled in support of this position but might also want to scrutinize the arguments closely every step of the way. The reader may be partially or totally persuaded by the power of the results and influenced in their clinical understanding or practice. Alternatively, the reader may not be persuaded, but- instead- have a better idea of where their differences of opinion lie. This may suggest important avenues of research or practice for them to clarify the reader’s positions. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Edition) (2020) offers specific guidelines and criteria for writing such a project. ISPP expects that dissertations will be written according to APA-7 standards and at a level of quality that would be expected for publication.
The completion date of the dissertation is contingent on the student meeting the project's academic and scholarship criteria rather than job opportunities or other external factors. It also includes meeting editorial standards.
Finished dissertations will be uploaded to the NLU Digital Commons in electronic format and become publicly available documents.
Acceptable Dissertation Formats
Empirical Dissertations Empirical dissertations include an original evaluation of quantitative or qualitative data. Empirical studies include, but are not limited to, clinical outcome studies, group designs, case studies, single- subject designs, program development and program evaluation, programmatic needs assessment, measurement development, and correlational research. While most empirical studies will likely involve collecting original data, an original evaluation of existing data sources is also permissible (e.g., analysis of archival data, meta-analyses). Data is not limited to quantitative measures and qualitative reviews and can include clinically relevant sources of information such as therapy transcripts, recordings, and case notes. Qualitative Research Designs These dissertations utilize qualitative/pilot/descriptive/field/exploratory approaches. These studies employ a systematic collection of data and use qualitative analysis methods. Qualitative research is often based on interviews or observational data and involves descriptive coding of audio and video recorded material or transcripts. •
• Experimental and Quasi-experimental Research Designs
Experimental or quasi-experimental group designs are appropriate for dissertations. Studies involving clinical populations that examine test protocols or the effects of interventions are examples of the kinds of experimental designs that might be developed. Correlational Research Designs Correlational designs, commonly known as observational studies, are frequently employed in dissertations. These studies investigate relationships between variables without the researcher controlling or manipulating them. Examples include examining exposure and risk factors or comparing clinical and non-clinical samples on relevant variables. Surveys and archival data are frequently used data sources for these studies. •
• Quantitative Single Case Research Designs
Quantitative single-case research designs require repeated observations of some performance(s) over time within a single participant (or a small group of participants). Baseline data are collected on the performance under study before the intervention is made and compared with performance
levels during and after the intervention. There are several types of single-case designs; however, at ISPP, students using this type of design often rely on audio recordings, transcripts, and external observers' ratings as data sources. Social Systems Research Designs Evaluation research, survey approaches, and sociological approaches designed to assess a system are also appropriate for dissertations. Many commonly used data analysis methods, such as multiple regression, are particularly compatible with studying social systems. ISPP encourages students to study and understand how social systems influence the individual and vice versa, and students may design and execute dissertations of this type in local settings. • Case Study Dissertations This type of dissertation focuses on describing an innovative approach to treatment and conceptualization of an individual case. The project should begin with a review of the literature related to the main focus. The review should be comprehensive and include an integration of material that both assists in understanding the case dynamics and supports the author's views concerning the specific treatment approach and case conceptualizations. A detailed description of a case study should be provided, but the study is not simply a case formulation. Rather, it is a detailed explication that can provide other clinicians with new understanding and skills to treat similar clients. The study should include indications and contra- indications regarding the application of the theory and approach.
Finally, the author should present unanswered questions and implications for future research related to the specific focus of the study.
Theoretical Dissertations This type of dissertation must include a new (or uniquely adapted) clinical theory that is based on an extensive review of significant literature and research conducted by the student that applies the student’s theory (e.g., qualitative research with participants who have a philosophical and/or spiritual orientation and a specific clinical condition; or a quantitative meta-analysis of existing literature or database to identify empirical support for a new or adapted theory). Theoretical studies are distinguished from literature reviews in that they evaluate existing empirical evidence as it pertains to psychological theory, and use that evidence to support, modify, or refute existing theories. Ultimately, it is expected that such work will propose a new theory. The new theory is expected to make clear predictions that account for gaps and inconsistencies in the current literature. Evidence for these predictions should be provided from the existing empirical literature and the student’s research.
