Survival Skills for Thesis and Dissertation Candidates

by Robert S. Fleming, Michelle Kowalsky

Overview

This is a must-have preparation and reference guide for students embarking on the challenging journey of completing a thesis or dissertation. The authors, who are both “students of thesis and dissertation travel,” combine their expertise and insights to offer wise travel guidance designed to enhance both the success and satisfaction of this likely once-in-a-lifetime journey. The various chapters provide a realistic preview of how to prepare for and how to complete each stage of this travel journey successfully. Individual chapters on each of the major tasks each serve as an important reference for students to review as they progress, thus providing a guide which will be consulted many times throughout their program.

The book provides advice on the most common aspects of the thesis or dissertation process, and it is written in a user-friendly manner designed to engage students and to enhance their comfort level as they journey through their candidacy. The importance of each task in the thesis or dissertation journey is addressed, along with its role in contributing to a successful outcome, and is accompanied by advice and suggestions from previous travellers. The challenges inherent in all stages of the journey are examined, along with proactive strategies for avoiding potential “bumps in the road.” You will not want to depart on this monumental travel adventure without this valuable survival guide!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783030809386
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	09/14/2021
Series:	Springer Texts in Education
Edition description:	1st ed. 2021
Pages:	213
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Robert S. Fleming holds a joint appointment at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, as a professor of management in the Rohrer College of Business where he previously served as dean, and as a professor of crisis and emergency management within the Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management program. In addition to a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Temple University, he has five earned master’s degrees, including a Master of Governmental Administration from the Fels Center of Government of the University of Pennsylvania. The primary focus of his research, teaching, and consulting has been on enhancing organizational effectiveness and resilience, with an emphasis on contemporary businesses, non-profits, public safety, and governmental entities. He is a prolific author, having published a number of books and articles, as well as a recognized authority and media source for various business, emergency management, and crisis management topics. For more than 30 years he has been a student of the thesis and dissertation process and has assisted students and colleagues in their journeys from the initial conceptualization of their research interests to successful completion of a substantial project.

Michelle Kowalsky is a librarian at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. She holds multiple degrees, including a doctorate in Education from Pepperdine University. She teaches undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff about the art and science of research in all subject areas. As a reference and instruction librarian and tenured professor, she has served as a Dissertation Chair and committee member, as well as a Master’s Thesis chair for the College of Education. Her background includes working as a Library and Information Sciences faculty member, as a teacher preparation professor, as a graduate program coordinator and academic advisor, and as an academic, school, and public librarian. Her research interests focus on the interactions between libraries, technologies, and learning, and she has published and presented on a wide variety of research topics in the fields of business, education and librarianship.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Your Commitment Is Essential to Success.- Chapter 2: The Research Process.- Chapter 3: The Importance of Effective Time Management.- Chapter 4: Developing a Realistic Timetable.- Chapter 5: Developing a Time and Resource Allocation Plan.- Chapter 6: Understanding Institutional Policies and Procedures.- Chapter 7: The Importance of Meeting Deadlines.- Chapter 8: Understanding Why Candidates Fail to Complete Their Thesis or Dissertation.- Chapter 9: Focusing on a Manageable Research Topic.- Chapter 10:Identifying an Area of Research Interest.- Chapter 11: Roles and Responsibilities of a Research Advisor.- Chapter 12: Selecting Research Advisors.- Chapter 13: Working with Your Research Advisors.- Chapter 14: Roles and Responsibilities of Your Committee.- Chapter 15: Working with Committee Group Dynamics.- Chapter 16: Identifying a Research Topic.