DISSERTATIONS What This Handout Is About

Graduate school pundits frequently cite 50% or more as the abrasion rate for ABD students (those who have completed all the necessities of their programs. But the Dissertation). Why? This newsletter will not only answer this query but also give you superior realistic suggestion on starting, drafting, and completing your dissertation.

1. Writing A Dissertation Is An Absolutely New Experience.

To this point, being a graduate student has been, more or less, an extension of your earlier life as a student. Many people, in fact, go to graduate school because they have always been "good at school," and want to continue with something that brings them success and self-confidence.

2. Writing A Dissertation Is Not Only New; It's Also A Very Large, Very Independent Project.

Writing a dissertation is a lot like writing a book. It is, by definition, a self-directed process. There are usually no weekly deadlines from professors, no regular discussions with classmates, no reading assignments, no one telling you what to do you are on your own, writing something longer than you've ever written, and doing it without a net.