Chapter 2 of your dissertation, your literature review, may be the longest chapter. It is not uncommon to see lit reviews in the 40- to 60-page range. That may seem daunting, but I contend that the literature review could be the easiest part of your dissertation. It is also foundational. Read more…
“My PhD Advisor is ignoring me!” I hear this type of statement surprisingly often from students and clients. While sometimes it’s just a case of nerves on the part of the student, there are times when someone’s PhD advisor really is ignoring them. In this post I will try to Read more…
Having found your Chairperson to work with, now it is time to fill you committee. Regardless of the number of additional committee members that you need, it is important to go about this process strategically. As with the beginning of any relationship, how you begin is important. In this article, Read more…
What does ABD Mean? The term “ABD” stands for All But Dissertation. This means that you have finished everything in a PhD program except for the dissertation. Someone who is ABD has successfully completed all of the required classwork and any required comprehensive exams. The term itself has no academic Read more…
At some point during the dissertation marathon, people run into a period of time where writing a dissertation seems futile. Because the process of writing a dissertation is a lonely journey, many people think that they are the only person who has ever felt this way. You are not alone! Read more…
You have finished all of your classwork and maybe even passed your comprehensive exams. The only thing that you have left to do is write your dissertation. In order to do this, you need to select your dissertation chair and the remainder of your committee members. While a few institutions Read more…
How long is a dissertation? This is a question that almost every doctoral student asks at some point. It is not a new question–in fact, it’s been asked every time a paper of some sort is assigned in any class. The simple answer (for any paper) is, “long enough to Read more…
APA style can be annoyingly precise with its requirements. But that’s exactly why style guides exist–to make up for the ambiguity of English grammar rules and offer a standard way to write. That’s why universities, newspapers, publishing houses, and academic journals all use style guides–to ensure that the material they Read more…
Preparing for your dissertation defense is one of the most important things you’ll do as a doctoral candidate. Now that you’ve completed your dissertation, it’s up to you to present the results to your committee. However, the results aren’t just about your study. Your committee wants to see what you Read more…
Half of the people who enter a PhD program do not finish. You want to be part of the other half. The phase where most people stop their quest for a PhD is when they start to write their dissertation. This is where the journey can become lonely. Gone are Read more…