How to Finish and Defend Your Dissertation (The Concordia University Leadership Series)

Grant and Tomal provide a cogent approach to navigating the dissertation trail from start to finish. They demystify the process and provide expert advice and specific examples. This book is a must have for every candidate during their dissertation seminar courses. -- Christopher H. Tienken Ed.D, Editor, AASA Journal of Scholarship & Practice, Editor, Kappa Delta Pi Record, Assistant Professor, Education Leadership, Management, and Policy, Seton Hall University, NJ This book is a goldmine of information and I wish it had been available when I engaged in my own marathon. It is easy to read and engage with and the suggestions are spot on. After teaching for multiple doctoral programs, I can assure that the information here will be relevant to all those in university programs. Buy this book and save money on fewer semesters! -- Dr. Katherine Green, Dean of Student Services and Counseling, International Horizons College, Dubai, United Arab Emirates How to Finish and Defend Your Dissertation is a well-organized, comprehensive, and thoughtful guide to completing an otherwise daunting task. It provides doctoral candidates with the requisite tools for moving through the dissertation process and completing the defense. I highly recommend it! -- Julian Thompson, M.A., Ph. D. Candidate, School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago, IL Doctoral cohorts, having completed their coursework, should discuss How to Finish and Defend Your Dissertation, providing an excellent overview of the dissertation process, with the end in mind. -- Dr. Louis Wildman, Professor of Educational Administration, California State University-Bakersfield, Association of California School Administrator "Outstanding Professor of the Year;" National Council of Professors of Educational Administration "Living Legend." The authors present sound advice on the independent and self-directed nature for completing a dissertation with suggestions on how to cross the finish line of the dissertation. Some of the practical suggestions include following the advice of the dissertation chair, networking with others completing a dissertation, and preparing the defense so the candidate has confidence. This book is a must read for all doctoral candidates running the marathon to completion of a dissertation. -- Dr. Pauline M. Sampson, Doctoral Faculty and Dissertation Chair, Stephen F. Austin State University, TX How to Finish and Defend Your Dissertation contains careful research, the wisdom of experience and practical suggestions that doctoral students and their advisors will both find helpful. The text is written in an engaging and easy-to-read style, and the lessons collected in this volume will appeal to scholars in a variety of fields. -- Dr. Jeffrey S. Brooks, professor of educational leadership at Monash University and author of "Black School, White School: Racism and Educational (Mis)Leadership." An all inclusive, straightforward guide for 'making it happen' from start to finish. I especially like the embodiment of emotions, relationship management and presentation skills. Superb! -- Gary L. Wolfard, Ph.D, Bridge Avenue Partners, LLC, Chicago, IL We know that understanding how we are to do and what we need to do are important factors in accomplishing our goals. Drs. Grant and Tomal immerse the reader in a wealth of examples, case studies and strategies--all of which provide the reader clear guidance concerning what to expect and how to solidly survive the complexities of writing and defending a dissertation. This book is a must read for doctoral students in all professional fields! -- Sharon D. Kruse Ph.D, Professor and Chair, Educational Foundations and Leadership, University of Akron, OH The authors provide a comprehensive and student-centered approach to understanding the often murky dissertation process. Most important, the authors smartly include a chapter which details how to publish manuscripts and present from the dissertation. This skill and topic are not often included as part of the dissertation process - a brilliant and much-needed inclusion. -- Dr. Azadeh F. Osanloo, M.P.A., Ph.D., Ph.D., Stan Fulton Endowed Chair in Education, New Mexico State University The authors of How to Finish and Defend Your Dissertation have prepared a practical and well-organized book to guide the dissertation student to successful completion. One aspect that stands out is the focus on using virtual technology to facilitate the dissertation research process. In a world defined by the "Cloud" as a virtual storage space, Drs. Grant and Tomal direct the reader in a step-by-step process for using technology to manage the dissertation writing process. -- Patrick M. Jenlink