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Writing Resources

Writing challenges and time constraints can be major barriers to successful completion of the dissertation. Some candidates are overwhelmed with data and do not know where to begin; others have trouble organizing their material or putting findings into words; still others suffer from lack of experience with or confidence in academic writing. Nearly everyone has trouble finding the time to sit down and write. Candidates are encouraged to set a daily or weekly schedule for writing and stick to it, using larger blocks of time when most alert for the most difficult writing tasks, such as first drafts, and smaller amounts of time when less alert for easier writing, such as editing, creating data tables, or checking references.

Setting up small dissertation writing/support groups of three or four people outside of class can also be helpful; this could even be done online if in-person meetings are not feasible. Those who struggle with academic writing may need to seek additional help from workshops or professional editors.

Time management skills are critical to the successful completion of dissertations, especially for full-time working professionals in a three-year program. That is why candidates are started early on the dissertation process, beginning with the orientation; guided to maintain a strong focus on the dissertation process through the Saturday Doctoral Seminars; and held accountable for regular progress reports and chapter drafts in the Dissertation Seminars. Candidates are encouraged to use class research papers as opportunities to learn more about their dissertation topic; to make and follow a schedule for writing the proposal in Year II and the final dissertation in Year III; and to use the support network of the doctoral cohort to keep one another on track for successful completion.

CSUN Learning Resource Center

  • The University Writing Center is here to aid students with their reading and writing skill-building through one-on-one consultations, writing workshops, and more!

Resources for Graduate Students

  • Individual Consultations
  • Dissertation Writers’ Retreat
  • Asynchronous Graduate Student Online Feedback
  • DISH (Drop-In Support Hour) for Graduate Students working on Longer Projects
  • Online Writing Resources for Graduate Students

ELPS Department Statement on Submission of the Same Written Work in More than One Course in the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership Program

The ELPS Department Policy on Academic Integrity prohibits "submission of the same written work in more than one course without prior written approval from the instructor(s) involved." Following the CSUN Policy on Academic Dishonesty, the ELPS Department interprets "the same written work" to mean the same assignment or a substantial portion of an entire assignment submitted from a prior course in a subsequent course.

In advanced academic study at the doctoral level, understanding what can and cannot be used from prior class assignments without instructor approval can be challenging. It's challenging because assignments in multiple classes tend to be related and/or build upon work in other classes. Specifically, when assignments from one class build on assignments in another class, the question about what can be used and not used and when to seek instructor approval needs to be clarified. In most cases, the use of a portion of the written work in assignments from prior classes is expected in subsequent courses where there is a direct connection to the dissertation. Given the curricular integration of the dissertation in the program, assignments in multiple courses tend to be related and material from one assignment to the next may scaffold one to the other. In these courses, the focus is on building a skillset and developing the research framework for the dissertation, including the first three chapters of the dissertation. Examples of courses in the program sequence related directly to the dissertation include, but are not limited to, the following:

ELPS 760/765 in Year 1 and ELPS 789 in Year 2 (P12 Cohort)
ELPS 760 in Fall Year 1 and ELPS 789 in Year 2 (CC Cohort)
ELPS 770 in Year 1 and ELPS 775 in Year 2
ELPS 780 in Year 1 and ELPS 785 in Year 2
ELPS 775 or ELPS 785 and ELPS 789 in Year 2
ELPS 789 in Fall Year 2 and ELPS 789 in Spring Year 2
ELPS 789 in Year 2 and ELPS 789 in Year 3

In these courses, using a portion or parts of an assignment or assignments from a prior class in a subsequent class likely would not be considered a violation of academic integrity, as the ELPS Department interprets department and university policies, and prior instructor approval would generally not be needed.

In courses where a substantial portion of an entire assignment submitted from a prior course is being used in a subsequent course, prior instructor approval needs to be secured or violation of academic integrity may occur. If there is a question about the same assignment or a substantial portion of an entire assignment, students are expected to consult the instructor.