With the help of the Dissertation Mentor, each student selects a Dissertation Chair. Students are encouraged to select a Chair first and consult with that individual about other committee members.

Dissertation Committee Composition

(revised 6/7/2013)
Each student will be required to have a dissertation committee of at least two members with one member designated the chair of the committee. Standing* or associated** faculty of the University may serve as chair. A standing faculty member at a college or university other than Penn may serve as chair, with prior approval from the DSW Program Director. The other committee members may be a scholars or practitioner/experts external to the University of Pennsylvania with a doctoral degree, including a qualified individual who does not hold faculty rank at a college or university. Students must receive approval from the committee chair before inviting external members to serve on their dissertation committee.

Every committee must have a standing or associated faculty member from the University of Pennsylvania serving on the committee. The final dissertation must be approved by the Penn faculty member on the committee.

• One article-length paper accompanied by a critical review of the literature.

The paper should be of publishable quality according to the best current standards in the field. The critical review should begin with a research question, go to the research methods employed in developing the review, move to a critical and focused review of research that bears on the question identified, move to a discussion of any limits or gaps in the literature reviewed that makes a place for the proposed publishable article, and conclude with specific plans for publication. The final dissertation should include an introduction and conclusion that links the paper and the literature review.

• Two conceptually linked article-length papers.

Students may choose to write two papers on related content, which are judged to be of publishable quality according to the best current standards in the field. The final dissertation must include an introduction and a conclusion that links the two papers. The papers must be conceptually related, although the particular structure and format of each will vary according to the student’s research question.

• A traditional book-style dissertation, with chapters that include:
  (a) a research problem that is clearly located in the relevant literature;
  (b) a research question(s) or research hypothesis(es);
  (c) a theoretical orientation or conceptual framework that is used to provide some of the background and rationale for a description of the dissertation research, and the selection of the research methods chosen to investigate the research question(s) or hypothesis;
  (d) a description of approach(es)/method(s);
  (e) data presentation and analysis (i.e., findings, results); and
  (f) implications for theory, policy, practice, and further research.

For the two article and one-article formats, articles that have been previously published or accepted for publication may be acceptable upon approval of the student’s dissertation chair. Not more than one article may be previously published; this article must represent work undertaken while the student is enrolled in the DSW program. If a previously published article is approved by the committee, the student will be responsible for securing necessary permissions (i.e., from the copyright holder and other authors).

Dissertations or publishable papers based on joint work with other researchers are allowed provided that in such cases a unique and separate dissertation or articles are presented by each degree candidate. The candidate must include a concise account of his or her contribution to the whole work.

Dissertation Requirements

To fulfill the requirements for the dissertation, students must choose between the following formats which are described in more detail below: 1) a traditional book-style dissertation format; 2) a two-paper dissertation format in which the student writes two publishable papers on a related topic; or 3) a one-paper plus critical review of dissertation format in which the student writes one publishable paper accompanied by a critical review of the literature.

Dissertation

The dissertation that the DSW candidate must complete is the product of careful inquiry into a significant problem or issue in the field of clinical social work. The dissertation is an independently produced piece of original scholarship on a topic related to clinical social work prepared under the supervision of a dissertation committee. A defense of the dissertation is required when the dissertation is complete; the student’s dissertation Chair determines when the student is ready to defend. Final approval of the dissertation is voted by the Dissertation Committee.

Three formats are acceptable for the DSW dissertation:

1) A traditional book-style dissertation, with chapters that include:
(a) a research problem that is clearly located in the relevant literature;
(b) a research question(s) or research hypothesis(es);
(c) a theoretical orientation or conceptual framework that is used to provide some of the background and rationale for a description of the dissertation research, and the selection of the research methods chosen to investigate the research question(s) or hypothesis;
(d) a description of approach(es)/method(s);
(e) data presentation and analysis (i.e., findings, results); and
(f) implications for theory, policy, practice, and further research.

