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Showing posts with label Dissertation writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dissertation writing. Show all posts

Monday, January 3, 2011

5 Reasons You Need Your Academic Dissertation Proofread

You’re probably at the point now where you are finishing and finalizing your work. You’ve done the research, toiled over your subject and thought many times why you were actually writing this massive piece for your university degree. When I was writing mine I just wanted to give up, it seemed like I had trees and trees of journal articles that I had to get through and really couldn’t remember what I had read and where. I had lots of other internet material too, as well as books and transcripts of my own research I had carried out. Getting to this point seemed so far away in the beginning and I know that it took so much energy to complete.

Finally, the writing, typing and reading is over and I bet you are truly exhausted from the whole ordeal – and if you’re not then you need to look and see if you actually worked hard enough on the sources, late nights and reading material. You want to go out and party at this point, but I bet you are thinking ‘oh dear, I only have a few days before my dissertation help is due in – I need to proofread and bind it!’ Well, at this stage you should be going out and partying and not thinking about your dissertation at all, you should have someone else look over it, most probably a professional proofreader as you will be too close to your work, and you’ll also probably be sick of reading your own writing by now!



There are a few reasons you should consider at this point on why you should get someone else to proofread your dissertation:

1. A dissertation is very important – your dissertation is the most important piece of writing in your degree, and may even be of your life – you’ve actually finished and need it to be quality work.

2. Your mind is full of information – no doubt you’ve just had a writing marathon to finish all the chapters in your work and you’re still thinking over theories and concepts. Your mind will pass over your work thinking what you know in your head is illustrated clearly to a reader – 9 times out of 10 it is not.

3. Your Lecturer/Professor advises proofreading – Academics know how confused a writer can become when they are re-reading over their own work and many recommend sourcing a proofreader to check your work for logical flow and meaning. After all, they don’t want to be confused when reading your paper now do they?

4. Two eyes are better than one – you’ve been reading your work over and over again, you’re brilliant at spotting your mistakes, but, have you ever had a friend read over your work and point out the errors that you didn’t catch? A second pair of eyes will always help.

5. You want a final check – you want to make sure the work you are submitting is quality and you will want it to be free from errors and silly mistakes. Having a professional take a look over your work means that your work will be crystal clear and say what you want it to.

You can submit your dissertation without it being checked by a professional, but should you take the risk as this paper could change your dissertation help grade and your life.

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Sunday, January 2, 2011

How to Write a 10,000 Words University Dissertation in a Week?

Can you possibly write your university dissertation help, with 10,000 words, in a week? Yes you can but it won’t be easy. You need to have a solid plan that will enable you to complete your dissertation and ensure your success. You must have realized now that you can’t afford to procrastinate anymore. Therefore, it is imperative to have a plan that will work and you must stick to it. So, let’s see what needs to be done and what your plan should be:

What Has to be Done?

So, you have to write 10000 words in seven days. Along with an in-depth research and writing, you will also have to get your dissertation bound. So, complete your research and writing in the first 5 days and leave the last two days for binding. You actually need only one day for printing and binding but don’t leave binding till the last day and therefore do not plan on getting it bound on the seventh day. Because if you couldn’t finish writing your dissertation in first 5 days then you will have one extra day to complete it. So, here is a plan that will work but requires hard work and dedication:





Divide Your Work in Days:

You should divide your work in days as it will allow you to narrow down your project and organize it in a better way. You have two options:

i) You should finish your dissertation in 5 days and leave the last two days for editing and getting your dissertation bound. So, if you write 2,000 words a day, you will easily be done in 5 days and it won’t seem like much work as compared to thinking about 10000 words in a week. Basically you will be writing 8 pages everyday, each page with 250 words. But do you want to both research and write 2000 words everyday?

ii) If you don’t want to do both everyday then you can do your research in first 2 days. Collect all the material in two days and write your dissertation in next 3 days. This way you will be writing around 3300 words everyday, that means around 13-14 pages everyday which is still not bad.

The best time to write your dissertation is early in the morning. Wake up early and start writing it.

Ask Your Friends to Contribute:

It’s time you ask your friends to contribute and help you with your research. If you can only get a few friends to help you with finding relevant matter, it will facilitate your dissertation help writing process tremendously. You need to remain calm and relaxed. If some of your friends can’t help you then there is no need to get mad or think that they are not caring. Life is busy and not everyone has time. Plus, if you had not procrastinated, you wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with. So, ask your friends to help you collect as much matter as you can.

Drink Coffee & Make Sure You Sleep:

If you like coffee then it is definitely advisable to drink coffee. Or if you like you may drink tea or Red Bull or any other caffeine source. Also, make sure you sleep. There is no need to stay awake all night as it will affect your productivity. You may sleep less but don’t plan on not sleeping at all.

Give Yourself a Reward at the end:

So, you have a deadline now. Think about something that you will get or do that will serve as a reward when you finish your dissertation on time. This will keep you motivated. Think about finally buying something, after you are done, that you have been thinking about buying for a long time but couldn’t buy it for some reason. Or if there is a football match or any other game that you can go to. So, think about something that will serve as a reward, after you are done, and keep you excited.

Get Your Dissertation Bound:

If you couldn’t finish your dissertation on the 5th day then the 6th day will serve as a life savior. So, after you are done with your university dissertation, it’s time to get it bound. It can be bound in the reprographics department. But make sure you find out about it ahead of time.

This plan will enable to write your university dissertation in a week. However, this is not the best practice. You should start your dissertation as early as possible as it will allow you to concentrate on quality as well. But if you have procrastinated then follow the guidelines mentioned in this article and you will be able to write 10000 words in a week.

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Monday, November 22, 2010

Dissertation Transcription - A Service for Students

Dissertation Transcription services refer to those that do the conversion of recorded audio interviews, student notes and research material into text files. These files will then be utilized for creation of hard-bound thesis to be eventually submitted to the thesis directors.

