Doing Your Master's Dissertation: From Start to Finish / Edition 1

by Inger Furseth, Euris Larry Everett

Overview

'From finding a research topic through to the final write up, this clear guide takes the mystery out of graduate-level research. This book will help your project succeed' - James V. Spickard, Professor of Sociology, University of Redlands, US

Just starting your Master's? Worried about your dissertation? This book is an indispensible guide to writing a successful Master's dissertation. The book begins by addressing issues you'll face in the early stages of writing a dissertation, such as deciding on what to research, planning your project and searching for literature online. It then guides you through different aspects of carrying out your research and writing up, helping you to:

• Write a research proposal
• Choose one or more methods
• Write the introduction and conclusion
• Discuss the literature
• Analyse your findings
• Edit and reference
• Formulate research questions
• Build your argument

The book offers guidance that other books often miss, from dealing with emotional blocks, to ways of identifying your strengths and weaknesses, and improving your writing. It addresses the social aspects of the writing process, such as choosing and working with an advisor, using social media and forming student work groups for added help and inspiration. Each chapter ends with an action plan, which is a resource section that features exercises and reflection questions designed to help you apply what you've read to your own work.

Student Success is a series of essential guides for students of all levels. From how to think critically and write great essays to boosting your employability and managing your wellbeing, the Student Success series helps you study smarter and get the best from your time at university.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781446263990
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	04/24/2013
Series:	Student Success
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	157
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 6.70(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Inger Furseth, Dr. polit, is a sociologist and professor at the University of Oslo, Norway and research associate at University of Southern California. She has written several articles and books, such as From Quest for Truth to Being Yourself: Religious Change in Life Stories (2006), and co-authored An Introduction to the Sociology of Religion: Classical and Contemporary Perspectives (2006). She has developed and taught several courses on research design and writing for students and faculty at the University of Oslo and other Norwegian universities and colleges.

Euris L. Everett, MA, has a BA with a major in teaching and an MA in organizational management. Since 1977 he has developed classes and taught in the US and Norway on motivation, decision making, planning and writing. He is the director of the Career Design Institute in Santa Maria, California.

Table of Contents

Help! How Do I Find a Research Topic?
Overcoming Barriers and Getting Started
Basic Rules of Writing
Who Can Help You? Establishing Support Networks
A Guide for Searching the Literature
Reviewing Research Literature
How Do I Formulate Research Questions?
Easier Said Than Done - Choosing a Suitable Research Design and Method
The Art of Keeping a Steady Course - Structuring the Analysis
Beginning and End - Introduction and Conclusion
Chaos and Order - Editing and Referencing
When Is It Finished? Checklist Summary

Editorial Reviews

'From finding a research topic through the final write up, this clear guide takes the mystery out of graduate-level research. This book will help your project succeed'
-James V. Spickard, Professor of Sociology, University of Redlands, US

From the Publisher