2) Two article-length papers on related content, which are judged to be of publishable quality according to the best current standards in the field. The final dissertation must include an introduction and a conclusion that clearly links the two papers. The papers must be conceptually related, although the particular structure and format of each will vary according to the student’s research question. One paper may, for example, provide an in-depth conceptual framework for the research question, while the other paper covers methodology, findings and implications. Another approach would be to write one theoretical/conceptual paper and another that discusses practice or policy implications. This is only a partial list of the options for structuring the papers, and students will consult with their dissertation mentor and/or dissertation chair to devise the most appropriate combination of articles.

3) One article-length paper, accompanied by a critical review of the literature. The critical review should begin with a research question, go to the search methods employed in developing the review, move to a critical and focused review of research that bears on the question identified, move to a discussion of any limits or gaps in the literature reviewed that makes a place for the proposed publishable article, and conclude with specific plans for publication. The final dissertation should include an introduction and conclusion that links the paper and the literature review.

For the two-article and one-article formats, articles that have been previously published or accepted for publication may be acceptable upon approval of the student’s dissertation chair. Not more than one article may be previously published; this article must represent work undertaken while the student is enrolled in the DSW program. If a previously published article is approved by the committee, the student will be responsible for securing necessary permissions (i.e., from the copyright holder and other authors).

Dissertations or publishable papers based on joint work with other researchers are allowed provided that in such cases a unique and separate dissertation or articles are presented by each degree candidate. The candidate must include a concise account of his or her contribution to the whole work.

Dissertation Standards and Acceptable Methods

Note: These standards and methods apply to all three dissertation formats: two-article, one-article + literature critical review, and book-style.

Standards for the Dissertation

The dissertation must be rigorous, as defined by the following:

1. Grounded in the literature
   • Practice theory and/or other behavioral or social science theory
   • Empirical evidence
   • Peer reviewed sources
2. Conceptualization/framework/theory
   • Based on well-developed conceptual framework with clear definition of concepts
3. Methods follow from literature and conceptualization
   • Methods are systematic and appropriate for methodology being proposed
4. Significant or new findings and/or contributions to the practice knowledge base
5. Publishable quality
6. Significant issue/question
7. Appropriate scale of work for methods used.

Acceptable Dissertation Methods

1. Empirical:
   An empirical study that uses quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods to answer a research question(s). Examples include: survey research, secondary analysis, intervention research, program evaluation, case study (including multiple cases), practice theory development grounded in research.
2. Historical:
   Historical research, including biography, that retrospectively addresses a subject over time.
3. Theoretical/Conceptual:
   • Critical review
     • Review, organization and critical analysis of the literature in a substantive area, demonstrating evidence of original thinking and scholarship. The critical review may include case examples.
   • Practice theory development
     • Development of a theory that guides practice, based on a thorough critique, synthesis and integration of relevant existing practice knowledge, theory and research.
4. Educational/Curriculum Development:
   In-depth design of an educational or training curriculum for clinical social work education.
5. Treatment/Practice Manual Development:
   Development of treatment or practice manual that provides specific guidelines for planned, systematic intervention with a client population addressing a particular problem or issue.
6. Intervention Development or Adaptation of Existing Intervention:
   The design of a practice intervention or the adaptation of an existing intervention that addresses a gap in clinical practice. The intervention developed or adapted must derive from relevant knowledge, theory and research, and take into consideration the literature on best practices and evidence-based treatment protocols.

Students are expected to submit a draft of the dissertation proposal to the dissertation chair by January 31 of year two, for approval by the dissertation committee by March 31. Upon acceptance of the proposal the student enters doctoral candidacy.

• January 31 of Year 2: Dissertation proposal submitted to chair.
• March 31 of Year 2: Dissertation proposal approved by committee.