A dissertation is a kind of documentary record that highlights the author's scholastic aptitude. Such a dissertation is mandatory for higher order degrees like doctorates and PhDs. A dissertation is very similar to a thesis considering that both are required to be submitted in order to apply for a doctoral program. However, the terms have a definitive distinction. A dissertation can be simply a treatise created by bringing together data and information from different sources. On the other hand, a thesis is expected to be an original work of research. While both need to compile from prevalent data, a thesis is given a higher weightage than a dissertation.



The transcription of dissertation topic is one of the pre-requisites for the successful completion of one's dissertation record before final submission. The sources for a dissertation can be as varied as an audio recording or even small hand written notes. At such times, a student needs the assistance of an external agency that would sort out all the data procured and convert it into a consolidated entity. This would then be converted into a hard bound thesis by the student.

A student can very well do all the transcription work by himself/herself, as it was done till now. But, the pressure of time scarcity and the need to do extensive research makes it necessary for students to seek the services of a dissertation transcription services like ours.

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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Why Doctoral Dissertations?

You've just spent the last three, four, or more years carrying out the research for your PhD, and now the time has come to write the dissertation help. For some, this will be enjoyable, but for most (including me), this is the worst and most laborious part of earning a doctorate. This blog will give an overview of the main parts of the dissertation writing process so that you can produce a manuscript that your examiners will enjoy reading. Begin with a strong dissertation outline. In the months before you complete your actual work, you should be thinking about how to best lay out your dissertation, such that you present your strongest arguments in the clearest possible way, especially if it involves a lot of statistics or figures. Drafting a simple plan is a good way to do this. This is just a list of what is going to go in the dissertation and where. It can be as basic as list of chapter headings and a couple of lines indicating the main themes.



This is your chance to sort out your ideas in a logical order, such that the gaps can easily be filled in at a later stage. This is invaluable because you can keep revamping over and over as more ideas and thoughts come through. The references are another section that some students think is not worth spending time on - WRONG! Examiners spot check to ensure that the references cited are in the reference list and vice versa. Ensure that all referencing is consistent throughout a thesis. Also ensure that all figures and tables are correctly labeled and referred to in the text; wrongly labeled figures drive examiners mad! When these basics are taken care of, ensure that you write clearly and concisely, explaining all details. Do not leave holes in your experimental methods or arguments for your hypothesis. Read a sentence over and if you say 'why' at the end then you need a justifying statement or a reference. I've just given you the basics here, but if you follow these steps, then your dissertation will instantly be better received by your examiners.

So when your dissertation help is ready, let our dissertations editors here at FirstEditing.com take a look at it for you - just tell us which format it needs to be in and we'll ensure that it matches. If you choose our dissertation editing service, we will look your dissertation from an examiner's point of view and indicate where you need references, extra information, and most importantly, where there are gaps in the arguments that a real examiner would ask about. Leave your dissertation in our capable hands and we'll fine tune it for you.

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Monday, November 8, 2010

Towards the Perfect Dissertation Editing

A dissertation help caps an academic career - a fitting culmination of years of arduous study, hard work, stressful days, sleepless nights, psychological distress, mental anguish, financial worries, inspiring encounters, lively social life, understanding companions - the whole range of human experience. The dissertation symbolizes the transition at the end of this journey to the beginning of a post-academe career. Dissertation editing eases this passage.

A dissertation starts with an idea or subject that needs to be investigated. A proposal has to be written and then organized through dissertation editing, for submission to peers for approval before actual work is started.

Dissertation structure always depends on school requirements, area of study, and research conditions. Very detailed instructions are given governing purpose, academic level, deadline, length of sections, number of sources, etc. Dissertation editing makes sure of the compliance and conformity to these set standards.



It generally contains these primary sections:
topic introduction, with an explanation why it was chosen for study
relevant literature of previous work in the same field and how they influence or affect the research
methodology, and why and how they were chosen for the study
observations and analysis of results and findings
conclusions

Almost as lengthy, and no less important, is the time to devote to dissertation help editing. This must impart organization and clarity to the work to be able to establish genuineness and prove that, indeed, an original contribution to knowledge can be made.

An excellent dissertation editing must have these essential qualities:
Ideas are communicated clearly - ambiguities, assumptions, qualifications, objections, must be explicitly defined and explained

There is structural coherence - transition phrases, even paragraphs, are added when necessary to strengthen logical links between ideas
No errors in grammar and syntax - there should be correct subject-verb agreement and pronoun referents, no weak or improper verb usage, and no run-on or fragmented sentences; naturally, all words must be correctly spelled

Unique voice or style - precise phrases and words are used to create a visible impression of individuality, appropriately adjusted for the reader-critics

Format specifications - The APA style is used for subjects related to the social sciences, such as business, criminal justice, economics, law, and medical subjects, including nursing and psychology. For subjects related to the humanities and liberal arts, such as literature, mass communications, and media studies, the MPA style is used. Content editing and proofreading goes hand-in-hand with this formatting.
In addition, it is imperatively required in dissertation editing that the following be finely delineated in preparation for peer committee defense:
Design and methodology of procedures
Construction and collection of data
Analysis of data and statistics
Presentation of results
Proposal for further research
Published literature review
Questionnaire guides
As a final step in dissertation editing, the whole work is reviewed again from page one, to ensure that the beginning has set the pathway to the drawn conclusions, and also to avenues for continuation, if suggested.

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Thursday, November 4, 2010

Want to Get Started Writing That Dissertation?

I do not want to minimize the size of the task entailed by writing a dissertation help. It is a rite of passage. As such it needs to be big enough to push your limits, cause you some pain, force you to learn endurance, so that you will be glad to celebrate your success and accomplishment on the other end. Anyone who has earned her doctorate will tell you that these things are part of the journey. Without the extremity of the challenge we would not become peers with all the great people before us who have also been Doctors. That is the point of the journey.

On the other hand many others have gone before you. And they leave the a wide highway that is well paved as to how to get there. All you have to do is follow their lead to get started on a path that will lead you to success. The first hurdle that you must cross is one of organization. A common mistake is that students do not know how big a task a dissertation is compared to other writing they have done. When you start you may be tempted to take the requirements and write it up like it is every other paper you have turned in and then think you are done. The results will likely be sadness, unhappiness, and frustration when your doctoral adviser sends back your first set of comments. A recent student told me, "When I got over the tears I got on it and now am on my way - thanks for the feedback." Much of this can be avoided by understanding ahead of time how big a task you are taking on, and then preparing yourself for it. You would not climb Mount Everest in shorts and your tennis shoes.