In general, it is expected that such a task will not be appropriate for the vast majority of students.
The Dissertation Process and Planning
After completing the Dissertation Proposal Development Seminar, students will be required to
register for a dissertation course each term (i.e., PSYD 856, 857, 859). Each course has specific tasks that must be completed before the student may move to the next course. Students who do not complete the required tasks may register for ONE term of extension per course (e.g., PSYD 856X, 857X, 859X). Thus, students may register for a maximum of six semesters of dissertation and must complete the dissertation by the end of the final term of registration. A Leave of Absence from this requirement may be granted only in cases of medical or personal emergency. If students have any questions regarding these policies, they should contact the Program Director.
The dissertation consists of three main phases: 1. Development of the research proposal 2. Development of the final draft 3. Publishing (to the NLU Commons) and Dissemination
For a detailed breakdown of these phases, see Appendix A: Dissertation Timeline and Checklist.
Important: Students should anticipate that it will take approximately 12-18 months to complete the dissertation. Faculty are unavailable during July and August to work on dissertations. Students are encouraged to consult with their chairs when planning for summer.
Dissertation Courses
ISPP prepares students to complete their dissertations in a step-by-step fashion. After completing the Dissertation Proposal Development Seminar, students have three terms of dissertation registration to complete the final draft; each term may have one extension, as needed. By the end of the dissertation course sequence, students must have a final draft of their dissertation completed, approved by the committee members, defended, and published to NLU Commons. Students are required to demonstrate clear and consistent progress on their dissertation throughout their enrollment in the dissertation sequence. Students are encouraged to work closely with their faculty chair to develop a plan and timetable for completion of their dissertation . Faculty may refer students for professional writing instruction if writing difficulties impede their progress in completion of the dissertation . Registration and Grading Registration for the dissertation courses is like registration for any other course. Each term, students will be graded CR/NC (Credit/No Credit) or X (Progressing) by their chair based on the work the student has completed that term, and whether the student has completed the required tasks for the specific dissertation course. • A Credit (CR) grade is earned if the student has met all course requirements and demonstrated competency in the dissertation tasks. The student then progresses to the next dissertation course.
• A No Credit (NC) grade is earned if the student has failed to make any progress on the
dissertation or demonstrated insufficient competence in the submitted work. Students who earn an NC for dissertation registration are subject to the consequences of a non-passing grade in the program; if eligible, they must repeat the class and earn a passing grade before progressing in the program. • If the student has made progress and their work is meeting competency expectations, but they have not yet completed all required tasks for the course, they will earn a Progressing (X) grade and be registered for a maximum of ONE term of dissertation extension (e.g., PSYD 856X). The student must complete all course requirements and demonstrate sufficient competency to earn a passing grade and progress to the next dissertation course.
I. Dissertation Proposal Development Seminar – PSYD 849
The objective of this course is to support students as they develop a dissertation proposal. The student is aided in locating and framing their research problem. The course then steps through the general preparation of the research proposal, including introduction, statement of the problem and purpose of the study, hypotheses or guiding questions, significance of the study, survey of the literature, research design and methodology, basic assumptions, limitations and delimitations, references, APA style, and regulations on research with human subjects.
