1. 2011 BPS Managing Your Dissertation
Workshop
Getting guidance:
Forming and Managing a Committee
Alex Oettl
Georgia Tech

2. Forming Your Committee
First step, choose an advisor
This is possibly the most important decision you
will make w.r.t. your dissertation. Choose carefully
and choose wisely.
How?
 Know your advisor’s research
 Ensure that your advisor has adequate bandwidth
 Does your advisor “get” you?
 Do you get your advisor?

3. On to the rest of the committee…
 What should your “team” look like?
 Think about committee members in both topic and
skills space.
 Different types of skills:
 Question people
 Senior statesmen/women
 Methods People
 Theorists
 Aim for diversity of skill-types.

4. Committee Size
Larger Committees
Pros:
 Larger committees will provide access to more ideas
 Greater ability to cull “bad” research trajectories
 More individuals with a vested interest in your
success
Cons:
 Coordination costs
 Potential for free-riding
 Decreasing chance of satisfying everyone

5. Your committee is now formed.
How do you manage them?
 Allow your advisor to argue on your behalf with
your committee.
 Don’t surprise your committee.
 Make use of commitment devices to reach your
goals
 (shame can be a powerful motivator)

6. How to manage your committee
 Regular meetings
 Set-up transparent “contracts” between you and your
committee to understand both of your expectations.
 Set-up a road-map for important milestones leading up
to and through the job market. Look forward, reason
back.
 Take responsibility for your progress.
 As much as you’d like to think that your committee has nothing
better to do than think about your dissertation, this is in fact, not
the case.

7. Final Thoughts
 Dissertation is an apprenticeship
 It’s important that you leverage your committee’s expertise.
 Don’t solely limit your guidance network to your
committee. Obtain feedback (preferably at later
stages) from other faculty as well.
 In the end, the best dissertation is a completed
dissertation. Hopefully these tips will help you along
in your quest.