This article assumes that as a doctoral student you have been developing an idea of what it is you want to research, and the addition that you want to make to your field. Now it is time to get started writing. I recommend you start by gathering a few good tools:

1. Guidelines from your university as to formatting and content requirements for your final document. If your university uses a rubric for judging your dissertation, then exactly use those topic heading as your content headings for ease of judgment later.

2. Several dissertations that you can use as models, these may be from your university or not- all 5 chapter dissertations have much in common with each other. Choose one that is more or less on your topic, a second that uses a methodology you are considering, and the third is just engagingly written, where the author talks directly to you, the audience.

3. A few good dissertation help books. The new one that I think it is better than all others is Rudestam and Newton (2007). Surviving your dissertation: A comprehensive guide to content and process. Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage Publishing Inc.

Armed with these examples of where you are going, the next thing is to plot your course. Start by looking up your style-sheet information (for instance APA ) and format your dissertation cover sheet as per your university requirements. If they give you a template, use it. If they don't make one up from finished and published dissertations from your university. Then copy and paste the content headings as though you are starting your table of contents. Next go back to your dissertation models, your university guidelines and your books, and compare and contrast their suggestions/requirements and the topic headings and sub-headings they used with this list. There is no one "right" set of headings so feel free to play with the logic of the three chapters that will by your proposal - changing and reformatting as you go.
As other students have said before you: "Getting started on the right track made all the difference, I had been floundering until I took your advise and started to progress in a logic manner. I recommend to everyone that they follow the steps you gave me."

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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Diamonds Are Forever - Essentials of the Dissertation Writing Process

A dissertation help is like a rough diamond shaped and transformed into a brilliant piece of precious gem. It is a cherished possession of the student who works diligently to produce the best dissertation writing that can be flaunted in the whole academe.

Just like diamonds, dissertations undergo through a series of technical and rigid process. In order to come up with the best paper, students must know what they need to write and why they are writing it. They must look for an interesting topic that will be polished into a translucent crystal. Consider these steps to make a dissertation paper that is meant to last forever!



SELECTIVE RESEARCH (CLEAVING). This is the first step of the process where the diamond is placed in a quick-drying cement. A sharp groove is carved in it using another diamond or a laser in order to remove any impurities and irregularities. The same is true in selective research. As the student goes along through the data gathering phase, (interviewing, data mining, surveying, experimenting in a laboratory) it is inevitable that pieces of unnecessary information will get in the way. On this matter, only the relevant information that will support the topic must be included. In this manner, the dissertation is uncluttered of useless fillers that make it vague.

ORGANIZATION OF THOUGHTS (SAWING). In the second step of the diamond's transformation, a diamond saw is used to cut against the cleavage plain. The diamond saw is a circular steel blade that is continually lubricated with oil and diamond powder, allowing cutters to go against the grain of the diamond without crushing it. In dissertation writing, the problem statement, limitations section and hypotheses must be well-organized for the readers to understand.

DEVELOPMENT OF A SIMPLE STYLE AND STRUCTURE (BRUTING). Diamonds can be finished as round, brilliant stones. It is placed in a lathe, and another diamond in the lathe is rubbed against it to create the rough finish of the girdle. A dissertation writing process incorporates the element of simplicity. Refrain from using complicated styles and structures so that substance becomes the overriding element of the paper.

GO BY THE RULES (CROSS WORKING). The fourth step in the diamond process lays the foundation of the diamond and follows instructions to obtain its optimum value. Just like any type of coursework, dissertation help adheres to several fundamentals. Students must observe requirements like character size, pagination, layout, color of paper, use of acid-free paper and citation style.

PROOFREADING (BRILLIANTEERING). The fifth and final process cuts and polishes an extra forty facets onto the previously polished facets of the diamond to create a round brilliant cut and unlock its full radiance. Again, just like any type of coursework, dissertation writing needs to be edited for potential flaws.
The transformation process of a diamond from a rough piece of rock to a valuable jewel takes time and knowledge. These essentials in dissertation writing may probably be at least one's concerns but it is still worth to consider.

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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Reread Your Dissertation Before Turning It Into A Book Manuscript

After you have been away from your dissertation help for several months read it with fresh eyes. Read it to determine the following.

WHAT IS IN YOUR DISSERTATION?

Determine the strength of your dissertation. How many strong chapters do you have? Can this material be expanded into a book? Will this material add to the record of material in your field of study?



WHAT SHOULD NOT BE REVISED?

What can be deleted from the book manuscript? Everything in your dissertation will not end up in your book. You have to determine what is filler and what is not. Discard everything that will not support the central idea of your book. Develop the ability to look at your dissertation with a critical eye.

HOW MUCH NEW MATERIAL SHOULD BE PUT IN?

Answering this question will determine whether you will spend 6 months or one year revising your dissertation. Do you have only one chapter that is useable? Will you have to research 12 new chapters? Is half of your dissertation useable? Will you have to do research for only three new chapters?

Sift through your dissertation help with a critical eye. Can you determine the weak material in it? If not, put it aside a little while longer. You are still too close to it.

When you read it again, determine what quotations you will leave out. Is your idea for a book taking shape? What will be the structure of your book? As you can see, lots of decisions have to be made when you convert your dissertation into a book manuscript.

Therefore, rereading your dissertation is necessary. Rereading your dissertation with a critical eye is absolutely essential. This will keep you from devoting months to a project that cannot be turned into a book.

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Monday, November 1, 2010

9 Steps To Turning Your Dissertation Into A Book Manuscript

You have finished your dissertation help. It has met the approval of your committee. They have encouraged you to get your work published. You mail your dissertation to several noted publishers in your field. The dissertation comes back with a rejection note. You are discouraged.

But you can have another ending. A happier ending. If you take the time to convert your dissertation into a book manuscript.