Prerequisites for PSYD 849: • Statistics (PSYD 718) •
Research Methods (PSYD 723)
• Research Elective (Advanced Qualitative or Advanced Quantitative course)
Timing of the Course: • 5-year track: Students on the 5-year track in the PsyD program will complete PSYD 849 during the Fall semester of the third year. • 4-year track: Students on the 4-year track (which may include students who transferred from a Master’s program) will complete PSYD 849 during the Fall semester of the second year. Choosing the Seminar Leader: Prior to signing up for PSYD 849, a summary of available faculty and their interests will be sent to students. Students will submit their faculty rank list for Dissertation Proposal Development Seminar sections during the summer before the course begins. Students will be notified of their dissertation section before the end of the Summer 2 term. In the majority of cases, the faculty leader for PSYD 849 will serve as the dissertation chair for the student. If the student is working with a different chair (i.e., not the seminar leader), they should collaborate with both faculty during the seminar. Students are required to meet with their chair before the Summer 2 break. Proposal Meeting: Near the end of the Dissertation Proposal Development Seminar, ISPP hosts a “Proposal Meeting Day” when students will present their proposals to their full dissertation committee. The Proposal Meeting is intended to ensure that all committee members are in agreement with the research plan before it is finalized. Students will be informed of the scheduled Proposal Meeting Day(s) by the first week of the term. Students must work with other commitments (e.g., practicum sites, work, etc...) to ensure they are able to attend the event. Students will need to have their full committee formed before the proposal meeting. All committee members should attend the meeting (though the meeting could be recorded if a committee member cannot attend).
Meetings will be scheduled for 45 minutes. During the meeting, students will present their research proposals using formal presentation slides (e.g., PowerPoint). The student presentation should be 15- 20 minutes; the remaining time is reserved for discussion and feedback from the committee. Students should distribute the slides to their committee members at least 72 hours before the meeting so that the committee can become familiar with the student’s proposal and rationale beforehand. In the meeting, students can then focus on reviewing the research plan and method (e.g., research design, research question(s), recruitment strategies, measures, plan for data analysis). After the Proposal Meeting is complete, committee members will indicate if the proposal may move forward without changes, may move forward with minor revisions, or requires more substantive revision. If more substantive changes are required, the student must meet with the dissertation chair to discuss the direction of the proposal. This is documented on the Dissertation Proposal Meeting Form (in Tevera ). II. Dissertation I – PSYD 856 Students must be registered for the first dissertation course no later than the Winter semester prior to their internship application.
Tasks that must be completed to earn credit: 1. Finish the proposal draft 2. Obtain draft approval from all committee members, and 3. Submit application to IRB (after the full committee approves the proposal)
Grading: All committee members complete the Scholarship Competencies Evaluation Rubric in Tevera . Students may not proceed to the next stage of the dissertation without earning an overall passing rating from all three members on the rubric. Passing ratings are a “3/Pass” or higher. Students must also earn a pass on SOA1, SOA2, or SOA12, and no ratings of fail on the rubric. Students who are deficient in any area will need to work with their committee to address and correct these deficiencies. Dissertation II: Data Collection- PSYD 857 Students register for the second dissertation course after successful completion of the first course (i.e., PSYD 856). III. Tasks that must be completed to earn credit: 1. Obtain approval from IRB. a. Please note IRB approval must be obtained and uploaded to Tevera by October 1 to continue the internship application process. 2. Complete data collection (if applicable to the type of dissertation) Grading: Students may not proceed to the next stage of the dissertation until they have successfully completed the two required tasks and earned credit for the dissertation course. If students experience difficulties with data collection, they must address these with their committee and may revise the data collection plan. Revisions may require a new submission to the IRB.
IV. Dissertation III: Final Draft and Research Dissemination Plan– PSYD 859 Students register for the third dissertation course after successful completion of the second course
(i.e., PSYD 857).
