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Dissertation Checklist and Timeline

Completing all of the crucial steps to the dissertation process can be complicated. Time and task management will be key to your success. Review the suggested tasks and print out this checklist to assist you in your dissertation journey.

Student's Name:
Choose Dissertation Advisor    
Choose Dissertation Committee with advisor approval on the Application to Candidacy Form    

Form with other students.

Become familiar with the . Formatting your dissertation using these guidelines from the start will save you time.

   
Identify defense deadlines.
Develop timelines for following steps working backwards from these deadline dates.
   
Dissertation Proposal Draft to Advisor    
Revision 1    
Revision 2 (if needed)    
Revision 3 (if needed)    
Final approval from advisor    
Submit human subjects form to Institutional Review Board (IRB) if needed    
Search for dissertation funding, e.g., Prof. Raimondi's grant writing course    
Remaining course work, e.g., independent studies for dissertation parts (if any)    
Schedule Proposal Defense (check with advisor's schedule first)    
Dissertation Proposal Defense (announcement)    
Submit GSE Dissertation Proposal Form w/Abstract & Timeline to chair's secretary    
Revise Dissertation Proposal (if needed)    
Collect Data    
Dissertation Chapters Drafted    
Prepare and submit conference proposals (optional)    
Prepare and submit manuscripts to journals (optional)    
Revise Chapter XX (as needed, number of days to be determined with advisor)    
Revise Chapter XX (as needed, number of days to be determined with advisor)    
Revise Chapter XX (as needed, number of days to be determined with advisor)    
Revise Chapter XX (as needed, number of days to be determined with advisor)    
Revisions to advisor (number of days to be determined with advisor)    
Prepare, practice, and give conference talks (optional)    
Dissertation Approved by Advisor    
Dissertation Submitted to Committee and Wait for Comments    
Dissertation Chapters Revised for Committee Members    
Advisor and Committee Members Agreement to Schedule Defense    
Dissertation Defense Scheduled (check with advisor's and members’ schedule first)    
Dissertation Defense (announcement)    
Dissertation Defense    
Revisions to Dissertation 1 (# of days to be determined by advisor)    
Revisions to Dissertation 2 (if needed, # of days to be determined with advisor)    
Revisions to Dissertation 3 (if needed, # of days to be determined with advisor)    
Final Approval by Advisor and Committee Members    
Final Paperwork to UB Graduate School    
Send Form to Dean's Office by to March in May Graduation    
   
 

Check with Advisor's Availability Schedule prior to submitting drafts.

Major Advisor is not available during:

   

Dissertation Timeline Template

Dissertation Timeline Template in Word, Google Docs, PDF

Download this Dissertation Timeline Template Design in Word, Google Docs, PDF Format. Easily Editable, Printable, Downloadable.

Stay organized, meet deadlines, and watch your dissertation take shape effortlessly! Navigate the journey seamlessly with Template.net's adaptable Dissertation Timeline Template! This editable tool transforms dissertation planning into a breeze, offering customizable sections for every milestone. Empower your research process with clear, visual timelines. Elevate your scholarly pursuits right away!

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How to Create a Research Timeline for Your Thesis

How to Create a Research Timeline for Your Thesis

5-minute read

  • 21st May 2023

Beginning a dissertation can feel both thrilling and overwhelming. One of the best things you can do to prepare for the exciting journey of doing a dissertation is to design a comprehensive timeline as your guide. Here we will take you step by step through creating your thesis timeline and provide some example templates, so you’ll be well-prepared to begin your dissertation work.

Reasons for Creating a Timeline

There are many benefits to crafting a detailed dissertation timeline. In addition to helping with time management and meeting crucial deadlines, your timeline will also help you stay motivated by reviewing the tasks you have completed as you progress. A thorough timeline will be valuable during your dissertation proposal and useful if you are applying for grants or other additional funding.

Ste0ps for Creating a Timeline for Your Thesis:

  • Research and record all requirements and deadlines.

Before you write out your timeline, ensure you know all of your program’s requirements and deadlines. Academic institutions often require you to complete your dissertation within a specified timeframe.

