Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation or Thesis Faster: A Proven Map to Success

A doctoral dissertation is arguably the most important journey that students will embark upon in their professional careers, so smart travelers will want E. Alana James and Tracesea H. Slater’s Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation or Thesis Faster: A Proven Map to Success at their fingertips. James and Slater identify the key places and challenges that create extra stress during the dissertation process, and offer effective strategies and tools to address those challenges and ensure academic success. Their map walks readers through each step of the process, including:      • determining the research topic,      • choosing appropriate methods,      • turning a hypothesis into a study,      • completing a literature review,      • writing and defending a proposal,      • collecting and analyzing data,      • writing up the study, and      • ultimately defending the dissertation. Building on years of experience with doctoral students, the authors provide a comprehensive, yet easy-to-use tool that encourages student reflection; includes student stories, hints, and writing tips; and provides end-of-chapter checklists and ideas for incorporating social media. With the proven techniques and guidance of this indispensable book, doctoral students will finish their thesis or dissertation—faster!

Table of Contents:
PART I. Designing Your Dissertation or Doctoral Thesis 1. Do You Understand What is Required in a Doctoral Dissertation or Thesis? 2. Do You Have an Idea for a Topic 3. Do You Have Some Idea How You Will Study Your Topic? Bridging Topic and Methods 4. Do You Know How to Develop Your Research Design, and Methodology? 5. Do You Understand How to Fine Tune Your Methodological Choices? Moving From Basics to Getting Ready to Write PART II. Writing and Defending Your Proposal 6. Are You Ready to Write Your Methodology? 7. Are You Ready to Write Your Review of Literature? 8. Are You Ready to Write the Overview for Your Study? 9. Are You and Your Proposal Ready for Defense? PART III. Findings/Conclusions and Writing Your Final Dissertation or Thesis 10. Have You Finished Your Data Collection? 11. Are You Ready to Write Up Your Qualitative Data? 12. Are You Ready to Write Up Your Quantitative Data? 13. Are You Ready to Write Up Your Mixed Methods Data? 14. Are You Ready for Your Final Defense?

About the Author :
Dr. E. Alana James, received her Ed.D. in educational leadership from Teachers College in 2005.  Since then she has helped over 30 doctoral candidates in either educational leadership or business move through the process on to graduation.  Working primarily as supervisor for a number of online for profit universities, but also sometimes in the role of committee member, she identified the key places and challenges that created extra stress and, unfortunately, sometimes breakdown.  This book and her work developing DoctoralNet.com is in reaction to those difficulties and will, with adoption, increase graduation rates for those working towards a PhD or other type of doctoral degree.  You can follow DoctoralNet on twitter, facebook or Google +. Dr James also specializes in action research and has used that transformative process throughout the development of the techniques and strategies outlined herein.  Information about her other books can be found on the website for Sage Publishing. A believer in the doctoral process as a rite of passage that releases the greatest potential in life, she reinvented her own life to move half way around the world from where she began.  Living in Ireland with her partner, their two dogs and a cat she authors nonfiction work on health and wellness on her personal website at ealanajames.com where you can connect with her as a writer, a consultant or speaker.    Tracesea Slater, M.A. is the Director of Strategy at DoctoralNet.com where she works with Dr. James to raise graduation rates by assisting doctoral students to finish their dissertations. Tracesea’s main areas of research interest are education, disadvantaged populations and youth development. Her research experience includes work as the Manager of Research and Evaluation at a nonprofit serving homeless youth in Denver, CO. She also has done research and program evaluation in the fields of education and health care at a social research company. Tracesea’s academic experience includes work as a sociology instructor at the University of Colorado and Colorado Technical University.

Review :
"It is extremely readable and candid. As a faculty [member], I want students to know the ‘real deal’. The approach offered in this book provides one that is holistic realizing that our students are people with lives that influence the dissertation process. The Tracesea sections came at the right time when I was going to ask the very same question. Multiple voices of student and faculty add a wonderful dynamic. Love the use of PowerPoint slides, which would help me tremendously in my dissertation seminar." "I really like the detail, experiences, reflections by students, and layout."