Following the steps below can turn your sadness into joy when your book manuscript is accepted.


STEP 1 - THINK BEFORE YOU WRITE
Your dissertation is a scholarly manuscript. You are now writing for a broader audience. Think about how you can make your manuscript appeal to more people.

STEP 2 - REREAD YOUR DISSERTATION
Reread your dissertation with an eye as to what can be taken out. What do you think needs to be added now that you do not have to please your dissertation committee? Can your topic be tied to a current issue of interest?

STEP 3 - DEVELOP A SCHEDULE
You are going to have to approach this project with the same dedication you applied to writing your dissertation. However, you now have more responsibilities. A job. A family. Friends. All are vying for a share of your time. Devise a workable schedule for this project.

STEP 4 - GET COLLEAGUES OPINION
Ask your colleagues to read your dissertation with an eye for it becoming a book. Record their comments. What needs to be added? What should be taken out? What needs further explanation?

STEP 5 - WRITE INTRODUCTION
Write the new introduction to your book. Make it as strong as possible. Rewrite it as many times as necessary. The introduction is what will make an editor want to read your manuscript.

STEP 6 - DEVISE A NEW TITLE FOR YOUR MANUSCRIPT
A book title is very important. It describes what the book is about. It makes readers want to pick up your book. Make your title clear. Make it grab the interest of readers.

STEP 7 - DO MORE RESEARCH
Complete additional research needed for your book before you begin writing. If new chapters are added make sure you have all background materials needed. Doing needed research beforehand will make the writing of your manuscript easier.

STEP 8 - REWRITE THE TABLE OF CONTENTS
The table of contents for your dissertation is different than the table of contents for a book. The table of contents for a book serves as a blueprint for its contents. It is the road map that will guide you all the way to the end.

 STEP 9 - WRITE EACH CHAPTER
Write each chapter of your book. Make each chapter of manageable length. A 50-page chapter is too long. Present the material in each chapter in a clear, concise manner.

If you follow the steps outlined above you should be able to convert your dissertation help to a book manuscript. It will take time and dedication on your part. But it can be done. The additional months spent on this project will be well worth it when you open your mailbox and inside is a book contract from a publisher.

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Friday, October 29, 2010

Working Well With Your Dissertation Advisor

The relationship you have with your dissertation help advisor is important, both in terms of your professional development, and in terms of how easy (or difficult) the dissertation process is for you.

A good advisor will support you to grow as a scholar, while helping you navigate the dissertation process so you can complete easily. This doesn't mean a good advisor accepts low quality work or bypasses the process. Instead, a good advisor helps you find solutions to your problems, while keeping in mind that the whole point of the process is to help you get your degree.

While there may be not truly "bad" advisors (though I'm sure some of you would disagree), poor advisory relationships are created when there is a difference in level of emotional match between advisor and advisee. In my experience, lack of emotional match is the biggest reason dissertation advisory relationships fail.



Lack of emotional match shows up when you need reassurance from your advisor, and s/he doesn't return your phone calls. Lack of emotional match shows up when your advisor expects to meet with you, and you cancel at the last minute. Lack of emotional match shows up when you feel stressed and worried about what your advisor thinks of you, and this fear and tension impacts your capacity to actually get your work done.

Unfortunately, lack of emotional match happens quite often in advisory relationships. This may occur for several reasons. The first most common reason is that the graduate student selects the advisor due to the advisor's status, rather than his or her capacity to effectively advise. The second most common reason is that the graduate student does not take ownership or direction of the dissertation process, and loses a lot of time trying to gauge what would please the advisor rather than focusing on getting through the dissertation help process quickly.

If you are in the process of selecting your dissertation advisor, be sure to ask yourself questions like, "Do I like this person?" "Do I respect him or her?" "Would I want to be like him or her as a person?" Be sure to avoid focusing solely on your advisor's accomplishments or achievements, because remember: those achievements belong to your advisor. None of that glory will reflect onto you if you can't complete your dissertation and get your Ph.D.

If you already have an advisor, take care to treat this relationship respectfully, and to be clear about your requests and questions. Most advisors will try to meet your advisory needs, if they just know what they are.
Working well with your dissertation advisor is an important aspect of a successful dissertation process. The more you and your advisor respect each other and work well together, the better and easier your dissertation process will be.

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Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Parts Or Subsections of a Dissertation

Many graduate students become stumped when it comes time to start writing their dissertation help. As a graduate student, you have completed your course work, taken the exam to become a Ph.D. Candidate, and it is now time to complete your dissertation in order to graduate with a doctorate in your field. One thing you may find helpful is to look over dissertations written by previous students in your program. The guidelines of the graduate school regarding the format of the dissertation may also help, as can your dissertation committee and previous students.



The dissertation structure can vary from one field to another or even from institute to another, but typically a dissertation help starts with an introduction. Some students find that it is easier to write the introduction after the dissertation is complete and they know what the total dissertation presents, while others may want to start the introduction early on in the writing process in order to have an idea of the direction of the project. A review of the literature, or a summary of previous work on the topic of interest in the dissertation, is generally required. Other parts include a discussion of the research methodology and the data and/or sample as well as the presentation of the study results. The methodology section lets the reader know how the writer investigated the research questions. Many dissertations also have a chapter focused on the conclusions and implications of the research. Other requirements are often enforced by the graduate school, such as the format of the document, table of contents, list of figures, and so on.

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Monday, October 25, 2010

How to Reduce Your Dissertation Writing Stress Levels

Facing the prospect of completing a 10,000 words (plus) dissertation help, with very little structured support can be extremely daunting, even to the most confident student. Throughout the majority of your academic life, you will have followed teacher's orders, a government agreed syllabus, a well researched reading list. And now, for the very first time, you are being given the freedom to undertake your own research project, to explore areas no man has gone before, to learn and read and write and create within your own timescales and study structure. Great isn't it?! A breath of fresh air...but scary!

