Successful Dissertations and Theses

Madsen's book should be welcome both to graduate students about toundertake dissertations and to faculty needing to learn the role ofthesis adviser. . . . Madsen tells how to propose, outline, write,defAnd, and possibly publish a dissertation, information whichshould save graduate students years, pain, and money.
--Library Journal 1. Starting and Completing the Dissertation.

2. Working with the Research Adviser and Advisory Committee.

3. Selecting and Shaping the Research Topic.

4. Preparing the Research Proposal.

5. Employing Basic Research Sources and Techniques.

6. Using the Library and Locating Essential Resources.

7. Organizing, Outlining, and Writing.

8. DefAnding the Thesis.

9. Adapting the Thesis for Publication and Presentation.

Resources: Sample Proposals and Manuscript Pages A. SampleProposal: Historical Approach B. Sample Proposal: ExperimentalApproach C. Sample Pages. "Madsen's book should be welcome both to graduate students about to undertake dissertations and to faculty needing to learn the role of thesis adviser. . . . Madsen tells how to propose, outline, write, defAnd, and possibly publish a dissertation, information which should save graduate students years, pain, and money."

David Madsen is professor of education at the University of Washington

"Should save graduate students years, pain, and money."

"Madsen's book should be welcome both to graduate students about to undertake dissertations and to faculty needing to learn the role of thesis adviser. . . . Here one learns about long-term planning, avoiding self-defeating strategies, and negotiating with advisers. Model papers, shown at various stages of planning and development, clarify the steps. Madsen tells how to propose, outline, write, defend, and possibly publish a dissertation, information which should save graduate students years, pain, and money."
—Library Journal

Revised and updated to cover the increasing use of computers in research and writing, this start-to-finish guide to dissertations and theses is available for the first time in paperback. Drawing on more than twenty-five years of experience in advising graduate students, David Madsen provides a practical resource for thesis writers in all fields of study, including the liberal arts, social and behavioral sciences, and natural sciences.

Offering a comprehensive source of assistance, Madsen goes beyond other thesis guides—from topic selection and proposal, through the research and writing processes to the defense and subsequent presentation to professional audiences. With the help of many detailed examples, the author shows how each step can be confronted and completed efficiently and in good time. And he explains how to avoid the pitfalls of endless—and often needless—research and how to devise and adhere to a realistic timetable for completion.