There are likely several recommended or mandatory deadlines for approval of certain items by your adviser (and possibly the rest of your committee members). Gather all these dates beforehand so you can allot an appropriate amount of time to meet your deadlines.

It will be beneficial to meet with your adviser to understand when you are expected to complete the major phases of your dissertation work and to confirm that there aren’t any other requirements or deadlines that you may not be aware of.

  • List all of your tasks and bundle them into phases.

Now that you’ve assembled your dates, working backward from your deadlines is a good rule of thumb. List all of the required tasks that must be completed to meet each milestone, from coming up with your research questions to writing each chapter of your dissertation .

Even though your list will be unique to your research project, it can help to refer to a thesis checklist . It’s also helpful to assemble tasks into different phases (e.g., dissertation proposal, research recruitment). Grouping tasks into phases gives anyone looking at your timeline a quick overview of your research plan.

  • Organize your tasks into a schedule and assign task deadlines.

Now it’s time to build your timeline. There are many different free templates available online, from straightforward lists of deliverables to colorful options with room for notes and customization.

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A popular organizational approach for thesis timelines is a Gantt chart , which is a type of bar chart often used in project management in which the length of the bar corresponds to the time the task will take. The best choice for you will depend on the specifics of your research study and personal preferences. Whichever option you select, make sure you can easily edit and revise it as need be.

Sanity-Saving Tips:

●  Pay attention to your work style. Some people are more productive when writing in short bursts, while others write better after taking time to get into the zone. Some people choose to start writing parts of their thesis while still conducting research, while others prefer to focus on one phase at a time. Set yourself up for success by reflecting on what type of schedule will help you create the best quality work.

●  Schedule breaks. Almost everyone will work better after a well-deserved break. Make sure to schedule regular breaks into your timeline, as well as provide enough time to sleep, eat well, and do anything else you need to do to safeguard your well-being. 

●  Always have a plan B. Your dissertation is an extensive endeavor with many moving parts. It’s impossible to anticipate and plan for every conceivable event, but it’s helpful to expect something may occur that will cause a deviation from your original timeline. Perhaps study recruitment takes longer than you expected, or one of your committee members gets sick and you have to postpone your dissertation proposal. After you draft your timeline, check that it is not so strict that any disruption will cause a total derailment of your plan. Aim to strike a balance between goals that will inspire you to progress steadfastly and have some leeway in your timeline for the inevitable curveball that life will throw at you somewhere along the way.

Following these three steps will help you draft a timeline to steer the course of your dissertation work: research and record all requirements and deadlines; work backward from your dissertation deadline and assemble your task lists; and organize your tasks into a timeline.

Don’t forget to include ample time for editing and proofreading your dissertation . And if you are interested in any help from us, you can try a sample of our services for free . Best of luck in writing your dissertation!

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How To Make a PhD Timeline Template in Word

I've created a step-by-step guide to create a super easy and professional looking PhD timeline template. Or download my ready made templates.

In this post I've provided a step-by-step how to guide to create a 6 month timeline template for your PhD and postgraduate studies. I've also included some pointers along the way. These are approaches I use to make the timeline more useful for me and my supervisors. Feel free to customise colours and things as you go.

This project is super quick and simple but looks professional so is suitable to include in a research proposal or report. Whilst creating a timeline can be fun and is essential we don't want to waste too much time doing fancy Gantt charts (unless you love them).

If you want to skip creating your own PhD timeline in Word from scratch, then the one that I have created here is available for download. Scroll down to the bottom of the post to find it. It's available as a modifiable Word document or as a printable PDF if you fancy doing it manually.

A super simple and smart looking PhD Gantt-style timeline in Word with milestones

My top tips for an accurate PhD timeline

  • Don't have more than one 'Main' and one 'Secondary' task at any one time.
  • Don't try to plan at any higher resolution than a week for a 6 month timescale.
  • Include milestones and important dates so that you have clear progress markers.
  • Include times when you'll need your supervisor's help.
  • Use the size of the page to limit the number of tasks you can fit in. If they don't fit on a page it's too granular.

