Specific to the Comps and Dissertation
There are a few details which are specific to writing your comprehensives and dissertation, many of which are covered in greater detail in the Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation sections of iGuide. The Comprehensive Exam manual and Dissertation manual in particular will help you identify key writing components.
Comps
First, be sure you understand all three levels of each question; stay focused on those levels, and respond fully to each one. In addition, make sure that you answer the question as it is asked - not the question as it is easier to answer, or the question you wish you would have been asked, or the question you are better prepared to answer. Using primary sources may increase the quality of your responses, although it may not be possible, necessary, or even desirable. If you are unsure, ask your Courseroom Mentor while your questions are being developed and finalized. Lastly, refer closely to the scoring rubrics and make sure you understand what your readers will be looking for and how they will evaluate your writing.
Dissertation
One of the most common problems with dissertations, especially in the early stages, is a lack of focus and depth. Many early drafts of research questions for dissertations are too broad, and require a lot of time and energy to narrow down to a manageable scope while still retaining an appropriate level of scholarly depth. Do not expect that your first pass at writing your research question will be successful: it likely will not, which simply means that you are like 99.9 percent of the rest of the people who write dissertations for the first time. With time, patience, and the support and feedback of your mentor and committee, you can refine your research question to make it manageable, answerable, and scholarly.
Remember, too, that despite the fact that you are completing milestones that require linear progress (first chapter one, then chapter two, and so on), it is likely that at some point you will have to go back and revise sections or chapters you have already written and which have been approved. Returning to your earlier work can actually be a sign of strength, not a sign of inadequate writing or thinking. For example, you likely wrote your introduction before you had completed your research and analyzed your data. This meant that you were introducing something that was not finished. Once you finish, you may find that your introduction requires a few additional components that you could not foresee. Or you may find that, as you analyze your data, you need to add sources to your literature review. Taking the time to revise your earlier chapters, even at these later stages, is a sign that you understand the complex nature of academic writing, and that you are committed to producing the best scholarly work possible.
Make sure to stay in close contact with your committee and that you understand their expectations. If at any time you are uncertain about what they want, ask earlier rather than later; it can save a lot of time and energy for everybody when issues and expectations are clarified up front.
