Thesis and Dissertation Guide

• Start writing with the methods section and about your preliminary data.  You may find starting with a difference section easier depending on your topic/research but start writing with the easiest section and build your momentum. Write your introduction and your abstract at the end.
  • If you're in the humanities this would be the heart of your research. For example if you were comparing Game of Thrones to Shakespeare, instead of beginning with an introduction, you would jump into where you are comparing them. 
• Instead of sitting in front of your computer every day for 2 hours with writer's block, try to write daily with well defined writing goals - I'm going to write 2 pages, or create a table, etc. 
• If you miss a day, do not try to make up for it the next day. Just keep going and don't burn yourself out. Keep yourself to reasonable, realistic goals and make sure to keep a work-life balance.
• Don't worry about perfect grammar when you're doing your first draft(s).  That's easy to edit, generating new content with perfect style? Not as easy. 
• Try to keep some kind of memo pad with you at all times - on your phone, on paper, however works for you for those flashes of brilliance when you're not near your document.
• Make sure you communicate with your supervisor - do not be afraid to reach out!  Make sure you're on the right track.
• If you're research based make sure you have a clearly defined question your thesis will answer, including milestones. 
• Make and outline, including bullet points for your data/arguments in each section. This may change over time but it will help you keep track of what data needs to be collected and what information needs to be included in each chapters.
• Include all your results, not just the results that support your hypothesis - this is called cherry picking.  Be transparent. 
• Read and look at other theses in your field - this can help inspire you and answer questions as you go along. You can do this in the library, or online by visiting our dissertation databases. You can also check out Google Scholar to see what's available there. 
• How to Write a Thesis Without Losing Your Mind - Risto Sarvas

There are several places to find dissertations. Here are a few:

• Visiting our dissertation databases
• Google Scholar 
• PQDT Open - theses and dissertations freely available on the web
• EBSCO Open Dissertations

We all hit times when we need support, especially with long and large projects like theses and dissertations. Here are some places you can go to get help:

"Your Dissertation Supervisor: Yes, your supervisor is incredibly busy, but that does not mean zhe does not want to provide you with all the encouragement and support you need to get to the dissertation finish line. Always make your supervisor your first line of defense when you are struggling. To make the best of an appointment, write down your concerns or questions beforehand and be ready to ask for specific, actionable forms of support.

Dissertation Support Group: Social media and Facebook groups are a fantastic source of motivation for anyone involved in graduate studies (especially if you are learning virtually and cannot benefit from the support of classmates in person). This one is a good platform for sharing survey/interview requests, asking questions about research, commiserating and celebrating success and challenges with other grad students, and even sourcing books and article. It is a private group with students from all disciplines participating.

Phinished: Intended for both masters and doctoral students (despite the title), this online forum is a discussion and support group for students who cannot seem to finish their dissertations or theses. It is free to join and offers a fantastic connection to other students around the world.

@AcademicChatter on Twitter: By joining this Twitter community, you get to connect with grad students, ECRs, & senior academics, all of whom are ready and willing to swap stories, offer advice, participate in research, share opportunities, and just be generally supportive.

ReadWritePerfect: If you need more help than your supervisor, friends, and social media can provide, you might want to consider dissertation coaching. A coach can help with everything from writing and career advice to motivation and time management. This particular coach taught grad students at ESU for 5 years, and is a reliable, trustworthy option."

-- resources and words from Dr. Jennifer Harrison at ReadWritePerfect

University's Admissions and Financial Aid Team: If you need assistance with financial aid questions or concerns, the University's Admissions and Financial Aid Team should definitely be your first port of call. They can help you calculate costs, create a budget, and identify and apply for scholarships, grants, and other forms of aid.

Edvisors: Edvisors is a loan comparison site, but in this 2020 article, they also provide a comprehensive overview of all of the different forms of graduate school funding available, from federal student aid to military aid and graduate assistantships. It’s a good place to start as you compile your personal funding plan.

Financial Aid for Graduate or Professional Students: Federal Student Aid is obviously one of the top sources of graduate funding. This official brochure helps you understand how this form of aid works. It also contains a ton of additional links and resources.

Inside Higher Ed: This online higher-education-focused magazine is fantastic browsing for anyone thinking of entering (or already nvolved with) graduate studies. This article provides practical advice on personal investments during graduate studies, to help you plan for the future.

-- resources and words from Dr. Jennifer Harrison at ReadWritePerfect

Career and Workforce Development: Here at ESU, we know that your degree is just the start of your professional journey, so we have invested in a dedicated team to help you shape and meet your career goals. Make an appointment for help with everything from deciding on a career path to completing job applications and writing resumes.

CollegeXpress: When you have graduate-student level qualifications and expectations, job searching becomes both more complex and more rewarding. Learn some top tips on a successful grad student job search in this article from CollegeXpress.

Inside HigherEd: If you are a first-generation grad student, you may not be able to turn to family members for advice on moving from degree to job. This article from Insider HigherEd offers six key pieces of advice and is written by a first-generation grad student who knows what she is talking about.

Professional Organizations: As well as relying on generic job-search boards (like Indeed or Glassdoor), remember that as a graduate student, there is a professional field you can turn to when job hunting. Professional Organizations (such as the American Nurses Association for nursing students or the National Association of Police Organizations for criminal justice students) offer a community of others in your field who can (and frequently do) share news about upcoming positions. You might also want to consider reaching out to other professionals through Linkedin and advertising your availability for work in your field.

-- resources and words from Dr. Jennifer Harrison at ReadWritePerfect

ESU Writing Studio: The writing studio isn’t just for undergraduates! If you need help with your grammar or formatting, drop in and see if we can help you out.

Grammarly: There’s no shame in needing some help with grammar and expression. Grammarly is a free tool that is more powerful than many in-built word-processor grammar checks. It will help you catch most obvious mistakes before you share your work with the world.

Purdue OWL: This online writing lab offered by Purdue University has become well-known for it’s free, online writing guides and how-to articles. Their free guides to MLA, APA, and CMS style are regularly updated, free, and comprehensive – and using them is much more accurate than relying on a citation tool that might make mistakes.

Scribendi: If you need comprehensive help with proofreading or a professional eye on your organization, expression, research paper structure, and so on, you could try this paid online editing service. The editors are all carefully vetted, highly qualified, and well-trained. They specialize in specific academic writing support, including ESL editing.

-- resources and words from Dr. Jennifer Harrison at ReadWritePerfect