Frequently asked questions

Dissertation Diagnosis is an app by Dissertation Collective. Its free Dissertation Diagnosis assessment helps you identify your most likely dissertation bottleneck and your next step: one practical action and a matching free resource. It looks at where your dissertation is stuck, not at what kind of person you are.

You answer questions about your stage, what is slowing you down, and how your work is going. Where an answer could mean more than one thing, a short follow-up question clarifies it. The result names your most likely bottleneck, explains how it may be affecting your progress, and suggests one action to take this week.

Dissertation Collective's working model has six: Scope Overload (more work than the research questions and agreed requirements need), Structure Breakdown (the dissertation's parts aren't aligned or organized well enough to support a coherent study), Scholarly Writing Breakdown (difficulty turning research material into supported scholarly writing), Execution Breakdown (a workable, understood plan isn't turning into completed work), Feedback & Decision Friction (unclear, conflicting or delayed feedback, or an unresolved required decision), and Capacity Overload (not enough usable time, energy or attention for the work currently required). Problems can coexist.

Yes, the Dissertation Diagnosis assessment is free, needs no account, and your result appears immediately with no email required. After your full result, you can choose to have your result and matching resource emailed to you. That is optional.

That is common. When two bottlenecks are close, the Dissertation Diagnosis assessment shows both. When your answers suggest more than one possible obstacle, or more information is needed to identify the main one, the result says so and suggests a next step, rather than forcing a single answer.

It does not edit your dissertation or check formatting and citations. It is an educational assessment of dissertation progress, not a psychological, medical or academic-standing assessment, and it does not replace advice from your committee, your institution or a health professional.

A Dissertation Audit from Dissertation Collective provides focused feedback on your chapter or dissertation, with clear priorities and practical next steps. A dissertation specialist reviews the audit report before delivery. You get answers to one or two questions you choose (or, if you're not sure what to ask, identification of the main priorities), prioritized findings, categorized as high, medium or low where relevant, with examples from your own writing, and next steps. Audits flag missing reference entries and recurring citation or style inconsistencies, but do not include line editing, rewriting, line-by-line citation corrections, a full APA or other style-guide compliance review, or a consultation.

The free Dissertation Diagnosis works from your self-reported answers. A Dissertation Audit examines the work you submit. You don't need one to use the other, and your free result is yours either way.

AI tools assist with the initial analysis. A dissertation specialist then checks the findings against your submitted work, corrects or removes unsupported points, and approves the final report before delivery.

A Chapter Audit is $49 for one chapter or shorter section, up to 5,000 main-text words, delivered within 48 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. A Full Dissertation Audit is $299 for up to 60,000 main-text words, delivered within seven business days. References and appendices provide context, do not count toward these limits, and are not comprehensively reviewed. Larger submissions require an individual quote. Delivery time begins once payment and your complete submission have been received.

A full refund is available before your review begins. Once the review has begun, the purchase is nonrefundable.

Your submitted manuscript and any AI working drafts are deleted 30 days after delivery. Your final report stays available for 90 days, and you'll get a reminder before it is deleted. Transaction records are handled separately.

90 Days from Stuck to Submit is Dissertation Collective's three-month coaching program for doctoral candidates who are close to finishing. It combines a personalized diagnostic audit and milestone plan, weekly qualitative or quantitative writing and Q&A sessions, daily and weekly accountability, weekly draft feedback and finalization support.

It is for candidates whose proposal is approved, with IRB approval in place if required, whose data is collected or nearly complete, and who are ready for structured accountability. It is not designed for early-stage students still defining a topic, anyone without an approved proposal, or candidates in the middle of a major redesign.

$897 for three months, as a founding-member offer for the first five members.

You submit a draft each Friday using a structured submission template, and coaches return feedback within one week.

Complete the online application: 16 short questions. You'll see a confirmation and receive an acknowledgment email. Dr. Murdock or Dr. Alex Shaeffer reads every application. We'll review your application and respond within two business days. If yours clearly shows you're eligible, you may be invited to enroll directly; a short call is offered when something needs clarifying or you have questions. Submitting an application does not enroll you or charge you anything.

No. The free Dissertation Diagnosis assessment does not determine program eligibility. Eligibility is reviewed from your program application.

Enrollment is rolling. Your 90 days begin on an agreed start date after your initial diagnostic audit has been provided.

No. Committee approval, defense outcomes, degree conferral and graduation timing are decided by your institution, not by Dissertation Collective, and the program does not promise them. It focuses on getting the work that remains done.

No. We help with methodology, alignment, structure, scholarly writing and execution. Our support complements your chair's guidance; your committee retains academic approval authority. The method is discipline-agnostic, and your weekly session is matched to your methodology, qualitative or quantitative.

Inside the free community, hosted on Skool, you will find templates and examples, monthly live workshops, project management and ‘Write Mindset’ strategies, and community support. Joining is free and does not require approval.

Dr. Amy Murdock, founder and dissertation coach, holds a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Houston and specializes in qualitative methodologies. Dr. Alex Shaeffer holds a PhD in Second Language Acquisition from the University of Iowa and has a mixed-methods background.

No. You do not need to purchase or complete another offer first. Admission to the 90-day program depends on eligibility and the fit review.