The dissertation defense is a scholarly discourse between the candidate and his/her Dissertation Committee on the substantive work, evidencing publishable scholarly work and the individual’s mastery of his/her chosen subject and methodology. Members of the School and University community, including faculty and doctoral students, are invited to attend. The Chair and committee members are responsibility for conducting the defense proceedings.

The dissertation defense, similar to the dissertation proposal defense, is commonly characterized by four components:

1. A brief introduction of the committee members and description of the defense process by the Dissertation Chairperson
2. The presentation by the degree candidate that is followed by discussion
3. Voting by the chair and committee members
4. Reporting of the decision on acceptance by the Dissertation Chair to the degree candidate.

Decisions on acceptance are based on majority vote of the Dissertation Committee. Voting is conducted in a closed meeting of the committee. The Chair of the Dissertation Committee reports the results of the vote to the candidate immediately following the voting.

Scheduling the Dissertation Defense

The candidate is required to submit a copy of the final draft of the dissertation to the Doctoral Program Coordinator at least 10 days prior to the date of the dissertation defense. At the time of submitting a copy of the final draft the candidate must provide the following information to announce the defense of the dissertation to the Administrative Coordinator of the Doctoral Program: an abstract (not exceeding 250 words) providing a summary of the dissertation; a sentence verifying that a copy of the final draft of the dissertation is available for reading through the Office of the Administrative Coordinator of the DSW Program; and information providing the date, time, and room location of the defense.

Pages/Content should be in the following order:

• Title Page
• Copyright Notice (optional)
• Dedication (optional)
• Acknowledgment (optional)
• Abstract
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables
• List of Illustrations
• Preface (optional)
• Main Text
• Appendices (optional)
• Bibliography (optional)
• Index (optional)

Line Spacing

The text of the dissertation is double spaced, except for footnotes, long quoted passages and lists of tables and figures, which are single spaced.

Font

Any non-italic 10- or 12- point font may be used. Headings may be larger. For footnotes, figures, citations, charts and graphs, a font of 8 point or larger may be used. Italic types may be used for quotations, words in a foreign language, occasional emphasis, or book titles.

Pagination

Every page in the dissertation has a number, except for the Title Page and the copyright notice (if desired). For the preliminary pages – dedication (optional), acknowledgements (optional), abstract, table of contents, list of tables, graphs, illustrations and preface (optional) – use small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, v, …). These may be placed either at the top or the bottom of the page. The title page is counted as page i, and the copyright page (if there is one) as page ii, but do not print the page numbers on either of these two pages (e.g., in a dissertation with a copyright notice, the first numbered page is iii; in a dissertation without a copyright notice, the first numbered page is ii).

For the text, use Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …) starting with page 1 (the first page of the text itself). These may be placed either at the top or the bottom of the page. If you use footnotes, it is recommended that you print page numbers at the page top. Do not print page numbers, footnotes, or anything else in the margins. Each page must be consecutively numbered, including tables, graphs, illustrations, and bibliography/index (if they are included); letter suffixes (such as 10a, 10b, …) are not allowed.

Abstract

The Abstract is a condensed summary of the dissertation, double spaced, not to exceed 250 words. The abstract, which is normally a single paragraph, typically consists of four parts: the statement of the problem; the procedure and methods used to investigate the problem; the results of the investigation; and the conclusions. The Abstract is published by Scholarly Commons and made available for full-text searching via the internet. Below the word “ABSTRACT” (in upper case), list the title of the dissertation (upper case), your name, and your dissertation chair’s name.

