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論文撰寫六大準備技巧三：審慎選擇論文指導委員
【學術專欄】
6 Tips in Preparing to Write Your Dissertation Tip 3: Carefully choose a dissertation committee
論文撰寫六大準備技巧三：審慎選擇論文指導委員
取得碩博士學位的最終步驟是完成論文，然而，撰寫論文的過程通常是既漫長又嚴謹的長期抗戰。本次學術專欄特別推出「論文撰寫六大準備技巧」，幫助你做好準備工作，順利完成論文。每一項準備技巧，將定期刊登於本專欄。
The final step in earning many master and doctorate degrees is completion of a thesis or dissertation. The process involved typically is lengthy and exacting. Following is one of 6 recommendations to help you get started on your dissertation in such a way that you can successfully complete it. Each tip in the series will appear on the TPS Fans page.
Tip # 3 – Carefully choose a dissertation committee
技巧三：審慎選擇論文指導委員
No man is an island, especially a man (or woman) about to undertake a dissertation. A project of this scale is a team effort. Because a dissertation unfolds over months or years, a writer has more than enough time to get lost in it. Having allies in the effort will help you keep your footing if you begin to be swept away by the minutiae of research or undercut by tangential ideas. For these reasons, choosing a faculty dissertation committee is a key part of your preparation. If you fail to do your committee homework, you will have many teeth-gnashing months to regret it.
沒有人是孤島，對準備寫論文的人來說正是如此。寫作論文工程浩大，需要團隊共同努力才能完成。寫作可能需進行數月甚至數年，作者往往會不自覺而迷失方向。若你被研究細節弄得暈頭轉向，或因想法偏離主旨而感到困擾，只要擁有團隊盟友，就能幫助你站穩腳跟。所以在準備階段，選擇擔任論文指導委員的教授非常重要。要是挑選指導委員的功課沒做好，你可能將花上好幾個月懊悔不已。
What criteria should you use in selecting committee members? This depends somewhat on the nature of the dissertation. If it is to be technically esoteric, your committee must possess relevant expertise. If the proposal is more interdisciplinary in nature, your committee should have faculty members from relevant disciplines. Academic credentials are not all that matter, however. The people you are choosing to guide and counsel you also should be people you trust. You must know they will be there when you lean on them, and will have your best interests at heart.
指導委員的選擇標準視論文性質而定。討論深奧技術的論文，應選擇有相關專業背景的指導委員；跨學科領域的論文，應選擇各相關學科的教授。教授的學術地位並非主要的考量重點，應尋找能信賴、倚靠，並且會為你設想的教授，讓他們引導你、給你意見。
Dissertation committee members should be tenured or otherwise available to you for the duration of your project. They and you should be able to work together, congenially and constructively. Your most critical choice is committee chairman. The chairman must support and encourage you without enabling any of your egregiously bad habits. (You say you don’t have any? You really need a chairman!) The chair also must be able to lead the committee—and you. You’re the boss of your dissertation project, but the chairman is the underboss you really want on your side.
指導委員應選擇有終身職的教授，或是寫作論文期間能隨時指導你的教授。雙方對研究有所共識，並且能給予建設性的建議。指導委員中最重要的是主任委員，他必須支持你、鼓勵你，但又不會縱容你的壞習慣。（你覺得你沒有壞習慣？問題大了！快找好你的主任委員吧！）主任委員也必須能領導你和其他指導委員。論文由你做主，但主任委員是你得拉攏的幕後老大。
論文撰寫六大準備技巧三：審慎選擇論文指導委員
取得碩博士學位的最終步驟是完成論文，然而，撰寫論文的過程通常是既漫長又嚴謹的長期抗戰。本次學術專欄特別推出「論文撰寫六大準備技巧」，幫助你做好準備工作，順利完成論文。每一項準備技巧，將定期刊登於本專欄。
The final step in earning many master and doctorate degrees is completion of a thesis or dissertation. The process involved typically is lengthy and exacting. Following is one of 6 recommendations to help you get started on your dissertation in such a way that you can successfully complete it. Each tip in the series will appear on the TPS Fans page.
Tip # 3 – Carefully choose a dissertation committee
技巧三：審慎選擇論文指導委員
No man is an island, especially a man (or woman) about to undertake a dissertation. A project of this scale is a team effort. Because a dissertation unfolds over months or years, a writer has more than enough time to get lost in it. Having allies in the effort will help you keep your footing if you begin to be swept away by the minutiae of research or undercut by tangential ideas. For these reasons, choosing a faculty dissertation committee is a key part of your preparation. If you fail to do your committee homework, you will have many teeth-gnashing months to regret it.
沒有人是孤島，對準備寫論文的人來說正是如此。寫作論文工程浩大，需要團隊共同努力才能完成。寫作可能需進行數月甚至數年，作者往往會不自覺而迷失方向。若你被研究細節弄得暈頭轉向，或因想法偏離主旨而感到困擾，只要擁有團隊盟友，就能幫助你站穩腳跟。所以在準備階段，選擇擔任論文指導委員的教授非常重要。要是挑選指導委員的功課沒做好，你可能將花上好幾個月懊悔不已。
What criteria should you use in selecting committee members? This depends somewhat on the nature of the dissertation. If it is to be technically esoteric, your committee must possess relevant expertise. If the proposal is more interdisciplinary in nature, your committee should have faculty members from relevant disciplines. Academic credentials are not all that matter, however. The people you are choosing to guide and counsel you also should be people you trust. You must know they will be there when you lean on them, and will have your best interests at heart.
指導委員的選擇標準視論文性質而定。討論深奧技術的論文，應選擇有相關專業背景的指導委員；跨學科領域的論文，應選擇各相關學科的教授。教授的學術地位並非主要的考量重點，應尋找能信賴、倚靠，並且會為你設想的教授，讓他們引導你、給你意見。
Dissertation committee members should be tenured or otherwise available to you for the duration of your project. They and you should be able to work together, congenially and constructively. Your most critical choice is committee chairman. The chairman must support and encourage you without enabling any of your egregiously bad habits. (You say you don’t have any? You really need a chairman!) The chair also must be able to lead the committee—and you. You’re the boss of your dissertation project, but the chairman is the underboss you really want on your side.
指導委員應選擇有終身職的教授，或是寫作論文期間能隨時指導你的教授。雙方對研究有所共識，並且能給予建設性的建議。指導委員中最重要的是主任委員，他必須支持你、鼓勵你，但又不會縱容你的壞習慣。（你覺得你沒有壞習慣？問題大了！快找好你的主任委員吧！）主任委員也必須能領導你和其他指導委員。論文由你做主，但主任委員是你得拉攏的幕後老大。
