Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation: Tips and Strategies for Students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences

Author:   Fred C. Lunenburg ,  Beverly J. Irby
Publisher:   SAGE Publications Inc
ISBN:  

9781412942256


Pages:   352
Publication Date:   12 February 2008
Format:   Paperback
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
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Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation: Tips and Strategies for Students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences


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Overview

""Accurate, clearly written, and easy to understand even for the beginning researcher, with equal coverage of both qualitative and quantitative research. This is the only book to combine a textbook approach with a how-to approach."" —Carol Roberts, Professor, University of La Verne Author, The Dissertation Journey ""This is a very practical book and will be immediately usable for graduate students at any stage in their research. The multitude of examples is wonderful, and the content is very current."" —Mary Betsy Brenner, Professor of Education University of California, Santa Barbara The advice and resources you need to complete your thesis or dissertation! No matter what state or stage your project is in, this how-to manual provides comprehensive guidance to help you tackle your master′s thesis or doctoral dissertation. Covering both quantitative and qualitative research methods, this essential resource offers direction for every step of the process. Drawing on 40 years of experience supervising dissertations, the authors provide examples from 100 completed projects to guide readers through: Choosing a topic and writing research hypotheses Selecting a chair or committee Ensuring a successful proposal and oral defense Adapting the finished product for publication Using the Internet and desktop publishing effectively With a conversational style suitable for both faculty and students, Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation demystifies the writing experience and presents step-by-step directions for successfully completing your project.

Full Product Details

Author:   Fred C. Lunenburg ,  Beverly J. Irby
Publisher:   SAGE Publications Inc
Imprint:   Corwin Press Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 17.70cm , Height: 1.80cm , Length: 25.40cm
Weight:   0.660kg
ISBN:  

9781412942256


ISBN 10:   141294225
Pages:   352
Publication Date:   12 February 2008
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order   Availability explained
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

Preface About the Authors Part I. Getting Started 1. Selecting a Suitable Topic Sources of Topics Criteria for Topic Selection Summary 2. Selecting a Chair and Committee Criteria to Consider in Selecting a Chair Composition and Role of the Committee Research Prospective Committee Members The Desirable Student Summary Part II. What You Need to Know 3. Quantitative Research Designs Descriptive Research Correlational Research Causal-Comparative Research Quasi-Experimental Research Experimental Research Theory Development Summary 4. Basic Statistics Descriptive Statistics Inferential Statistics Summary 5. Qualitative Research Designs Phenomenological Research Case Study Research Ethnographic Research Grounded Theory Research Mixed Method Research Summary Part III. The Dissertation Chapters 6. Writing the Introduction Chapter Background of the Study Statement of the Problem Purpose of the Study Significance of the Study Definition of Terms Theoretical Framework Models Research Questions (or Hypotheses) Limitations Delimitations Assumptions Organization of the Study Summary 7. Writing the Literature Review Chapter Searching the Literature Writing the Literature Review Synthesizing the Literature Summary 8. Writing the Methodology Chapter Introduction Selection of Participants Instrumentation Data Collection Data Analysis Summary Conclusion 9. Writing the Results Chapter Introduction Descriptive Statistics Testing the Research Questions (Hypotheses) Additional Analyses Summary Conclusion 10. Writing the Discussion Chapter Summary Discussion Implications for Practice Recommendations for Further Research Conclusions Summary Part IV. The Defense and Afterward 11. The Proposal and Final Defense Prepare a Well-Written Document Know the Format Prepare Your Presentation Practice Your Presentation Anticipate Questions Final Oral Defense Tips on How to Avoid Common Mistakes Summary 12. Publishing Your Dissertation Presentations Job Interview Academic Journals Books Chapters in Books Popular Press Internet Publishing Desktop Publishing Planning the Writing Process Summary Appendix A: Initial Letter to Participants Appendix B: First Follow-up Letter to Participants Appendix C: Second Follow-up Letter to Participants Appendix D: Dissertation Proposal Outline (Correlational) Appendix E: Dissertation Proposal Outline (Analysis of Variance) Appendix F: Dissertation Proposal Outline (Multivariate Analysis of Variance) Appendix G: Dissertation Proposal Outline (Qualitative) Appendix H: The Qualitative Research Critique Appendix I: Agreement: Guidelines for Chairing a Dissertation Appendix J: Checklist for Dissertation Quality References Index

Reviews

Accurate, clearly written, and easy to understand even for the beginning researcher, with equal coverage of both qualitative and quantitative research. This is the only book where the authors combine a textbook approach to teaching research with a how-to approach. -- Carol Roberts, Professor, University of La Verne 20070711 The best book of its kind I have ever seen. It is succinct yet thorough and includes lots of appropriate examples. It takes the reader from the process of developing a topic through all the stages of writing and defending the dissertation, up to and including presentation and publication. It is academic, pragmatic, and politically astute. -- Sharon Toomey Clark, Educational Consultant 20070711 This is a very practical book and will be immediately usable for graduate students at any stage during their research. The multitude of examples is wonderful, and the content is very current. -- Mary Betsy Brenner, Professor of Education 20070716 This book may soon become as dog-eared in my reference library as my APA manual. Some may see a dissertation journey as a thousand miles, but these authors help the writer see the process one step at a time. -- Monica Kempland, Academic Advisor, St. Louis University 20081121


Author Information

Fred C. Lunenburg is Jimmy N. Merchant Professor of Education at Sam Houston State University. Previously, he was on the faculty of educational administration at the University of Louisville, Loyola University Chicago, and Southern Utah University, where he also served as Dean of the College of Education. In addition, he has held public school positions as a high school English teacher and reading specialist, high school assistant principal, high school principal, and superintendent of schools. Dr. Lunenburg’s scholarship includes 45 books, 15 book chapters, and over 200 articles published in both practitioner and academic/research journals. Beverly J. Irby, Ed.D. is Associate Professor of Educational Leadership in the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling at Sam Houston State University. She has also served as Director of Field Experiences, Supervisor of Mentor Services, Liaison for Sam Houston State University’s Urban Professional Development Site, and as a Title VII Grants Coordinator at an urban elementary school. She has published widely, authored or co-authored numerous grants, and consulted frequently with school districts.  

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