Lecture detectives over position protecting Queen (12)
I believe the answer is:
dissertation
'lecture' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'detectives over position protecting queen' is the wordplay.
'detectives' becomes 'dis' (Detective Inspectors, DIs).
'over position' becomes 'station' (station is a kind of position. I am not sure about the 'over' bit.**).
'protecting' is an insertion indicator.
'queen' becomes 'er' (abbreviation for Elizabeth Regina).
'station' placed around 'er' is 'sertation'.
'dis'+'sertation'='DISSERTATION'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for dissertation that I've seen before include "thesis" , "writing" , "scholarly work?" , "Essay for a degree or diploma" .)