Customer Reviews

Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis

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This book was extremely helpful. I bought this book about 9 months ago when I had only 2 chapters of my doctoral dissertation done. Now I am done with my dissertation (500 pages!) and about to graduate with a Ph.D. in anthropology. The tips and suggestions in this book were fantastic, and the tone of the book is very positive, unlike other dissertation-writing books I've read. Whenever I didn't feel like writing, I would go to Joan Bolker's book, and usually within a few minutes of reading, I would find something that would inspire me to write again. I would recommend this book to anyone trying to complete a writing project of any kind.

The subtitle for this book is probably the more telling about the contents. This book is more of a guide to the whole process of writing the dissertation rather than the physical act of writing. Bolker discussing the writing as well as choosing a topic, choosing an advisor for your dissertation, and choosing a committee for your dissertation defense. Covered in the book are some of the psychological barriers that can hinder your finishing the dissertation, and some pitfalls to avoid (such as political battles with your advisor).

The primary thought is to develop the habit of writing. Some of the ideas may sound familiar to you, but they are no less true. Bolker states that you must develop the habit of writing everyday if you are going to build up the stamina and fortitude to completing the task. She does suggest a support group to assist in this.

The biggest draw for this book, for me, was that Bolker is an authority. She started two dissertations, one of which she did not finish. She has also worked with many students in writing their dissertations, and she knows from experience what works and what doesn't (she points out a problem that can arise from writing solely on the computer).

I would recommend this book to anyone beginning the journey to finishing a dissertation. Do not take this information lightly.

When I first saw the book a strong urge came over me to get it. My inner critic said, what for? You're not a Phd candidate. Sure, you're writing a paper for a masters program but it isn't the same as a dissertation. Don't waste your money.

The argument was sound but the book's call was much stronger. I purchased it. It was the best investment that I had made. Whether you are a Phd candidate trying to get your dissertation done or a wannabe intimidated by the thought of having to write one, this book must be on your required reading list!

If you have successfully completed high school, college and graduate school (masters level) then you have already written your fair share of papers. You have the technical and disciplined skills to write. Well then, what is the problem in doing a dissertation?

Bolker teaches one about learning how to develop a process of writing that is best for you. Once done she moves you from the process to the basic mechanics of getting the dissertation done. It is never to late in getting a head start on learning how to finish your doctoral thesis even before you are accepted into a Phd program. Start Now! The book is a tremendous stimulator.

It is a required textbook for a dissertation/thesis writing class at my university. Students have to read the whole book before the class begin. Although English is my second language, I found this book is easy to understand and fun to read. No jargon or classy words are used.

The writer is a clinical psychologist whose specialty in helping blocked writers. She writes with humor and kindness. She nicely applies her experience in helping her students in this book. Her suggestions are very practical and helpful. It helps me cope with psychological problems that I believe many dissertation writers have faced. When I read this book, it always tells me that "hey, you are not alone". It really gives me a sense of supporting group.

The book gives many tactics in "how to be" persistent and resilient in working/writing toward the graduation day which is the ultimate goal for every student. It also provides many helpful tips in "how to live" your life (or survive) during this critical period of getting the degree.

It is not a book that tell you what to include in each chapter or how to pick suitable methods in your research. If you look for that kind of book, I would recommend "Surviving Your Dissertation, 2ed" instead. These two books are very worth to read together.

FYI: There are some other writing books that might be useful for you.
1) Writing for social scientists (Howard Becker)
2) Writing papers in the biological sciences (Victoria McMillan)
3) Scientific papers and presentations (Martha Davis)

***Chapter 9 of this book says, "The Best Dissertation is a Done Dissertation". It is absolutely true.***

As a Ph.D. student, I had been searching for this kind of book to guide me in the most daunting portion of the doctoral program--the completion of a doctoral dissertation. Bolker's sensible approach helps assuage the pain and the fear of the unknown. The title itself gives you the real key to writing a great disseration: finish one or two pages a day, and in six months to a year you can have a 365-page thesis completed. Do yourself a favor: while taking your dissertation-proposal class, read this book and share it with your fellow candidates.

I believe that this is one of the most helpful guides to writing a dissertation ever published. If you are in the humanities, it is the first book to buy when you enter your program. (The second should be "Professors as Writers" by Boice).

