From isolation to collaboration: creating an intentional community of practice within the doctoral dissertation proposal writing process

The purpose of this retrospective case study was to examine the implementation of peer- review practices in a doctoral dissertation proposal course. Twenty-eight doctoral candidates’ perceptions of peer feedback on the dissertation writing process and themselves as academic writers were explored through our anecdotal notes from class discussions, as well as students’ exit tickets and journal reflections. The doctoral students articulated that the dissertation proposal course dispelled misconceptions about dissertation writing and the peer-review process. Becoming a critical reader of their peers’ writing also made the doctoral students more critical and confident readers and revisers of their own writing. We also examined the social and emotional dimensions of peer-review groups as communities of practice. In addition, the benefits and drawbacks of heterogeneous multidisciplinary grouping in peer groups are discussed.