Tasks that must be completed to earn credit: 1. Complete data analysis
2. Complete full draft of dissertation 3. Obtain full committee approval 4. Complete Dissertation Dissemination of Results Plan (in Tevera ) and have it approved by the chair and submitted to the Department Administrator Grading: All committee members must complete the Scholarship Competencies Evaluation Rubric in Tevera . Students may not complete the dissertation without earning an overall passing rating (“3/Pass” or higher) from all three members, passing ratings on SOA1, SOA2, SOA6, and SOA12, and no ratings of fail. Students who are deficient in any area will need to work with the committee to address and correct these deficiencies. V. Dissertation Final Steps: Editing, Dissemination, and Publishing After completing the dissertation course sequence, students have several final tasks to complete in order to participate in graduation and, ultimately, to obtain their doctoral degree. To participate in graduation, students must complete the final draft of the dissertation (including copy editing), obtain final approval from their chair, and publish the final draft to NLU Digital Commons. For the doctoral degree to be awarded, students need to complete the research dissemination task and submit all required documents to Tevera. Tasks that must be completed to graduate and earn the doctoral degree: 1. Complete copy editing in collaboration with an ISPP approved copyeditor (see ISPP Approved Dissertation Editor List in Microsoft Teams ISPP Student Resources channel ). 2. Obtain approval of final (edited) draft by dissertation chair. 3. Obtain signatures from the chair and readers on the Certificate of Approval to Publish form (available in Microsoft Teams ISPP Student Resources channel ) and upload the form to Tevera. 4. Submit the final draft to NLU Digital Commons and obtain Digital Commons Certificate as receipt of submission. 5. Complete the research dissemination task. 6. Submit all required documentation in Tevera, including: • Scholarship Competency Rubrics (in Tevera ) from all committee members. • Dissemination of Research Outcomes Evaluation Rubric (in Tevera ) from the chair or designated reviewer. • Digital Commons Certificate (obtained at the time of submission to the NLU Digital Commons).
Deadlines: 1. Deadline to participate in graduation: • To graduate, students must submit an application by April 15 . o
More detail about NLU deadlines for degrees can be found here: https://nl.edu/degrees/
• To participate in graduation, students must complete the final draft of the dissertation, obtain approval from all committee members, complete copy editing, obtain final approval from their chair, and publish the final draft to NLU Digital Commons no later than April 30 th of the year in which the student will graduate.
o To publish the dissertation by April 30, students need to have the final draft completed and approved by the chair by February 1 to allow time for editing and final approval by their chair. Otherwise, the dissertation might not be published on time. For more information, see the “Approval Process” section below. Students may not publish the dissertation until they have received full committee approval, completed copy editing, and obtained approval of the copy-edited draft from their chair. 2. Deadline for the doctoral degree to be awarded: • Students must complete the research dissemination task and submit all required documents to Tevera by June 1.
Learning and Library Support
NLU has Learning and Library support for doctoral students working on their dissertations.
Doctoral Student Writing and Learning Support Services The NLU Graduate Writing Specialist, Carlos Alverio, works exclusively with doctoral students. All doctoral students can schedule a time to discuss any writing they are doing at any stage of the writing process. Writing consultation appointments are intended to be interactive and collaborative. The sessions can focus on a range of issues, for example, organization, argumentation, development of academic writing voice, or grammar, but the purpose is not proofreading or editing. The goal is to help doctoral students develop as effective writers in their fields. Students can access resources and make appointments through the Learning Support website: https://nl.edu/learning-support/. NLU Library Resources The NLU Library offers help guides, workshops, and individual research consultations. Students can make an appointment with a librarian to discuss their research questions, develop effective search strategies, locate articles and testing instruments, and maximize use of technological supports like reference managers (such as Zotero) and AI-powered researcher tools.
• Access all library resources here: https://nl.edu/library/ • Make an appointment with a librarian here: https://nl.libwizard.com/f/appointment.