The process under which your dissertation will be completed can be, and potentially should be, quite structured. Its needs a planning stage, a literature review, an outline developed, a first draft, further development and a final draft. All of these stages make up the process for completing a dissertation, and all deserve an in-depth review of what work is involved to ensure the stage is completed successfully. But before you commence the planning stage of your dissertation, you must make sure you have got the preliminaries sussed! An excellent dissertation relies heavily on great planning, but if it doesn't conform with the formalities, if it doesn't tick the examiners boxes, then it has the potential to become a big fat flop! So, ensure that Step One of any dissertation you're going to be completing is, 'understand what is required of you!' To do that, you need to answer the questions (helpfully posed by Peter Levin from the Open University Press) below:



- What requirements does your dissertation have to conform to? And what documents do you have that state these requirements?

- What type of dissertation help are you being asked to complete? Are you able to use the advice and guidance of your tutors? Does the dissertation have to be based on subject-matter that has already been covered in your classes, or are you able to carry out a piece of original research?

- Is there any form of marking scheme that you can digest?!

- What is the word limit of the dissertation? And what is included and excluded from this word limit?

- What referencing system are you to use?

- Is there a specific layout preference? For example, do you need to use sub-headings and double spacing of lines?

- When and where does your dissertation need to handed in? And to whom? And is there a specific 'handing-in' process?

- How much freedom do you have over your title choice? Does it have to be agreed by your tutor before you can commence your research?

- How much assistance are you entitled to access? Where will this assistance come from?

- Can you use, access, or pull on previous student's dissertations?

- Does everybody else in your class / group have the same answers to the questions posed above?! It's always best to clarify your understanding of the formalities with others in the same position as you!

It is very easy to misinterpret guidance, or misread a deadline..., but easy mistakes can have awful consequences! So take the time to speak to your fellow students, and make sure there is a consistency of understanding, before you embark on your own, unique, dissertation journey!

Enjoy the ride!

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Sunday, October 24, 2010

9 Steps To Turning Your Dissertation Into A Book Manuscript

You have finished your dissertation help. It has met the approval of your committee. They have encouraged you to get your work published. You mail your dissertation to several noted publishers in your field. The dissertation comes back with a rejection note. You are discouraged.
But you can have another ending. A happier ending. If you take the time to convert your dissertation into a book manuscript.
Following the steps below can turn your sadness into joy when your book manuscript is accepted.



STEP 1 - THINK BEFORE YOU WRITE
Your dissertation is a scholarly manuscript. You are now writing dissertation help for a broader audience. Think about how you can make your manuscript appeal to more people.

STEP 2 - REREAD YOUR DISSERTATION
Reread your dissertation with an eye as to what can be taken out. What do you think needs to be added now that you do not have to please your dissertation committee? Can your topic be tied to a current issue of interest?

STEP 3 - DEVELOP A SCHEDULE
You are going to have to approach this project with the same dedication you applied to writing your dissertation. However, you now have more responsibilities. A job. A family. Friends. All are vying for a share of your time. Devise a workable schedule for this project.

STEP 4 - GET COLLEAGUES OPINION
Ask your colleagues to read your dissertation with an eye for it becoming a book. Record their comments. What needs to be added? What should be taken out? What needs further explanation?

STEP 5 - WRITE INTRODUCTION
Write the new introduction to your book. Make it as strong as possible. Rewrite it as many times as necessary. The introduction is what will make an editor want to read your manuscript.

STEP 6 - DEVISE A NEW TITLE FOR YOUR MANUSCRIPT
A book title is very important. It describes what the book is about. It makes readers want to pick up your book. Make your title clear. Make it grab the interest of readers.

STEP 7 - DO MORE RESEARCH
Complete additional research needed for your book before you begin writing. If new chapters are added make sure you have all background materials needed. Doing needed research beforehand will make the writing of your manuscript easier.

STEP 8 - REWRITE THE TABLE OF CONTENTS
The table of contents for your dissertation is different than the table of contents for a book. The table of contents for a book serves as a blueprint for its contents. It is the road map that will guide you all the way to the end.

STEP 9 - WRITE EACH CHAPTER
Write each chapter of your book. Make each chapter of manageable length. A 50-page chapter is too long. Present the material in each chapter in a clear, concise manner.
If you follow the steps outlined above you should be able to convert your dissertation to a book manuscript. It will take time and dedication on your part. But it can be done. The additional months spent on this project will be well worth it when you open your mailbox and inside is a book contract from a publisher.

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Saturday, October 23, 2010

Working Well With Your Dissertation Advisor

The relationship you have with your dissertation help advisor is important, both in terms of your professional development, and in terms of how easy (or difficult) the dissertation process is for you.
A good advisor will support you to grow as a scholar, while helping you navigate the dissertation process so you can complete easily. This doesn't mean a good advisor accepts low quality work or bypasses the process. Instead, a good advisor helps you find solutions to your problems, while keeping in mind that the whole point of the process is to help you get your degree.

While there may be not truly "bad" advisors (though I'm sure some of you would disagree), poor advisory relationships are created when there is a difference in level of emotional match between advisor and advisee. In my experience, lack of emotional match is the biggest reason dissertation advisory relationships fail.

Lack of emotional match shows up when you need reassurance from your advisor, and s/he doesn't return your phone calls. Lack of emotional match shows up when your advisor expects to meet with you, and you cancel at the last minute. Lack of emotional match shows up when you feel stressed and worried about what your advisor thinks of you, and this fear and tension impacts your capacity to actually get your work done.
Unfortunately, lack of emotional match happens quite often in advisory relationships. This may occur for several reasons. The first most common reason is that the graduate student selects the advisor due to the advisor's status, rather than his or her capacity to effectively advise. The second most common reason is that the graduate student does not take ownership or direction of the dissertation process, and loses a lot of time trying to gauge what would please the advisor rather than focusing on getting through the dissertation process quickly.

If you are in the process of selecting your dissertation advisor, be sure to ask yourself questions like, "Do I like this person?" "Do I respect him or her?" "Would I want to be like him or her as a person?" Be sure to avoid focusing solely on your advisor's accomplishments or achievements, because remember: those achievements belong to your dissertation help advisor. None of that glory will reflect onto you if you can't complete your dissertation and get your Ph.D.

