Full Description
"With each turn of the page I found myself nodding 'exactly!' Whether as a class text assigned by faculty or as a self-study resource used by students, this book will resonate with readers."
—Doug Leigh, Associate Professor of Education
Pepperdine University
Use these focused guidelines to help you through every stage of the dissertation process!
Writing a dissertation requires focus and commitment. The Education Dissertation provides a step-by-step process for developing and completing an academically rigorous dissertation in a time-efficient manner.
Written for doctoral students in education who are also currently working in the field, this book provides specific and accessible guidance for the entire process, from finding a topic to conducting the literature review to writing and defending the dissertation. Grounded in adult learning theory, this volume:
Offers a clear, easy-to-follow approach that highlights key milestones with concrete goals and workable methods at each step
Discusses how practitioner scholars can apply their work experience to the dissertation
Includes organizational templates complete with detailed charts, checklists, a timeline, student examples, and rubrics
Provides tips throughout to help students think through situations
Covers both quantitative and qualitative research
Perfect for practicing educators at any stage of the dissertation process, this resource provides the "big picture" framework as well as the nitty-gritty details.
Contents
List of Figures
Preface
Who Should Read This Book and Why
Key Features and How to Use Them
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Dedication
1. A Guide for Practitioner Scholars
Questioning the Doctorate
Seeing the Doctoral Process Through Doctoral Students' Eyes
This Book as Guidelines and Guardrails
Strategies for Success
2. A Road Map From Start to Finish
The Big Picture: An Outline of the Process
The Dissertation Timeline
Your Own Timeline and Benchmarks
Embracing Technology: The Table of Contents and Reference List
Structuring Your Life as a Doctoral Student
3. Focusing Your Research
Articulating a Topic in "Academic Speak"
Narrowing the Topic
Your First Success at Focusing: Creating a Title and Research Question
A Final Thought: Focusing Your Research at a Cocktail Party
4. Structuring Your Research
Choosing a Theoretical Framework
Doing a Literature Review
Understanding Research Methodology
Choosing a Research Method
Empirical Methodologies
Linking Research Purpose to Research Method
5. Conducting Your Research
Linking Research Methods to Research Tools
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Some Final Thoughts Before "ABD-Land"
6. Putting It All Together: Completing Your Dissertation
The Dissertation as a "Machine"
Reverse Engineering Your Dissertation
What Are the Remaining Key Issues?
7. Defending and Moving On
The Dissertation Defense
Publish Your Findings
Apply Your Research: Impacting K-12 Education
Teach the Next Generation: Teaching in Higher Education
The Beginning of Your Journey as a Practitioner Scholar
Key Resources by Topic
References
Index