Students may find the Psychology Research Guide particularly useful: Getting Started - Psychology Research Guide - Help & Research Guides at National Louis University
Dissertation Committee
The dissertation committee consists of three members, the dissertation chair and two readers. Students must work in consultation with their chair and readers at all phases of the project. Selecting the Chair The dissertation chair must be a full-time NLU faculty member. In the majority of cases, the faculty leader for the Dissertation Proposal Development Seminar (PSYD 849) will serve as the dissertation chair for the student. Students are permitted to choose another chair if their topic or
methodology requires; seminar leaders may also opt out of the role if they feel they are not suitable for the project. Students who wish to work with a different faculty chair (i.e., not the PSYD 849 instructor) should discuss this with the instructor and reach out to potential chairs as soon as possible. Students may contact available chairs, and chairs have the option to accept or refuse students’ requests. Selecting the Readers Students will work with the chair to complete the selection of their dissertation committee. The committee should be composed of doctoral level professionals with appropriate credentials to provide research and/or content support on the dissertation. All committee members must have a doctoral degree. 1. Reader 1: Must be an ISPP or NLU current core or adjunct faculty. 2. Reader 2: Must be either adjunct faculty or an external committee member (e.g., a supervisor or other professional who is not on the core faculty of ISPP). All external committee members must be approved by the chair. If a committee member has not participated on an ISPP dissertation committee before, the student must submit a copy of the proposed member’s CV and contact information to the Department Administrator for program documentation and hiring. External committee members must agree to adhere to all program policies and expectations. This includes completing the hiring process for external members, participating in the proposal meeting, reviewing drafts in a timely manner, submitting evaluation rubrics in a timely manner, and completing all other documentation in Tevera. Committee members receive a modest stipend for their work which is paid at two points in time, when the proposal is approved by IRB and when the final dissertation draft and all required documents are submitted. Committee Declaration Form During the PSYD 849 course, students must submit the Dissertation Committee Declaration Form (in Tevera ) before registering for PSYD 856. Chair’s Role The dissertation chair serves as a mentor throughout the dissertation process. The chair will: • Help develop the research proposal. • Guide the research process. • Give feedback on all parts of the project. • Determine when the proposal and the final draft are ready to be sent to the readers • Assist with any concerns and communication issues between the student and the committee. • Lead the Proposal Meeting. • Lead the public Dissertation Defense (if the student chooses it as their means of dissemination). • Attend and/or review the research dissemination presentation or work or secure an alternate reviewer. • Complete all required documentation for the dissertation and dissemination. • Place the doctoral hood on the student at graduation.
Students must obtain their chair’s approval for the following: o Selecting committee members o Scheduling committee meetings o Sending drafts to the readers o Submitting an IRB application o Submitting a research dissemination plan o Submitting research for a conference proposal or publication
Reader’s Role Readers are involved in all major parts of the dissertation process. Readers will: • Review the draft proposal and provide feedback. • Attend the Proposal Meeting (or watch a recording of the meeting if attendance is not possible). • Complete Scholarship Competency Evaluation rubrics for the proposal and final dissertation. • Review of the final dissertation draft and provide feedback. Any questions or suggestions for changes should be communicated both to the student and chair before readers give their final approval for the proposal. • Attend the public defense of the project, should the student choose this as their means of dissemination. Readers may also choose to be more involved, e.g., consulting on research design, assisting with literature searches, facilitating recruitment, and reviewing drafts more frequently than listed above. Extra involvement is always welcome but not required. Communicating with Committee Members Students should develop a communication plan with their chair and with the other members of the dissertation committee at the outset of the project. All communication between the student and members of the dissertation committee should be timely, respectful, and professional. The student and their chair should communicate regularly. The student is responsible for initiating communication, asking for help when needed, and informing the chair about any concerns, such as feedback from readers.
Meeting with the Committee: Outside of the Proposal Meeting, students should discuss ideas and concerns first with their chairs. If the chair approves, a meeting with the whole committee can be organized.
Important: Students need their chair’s approval before selecting readers, distributing drafts to readers or the editor, applying to the IRB, and disseminating research findings.
Approval Process for Proposal and Final Draft
Approving the research proposal and final draft are essential parts of the process and cannot be
skipped.
