Dissertation and Scholarly Research Recipes for Success

Description

A Dissertation Guide for Professional Learners Doctoral education has changed dramatically over the last three decades. Traditionally, pursuit of a doctoral or research credential involved intense study at a large, traditional research university, and was reserved for those seeking careers in academia or research. The process of completing doctoral level work at traditional universities usually required a commitment to full time study, varied tremendously between institutions, and was often somewhat mysterious. Today, all this has changed. The emergence and growth of online education has led to a proliferation of doctoral learning possibilities for busy professionals. Individuals in the industry, nonprofit, and education are sectors are pursuing doctoral study as a means to advance their careers, increase their market value in the workplace, and establish their professional stature. If this sounds like you, then you have come to the right place. Recipes for Success is the book that will launch you on a successful quest for the doctoral degree. Dissertations are very personal endeavors and accomplishments, originating with problems and issues that are meaningful and important to the doctoral learner. These professionals are deeply grounded in their understanding of the issues and needs of their profession. Recipes build on this this understanding, helping learners to discover and frame issues they are passionate about, and construct a credible and influential research study around this passion. While most dissertation guides focus largely or exclusively on the mechanics of writing and organization, Recipes approaches dissertation development as an iterative process of thinking and self-reflection that leads learners to discover what matters most to them and to their professions, and enables them to frame this meaning into a research problem and purpose, and to organize and execute a study design to fit, and thus solve the problem and achieve the purpose. From the very beginning of your doctoral journey to the ultimate achievement of degree completion, this book is your guide to the process and content of dissertation and research creation. In Recipes for Success, we articulate a process by which you can build the pieces of a successful and influential dissertation. Using a workbook approach rich in tools, templates, frameworks, examples, web integration, and hard-won lessons from experience, Recipes provides a friendly, easy to navigate process crafting issues and ideas into research and results. Based on our 40+ years of collective experience in the online educational setting, mentoring over 300 professional learners to success in completing their doctorates (including numerous award winners), we identify the most important factors for success and the traps to avoid. Whether you are considering doctoral study, are already in a doctoral program, or are working to develop and complete your dissertation, you will find Recipes for Success a key ingredient in your success as a doctoral learner. Our graduates tell us that Recipes is THE book that made a difference in their doctoral career and success. YOU can do it too! Good luck on your doctoral journey! PHASE 1 PLANNING YOUR FEAST—GETTING STARTED......Page 13 1 cup “P”ossess a Positive Attitude......Page 14 1 cup “R”ead Efficiently—Understand Scholarly Language......Page 19 Academic/Scholarly/Doctoral Writing......Page 20 The Language of the Scholar—Some Scholarly Jargon......Page 37 1 cup “O” rganize Your Time......Page 48 1 cup “C”reating a Working Environment......Page 53 1 cup “E”xtend Your Note-Taking and Writing Skills: Record Keeping, Mind Mapping, PIE Writing......Page 54 Note Taking......Page 55 Mind Mapping......Page 56 PIE Writing......Page 60 1 cup “E”nter Information Into a Computer, Journal, or Tape Deck......Page 63 Creating a Journal......Page 66 1 cup “D”esign a Survival Kit......Page 67 ½ cup “P” ossess Knowledge of What a Dissertation Is and Is Not......Page 69 1 cup “I” dentifying Your Style......Page 71 ½ cup “C” lassify Yourself Professionally......Page 94 1 cup “K” (c)onduct the ROC bottom test......Page 97 The Problem Statement......Page 101 Quantitative and Qualitative Research......Page 109 Verification in a Qualitative Study......Page 115 Choose Your Method Wisely......Page 121 Past Perspective......Page 122 Present Perspective......Page 123 Future Perspective......Page 141 Nouveau Cuisine......Page 147 BE AWARE OF HEALTH HAZARDS......Page 159 1 cup RESPONSIBILITY......Page 160 1 cup COMPETENCE......Page 167 1 cup MORAL AND LEGAL ISSUES......Page 168 1 cup PROPER REPRESENTATION......Page 180 CHOOSE YOUR ATTIRE......Page 182 PHASE 2 ACCOUTREMENTS......Page 194 Tests, Inventories, Questionnaires, Interviews, Observations, Archived Documents......Page 195 Reliability and Validity......Page 208 Internet/Intranet (Web Page) Surveys......Page 216 The Personal Interview......Page 223 Observation......Page 235 ASSISTANT CHEFS: IDENTIFYING YOUR POPULATION AND CHOOSING YOUR SAMPLE......Page 239 Sample Size......Page 243 What’s Stat? (You Say?)......Page 256 How to Exhibit Your Data (a)......Page 270 How to (Ap)praise your Date (a)......Page 280 TEST YOUR QUANTITATIVE ACUMEN......Page 327 Bootstrapping......Page 328 Nonparametric Tests......Page 329 Examples of Other Nonparametric Statistical Tests......Page 334 Sample Bill of Fare (Prospectus) for a Proposal......Page 350 Research Question: To what extent is the 12-step program being used by those who have been successful in care for at least 1 year?......Page 351 Prospectus for YOUR Study......Page 353 PHASE 3 THE FEAST......Page 355 APPETIZER (INTRODUCTION)......Page 357 ½ cup Introduction......Page 358 ¼ cup Problem Statement......Page 360 2 cups Background......Page 364 ½ cup Purpose......Page 365 1 cup Significance......Page 368 1½ cups Nature of the Study......Page 371 1 cup Theoretical Framework......Page 372 1 cup Research Questions/Hypotheses......Page 380 ½ cup Scope, Limitations, and Delimitations......Page 387 2 Teaspoons Definitions......Page 391 ½ cup Assumptions......Page 392 CHAPTER 2 SOUP/SALAD......Page 2 Recipe for Appraising an Author......Page 400 Check the Date of Publication......Page 403 Check the Title of Journal......Page 404 Check the Logic in the Arguments Presented......Page 406 CHAPTER 3 ½ MAIN COURSE......Page 413 CHAPTER 4 OTHER ½ OF MAIN COURSE......Page 418 CHAPTER 5 DESSERT......Page 424 Some Red Flags (Foods to Avoid)......Page 429 Oral Presentation or Defense of Your Dissertation......Page 430 Menu......Page 437 SUGGESTED READINGS......Page 463 About the AuthorS......Page 468 REFERENCES......Page 472 INDEX......Page 483