101 Daily Dissertation Writing Tips Text

Jonathan Friesen - Writing Coach

Unfortunately, once the author of td:d finished her dissertation and started a full time job in the spring of 2011, she didn’t have the time to post regularly to td:d anymore.  rather than leave the blog to languish, she chose to edit and publish the tips and suggestions that she created over time in ebook form. The first two ebooks, 15 minute tasks for dissertation writers and 101 daily dissertation writing tips are both available as kindle editions.  all original posts written by the creator of the blog can now be found in the kindle edition to do: dissertation. However, td:d will remain up and running because there are some very important posts still to be found on this website: every dissertation writer needs a little motivation every now and then. To encourage regular writing sessions, i x2019 m happy to offer the 101 daily dissertation writing tips ebook as a tool for dissertation writers who need some encouragement each day. This ebook tackles the toughest parts of dissertation writing from staying motivated to the revision process.

These writing tips were first published on twitter, which requires posts to be 140 characters or less. This is a great method for writing tips because it means that you are assured the following: these daily dissertation writing tips are simple steps that can be easily implemented into your writing process. These daily tips are easy to read all at once in a short period of time if you are looking for specific kinds of writing motivation. Since starting to post these tips on twitter, i x2019 ve had several followers ask me where they can find the tips all in one place. Instead of collecting each tip as it x2019 s posted on twitter, you can now have 101 daily writing tips available all in one document! the tips in this document are organized by 18 themes, whereas on twitter they just appear randomly.

I hope that this ebook offers the motivation and encouragement you need to finish your writing and take satisfaction and pride in your dissertation process and final product. Graduate school pundits often cite 50% or more as the attrition rate for abd students those who have completed a ll the requirements of their programs b ut the d issertation. Why? this handout will not only answer this question, but also give you good, practical advice on starting, drafting, and completing your dissertation. Unlike the elaborate study strategies you developed in order to pass your comprehensive exams, writing the dissertation will enable you to start developing a set of valuable research and writing skills. Thinking analytically, synthesizing complicated information, writing well, and organizing your time will all serve you well regardless of the career you begin. If you choose a career in academia, the systems of support, research strategies, work schedules, and writing techniques that help you do the dissertation will help you write books, articles and lectures for many years to come. If you take some care in developing your dissertation, the document can be transformed, after graduation, into a book or series of articles that can help launch your academic career.

Unlike earlier course papers that just received a grade and were then shuttled off to a filing cabinet or trash bin, your dissertation can be used and revised for years to come. On the other hand, it can be an end as well as a beginning you don’t have to develop the dissertation beyond the completion of the degree if you don’t want to. If you’re sick of the topic, you can focus on just finishing it for the degree, and then move on to other projects. Sometimes, even if you appreciate the differences between the dissertation and previous work and know that you really want to complete the degree, you may still have trouble. Why? both external and internal stresses can cause the dissertation process to be more difficult than it has to be.

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You may assemble your committee for the proposal defense, and then never see them until the final dissertation defense. That may work fine for you, or you may decide that you would prefer more frequent contact. Talk with your advisor about how committees usually work with doctoral candidates in your department.

Ask the members of your committee whether they would prefer to see drafts of your chapters individually, or wait to see the final complete draft. Keep in regular contact with your committee, even if they don’t want to see your work until it has been approved by your advisor. Let them know about fellowships you receive, fruitful research excursions, the directions your thinking is taking, and the plans you have for completion. Too often, we only talk to our professors when we’re making progress and hide from them the rest of the time.

If you share your frustrations or setbacks with a knowledgeable committee member, he or she might offer some very helpful suggestions for overcoming the obstacles you face after all, your committee members have all written major research projects before, and have probably solved similar problems in their own work. It’s important not to get too hung up on how your committee does or doesn’t relate to you. Even when you are dedicated to your dissertation and have no problems with your topic, advisor or committee, you can have trouble getting your dissertation written. Simple exhaustion, financial stresses, and family responsibilities can seem to conspire to keep you from doing the work that you need to do. While you can’t do anything about many of these stresses the rent needs to be paid, and the grad school still wants you to know two foreign languages. For examples you can change the way that you deal with these external concerns and minimize their impact on your psyche and productivity.

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Often, graduate students juggle many personal and professional responsibilities while working on their dissertations. You may be teaching an undergraduate course, working a second job to make ends meet, seeking child care, writing conference papers, serving on committees, and more. Sometimes, finding time to exercise, meditate, or participate in relaxation programs yoga, stretching, massage therapy, and so on can help you cope with tiredness better, even if those things do little to alleviate the work load.

A fellowship, grant or scholarship can provide enough financial cushion that you can quit at least one job, and perhaps even find full funding for a year. Often, having one part time job or other commitment while researching or writing can help you structure your day, get to campus early in the morning, and so on. With a whole year ahead of you with nothing to work on but the dissertation, there’s a tendency to feel like you can put off the dissertation for a day, a week, or more there’s no sense of urgency. So while fellowships can be tremendously helpful, they also require great discipline to prove effective. When scheduling your dissertation time, think about when, where and how you work best.

By giving some thought to these details, you can ensure that the hours you schedule for dissertation work are productive. If at all possible, plan your work schedule, errands and chores so that you reserve your productive hours for the dissertation. Directors of graduate studies and other employers may be pretty sympathetic to this desire to schedule your best hours for your dissertation after all, the dissertation is your reason for being here and should be your number one priority. Figure out where you work well and plan to be there during your dissertation work hours.

Do you get more done on campus or at home? there’s no sense in planning to work at home two days a week if you wind up watching television every time you try to work at your kitchen table. Similarly, if you do your best work in your home study, try to avoid planning your days so that you are stuck on campus all day every day, without access to your best work space. Carrels work well for some people because they limit distractions but others find them intolerably quiet and austere. Many people don’t sleep well if their work space and their sleep space are in the same room their anxieties about their work can prevent them from getting to sleep quickly and having a restful night.