As discussed in the “Dissertation Proposal Development Seminar- PSYD 849” section, students will present their research proposals to their committees during their Proposal Meetings. To move forward with the project, the committee must agree that the student has presented a viable research proposal. All committee members will complete the Scholarship Competencies Evaluation Rubric (via Tevera) at two stages in the dissertation process: 1) After the Proposal Meeting, and 2) After approving the final draft of the dissertation. These rubrics are used to rate the quality of the student’s work on the dissertation and can be found in Tevera . • Chair’s approval: The chair has four weeks to read drafts and suggest changes. After changes are made, the chair again has four weeks to read the revised version of the draft and so forth, until the proposal/final draft meets passing expectations. Note: It will likely take several drafts back and forth before the chair indicates that the proposal/final draft meets passing expectations. • Readers’ approval: The readers have four weeks to read drafts and suggest changes. After changes are made, the readers again have four weeks to read the revised version of the draft and so forth, until the proposal/final draft meets passing expectations. Note: It will likely take one to three drafts back and forth before the committee indicates that the proposal/final draft meets passing expectations.
Important: Committee members have up to four weeks per draft to read drafts and give feedback. It will likely take one to three drafts before approval. Students should plan accordingly and focus on submitting their best work in the first draft.
If students have not heard from their committee members by the 4-week deadline, they should reach out to the committee member. If there are concerns about turnaround time from committee members, students may seek support from their chair or the Program Director.
Deadlines
Deadlines to Apply for Internship Incorporating all feedback from the Proposal Meeting, students will submit a complete research proposal to their chair; the chair then approves sending it to the rest of the committee. A complete research proposal has a full review of the literature and a complete, detailed research design. Following the full committee’s approval of the dissertation research proposal, students then develop an application to the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Students must first submit the application to their chair for approval, before then submitting it to the IRB. Students must submit to the IRB no later than June 1 to apply for internship. For additional information, please see the eligibility section of the internship search manual. As such, to apply for internship, students are required to do the following tasks no later than June 1 of the year they plan to apply for internship: 1. Obtain full committee approval of their dissertation research proposal
2. Ensure submission of the Scholarship Competency Evaluation Rubrics from all committee members; the student initiates these in Tevera . 3. Submit their application to the IRB. • Note: The turnaround time of the IRB application varies depending on the time of the year, number of applications, and other factors. The IRB typically responds in 1-2 weeks, but students should plan for at least 30 days.
Note: Failure to meet the above deadlines will result in removal from the internship application process.
Important: Students must submit their application to the IRB by June 1 to apply for internship.
Deadlines to Graduate and to Obtain Doctoral Degree Students are encouraged to complete the dissertation project prior to internship and must complete their dissertation by the end of their internship year. • To participate in graduation, students must complete the final draft of the dissertation, obtain approval from all committee members, complete copy editing, obtain final approval from their chair, and submit the final draft to NLU Digital Commons no later than April 30 of the year in which the student will graduate. In order to meet this deadline, students should submit final drafts of their dissertations to their chairs no later than the beginning of February of the year they plan to graduate. • For the doctoral degree to be awarded, students must complete the research dissemination task and submit all required documents to Tevera.
Note: Students cannot accrue postdoc hours until the doctoral degree is officially awarded.
Extensions: Students must complete their dissertation within the 7-year limit for the doctoral program. Any student exceeding this time limit may be withdrawn. Students may petition for an extension of this deadline but will be required to provide clear evidence of extenuating factors that impeded their progress. Important: Students must wait until a copy of the final academic transcript and final letter of completion are received before referring to themselves as clinical psychologists or using the title "Doctor." Please see graduation policies and procedures on the student engagement website.
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Procedures
After the dissertation committee approves the dissertation proposal and submits the Scholarship Competency Evaluation Rubrics, students will submit their research plan to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for approval. Students must have their chair’s approval of their IRB
application before sending their application to the IRB.
The IRB will review the possible risks to clients, adequate protection of client confidentiality, and other ethical issues as they relate to the project. All students need to submit an application to the IRB, regardless of research design, and IRB approval is required before data collection can begin. Timeline for IRB Review Proposals are reviewed at the NLU IRB on a rolling basis, and turnaround time varies according to several factors, including the time of year and number of applications in review. While the IRB usually turns applications around in 1-2 weeks, students should allow for at least 30 days for review.
Important: All students must submit an application to the IRB. The IRB may take 30 days to review applications, and students must obtain their chair’s approval before submitting an application. Students should budget time accordingly.
