A dissertation is a rigorous research and writing process. It is very common that some doctoral students feel lost and unsure about the appropriate approaches they should take during the course of this long-term scholarly project. The resources presented on this page provide some strategies and practical help.

• Developing a Dissertation Proposal
• Conducting a Literature Review
• Writing a Dissertation
• Distinguished Dissertations (School of Education, University at Albany)

Internet Resources

• Writing a Dissertation Proposal: Notes on the Process and the Product
  (by Dr. Sharon A. McDade, Assistant Professor of Higher Education, Department of Educational Leadership, Graduate School of Education and Human Development, The George Washington University)
• The Doctoral Dissertation Proposal
  (by Catherine G. Burke, University of Southern California, School of Policy Planning and Development)

Books

• Brause, R. S. (2000). Writing your doctoral dissertation: Invisible rules for success. London; New York: Falmer Press. [LB 2369 B72 2000]
  
  “Writing your dissertation proposal while designing your dissertation research” pp. 97-115.
• Hart, C. (2005). Doing your masters dissertation: Realizing your potential as a social scientist . London; Thousand Oaks, CA : SAGE, 2005. [LB 2369 H325 2005]
  
  “Writing your research proposal” pp. 365-405.
• Martin, R. (1980). Writing and defending a thesis or dissertation in psychology and education. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas. [BF 76.5 M36]
  
  "Chapter 2: The formal proposal and the committee selection" pp. 19-37.
• Mauch, J. E. & Park, N. (2003). Guide to the successful thesis and dissertation: a handbook for students and faculty. New York: M. Dekker. [REF LB 2369 M377 2003]
  
  "Developing the proposal" pp. 67-96.
  "Preparation of the proposal" pp. 97-142.
• Ogden, E. H. (1993). Completing your doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis in two semesters or less. Lancaster, PA: Technomic. [REF LB 2369 O33 1993]
  
  “Designing your dissertation and preparing the prospectus and proposal” pp. 73-96.

Internet Resources

• Literature Reviews (by The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
• Writing a Psychology Literature Review (by Psychology Writing Center, University of Washington)
• Guidelines for writing a literature review (by Helen Mongan-Rallis, Education Department at the University of Minnesota Duluth)

Articles and Books

• Boote, D. N. & Beile, P. (2005). Scholars Before Researchers: On the Centrality of the Dissertation Literature Review in Research Preparation. Educational Researcher, 34(6), 3-15.
• Bryant, M. T. (2004). The portable dissertation advisor. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. [LB 1742 B79 2004]
  
  "The literature review" pp. 61-94.
• Cooley, L. (2003). Dissertation writing in practice: Turning ideas into text. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. [LB 2369 C66X 2003]
  
  "Reviewing the literature" pp. 20-22.
  "Key features of a literature review" pp. 22-30.
  "The literature review: an additional feature - hypotheses and research questions" pp. 30-34.
• Cooper H. M. (1989). Integrating research : A guide for literature reviews. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. [H 62 C5859 1989]
• Hart, C. (2005). Doing your masters dissertation: Realizing your potential as a social scientist . London; Thousand Oaks, CA : SAGE, 2005. [LB 2369 H325 2005]
  
  “Searching and reviewing the literature” pp. 365-405.
• Martin, R. (1980). Writing and defending a thesis or dissertation in psychology and education. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas. [BF 76.5 M36]
  
  “Review of the literature” pp. 42-49.
• Murray, R. (2003). How to write a thesis. Maidenhead, [England] ; Philadelphia, PA: Open University Press. [LB 2369 M87 2003]
  
  “Writing a literature review” pp. 101-114.
• Oliver, P. (2004). Writing your thesis. London ; Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. [LB 2369 O55 2004]
  
  "The literature review" pp. 106-118.
• Rudestam, K. E. & Newton, R. R. (2007). Surviving your dissertation : a comprehensive guide to content and process. Los Angeles, CA : SAGE Publications. [LB 2369 R83 2007]
  
  “Literature review and statement of the problem” pp. 61-85.

Internet Resources

• General Regulations Governing the Submission of a Dissertation (by UAlbany Office of Graduate Studies)
• Dissertation Tips (by Mary Bucholtz, University of California, Santa Barbara)
• Writing and Presenting Your Thesis or Dissertation (by S. Joseph Levine, Ph.D., Michigan State University, East Lansing)

Books

• Brause, R. S. (2000). Writing your doctoral dissertation: Invisible rules for success. London; New York: Falmer Press. [LB 2369 B72 2000]
• Bryant, M. T. (2004). The portable dissertation advisor. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. [LB 1742 B79 2004]
• Cooley, L. (2003). Dissertation writing in practice: Turning ideas into text. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. [LB 2369 C66X 2003]
• Dunleavy, P. (2003). Authoring a PhD: How to plan, draft, write and finish a doctoral thesis or dissertation. New York: Palgrave MacMillan. [LB 2369 D85 2003]
• Hart, C. (2005). Doing your masters dissertation: Realizing your potential as a social scientist . London; Thousand Oaks, CA : SAGE, 2005. [LB 2369 H325 2005]
• Hawley, P. (2003). Being bright is not enough: The unwritten rules of doctoral study. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas. [LB 2386 H38 2003]
• Luey, M. (Ed.) (2004). Revising your dissertation : advice from leading editors. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. [LB 2369 R49 2004]
• Martin, R. (1980). Writing and defending a thesis or dissertation in psychology and education. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas. [BF 76.5 M36]
• Mauch, J. E. & Park, N. (2003). Guide to the successful thesis and dissertation: a handbook for students and faculty. New York: M. Dekker. [REF LB 2369 M377 2003]
• Murray, R. (2003). How to write a thesis. Maidenhead, [England] ; Philadelphia, PA: Open University Press. [LB 2369 M87 2003]
• Ogden, E. H. (1993). Completing your doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis in two semesters or less. Lancaster, PA: Technomic. [REF LB 2369 O33 1993]
• Oliver, P. (2004). Writing your thesis. London ; Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. [LB 2369 O55 2004]
• Rudestam, K. E. & Newton, R. R. (2007). Surviving your dissertation : a comprehensive guide to content and process. Los Angeles, CA : SAGE Publications. [LB 2369 R83 2007]

Presidential Distinguished Doctoral Dissertations Awards

2006-2007

Ronald F. Dugan, Educational and Counseling Psychology
Examining the Construct Validity of Academic Self-Regulation Using the Survey of Academic Self-Regulation (SASR)

Carrie Eunyoung Hong, Reading
Learning Other Cultures’ Ways of Knowing: Literacy and Subjectivity Among Korean Students Learning English

John J. Kowal, Educational Administration and Policy Studies
Faculty Participation in Decision-Making in Academic Departments of Two-Year Colleges in New York State

Elizabeth J. Zhe, Educational and Counseling Psychology
Effects of a Crisis Drill on Children’s Knowledge, Anxiety, and Perceptions of School Safety

2005-2006

Christina A. Cruz, Educational Theory and Practice
Gender Games: Micro-competitions and a Woman’s Sense of Self as Coach

Erin McCloskey, Reading
Taking on a Learning Disability: Negotiating Special Education and Learning to Read

Sarah E. Torok, Educational and Counseling Psychology
Cognitive and Metalinguistic Precursors of Emergent Literacy Skills

2004-2005

Terry L. Murray, Educational Theory and Practice
Exploring the Psychological Terrain of the Virtual Classroom: The Nature of Relationship and Power in Online Teaching and Learning

Kristen Campbell Wilcox, Educational Theory and Practice
Cultural Dissonance in ESL Dialogue: A Study of Two College Classrooms