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This essential guidebook takes you step-by-step through the dissertation process, with checklists, illustrations, sample forms, and updated coverage of ethics, technology, and the literature review. A dissertation can be challenging, but this informative book helps you overcome the obstacles along the way. Using graphics, checklists, and sample forms, this guide readies you for each step of the process, including selecting the committee, getting acclimated to academic writing, preparing for your oral defense, and publishing your research. New features include: * A chapter on ethical considerations * Expanded coverage of digital data collection and the Internet * More detailed information on conducting the literature review * A discussion of how to develop a theoretical or conceptual framework
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SECOND EDITION The DISSERTATION Journey A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and Defending Your Dissertation CAROL M. ROBERTS CORWIN A S A G E Company Copyright © 2010 by Carol M. Roberts All rights reserved. When forms and sample documents are included, their use is authorized only by educators, local school sites, a n d / o r noncommercial or nonprofit entities that have purchased the book. Except for that usage, no part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information: Corwin A SAGE Company 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, California 91320 (800) 233-9936 Fax: (800) 417-2466 www.corwin.com SAGE India Pvt. Ltd. Β 1 / 1 1 Mohan Cooperative Industrial Area Mathura Road, New Delhi 110 044 India SAGE Ltd. 1 Oliver's Yard 55 City Road London EC1Y ISP United Kingdom SAGE Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd. 33 Pekin Street #02-01 Far East Square Singapore 048763 Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Roberts, Carol M. The dissertation journey : a practical and comprehensive guide to planning, writing, and defending your dissertation / Carol M. Roberts. — 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4129-7798-2 (pbk.) 1. Doctor of education degree—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Dissertations, Academic—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 3. Report writing—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title. LB1742.R63 2010 808'.066378—dc22 2010020319 This book is printed on acid-free paper. 10 11 12 13 14 Acquisitions Editor: Associate Editor: Editorial Assistant: Production Editor: Copy Editor: Typesetter: Proofreader: Indexer: Cover Designer: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 Dan Alpert Megan Bedell Sarah Bartlett Amy Schroller Jenifer Dill C&M Digitals (P) Ltd. Theresa Kay Molly Hall Michael Dubowe 3 2 1 Contents F o r e w o r d viii Kenneth R. Stevenson N e w to T h i s E d i t i o n χ Preface xii A N o t e to D o c t o r a l C a n d i d a t e s xiv A c k n o w l e d g m e n t s xvi A b o u t t h e A u t h o r P A R T I: Q U E S T S A N D Q U E S T I O N S 1. D o Y o u H a v e W h a t It Takes? xviii 1 2 W h y Take T h i s J o u r n e y ? D o You H a v e W h a t It Takes to J o u r n e y to the P e a k ? 2 4 A v o i d i n g the H a z a r d s o f H i g h - A l t i t u d e C l i m b i n g Procrastination 5 6 E m o t i o n a l Barriers Writer's Block 10 11 W h a t A r e the Inner Essentials? 13