Writing and advising
Writing. The student’s relationship with his or her advisors is central to the development and writing of the dissertation. The relationship is usually highly collaborative, but the responsibility for initiating and taking advantage of it belongs to the student. Students are advised to develop a work plan in consultation with their advisors and meet with them regularly to discuss ideas, review research and present drafts of chapters.
Students present work-in-progress at least once each year to their subfield’s research seminar. Most also participate in informal dissertation writing workshops.
Advisors. The advisors chosen for the prospectus are designated with the expectation that they will continue to serve as the supervisors of the dissertation. It is not necessarily expected that students will work equally closely with all of their advisors. Students may change advisors if this seems desirable; they should consult first with the DGS.
Two advisors should be designated as the first two readers of the completed work. Students may change this designation as needed. In order to serve as first or second readers, the advisors must be members of the Princeton faculty at the rank of assistant professor or above, and at least one must be a member of the Politics Department. In certain special circumstances the student may invite a member of another university faculty to serve as third or fourth reader, provided that the individual invited holds the rank of assistant professor or above and is qualified to advise on the subject of the dissertation, and that the invitation has the prior approval of the DGS.