What to Submit to the IRB The IRB's primary concern is the potential risk—physical, emotional, or other—to participants, as well as the protection of participant rights. Thus, the IRB must have enough information about the interactions with the participants to evaluate the risks of participation. Thus, students must make sure all relevant documents are included in the IRB applications. Students will submit: 1. CITI Certificate: A course in the Protection of Human Subjects in Research is provided by the Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI). All students conducting research must complete the course and provide their certificate with the IRB application. Access to the course is provided through the IRB webpage. 2. NLU IRB Application Form (for Student Research): The form must be typed and signed by the chair. On the application, the student will note whether the application is an Exempt, Expedited, or Full Application. For guidelines on the differences between these, please see the IRB’s Decision Guide. 3. IRB application narrative: The application narrative includes research purpose, participants, recruitment, data collection, risks and benefits, consent/assent, and conflicts of interest. For details, see page 4 of the application form. Students will submit their application narrative as a Word document. • Note: The IRB does not accept the full Research Proposal; students must complete the narrative application. 4. Data collection documents: As is relevant, these include recruitment flyers, posting for listservs /social media, copies of all surveys/ questionnaires/measures, consent/assent forms, and any other documents to be used in the inquiry; please provide translations when appropriate. • All recruitment materials (e.g., letter, requests to post on list serves, social media postings, flyers) should include the title of the study, a brief (one sentence of phrase) description of the topic, a brief description of any inclusionary criteria, and the student’s name/affiliation/status. Students should also include a brief statement describing the study’s purpose. • Sample Recruitment letters can be found in the Microsoft Teams ISPP Student
Resources channel .
More information about the IRB, resources, and the application can be found at the NLU IRB website: https://nl.edu/about/leadership/provost/institutional-research-board/
Important: Students should be sure to attach all documentation relevant to the study (e.g., consent forms, permission letters, measures). Failing to do so will result in an “resubmit” or “denied” decision automatically and, thus, delay the process.
Using GoReact for Interview Data Students collecting interview data may use the GoReact platform provided by NLU. It is a HIPAA- compliant platform that NLU’s IRB has approved for the recording, storage, and/or transcription of interview data. If a student is interested in using GoReact, they should specify how they are going to use it in their IRB application. When describing the security level for GoReact, it should be described in the following ways: “Only invited users to the folder (e.g., the faculty member and student) have access to folders on a password protected platform.”
To use the platform to record interviews conducted in-person, students will coordinate recording into a folder in the GoReact activity in D2L that is managed by their dissertation c hair.
To use the platform to record interviews recorded remotely, students should use a HIPAA-compliant recording platform (e.g., Zoom). They can then upload the file into the GoReact activity in D2L that is managed by their dissertation chair. Once uploaded, GoReact can be used to generate a transcript that can be edited and/or printed, share interviews with the dissertation chair for review, and/or store interviews securely. Collaboration with Outside Agencies (if needed) • Release of Information from Agency: When data from a training site or other agency are being used, a letter from the agency should be submitted, granting the student permission to use the data while the student is connected with the agency and, if necessary, after the practicum or internship ends, until the dissertation is completed. (For a sample agency letter, see Sample Recruitment Letters in the Microsoft Teams ISPP Student Resources channel .) • External IRB Approval (if needed): If data from an outside agency are being used, the proposal should first be approved by the external agency’s Institutional Review Board or appropriate supervisor before submitting the application to NLU’s Institutional Review Board. A copy of the IRB approval form from the external agency should be included with the application to NLU’s IRB. If the outside agency’s IRB requires the approval of the NLU IRB first, the NLU IRB may grant provisional approval by request through the NLU IRB Coordinator. Full approval might then be granted when documentation of the outside agency’s IRB approval is submitted. Communicating with the IRB All Materials should be submitted to the NLU IRB Coordinator at: IRBmailbox@nl.edu. The IRB Coordinator will then forward the proposal and accompanying documents to the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The chair should be copied on all communications with the IRB.