Bolker suggests that students write early and often as they shape their dissertations. And she'll help you find ways to write early and often. Keeping the critic away from the creator is a key element of her program for daily writing. Her hints, especially the concept of a "zero draft" (an even rougher, looser, beginning phase that preceeds the "first draft") will help you avoid or overcome procrastination.

She has useful suggestions for finding a topic, setting up a dissertation support group, choosing and working with your advisor, and taking stock of your process along the way. She will help you take a more practical, supportive stance towards yourself and to stay on task and get finished.

The content of the book is especially useful for students in the humanities. It will be very useful to those in the social sciences as well. However, I believe that this book is comparitively unhelpful for those in the hard sciences or other fields where the structure of the dissertation is a series of two or three journal articles. Her advice about finding a topic is superb for those who must create their own path and have a huge range of choices in subject matter, but doesn't really apply to students working in a lab or with a pre-determined, pre-existing data set. In a related fashion, her advice about choosing advisors is extremely helpful in cases where choices can be made in part on the basis of personality fit but doesn't really apply when it is a specific advisor's grant support and research project that is supporting your doctoral studies. (For students in the sciences, I would strongly recommend starting with "A Ph.D. Is Not Enough".)

Bolker's writing is clear and graceful. Her professional authority comes from years of experience as the cofounder of the Harvard Writing Center. Great credential, eh? Perhaps because of her experience as a counselor, she has more psychological saavy than almost anyone I've read who writes about the academic career path. There is compasion in the tone of her words. Her personal history also explains her empathetic stance -- she began and failed one doctoral degree but went on to later complete a dissertation and get an Ed.D.. She is personally motivated to help prevent people from experiencing the difficulties she once faced.

I'm a clinical psychologist who coaches grad students, post-docs and faculty, and this is one of the first books I recommend (www.successfulacademic.com). I also teach graduate students at UNC -- courses like "Publish not Perish" and "Graduate Student Survival Skills." Students who buy this book at my recommendation almost invariably thank me for introducing them to Bolker's work.

If you can't afford to hire a personal coach, if you are blocked, or just want to proceed even more effectively, this is a great place to start.

Ms. Bolker knows every trick in the book that procrastinators use to put off the inevitable. She jumps in at the beginning to help the thesis student make the best decisions for winnowing a topic, choosing an advisor, setting up a daily writing schedule, to chuggging along on draft five, or heading toward defense. One of her pithy reminders is, "Always park on the downhill slope". By this, she means stop today with an easy to find starting point for tomorrow. Ms. Bolker is kind, understanding, and forgiving. Her advice goes beyond the post-modern "Just Do It". She gives you the plan, the tools, the prodding (even ideas for self-rewards) for getting it done.

I really appreciate this book. I have a few other books on writing my dissertation and had started the process. Unfortunately, I had also bogged down. The book helped me get going again. The author offers simple ideas, but I actually tried them out and started writing. That is the secret to writing, just write. Simple but dramatic. And I started, as suggested, writing questions and comments to myself on the process of the dissertation. The more I put things down, the more clear they became to me. Amazing. I have really enjoyed this book. Great ideas and the motivation I needed.

Writing Your Dissertation in 15 Minutes a Day is one of the most practical guides I have ever read. In that this book deals with a topic of vital importance to anyone working themselves through the maze of graduate school, makes it all the more a must-read. I have found many parallels in my experiences as a doctoral student and those of Dr. Bolker's, and I began early in the book to heed the sage advice she offers. I find her writing style humorous in places, and a comfortable, easy read throughout. This is definitely a book worth purchasing.

Her advice is really good. She is deeply respectful, both of the real difficulties of making yourself write, and of the fact that your writing must be your own. Some samples of her advice that have transformed my relationship to writing: Set goals you can keep, even if it's only 15 minutes a day; use positive reinforcements; write in order to think, not vice versa. This last is especially valuable- if you want to write, just keep writing, even if it's not what you think you "need" to be writing! You really can trust her process to filter dissertation topics and chapters up to where you need them. I also liked it that she put control for discovering how I write best back into my hands, because that's what you most need when writing, and it's what many writing books (and advisors) take away. I wish I had read this 5 years ago. I have transformed my writing experience so that it now fits rather nicely into my life instead of being a painful and forced attempt to prove myself.