Your Dissertation in Education: (Sage Study Skills Series)

Your Dissertation in Education provides a systematic, practical approach to dissertation and project writing for students in education. This is a revised edition of Nicholas Walliman′s best-selling Your Undergraduate Dissertation, specifically developed for students from a range of educational disciplines, including teacher training, early childhood and education studies. This book is unique in being the first devoted to providing a complete overview of the dissertation process for education students. Throughout the book use of practical examples, summary sections and additional references provide the reader with a comprehensive yet easy-to-read guide to ensure successful completion.

Table of Contents:
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION TO THE DISSERTATION PROCESS What is a Dissertation? What is Educational Research? What′s all this about Ethics? PART TWO: ESTABLISHING A FOCUS What will it be About? How do I Get Started? How do I Write a Proposal? How do I Write an Introduction? PART THREE: EXPLORING THE BACKGROUND TO THE TOPIC Where Do I Get Hold of all The Necessary Background Information? How Can I Manage all The Notes? What about Referencing? How do I Argue My Point Effectively? How do I Write a Literature Review? PART FOUR: CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH What Sorts of Data Will I Find and How Much do I Need? What′s all this about Philosophy? How do I Conduct Effective Interviews? How do I Structure Effective Questionnaires? How do I Undertake Effective Observations? How do I Write a Methodology Chapter? PART FIVE: ANALYZING THE DATA AND IDENTIFYING CONCLUSIONS How do I Analyze Quantitative Data? How do I Analyze Qualitative Data? How do I Write a Discussion Chapter? PART 6: PRACTICAL GUIDANCE ON THE SUBJECT How can I Work Effectively with My Supervisor? What about Working and Planning My Time? How can I Manage a Long Piece of Writing? How can I Make my Work Look Interesting and Easy to Read? How do I Cope With Stress? Who else Might be Interested in My Writing?

About the Author :
After twenty years in architectural practice in Scotland, England and Switzerland designing a wide range of buildings, industrial, commercial, residential, and renovating and restoring historic buildings, I returned to academic activities when I embarked on a Ph.D. at Oxford Brookes University.    My university teaching and examining experience has been at all levels, with the preponderance at postgraduate level. I have supervised to successful completion twenty Ph.D. students and two MPhils, 1 KTP, and examined 13 Ph.D. candidates. I have published several popular textbooks and guides on construction aspects and on how to do research for students and practitioners and how to write Ph.D. theses, Masters and Undergraduate dissertations.    As Senior Researcher, Oxford Institute of Sustainable Development – Architectural Engineering Group, my research was based mainly on the technology of building construction - innovative, existing and historic, on vernacular architecture, and issues regarding accessibility in buildings and surroundings. My published papers and reports are read internationally and have been presented at international conferences.   Scott Buckler has been involved in education since the 1990s, fluctuating between primary teaching, secondary teaching (science, computing, psychology), and universities (education, sport, psychology). From teaching research methods across the expanse of education (from the primary years through to doctorates), Scott has been an advocate of high quality research, through facilitating an open mind while maintaining academic integrity. His research has encompassed many areas, often with the theme of personal and professional growth, through the lens of transpersonal psychology. His PhD thesis was interdisciplinary, combining anthropology and psychology to explore the way that the martial arts lead to personal transformation. Professionally, Scott’s research is predominantly in applied educational psychology, inclusive education, and research methods. Scott is a Chartered Teacher and Chartered Psychologist.