If you already have an advisor, take care to treat this relationship respectfully, and to be clear about your requests and questions. Most advisors will try to meet your advisory needs, if they just know what they are.
Working well with your dissertation advisor is an important aspect of a successful dissertation process. The more you and your advisor respect each other and work well together, the better and easier your dissertation process will be.

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Friday, October 22, 2010

Getting a Life While Writing a Dissertation - Part I

Waiting until after you finish your dissertation help to "get a life"? There's no need to wait!
While there is much that is unique about the power, politics, and processes of working on a dissertation, there is much that is the same. It was not until I started using the skills that made me successful in business that I realized I could create similar successes in the academic world.
I have identified three Intrapersonal skills, three interpersonal skills, and three general life skills that are central to the success of a dissertation...and also to the success of your career and family life!
In this article, I will explore the three intrapersonal skills: Clarifying your Values, Enhancing your Motivation, and Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome.
Clarifying your Values. In order to have clear direction and drive, it is important to have a clear sense of your values. Without too much thought, answer the following questions. Keep your answers short - no more than a word or two, and select no more than three items for each answer:
1. What do I hope to achieve in life?
2. How do I measure success?
3. Why do I want to get my PhD (or EdD)?
While your answers should come quickly, your reflection on the answers should be measured. Think about what you wrote. Think about what led you to these values. Make sure they resonate with your inner self, not outside expectations.
If you're unsure how to answer these questions, you might want to start by prioritizing the terminal and instrumental values listed in the Rokeach Value Survey. (A Google search Rokeach Value Survey will identify the listed values.) Terminal values highlight the values one would like to achieve during a lifetime, while instrumental values highlight the behaviors one uses to achieve the terminal values. Examples of terminal values include a prosperous life, social recognition, and a world of peace. Examples of instrumental values include cheerful, logical, and responsible.



Once you've finalized your list, consider where and how your PhD fits into your life journey. How will a PhD help you achieve your inner values? By aligning your goals and your values, you will have more energy, perseverance and focus on your work.
Enhancing your Motivation. Perhaps one of the most helpful tools that I received during my dissertation help was a link to the comic, Grad Student Motivation Level (see phdcomics.com). It helped me to realize that motivation was bound to wax and wane during a multi-year project. What we need to identify, though, is what contributes to the upswings on our motivation graph.
Sit back for a moment and think of a time when you were most motivated. (It may help to have one example related to your academic journey and one example related to another aspect of your life.) What about the event or circumstance caused the motivation? Be sure to think of as many components as possible!
In general, there are two major types of motivation: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation comes from something inside ourselves or inherent in the task. For example, if I love learning about people and I'm conducting interviews for my dissertation, I am likely to be intrinsically motivated for that part of the project. Extrinsic motivation is motivation that comes from others, such as financial rewards, praise, and the like. If you think back to your days in classes, you may be able to identify some colleagues that were most motivated by a grade (extrinsic) and others who were most motivated by curiosity or the learning process (intrinsic).
To the extent that we can draw on our intrinsic motivation, we may find the dissertation process more palatable. If we find, however, that we're typically motivated by extrinsic rewards, there is no need to panic. We can devise ways to find extrinsic rewards as we go. Some ideas may include: setting up a small fund and paying yourself for your achievements, connecting with a group of dissertation students and celebrating each other's successes - even the smaller accomplishments -- along the way, or tweeting your accomplishments to receive high fives from friends and colleagues.
Looking at motivation from McLelland's theory of needs is more daunting. McLelland identified that motivation will vary depending on which need is greatest: achievement, power, or affiliation. The typical dissertation process is not designed for any of these! However, once again, you can build YOUR process to meet your individual needs.
Motivated by achievement? Be sure to meet track your successes. This can be as simple as rating your daily achievements (a wall calendar and stars can help). As you go along, be sure to share your research with professional organizations or in articles. This will provide you with tangible measures of your growth and achievement.
Motivated by power? Once again, a leadership position in a professional organization may be the perfect outlet for meeting your needs and advancing your career. You can also look for an outlet outside your dissertation. Identify one of your strengths and find a place where you can contribute. Are you an outdoors person? Perhaps you want to volunteer be a leader in your local hiking group. Have a love of books? Perhaps you can find a job managing a bookstore. While you want to watch your time commitment, meeting your motivational needs may help reenergize you, allowing you to focus more effectively on your dissertation work.
Motivated by affiliation? Find ways to connect with others. Whether you join a club at the university, teach classes, join a dissertation support group, or partner with a colleague to do joint research, there are many ways you can affiliate with others within the academic community. In addition, be sure you don't drop all your "outside" contacts. Periodic visits with friends for coffee can serve as both rewards and energizers.
Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome. If you've reached this point in your academic career, you clearly have gained significant knowledge; according to the 2000 U.S. Census, less than 6% of the population in the U.S. has earned a masters degree! Nonetheless, regardless of evidence to the contrary, many of us feel like imposters, waiting for someone to uncover the fact that we're really fakers! In fact, some of us may have embarked on this dissertation journey simply to overcome the feeling of 'not being good enough.'
Of course, if we feel this way, there is always plenty of evidence to "support" our theory. There are the researchers who have explored more in a subfield than we have, the professors who is more of a generalist than we are, and the professionals who have made more money. In fact, as the saying goes, the more we know, the more we realize how much we don't know!
If you're always feeling like you'll be found out or like you need one more certification or degree or award to "prove" yourself, you may be suffering from the Imposter Syndrome.
One of the best antidotes to this is the recognition of what is going on. Just being aware that the Imposter Syndrome exists, and is not uncommon, can help us reevaluate our perspectives. Other ways to create a more accurate self-impression:
identifying trusted mentors or confidants to talk with to gain a more accurate perspective of your abilities
reframe your expectations: you don't need to know every answer to be an expert
learn to acknowledge external validation
Skills for Life
We've explore three intrapersonal skills -- Clarifying your Values, Enhancing your Motivation, and Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome - as they relate to your dissertation. However, all three are equally important in other areas of your life. By drawing on your increasing skills in this area, you will benefit in your career, work-life balance, and home life.
Clarifying your Values - While no job is satisfying all the time, holding jobs that are at odds with our core values can cause emotional and physical distress. By learning to identify our core terminal and instrumental values, we will be more adept at picking industries and careers that are most rewarding.
Enhancing your Motivation - Each of us is motivated by something, but none of us our motivated by everything. There is a part of life and work that each of us find unrewarding. By identifying what does motivate us, we can structure our jobs, lives, and activities in a way that energizes us, providing sufficient motivation to carry us through the less desirable, but critical, chores.
Overcoming the Imposter Syndrome - Let's face it, if you feel like an imposter now, one more degree is unlikely to allow you to overcome that. While a PhD puts you with just 1% of the population of the U.S., you'll still be at the bottom run on the academic ladder. Moreover, while experience may lead to prominence in your field, you are likely to find others who have more savvy in other ways. By learning to overcome the Imposter Syndrome now, you will learn a lesson that will hold throughout your career - and your life!
By building our intrapersonal skills, we'll not only find benefit during the dissertation process, but we'll have developed transferable skills that will help us in all areas of our life.
Watch for Part II where we'll explore interpersonal skills that can benefit academic, career, and personal goals.
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Friday, October 15, 2010