Step-by-Step to make a Gantt-style timeline in Word

Time needed: 1 hour.

1 - Open Word and turn the page to landscape.

This guide will create a 6 month timeline, with one month split into 4 weeks. If you want more or less, just change the number and/or arrangement of columns. If you have lots of tasks, but cover a shorter time period, then portrait orientation may be better. Layout -> Orientation -> Landscape Layout -> Margins -> Narrow Narrow margins make optimal use of space.

2 - Make a table.

Insert -> Table -> Insert Table . Enter 25 for columns and 15 for rows.

3 - Change column widths

Select all columns apart from the first one by using the black down pointing arrow that appears when you hover over the top of the table. Start from above the second column, hold down the mouse and drag over to the top of the last right hand column. Right click in the grey highlighted area. Table Properties -> Column -> Preferred width = 0.85cm Now highlight just the first column using the technique described above. Table Properties -> Column -> Preferred width = 6.5cm

4 - Merge cells

For the row along the top, we are going to merge every 4 small cells into one big one. This is to create the headings for the months. Drag the mouse across the first four small cells. Layout (on the top ribbon) -> Merge Cells (half way along)

dissertation timeline template word

Do this for the next 5 lots of 4 cells. You will end up with 6 cells across the top line. These will be your months!

5 - Expand the table to fill the page.

Use the table handle in the bottom right corner of the table to drag the table to expand it down the page. Leave a bit of space at the bottom of the page as this is where we are going to put our colour key and any notes.

word table with red arrow indicating the handle to expand the table

6 - Now lets add some colour

Highlight the entire top two rows by clicking the mouse to the left of the top row and dragging down to the second. Table Design -> Shading -> Select a colour you fancy. I've gone with light grey. Do the same for the first column.

dissertation timeline template word

7 - Start adding text headings

Add the year in the top left cell, 'Task List' in the one below that. Add the your next 6 months in the columns along the top. Add the weeks in the column below these. I use 1,2,3 and 4 for each month, but you could use consecutive numbers like the teaching week number. I also like to have these headings in bold.

8 - Align the text in the columns

Select all rows and columns apart from the first column. Layout -> Alignment section -> Align centre (the box in the centre which shows the different text alignment options).

timeline table headings

9 - Make a colour key below your timeline to show your task priorities.

Click below your table and hit 'Enter' Insert -> Table -> Make a 4x1 table by selecting the four boxes of the first row Select the first box -> Table Design -> Shading. Select your chosen colour. The aim here is to have the darkest shade on the left, and then the colours get lighter as you go further right. Make the last box a different colour. In the first box write 'Supervisor Action Required', then in the second 'Main (or Primary) Focus', the third 'Secondary Focus' and the fourth 'Holiday'. Bold all the text. Centre the text.

shades of green in a one line table starting from dark green on right to light green and finally grey on the left

Centre the text like we did above.

10 - Change the font to something you like or that matches your report

Press Ctrl + A to select everything. Home -> Font section -> pick something from the list. I've gone with Avenir Next LT Pro.

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11 - Add your tasks in the order you expect to do them

The next bit is up to you. Add tasks into the list on the left. Keep them pretty high level. Remember that you're working to the resolution of a week. Put in any training, conferences, reports due etc. Add them in the order that you will be doing them. Don't go beyond one page. Around 14-18 tasks is more than enough. If you need to add a row, use the little 'plus' icon that appears between the rows when you hover over the left of the table. To delete a row, click on the row you would like to delete. Right click -> delete cells -> Delete entire row. You may find yourself re-jigging them around a bit as you move onto the next task.

table with tasks list on the left and dates along the top

12 - Fill in the colours related to how you will be prioritising your time during that week!

