Writing the Doctoral Dissertation [Paperback]

Gordon B. Davis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0812098005 | ISBN-13: 978-0812098006 | Publication Date: June 3, 1997 | Edition: 2

Here is the first book a prospective doctoral candidate should read. Updated to reflect both modern technological advances and the realities of contemporary academia, it serves as an excellent overview of the dissertation process in most academic fields. Advice starts with selecting an advisor and a dissertation committee, then covers problems connected with selecting a dissertation topic, submitting the proposal, working with an advisor, and writing and defending the dissertation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series; 2 edition (June 3, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812098005
• ISBN-13: 978-0812098006
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #255,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

96 of 100 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars This book sets out the basics, like "do what you need to do", February 12, 2000

By 

"roger388" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing the Doctoral Dissertation (Paperback)

This book is helpful, if you have no idea about what it means to write a dissertation. It does provide an overview of all of the basics, like what it means to select a committee, and how many pages make an average dissertation. However, it is full of advice that boils down to, "do what you need to do" and "do it with integrity".

While it is a very compact book, and has lots of useful information, it's a bit like reading a style manual. Several books for social scientists are available (see Howard Becker), and some of the books that deal more with the psychology of writing (and staying motivated to write) the dissertation might be a better buy.

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A decent overview, but not a text that stands alone., August 28, 2004

By 

Carolyn K. Broner, Ph.D. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing the Doctoral Dissertation (Paperback)

Although written in 1997, much of the information in this book still provides a good overview of how to manage the dissertation, or even the thesis process for traditional students. Davis and Parker start off good by providing case studies of doctoral students in the first chapter; however, it is only at this point where such easy to relate to scenarios are presented. It is clear that this book was written with conventional students in mind. If you are an individual enrolled in a nontraditional program, for instance at a distance education institution, you will find that this book lacks pertinent information that pertains to you.

In addition, at some points, the text becomes overly mechanical making the read a tad bit dry, while not providing enough about other significant issues (e.g. the literature review, the components of the proposal, or the dissertation defense). As one would suspect, the information on technology is dated. What's more, the book lacks an index, which could make it a user-friendlier tool. Maybe Davis and Parker will rectify this in the next edition.

Despite these weaknesses, there is some very useful information that can be garnered from this book, such as its thorough discussions of working relationships with and selection of advisors and committee members, topic analysis and selection, page length, and tips for presenting the proposal. I would recommend this book to my graduate student clients as an introduction to the dissertation process, but not as a text that can stand-alone. If your goal is to really understand what goes into a dissertation, or thesis, in addition to Davis and Parker, you will need to read a more comprehensive text.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read, February 21, 2007

By 

T. Wade (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Writing the Doctoral Dissertation (Paperback)

As I'm preparing my doctoral dissertation, I've read a number of books on the topic. This is the only one from which I was actually able to learn something. Most remind you of the obvious. This text goes beyond, providing checklists, concrete examples, and the answers to questions that most would be too timid to ask.