The Parts Or Subsections of a Dissertation

Many graduate students become stumped when it comes time to start writing their dissertation help. As a graduate student, you have completed your course work, taken the exam to become a Ph.D. Candidate, and it is now time to complete your dissertation in order to graduate with a doctorate in your field. One thing you may find helpful is to look over dissertations written by previous students in your program. The guidelines of the graduate school regarding the format of the dissertation may also help, as can your dissertation committee and previous students.
The dissertation structure can vary from one field to another or even from institute to another, but typically a dissertation starts with an introduction. Some students find that it is easier to write the introduction after the dissertation is complete and they know what the total dissertation presents, while others may want to start the introduction early on in the writing process in order to have an idea of the direction of the project.



A review of the literature, or a summary of previous work on the topic of interest in the dissertation, is generally required. Other parts include a discussion of the research methodology and the data and/or sample as well as the presentation of the study results. The methodology section lets the reader know how the writer investigated the research questions. Many dissertation help also have a chapter focused on the conclusions and implications of the research. Other requirements are often enforced by the graduate school, such as the format of the document, table of contents, list of figures, and so on.

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Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Writing a Dissertation - A Step by Step Guide

Dissertation help is an important part to the fulfillment of your graduation programme. It is also a part that requires hard work and adequate preparation. Despite the preparations, dissertation writing is likely to remain a daunting task.
Most institutions have therefore come up with ways of supporting their students throughout the dissertation writing process.
Choosing your dissertation topic
Take time to think about your topic choice. It is better to begin a few days later than to start earlier only to get stuck along the way due to difficult research topic.
• Choose a topic that is personally of interest to you.
• The closer a topic is to real life issues the better. Complicated theoretical expositions will only serve to overload your projects.
• Choose as current an issue as possible. A topic such as the pros and cons of e-commerce would have been interesting 10 years ago but we have more current issues today.
• A complicated dissertation topic will be more challenging to manage so choose a simple topic.
Getting ready -what you need to know
• Anxiety usually builds up at the prospect of writing a dissertation. Do not panic!
• Understand the importance of this project to the success of your academic career.
• Make sure you fully understand the requirements set by the dissertation committee
• Think about your topic; do you have a valid research question? What will you do in carrying out your research?
• Come up with a plan of action. Create a reasonable schedule that allows you to work in bits and stick to it.
• Know what help you will require and where you may find it.
• Keep a journal and jot down ideas as they come to you.
• Create an outline keeping your purpose in mind.
• You can get help from a professional dissertation writer



Typical Dissertation Structure
Abstract
This is an overview of the dissertation and is meant to give the reader a general idea of both your objective and results. You should keep it brief between 75 and 125 words.
Table of Contents Page
This displays the arrangement of the main sections and often subsections with respective page numbers. One page where possible is an appropriate length.
Chapter 1: Introduction
A detailed account of your research question and why it is worth examining. State your hypothesis here and give a summary of your conclusion. Keep it simple, clear and to the point not forgetting that the introduction should be about 10% of the entire project.
Chapter 2: Literature Review
In this chapter, you consider other people's ideas and theories in relation to your research. You should compare and contrast at least 10 other sources and a couple of theories/models. This chapter consists of about 20% of the dissertation.
Chapter 3: Methodology
Here you outline and defend your research design. You also explain how you collected empirical data. Did you use interviews, questionnaires etc? What were the main challenges?
Chapter 4: Findings
This is an important chapter in your dissertation help and also the largest. It forms about 30% of the project. This is where you bring out the findings deriving from an in-depth analysis of your empirical data. Be careful not to give your interpretation or draw conclusions here.
Chapter 5: Discussion
You are now ready to connect the evidence from your own research with aspects of your literature review as well as discuss your main finding.
Chapter 6: Conclusion
State the conclusion(s) you draw from your work clearly. What is you take on the effectiveness of your research design? Ensure that all the questions raised in earlier chapters have been addressed adequately. Indicate what further research can be done to strengthen your conclusion and give recommendation if any is required.
Bibliography
On a separate page, list all the references such as books, articles and websites as well as all the sources of empirical data. Entries are made in alphabetical order according to the required writing style.
Appendices
This is where you add other relevant research materials such as interviews, sample questionnaires, tables etc.

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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

How to Reduce Your Dissertation Writing Stress Levels

Facing the prospect of completing a 10,000 words (plus) dissertation help, with very little structured support can be extremely daunting, even to the most confident student. Throughout the majority of your academic life, you will have followed teacher's orders, a government agreed syllabus, a well researched reading list. And now, for the very first time, you are being given the freedom to undertake your own research project, to explore areas no man has gone before, to learn and read and write and create within your own timescales and study structure. Great isn't it?! A breath of fresh air...but scary!
The process under which your dissertation will be completed can be, and potentially should be, quite structured. Its needs a planning stage, a literature review, an outline developed, a first draft, further development and a final draft. All of these stages make up the process for completing a dissertation, and all deserve an in-depth review of what work is involved to ensure the stage is completed successfully. But before you commence the planning stage of your dissertation, you must make sure you have got the preliminaries sussed! An excellent dissertation relies heavily on great planning, but if it doesn't conform with the formalities, if it doesn't tick the examiners boxes, then it has the potential to become a big fat flop! So, ensure that Step One of any dissertation you're going to be completing is, 'understand what is required of you!' To do that, you need to answer the questions (helpfully posed by Peter Levin from the Open University Press) below:
- What requirements does your dissertation have to conform to? And what documents do you have that state these requirements?



