Destination Dissertation: A Traveler's Guide to a Done Dissertation [Paperback]

Sonja Foss (Author), William Waters (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0742554406 | ISBN-13: 978-0742554405 | Publication Date: May 25, 2007

Dissertations aren't walls to scale or battles to fight; they are destinations along the path to a professional career. Destination Dissertation is a handbook that helps students successfully develop and complete their dissertations. It uses travel as a metaphor framing the process as an exciting trip of 29 steps that can be completed in less than nine months. Designed for use by students in all disciplines and for both quantitative and qualitative dissertations, the book shows concrete and efficient processes for completing those parts of the dissertation where students tend to get stuck, from conceptualizing a topic to editing the final work. It includes a wealth of real-life examples from throughout the dissertation process, such as creating the proposal and coding data. This time-tested method comes from the authors' successful work at the Denver-based Scholars' Retreat. Essential for all PhD candidates!

Editorial Reviews

Review

The idea of organizing the book as if it were a travelogue presents an innovative perspective from which the dissertation can be managed. Symbolically, the concept of embarking on a trip (with maps!) connotes a kind of pleasantry, rather than the burdensome process of wandering to an imprecise, amorphous destination—the reality for so many doctoral students.... The tone of the book is didactic—but not stuffy in the least: the subject matter is reachable and reflects the expertise of travel guides who know the precise direction in which to lead their charges. (Marianne Di Pierro )

Regardless of discipline or research approach, Sonja Foss and William Waters have encountered all of the roadblocks and excuses related to completing the dissertation or any other scholarly writing project. Their straightforward methods, cleverly and uniquely packaged in this book, will provide a clear pathway to successfully finishing your work. Stop reading the other 'how-to' books for completing the dissertation. Follow Foss and Waters's guidelines and finish! (Brian L. Heisterkamp )

Destination Dissertation offers a comprehensive, systematic, and well-tested approach for writing dissertations. Foss and Waters's focus on doability, efficiency, and production of original scholarship will appeal to graduate students at all levels, their advisors, and even faculty members working through their own publication processes. This book also offers unique insight into the process of conceptualizing a dissertation, working with advisors, and becoming a scholar-writer in post-dissertation writing. In short, this book should be required reading for all dissertating students and their advisors! (Stacey K. Sowards )

To the rescue comes Sonja K. Foss and William Waters with their outstanding book, Destination Dissertation. This book is a must-have for anyone in graduate school, and for anyone who faces the prospect of writing a research paper or journal article with trepidation. In this book the authors succinctly and efficiently guide you through the entire dissertation process via a step-by-step, easy to follow format. . . . No matter what field you are in, or the type of research you are conducting, you can effectively use Destination Dissertation as a guide to writing your dissertation or thesis. . . . If you are facing the prospect of having to write a dissertation or thesis, get this book! (The Athenaeum )

Destination Dissertation presents an attempt to demystify the process of conducting, writing, and presenting original research, completing dissertations, and making the transition to journal articles. The travel metaphor is creative and one to which all of us, as scholars, can relate. The format is cohesive and the chapters flow according to the process of the dissertation format. The techniques suggested are ones that students in my methods classes have found extremely beneficial. (Monica M. White )

About the Author

Sonja K. Foss is professor of communication at the University of Colorado at Denver. She created and is co-director of Scholars' Retreat, designed to provide intensive, focused, and supervised writing time for dissertations, theses, and other writing projects. William Waters is assistant professor of English, coordinator of composition, director of the writing center, and coordinator of assessment at Northwest Missouri State University. He is co-director of Scholars' Retreat.

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (May 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0742554406
• ISBN-13: 978-0742554405
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,836 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT help for Dissertation!, July 25, 2007

By 

SER "SER" (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Destination Dissertation: A Traveler's Guide to a Done Dissertation (Paperback)

I have to say this book is extremely helpful and has the detailed kind of advice/guidance that you would hope to get from your advisor/program. The Dissertation process can be so overwhelming with so many moving parts and this book really breaks it down and makes it manageable and doable!! Plus it provides a very helpful timeline that is applicable to any dissertation. I have read many books about this whole "getting it done" deal and this is the ONLY book I think that provided me with clear guidance and thinking for the whole process... the best way to describe it is it provides a road map of where you are going and if you follow their "directions" then you'll get there!! You need to trust the process... and on the way you learn some VITAL skills to writing and completing a BIG project that can later be used when writing a book, a proposal, a report, etc. And since i love to travel... the title and ongoing travel discussion was very helpful!! GOOD LUCK!!

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dissertation got you down? This book will help you out of the mire., August 23, 2007

By 

Deborah Gohrke (Bothell, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Destination Dissertation: A Traveler's Guide to a Done Dissertation (Paperback)

I had the pleasure of meeting Sonja and William (the authors) at their dissertation workshop in June 2006. This book is a reflection of the principles and techniques they use in their workshop to guide people over the axle breaking potholes of the dissertation writing process. I'd spent a year working on my dissertation before then and had dug myself into a big hole. They got me out of the mire, cleaned off the muck, and sent me on my way with clear directions (a draft of the book). Roughly six months later my dissertation was completed. I ordered the book to help my friends, other struggling travelers, complete their dissertations-which is happening as I write this review. I have a bookshelf full of guides to writing a dissertation and while they contain some helpful advice, this is the one that got me home. Trust the authors combined wisdom and experience and follow the directions on their map and you will soon be telling the stories of a seasoned traveler who has been there, done it.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get it DONE and get on with your life, January 1, 2008

By 

JC (CT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Destination Dissertation: A Traveler's Guide to a Done Dissertation (Paperback)

With so many dissertation guides available, it's tough to know which one to pick. The unique value of Destination Dissertation lies in its suggestions for overcoming real-world road blocks in the journey. Foss and Waters provide concrete tips and actual examples for dealing with common problems like an out-of-control lit review, making sense of mounds of data, negotiating with advisors and committee members, slow and painful writing, and plain old boredom. This book keeps the reader's focus on a manageable plan for breaking down tasks and moving forward. Highly recommended for graduate students in the thesis or dissertation process who want to get it DONE and get on with their lives.