Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation: Invisible Rules for Success

by Rita S. Brause

Overview

Increasing numbers of adults are enroling in doctoral programmes, but their earlier college lives often do not prepare them for the rules of the academic game. Many have no idea what a dissertation looks like, how it gets that way, or what options are available to them.
This book is a practical guide for students who need help in progressing from the decision to write a dissertation to the planning, writing and defending of it. It includes samples of proposals and dissertations that have been accepted and data drawn from a number of sources, including focus groups with doctoral students and graduates and responses to an open-ended questionnaire from doctoral students across the United States.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781135711498
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	10/02/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	180
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Rita S. Brause

Table of Contents

Part I: Getting a Sense of the Terrain. 1. Comparing a Dissertation to a Long Term paper, 2. Jumping Through Hoops: Going on a Journey: Personal Metaphors for the Process, 3. The Stages in Writing a Dissertation: An Overview, 4. Pithy Insights and Suggestions for Success, Part II: Preparing for Your Study, 5. Creating Your Setting and Identifying your Dissertation Topic and Research Questions, 6. Forming Your Dissertation Committee, 7. Your Dissertation Committee: Roles and Responsibilities, 8. Creating a Professional Setting with Student Colleagues, 9. Developing a Productive Setting, Part III: Doing Your Study, 10. Writing your Dissertation Proposal While Designing Your Dissertation Research, 11. Conducting Your Study, 12. Analyzing and Interpreting Your Data, 13. Presenting Your Findings: Drafting and Revising Your Dissertation, 14. Defending Your Dissertation: Preparing For Your Orals.

Editorial Reviews

'Brause's book ... presents a detailed experiential account of the processes of becoming a doctoral graduate, from first principles of 'why?' via the hurdles of engagement with institutions, supervisors ... up to and including the viva voce examination. It also managed the very rare feat (for an academic work) of having me read it in a single sitting ... Brause offers an extremely well laid-out work, which tackles every possible hurdle which can potentially derail the doctoral student - from money problems to the untimely death of professors!' - Adults Learning

From the Publisher