- What type of dissertation are you being asked to complete? Are you able to use the advice and guidance of your tutors? Does the dissertation have to be based on subject-matter that has already been covered in your classes, or are you able to carry out a piece of original research?
- Is there any form of marking scheme that you can digest?!
- What is the word limit of the dissertation? And what is included and excluded from this word limit?
- What referencing system are you to use?
- Is there a specific layout preference? For example, do you need to use sub-headings and double spacing of lines?
- When and where does your dissertation need to handed in? And to whom? And is there a specific 'handing-in' process?
- How much freedom do you have over your title choice? Does it have to be agreed by your tutor before you can commence your research?
- How much assistance are you entitled to access? Where will this assistance come from?
- Can you use, access, or pull on previous student's dissertation help?
- Does everybody else in your class / group have the same answers to the questions posed above?! It's always best to clarify your understanding of the formalities with others in the same position as you!
It is very easy to misinterpret guidance, or misread a deadline..., but easy mistakes can have awful consequences! So take the time to speak to your fellow students, and make sure there is a consistency of understanding, before you embark on your own, unique, dissertation journey!
Enjoy the ride!

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Monday, October 11, 2010

How To Write And Finish Your Doctoral Dissertation

During my doctoral work, I read statistics that approximately 85% of doctoral students who have reached the status of ABD never finish their dissertation help. ABD stands for "All But Dissertation." These are students who have finished all course requirements and passed their doctoral oral exams. Knowing this statistic, I went to visit one of my own professors after I completed my own doctoral orals. I wanted to ask him a question.
The question I asked was: "What do I need to know to write and finish my dissertation?" I knew that he was a street-smart scholar, in addition to being a prolific author, outstanding teacher, and brilliant scholar. I knew that he would have practical wisdom for me.
His answer was short: "By the time people reach the point of writing a doctoral dissertation, they are smart enough, they know enough, and they work hard enough to finish. But everything they hear is: 'You aren't smart enough, you don't know enough, you don't work hard enough.' And so they never finish because they think they can never do enough."

When I got home, I wrote a simple question on a 3x5 yellow index card: "What Is Enough?" I stuck that card on my wall, behind my desk. Every time I sat at the desk to work on my dissertation, I could see the card and the question.
If I had to choose the single most important reason why I finished my dissertation it would be this question. "What Is Enough?" was the question that allowed me to go from ABD to Ph.D.
As I worked on my dissertation, the question: "What Is Enough?" kept me on course. Whenever I realized that I had just spent two hours on some interesting bit of information, the question reminded me of my purpose. My purpose was to complete the dissertation, defend the dissertation, and finish my degree. When I asked the question I could evaluate whether the particular topic I was working on was relevant to my purpose. Sometimes it was. Sometimes it wasn't. But simply asking the question reminded me that I was working toward a specific goal.
The enemy of completing a dissertation is the word "more." The word "more" drives scholars. There is always more to read, more to study, more to know. One more article. One more book. One more fact. The question: "What Is Enough?" cuts through this relentless drive to know and do more, to remember that the immediate task is to finish.
Since I completed my own dissertation, I have offered this question to other scholars, and I now offer it to you. The question will keep you on track to finish your dissertation. It is especially valuable whenever you feel overwhelmed, focused, and off-track. If you wonder if you will ever be able to finish, ask yourself: "What Is Enough?" to finish.
When you are writing a doctoral dissertation help, "What Is Enough?" means that you write a clear argument to prove a clear thesis. You don't have to write everything you know on a topic. "Enough" means that you write enough to prove your case. You don't have to write more than "enough."

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Sunday, October 10, 2010

How Long Should Your Dissertation Take?

How long should your dissertation help take? The answer: not as long as you think. Most of the time academics confuse time with quality. When a project takes a long time, it's almost always believed to be more valuable than one completed more quickly.
This belief becomes very obvious in the dissertation process. It is widely accepted that it might take one, two, (or more) years to craft, execute, and analyze a dissertation worthy research question.
While this is common belief, it is incorrect.
Here's why:
Most dissertations can be completed in a year or less, with two exceptions. The first (and most obvious) exception is when your study will require data collection or longitudinal research over a long period of time. For example, if your research design requires observation over a two year period, you won't be able to complete the dissertation in a year or less. Makes sense, right?
The second exception to the year or less rule is if you do not work consistently on your dissertation. Similar to exercising at the gym, you must show up regularly to achieve any lasting benefits. You do not expect to work out once and remain fit for the whole rest of your life. Likewise, you can not expect to work on the dissertation in a random manner and believe you'll finish quickly.



Aside from these two exceptions, though, you can be finished (or extremely close to it) with twelve months of extremely focused effort. Of course, some of you are putting in extremely focused effort, but there is one more thing missing: a defined plan.
If you don't know where you're going, you can not know when you'll arrive. This holds true for the dissertation process, and for life. If you do not know what actions to take, in what order, success will elude you.
Remember, do not confuse time with quality. If you were going to be given $1million dollars for finishing the dissertation in the next six months, could you do it? (Probably.) Wouldn't you be extremely motivated to finish, and do whatever it took to win the prize?
You very likely would.
Adopting that same mindset and approach to finishing your dissertation help (whether or not you'll win the million dollars) is exactly what is necessary to finish quickly.
Your dissertation should take as long as necessary to create a good quality paper. This will require less time than you think.
Keep yourself on track by asking yourself, each day, "What's the fast track to dissertation completion?" and then take the next action that you can think of.

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