Cfl[ARACTERISTICS OF HXGfIER EDUCA!TiON DOCTORAL THESES: DEFROSTING SOME FROZEN ASSETS Efkm Chayim Rone A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Theory and Policy Studies in Education Ontario Inditute for Studies in Education of the Unive- of Toronto c Copyright by Efrem Chayim Rone 1998 National Library Bibliothèque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington OttawaON K1AON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 canada canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to ~ibliothequenationale du Canada de reproduce, 10- disûiie or sell reproduire, prêter, distriiuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'autem qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fkom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent êeimpnimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. CELARAC'IYGRISTICS OF HIGHER EDUCATION DOCTORAL THESES: DEFROSTINC SOME FROZEN ASSETS EAeni C. Rone Doctor ofPhilosophy 1998 Department of Theory and Policy Studies in Education University of Toronto The purpose of this study was to examine characteristics of doctoral theses completed in the Higher Education Gmup at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto, and to compare specinc dissertation properties to corresponding ones hmthe Canadian Joudof Higher Educution. The study was guided by the following three broad questions: 1. What have been the principal characteristics of theses in the Higher Education Group over the past qu- century? 2. What relationships exist between selected characteristics of the theses? 3. How do theses characteristics compare with the corresponding characteristics of the Cadian Journal of Higher Education articles between 1971 and 1995. n Content analysis was the methodology employed in tàis study. Data were collected and then mded hm115 Higher Education Gmup doctmal dissertations. Selected data hm262 research articles published in the Canadian Jounal ofHigher Educdon, and hmother databases, were also collected and coded appropriately. Tests of reliabiüty and validity were perfbrmed on data from the theses and journal articles to ensure accuracy and consistency. The investigation found that roughly an equal number of males and females wrote dissertations, that the majority of authors were pursuing the PhD. degree, and that very few graduates disseminated their findings in periodicals or in other media. The most frequent topic areas of research were Administration, Planning, and Management; History and Philosophy; and Professional Education. The data suggest a trend towards more qualitative- type dissertations and a decrease in page-length of theses. As well, the study suggests that specinc attributes hmtheses and the Canadian Jour& of Higher Eddon followed similar patterns of development. Other hdings are reported and conclusions are discussed. Many people have contributed to the completion of this document. There are a few who merit special recognition. My dissertation chaîrperson Glen A. Jones, and comrnittee rnembers George L. Geis and Michael L. Skolnik provided me with the necessary support that one needs in order to complete a major project such as a dissertation. I consider myself very fortunate to have worked with three knowledgeable faculty members who encouraged me throughout all phases of this endeavor and 1 thank them for showing me that the process of unmvering new lmowledge can be both exciting and rewarding. Higher Education Group doctoral students Yong Ling Lu, Diane Dyson and Janice C. Clark as welI as recent doctoral recipient Saeed Ibrahim aIl provided constructive criticisrn throughout various stages of this investigation. In addition, the reference librarians at both OISENT Library and Robarts Library of the The University of Toronto were most helpful in locating resources, and the Statistical Consulting Service of the Department of Statistics at the University proved invaluable in applying their statistical expertise to portions of the data. Finally, my partner and fkiend, Clifford, whose encouragement thmughout the project and assistance, both financial and emotional, helped make graduate school, including this research, corne to fivition. 1am blessed to have someone in my life who, as my best fiend, is able to share with me in reaping the rewards of completing this pmject. This study is dedicated to him. How WiU We ICnow Who We Are Without The Past? John Stwibeck, The Grapes of Wi-ath TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT...........*.......................................................................................... ii ACENOWLEDGGMENTS ...... ... ............................................................ iv TABLE OF CONTENTS........... .. ........................................................... vi LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................... viii LISI' OF APPENDICES................................................................................. x LISTOFDATAFORFUTLTRE STUDY............. ... ................................. xi CHAPTERI-INTRODUCTION................................................................... 1 .. Si@cmœoftheS tudy ..... ..................................................... 2 Goal of the Study................................................................................. 9 ResearchObjectives ..... .................................................................... 9 Delhitatiom ................................................................... ., ...................... 12 summary ............ ........ ................................................................... 12 CHAPTERII O LITERATURE REVIEW........ ............ ............................ Introduction................ .. ...................................................................... Value. Role. Purpose. History & Nature of the Dissertation ......... DissertationReseEirch in Non-Education Fields............................... Research on Doctoral I)issertatiom in Education ............................ The Study omgherEducation ............................................................. Research on Higher Education Doctnral Programs .......................... Related Literature on Journal Article Research............................... Graduate Research. Professional Literature & Programs............. CWAPTERLll-ME'mODOLOGY .................................................................. Re searchDe sign... ... ... ......................................................................... Design Strenghand Weahesses....... ......... ............................... Research Design in Related Research................................................ DissertationDataCo11ection................................................................ Dissertation Data Collection Summary............................................. JournalArticIeDataCoUection ............................................................ 105 Journal Article Data Collection Sllmmary......................................... 114 Pruceduresfor Data Analysis .... ..................................................... 116 Summary................................................................................................... 117 CHAPTER IV .F'INDINGS AND DISCUSSION ....... .. ......................... 118 QuestionChe........ ... ........................................................................... 119 Question~o....... ... .......................................................................... 133 QuestionThree......... .... ...... ............................................................. 155 Summary............. .. ............................................................................. 179 CHAPTER V .S-Y & CONCLUSIONS/OBSERVA~ONS...... 180 Summary............ .. ............................................................................. 180 . Summaryof Frnduigs......... ... ....................................................... 181 Condusions andObservations ............................................................ 185 Remmmendatiom for Further Study................................................ 193 Merences............................................................................................... 194 vii LIST OF TABLES Table Description Completed Theses in the Higher Education Gmp Degree Type Ger Thein Five Year htervds Gender of Author & Degree Type, By Frequency Gender of Author & Degree Type, By Percentage Frequency & Percentage of Theses, By Methodology Dissertation Research Sethg Research Population Types Dissertation Topics By Frequency & Percentage Publication of Dissertation Findings Degree me& Supervisor By Frequency & Percentage Gender & Supervisor By Frequency & Percentage Page Length Categories & Thesis Supervisor SupeMsor Page Length Total and Average Methodology & Supervisor, By Frequency Topic & Supervisor Topic Areas of Five Top Producing Supervisors Gender & Degree of Dissertation Authors, By Frequency