This is the bit where you get down to details. You will have noticed on the key there are several 'statuses' that your time can be in: - Supervisor Action Required: So that your supervisor knows when you plan on submitting work to them or will need their help. - Main Focus: The main task you will be working on at that time - Secondary Focus: Something that you will be working on in the background, that's important but doesn't form the main bulk of your work. It might be something that needs time to mature e.g. while a paper is in review. - Holiday: Get these in first! Everyone needs a holiday and you'll want to factor these into your plan. The key is not to have more than one 'Primary' task and one 'Secondary' task.

gantt style colour table with high priority in dark green, low in light green and holidays in grey

I split my tasks into experiment numbers (when I didn't know what my chapters were going to be) and chapters. Chapters can be any one of; reading, writing, lab work, field work, analysis and submission. This delineation keeps things super simple and avoids having to break things down into more specifics. Do what works for you.

13 - Add in your milestones

Add in important dates and achievements in using numbers with descriptors following your colour key.

close up of word table showing milestones added in and detailed list

And that's it! Pin it on your wall to help see where you're at and what you should be focussing on. Supervisors love to see a timeline plan too. You may want to produce a more detailed 12 week plan as things can get a bit hazy after this period of time.

If planning is something you're trying to improve, check out my post on how I do a Weekly Review to help keep on track.

Hope you've found this tutorial useful. The aim is to make it as simple and helpful as possible so that you can spend as much time as possible doing your PhD, rather than planning it. If you don't want to create your own, use the templates I've made available for download below.

👉 Downloadable PhD timeline templates

Here's a blank version in Microsoft Word with some examples to get you going:

And here's a blank PDF for you to print out and use coloured pens and pencils to beautify and make it your own:

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IMAGES

  1. Sample Dissertation Timeline

    dissertation timeline template word

  2. Timeline Templates in Word

    dissertation timeline template word

  3. Top 5 Research Timeline Samples with Templates and Examples

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  4. How to Write a Dissertation: Definition & Writing Guide

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  5. Dissertation Timeline Template

    dissertation timeline template word

  6. 👍 Dissertation timeline template-1. Proposal And Dissertation Help

    dissertation timeline template word

VIDEO

  1. TEMPLATE: Formatting the reference list

  2. Final Year Thesis/Dissertation/Project Report using MS Word Template

  3. 03 Preliminary Settings in Word

  4. TEMPLATE: Download template from email

  5. Writing the Dissertation

  6. Podcast: Dissertation in 90 Days || WritersER

COMMENTS

  1. How to Create a Dissertation Timeline (With Examples + Tempate)

    Example Dissertation Timeline. Below, you’ll find an example of a dissertation timeline, which you can view as an image in your browser or download as a spreadsheet. Feel free to use the spreadsheet as a template as you build your own dissertation timeline. See the full example in your web browser. Or download the spreadsheet below:

  2. Dissertation Checklist and Timeline - University at Buffalo

    Dissertation Checklist and Timeline. Completing all of the crucial steps to the dissertation process can be complicated. Time and task management will be key to your success. Review the suggested tasks and print out this checklist to assist you in your dissertation journey.

  3. Dissertation Timeline Template in Word, PDF, Google Docs ...

    Navigate the journey seamlessly with Template.net's adaptable Dissertation Timeline Template! This editable tool transforms dissertation planning into a breeze, offering customizable sections for every milestone.

  4. SAMPLE FORMATTING TIMELINE FOR YOUR DISSERTATION

    SAMPLE FORMATTING TIMELINE FOR YOUR DISSERTATION. The approximate workload is 5-10 hours per week. This estimates come from an experienced formatter’s educated guesses about the time it would take an average word-processing user to research and perform the above-listed tasks for a thesis or dissertation with 150 pages, 10 block quotes, 10 ...

  5. How to Create a Research Timeline for Your Thesis

    Following these three steps will help you draft a timeline to steer the course of your dissertation work: research and record all requirements and deadlines; work backward from your dissertation deadline and assemble your task lists; and organize your tasks into a timeline.

  6. How To Make a PhD Timeline Template in Word - Knowledge Ecology

    Making this timelime template in Word is super simple and effective to use throughout your PhD. In this post I've provided a step-by-step how to guide to create a 6 month timeline template for your PhD and postgraduate studies. I've also included some pointers along the way.