This comprehensive manual offers direction for every step of the thesis or dissertation process, from choosing an appropriate topic to adapting the finished work for publication.

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!

This book provides a step-by-step guide to writing the different chapters of a PhD dissertation, which will benefit aspiring, beginner and mid-track PhD students and candidates in the Social Sciences. Based on the authors’ combined experience of working with both Masters and PhD students through the dissertation writing process, it offers helpful writing guidelines, from the conceptualization and problematization of the dissertation through to the literature review, methodological issues, writing up results and, finally, to the discussion, conclusions and abstract writing process. With chapters dedicated to offering guidelines, suggestions and pitfalls to watch out for, this book will assist PhD students and candidates in the fields of the various Social Sciences with exercises and pointers on successfully navigating the writing of a PhD dissertation. It takes the PhD student in the Social Sciences through the maze of writing a dissertation, and provides a step-by-step train of thought throughout the entire writing process.

A Dissertation Guide for Professional Learners Doctoral education has changed dramatically over the last three decades. Traditionally, pursuit of a doctoral or research credential involved intense study at a large, traditional research university, and was reserved for those seeking careers in academia or research. The process of completing doctoral level work at traditional universities usually required a commitment to full time study, varied tremendously between institutions, and was often somewhat mysterious. Today, all this has changed. The emergence and growth of online education has led to a proliferation of doctoral learning possibilities for busy professionals. Individuals in the industry, nonprofit, and education are sectors are pursuing doctoral study as a means to advance their careers, increase their market value in the workplace, and establish their professional stature. If this sounds like you, then you have come to the right place. Recipes for Success is the book that will launch you on a successful quest for the doctoral degree. Dissertations are very personal endeavors and accomplishments, originating with problems and issues that are meaningful and important to the doctoral learner. These professionals are deeply grounded in their understanding of the issues and needs of their profession. Recipes build on this this understanding, helping learners to discover and frame issues they are passionate about, and construct a credible and influential research study around this passion. While most dissertation guides focus largely or exclusively on the mechanics of writing and organization, Recipes approaches dissertation development as an iterative process of thinking and self-reflection that leads learners to discover what matters most to them and to their professions, and enables them to frame this meaning into a research problem and purpose, and to organize and execute a study design to fit, and thus solve the problem and achieve the purpose. From the very beginning of your doctoral journey to the ultimate achievement of degree completion, this book is your guide to the process and content of dissertation and research creation. In Recipes for Success, we articulate a process by which you can build the pieces of a successful and influential dissertation. Using a workbook approach rich in tools, templates, frameworks, examples, web integration, and hard-won lessons from experience, Recipes provides a friendly, easy to navigate process crafting issues and ideas into research and results. Based on our 40+ years of collective experience in the online educational setting, mentoring over 300 professional learners to success in completing their doctorates (including numerous award winners), we identify the most important factors for success and the traps to avoid. Whether you are considering doctoral study, are already in a doctoral program, or are working to develop and complete your dissertation, you will find Recipes for Success a key ingredient in your success as a doctoral learner. Our graduates tell us that Recipes is THE book that made a difference in their doctoral career and success. YOU can do it too! Good luck on your doctoral journey!

This book provides invaluable guidance for thinking through and planning a qualitative study. Rather than offering recipes for specific techniques, master storyteller Robert Stake stimulates readers to discover "how things work" in organizations, programs, communities, and other systems. Topics range from identifying a research question to selecting methods, gathering data, interpreting and analyzing the results, and producing a well-thought-through written report. In-depth examples from actual studies emphasize the role of the researcher as instrument and interpreter, while boxed vignettes and learning projects encourage self-reflection and critical thinking. Other useful pedagogical features include quick-reference tables and charts, sample project management forms, and an end-of-book glossary. After reading this book, doctoral students and novice qualitative researchers will be able to plan a study from beginning to end.