by Gordon B. Davis
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Product Description
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.
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Average Customer Review:
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
 Excellent read, 2007-02-22
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.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Very practical, organized guide for dissertation-writing, 2006-07-30
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.
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
 A decent overview, but not a text that stands alone., 2004-08-28
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.
93 of 97 people found the following review helpful:
 This book sets out the basics, like "do what you need to do", 2000-02-12
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.
17 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
Probably the best buy, 1999-11-09
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.
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