Customer Reviews

Writing the Doctoral Dissertation

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

This gave me the framework to begin, but it in no way describes the process to get to the end! Good as a starting block.

If you'd like to know dissertation specifics like how many pages your proposal should be, then this is the book. Also, if you're not working in a warm, fuzzy discipline (e.g. most social sciences), this is probably the only book that is fully aware of your existence; one of the authors is a professor of management. Buy this book, if only for its practicality.

I have read several books on dissertation writing and this one seems to cover all the bases in the most concise form. However, I gave it only four stars because there is no guide to further reading, which I think is essential.

This is a very helpful little book. It is basic, and easy to read. It brings a sense of order and structure to the large concept of "go write your dissertation." This book will not do the dissertation research or writing for you, and it can't force you to complete each step of the project. But, it gives very practical, concise tips for each phase of the process. And excellent quick resource for those who are just starting the dissertation process. I think this book would appeal to linear thinkers--or people who need to be linear thinkers for the purpose of getting their dissertations done--as it is a very structured and organized book.

When one begins to write a dissertation there are a great many questions and anxieties. This book answered many of those questions and gave a sense of direction. I recommend it.

This book helped me determine if I wanted to further my education. Although I was skeptical it would provide me with information, I found it helpful in my decision to pursue a doctoral degree and I am strongly considering it.

As someone who works privately with students, helping them with dissertations, I highly recommend this book. When students call me in regard to assistance with their dissertation, I recommend that they buy this book and use it as an ongoing reference. The information contained in this book anticipates and answers many of the questions that students have about the dissertation process. It is the most practical guideline for writing a dissertation that I have come across in recent years.