How to Finish and Defend Your Dissertation: Strategies to Complete the Professional Practice Doctorate(Concordia University Leadership)

Table of Contents:
Foreword Preface Introduction Chapter 1.The Realities of What it takes to Finish Your Dissertation Chapter 2. Your Relationship with the Committee and Your Chairperson Chapter 3. Refining Your Dissertation Proposal for the Final Manuscript Chapter 4. Presenting Your Results and Discussion in the Final Manuscript Chapter 5. Using Cloud-Based Virtual Communities in the Dissertation Process Chapter 6. Preparing for the Final Defense Presentation Chapter 7.Developing Effective Communication and Motivation Skills Chapter 8. The Dissertation Defense: The Day has Arrived Chapter 9. Passing the Defense and Editing the Final Dissertation Manuscript Chapter 10: How to Publish and Present Your Dissertation Epilogue: Advice to Candidates from Those Who Made It Appendices Index

About the Author :
Daniel R. Tomal, Ph.D.is a Professor at Concordia University Chicago teaching in the educational leadership and doctoral programs and serves on many doctoral committees. He is a consultant and an author of thirteen books such as Action Research for Educators, Managing Human Resources and Collective Bargaining, and Resource Management for School Administrators (with Craig Schilling) and Leading School Change (with Marge Trybus and Craig Schilling) by Rowman & Littlefield Education, and has made guest appearances on many national radio and television shows. Cynthia Grant, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., is an Associate Professor of Research and Chair of the Department of Research in the Division of Research and Doctoral Programs at Concordia University Chicago. She has worked with many doctoral candidates in various disciplines, including educational leadership, higher education, organizational leadership, psychology, and social work. She is a licensed clinical social workerand is highly attuned to the emotional perseverance and resiliency required to successfully complete a dissertation.

Review :
Grant and Tomal provide a cogent approach to navigating the dissertation trail from start to finish. They demystify the process and provide expert advice and specific examples. This book is a must have for every candidate during their dissertation seminar courses. This book is a goldmine of information and I wish it had been available when I engaged in my own marathon. It is easy to read and engage with and the suggestions are spot on. After teaching for multiple doctoral programs, I can assure that the information here will be relevant to all those in university programs. Buy this book and save money on fewer semesters! How to Finish and Defend Your Dissertation is a well-organized, comprehensive, and thoughtful guide to completing an otherwise daunting task. It provides doctoral candidates with the requisite tools for moving through the dissertation process and completing the defense. I highly recommend it! Doctoral cohorts, having completed their coursework, should discuss How to Finish and Defend Your Dissertation, providing an excellent overview of the dissertation process, with the end in mind. The authors present sound advice on the independent and self-directed nature for completing a dissertation with suggestions on how to cross the finish line of the dissertation. Some of the practical suggestions include following the advice of the dissertation chair, networking with others completing a dissertation, and preparing the defense so the candidate has confidence. This book is a must read for all doctoral candidates running the marathon to completion of a dissertation. How to Finish and Defend Your Dissertation contains careful research, the wisdom of experience and practical suggestions that doctoral students and their advisors will both find helpful. The text is written in an engaging and easy-to-read style, and the lessons collected in this volume will appeal to scholars in a variety of fields. An all inclusive, straightforward guide for 'making it happen' from start to finish. I especially like the embodiment of emotions, relationship management and presentation skills. Superb! We know that understanding how we are to do and what we need to do are important factors in accomplishing our goals. Drs. Grant and Tomal immerse the reader in a wealth of examples, case studies and strategies--all of which provide the reader clear guidance concerning what to expect and how to solidly survive the complexities of writing and defending a dissertation. This book is a must read for doctoral students in all professional fields! The authors provide a comprehensive and student-centered approach to understanding the often murky dissertation process. Most important, the authors smartly include a chapter which details how to publish manuscripts and present from the dissertation. This skill and topic are not often included as part of the dissertation process - a brilliant and much-needed inclusion. The authors of How to Finish and Defend Your Dissertation have prepared a practical and well-organized book to guide the dissertation student to successful completion. One aspect that stands out is the focus on using virtual technology to facilitate the dissertation research process. In a world defined by the “Cloud” as a virtual storage space, Drs. Grant and Tomal direct the reader in a step-by-step process for using technology to manage the dissertation writing process.