ABSTRACT

DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY AS AN ANCILLARY TREATMENT FOR EATING DISORDERS

Author’s Name

Chair’s Name

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a therapeutic approach that combines cognitive behavioral techniques and mindfulness meditation, was originally developed as a treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Research indicates that DBT is also effective in treating individuals with mood symptoms and self-injurious behaviors who do not meet the diagnostic criteria for BPD. This study explores the utility of using Dialectical Behavioral Therapy as an ancillary treatment for an inpatient population in an eating disorders clinic. From a sample of twenty patients (N=20), ten patients were treated with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy in conjunction with the treatment protocol already in use in the clinic; the other ten patients received only the clinic’s standard treatment protocol. Prior to beginning treatment, two self-report instruments were administered to measure affect regulation and distress tolerance. The instruments were administered again upon discharge from the clinic. Descriptive data analysis indicated an improvement in affect regulation and distress tolerance in the DBT group and no change in affect regulation and distress tolerance in standard treatment protocol only group. Further research is needed to determine the longitudinal effects of the ancillary DBT treatment with this population and whether it improves outcomes in eating disorders symptoms and prognosis.

Title Page

The Title Page must contain the TITLE (in upper case); the author’s name; the year the degree is being granted; the name, faculty title (rank and department), and the dissertation chair; and the name of the Dean. The names and faculty titles (rank and department) of the Dissertation Committee members should be listed on the Title Page. If you want to use a format for your name that differs from the current name in the Penn InTouch System (e.g., a married name, or a full middle name rather than a middle initial), contact the Registrar’s Office and provide the necessary documentation to make that change. The title page is understood to be page “i” for counting purposes, but no page number should be printed on the title page.

Submission to Scholarly Commons

The final step leading to the award of the DSW is depositing the dissertation manuscript to Scholarly Commons. Once accepted through Scholarly Commons, the dissertation will almost immediately be available for full-text searching via the internet at no cost.

Create an account at: http://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations_sp2/

To log into your account

Select My Account from the left navigation column and then enter your email address and password. If you forget your password, you can enter your email address without a password, and will receive your password immediately by email. If you want to change your password, go to the “My Account” page and choose the “Edit Profile” option. If you have trouble logging in or the system will not send you your password, please send an email to repository@pobox.upenn.edu.

Copyright considerations

Review the copyright guidelines. You, and not Scholarly Commons, bear responsibility for certifying compliance with any applicable copyright regulations.

Submission formats

Documents in Scholarly Commons are made available in PDF format. Submissions are acceptable in full-text searchable PDF, Microsoft Word, or RTF. (The latter two formats are converted to PDF by the system after submission). Submissions can also include supplementary files in other formats (including data sets, computer programs, and so forth). Details on producing appropriate formats are available in the File format and conversion guide. The Library may add or change supported format choices to reflect format choice and presentation that reflect changing technological capabilities.

Embargo Option

You may choose the embargo option if you wish to delay your dissertation from being accessible through a public web search for a period of one year. This is optional.

Depositing documents

Log into your account. Then go to http://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations, click on “Submit Research “on the left hand side of the page under “Author Corner”. You will then go to a page that asks for title, authors, and other information. Fill this out and hit “Submit” when finished. If you have any problems, or if you can’t submit the paper, contact repository@pobox.upenn.edu for assistance.

Notification

After you have deposited your material, you will be notified when it has been published to Scholarly Commons. Once accepted through Scholarly Commons, the dissertation will almost immediately be available for full‐text searching via the internet at no cost. If you selected the embargo option, your dissertation will be available one year from the date it was submitted.

Paper Copy Deposit of Dissertation

After you have submitted your dissertation to Scholarly Commons, submit a paper copy of the manuscript to the DSW Coordinator to be kept on file.

1. Is every page of the dissertation correctly numbered? Are all pages included?
2. Does the author’s name, in full, appear on the title page and the abstract? Is the name the same on both?
3. Does the chair’s name (without the faculty title) appear on the abstract? Is the name typed accurately and in the proper place, so that it is clearly indicated that s/he is the chair and not the author?
4. Are all charts, graphs, and other special illustrative materials perfectly legible? Are they in the correct order and position? Are they paginated?
5. Have you obtained permission from the copyright owner to include any significant portion of a third person’s copyrighted work which is not a fair use?
6. Have you submitted your dissertation through Scholarly Commons?
7. Have you submitted a paper copy of your manuscript to the DSW administrative coordinator?