Note: The NLU IRB will only accept and respond to messages from NLU e-mail addresses.
Editing the Final Draft
Students are required to use a professional editor to edit the final dissertation manuscript. Students will contract with and pay the editor directly.
Important: All final drafts must be sent to an approved professional editor. It is the student’s responsibility to contract with an editor, send the draft to them, and pay them for their work.
Students may choose an editor from the ISPP Approved Editor List (available in the Microsoft Teams ISPP Student Resources channel ) or request permission to use a different editor.
Process for Requesting Unapproved Editors Students may request permission to hire an editor who is not on the pre-approved editor list. Note that the editor must agree to: • Use track changes for making edits • Use the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th Edition) (2020) for grammar and style • Use the ISPP Dissertation Manual for program-specific style and formatting requirements (e.g., title page formatting, margins and font size, etc...). If a student wishes to hire an editor who is not already approved, they must send the Program Director the link to that person’s website and/or a copy of the person’s resume. In the email request, the student must attest that the editor will meet the three program expectations noted above. The student will then be notified of the status of their request.
Roles and Responsibilities
Student Responsibilities: The student bears primary responsibility for the writing and formatting of the dissertation. Students' writing should be grammatically correct, and the presentation of their ideas should be clear, logical, and done in full accordance with APA style (7 th edition). Students should pay particular attention to using active voice and to APA rules concerning verb tense and verb, as these account for most editing corrections. The chair may refer or require that students use a writing instructor to assure appropriate skills in professional writing. Students are encouraged to make use of the Learning Support and Library Services to aid with writing and APA style questions. The APA also regularly updates their Grammar and Style website: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines. In addition, students are encouraged to use tools like Grammarly, spellings and grammar checks in Word to support accuracy and clarity with their writing.
Note: Students may NOT use generative AI tools to aid with writing or any aspect of the dissertation, unless explicitly approved by the chair.
Committee’s Responsibilities : Read the manuscript largely for its content, not editing.
Editor’s Responsibilities: Edits the manuscript meticulously for its adherence to APA style (7 th edition), the structures of formal written English, and ISPP Dissertation Manual.
This division of labor allows the committee to complete its content editing task more efficiently, but it also leaves to the student and the editor the subsequent task of copyediting. Thus, even if the committee has approved the text, such approval does not signal completion of the student’s responsibilities as the author. Copyediting requires minute attention to every word and sentence and frequent alteration of such recurrent features as verb tense and voice. Such insistence on consistency does not imply any failure or the student’s part as a writer but simply heightens the correctness of the language. Thus, students should not misinterpret the volume of copyediting changes. The many changes regularize the text and make its manifold features consistent with one another. Rigorous editing can shock those unaccustomed to such meticulous attention, but no one's prose appears in journals or books in its original form. Responding to the Editor’s Suggestions: Editing does not intend to alter the meaning of the dissertation. If, in changing verb voice from passive to active (as required in APA style), the editor has changed the meaning, students may simply substitute a more adequate active voice verb for the editor’s suggested one. After students have addressed the editor’s feedback, the editor will read it a second time, note any omissions or remaining errors (usually typographical), and sign off on the Editor’s Completion Form (available in the Microsoft Teams ISPP Student Resources channel ) to indicate completion of editing. Timing of Copy Editing The length of the editing process varies between editors. Students should ask the editor what the expected turnaround time will be but should generally plan for 10-14 days. After receiving the manuscript back following the first editing, students should budget time to make the suggested changes. The student then resubmits the edited copy for a second (and generally, final) review, which also can take between 10-14 days. The editor must ultimately approve the final draft.
After approval from the editor, the student’s chair must approve and sign off on the final edited draft.
Editor’s Completion Form Editors approve the final draft by signing the Editor’s Completion Form (available in the Microsoft Teams ISPP Student Resources channel ), which students then upload into Tevera.
Disseminating the Dissertation Research
All students are required to disseminate their research findings to a public audience. This is required
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