How to Complete and Survive a Doctoral Dissertation

Rating:
Summary: If you're approaching your diss READ THIS BOOK!
Review: A must have, besides Gordon Davis' book on dissertation writing. I'd highly recommend this book to any ABDs--it's has a true touch of the author's experience that is easy to relate to---not some "consultant's" who might have no flip of a clue how much work a doctoral dissertation ACTUALLY is.

Rating:
Summary: If you're approaching your diss READ THIS BOOK!
Review: After finishing my comps I wanted a book that would address the last hurdle toward my PhD. I spent a couple of hours in the library thumbing through "how-to-write-a-dissertation" books and finding nothing more than uninteresting collisions of the MLA Manual of Style and Williams' Style (an excellent book BTW). Then I found How to Complete and Survive a Dissertation -- the only reason I pulled it off the shelf was the word "survive" in the title. I believe this book will help me not only survive the diss but also complete it in a timely fashion - Thus far, after a mere week in my possession, it has explained the reason I have become invisible in my department! I knew I needed my own copy. Yes, it is depressing -- but it is better to know what you are up against than to stick your head in the sand and ignore the problems. Yes, it is dated in parts -- you don't need to read the sections on using a computer -- still, even though the statistics are from the late 1970s, they are no less telling about the plight of many an ABD over the last 30 years. Lastly, I would also recommend this book to the significant other of the ABD. It clarifies the process and the pitfalls. It is, as promised, a survival guide surpassing all the deadly "how-to" books.

Rating:
Summary: crucial for anyone a year away from and into their phd work
Review: I am one year away from beginning my doctorate studies and I needed a general, non-field specific, and intrapesctive look at how to maintain and complete a doctoral dissertation. The book drove home the fact that I need to write a doctoral dissertation, and what skills I need to fine hone before attempting such a thing.
The book also helped me to determine just what type of person should be writing a dissertation and what tools one should utilize in doing so.
This is a book I know I will re-read and return to years into my thesis.

Rating:
Summary: Not recommend for anyone.
Review: I don't know why I am so bored of this book. The guideline is very subjective. I would say it can't be applied in real life -at least for the Ph.D. that I know. One chapter was dedicated to "Diplomatic with committee members". It might be true for the author's case. Also, it might applicable for many cases. But what? One dedicated chapter for diplomatic? You're kidding me, right? I can't imagine what happen if every one follows this guideline and spend their time for diplomatic playing, instead of researching. Myth and fact are not the case either. Myth is not myth and fact isn't true. Please don't wait your time on this book. "Tomorrow's professor" or "Get what you came for" are much much better.

Rating:
Summary: One-Week Old ABD
Review: I found this book in the library. Began to read and make notes. By page 36 I knew I needed this book sitting beside my dictionary, my thesaurus, and Turabian. I have listened to other ABDs over the years. But never quite believed what I heard until I read Sternberg --- Hold your hats -- here I go! With Sternberg as a mentor.

Rating:
Summary: timeless advice on the process, dated on the details
Review: I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 because of the amount you can skip about things like "Whether or not to use a computer."

This book is fabulous though, and having received my PhD a week ago, I can say it was immensely helpful - especially when my advisor turned into a monster as if from nowhere.

You will read almost all you need to know about the types of advisors, finding and working with committee members, and (perhaps most importantly) the dissertation myths and anxieties that paralyze us all from time to time.

I have read several of these "How to write a dissertation" guides, and this was the one I came back to again and again.

Rating:
Summary: Does anyone else feel this way!
Review: Sternberg's book is, at times, dated, however he does tap into the hard-to-explain feelings of anxiety facing the ABD. This text has been a sort of therapy for me as I complete my course work and ready myself for the lonely adventure of data collecting, analyzing and writing. Chapter 7 provides meaningful guidelines for organizing your own dissertation-support group.

Rating:
Summary: Does anyone else feel this way!
Review: Sternberg's book is, at times, dated, however he does tap into the hard-to-explain feelings of anxiety facing the ABD. This text has been a sort of therapy for me as I complete my course work and ready myself for the lonely adventure of data collecting, analyzing and writing. Chapter 7 provides meaningful guidelines for organizing your own dissertation-support group.

Rating:
Summary: Negative view of Dissertation
Review: This book was my "bible" during grad school; it was my "mentor" as I fought to complete my dissertation. As I've counseled graduate students over the years, many have found this book helpful. I wholeheartedly recommend it, despite some of my comments below. Sternberg spent years working as a dissertation counselor, and he knows what he's talking about. Here are some features that I found particularly helpful:
1. This book *is* about survival. Of course, Sternberg could spend more space discussing formatting and other gritty details. This book is more concerned about cutting to the chase -- how to get a Ph.D. in the minimum amount of time, with the minimum amount of damage and the maximum amount of personal and professional growth.
2. It communicates very effectively to us that the process is typically lonely, dangerous, and costly. The process frequently ends badly. Sternberg focuses on practical solutions that carry us through.
3. He anticipates many barriers to completing a dissertation, and provides valuable advice for getting past them. For instance, he discusses issues such as (a) difficult members of the committee, (b) sexual harassment, (c) difficulties staying motivated, and (d) effective (and ineffective) ways to get support from friends, faculty members, and professional counselors. His advice isn't always politically correct (e.g., tolerating sexual harassment), but it reflects the voice of a strongly opinionated, experienced mentor who is aware of worst case scenarios and ways to survive them. In my own case, he was dead on, in various ways. I needed to stay focused on completing my work while tolerating and minimizing the damaging effects of my committee-member-from-hell. I needed to make sure my work was "good enough" while dispensing with the "magnum opus" myth.

I didn't take all of Sternberg's advice. He generally seemed to recommend weeding people out of one's life who were not particularly understanding or supporting of the dissertation focus. He seemed to recommend maintaining a constant focus on getting the work done--just keep working. In my own case, I moved forward when I budgeted plenty of time and psychological energy away from the dissertation. When I conquered workaholic tendencies, the time I actually spent working was much more productive. If I allowed myself time with friends and family who weren't particularly concerned in my dissertation, it was quite energizing. In other words, this is akin to "incubation effects" that one reads about in introductory psychology classes. (e.g., Crick and Watson took plenty of time off to play while discovering the DNA double helix...)

If you feel that your dissertation effort is on the skids despite all your work, I might suggest finding a good dissertation coach (or therapist). Several years ago, I heard a presentation by a dissertation coach in the San Diego area who seemed to be on target. Her site on the web was something like "dissertationdoctor.com" or some such... I'm sure there are others out there.

I wish that Sternberg would publish a new, updated edition of this book, especially now that there are newer competitors on the market.

Final note: If you are shopping for a book on this topic, then get this one. Lots of people have found it to be very helpful; some haven't. For [the money], or so, it is worth the gamble.

Rating:
Summary: Dissertation MUST READ
Review: We're taught that info more than 10 years old usually isn't apprpriate for a dissertation. However, this is a MUST READ for all who intend to complete the dissertation process. It is guaranteed to save you time and heart ache (not to mention many of the frustrations that are a natural part of the dissertation process). In fact if read BEFORE you even start your Review of Literature you will find that manyfrustrations that are usually presumed to be "natural" can also be avoided or at least limited in their scope and severity. If you are already well into the process read it any way. It is still going to save you time and hassles.