FINISH YOUR DISSERTATION, DON’T LET IT FINISH YOU! Joanne Broder Sumerson Author Photograph: Lisa Kitchen Cover Design: Wiley Cover Image: iStockphoto.com This book is printed on acid-free paper Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc All rights reserved Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with the respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation You should consult with a professional where appropriate Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom For general information about our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762-2974, outside the United States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002 Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Sumerson, Joanne Broder Finish your dissertation, don’t let it finish you! / Joanne Broder Sumerson, Ph.D online resource Includes bibliographical references and index Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed ISBN 978-1-118-41925-0 (ebk) — ISBN 978-1-118-41635-8 (ebk) — ISBN 978-1-118-13303-3 (pbk.) Dissertations, Academic—Authorship—Handbooks, manuals, etc Academic writing—Handbooks, manuals, etc I Title LB2369 808.06'6378—dc23 2013020575 Printed in the United States of America 10 This book is dedicated to my loving and supportive husband, Jeffrey It would still be a bulleted list of ideas on a Post-it note without his daily inquiry, “When are you going to start writing that book already?” Contents Acknowledgments Introduction ix xiii CHAPTER ONE The Secret Handshake CHAPTER TWO Breaking Ground on Your Study 13 CHAPTER THREE Anatomy of a Dissertation 29 CHAPTER FOUR Rolling Out the Red Carpet for Your Study: The Strong Introduction 39 CHAPTER FIVE Literature Review Made Simple 45 v CONTENTS CHAPTER SIX Data Scavenger Hunt: Methodology 57 CHAPTER SEVEN The Institutional Review Board (IRB) 83 CHAPTER EIGHT Making Sense of the Data Collection Scavenger Hunt: Results 91 CHAPTER NINE I Am Listening, Data: Discussion 107 CHAPTER TEN Your Data’s Next Chapter After the Dissertation Write-Up and Graduation 115 Appendix A Summary Chart of Statistics, What to Report, Abbreviations, and Suggested Syntax 127 Appendix B Anatomy of a Dissertation in Context 139 Appendix C Sample Dissertation Rubric 157 Appendix D The Juicers 163 vi Contents References 167 About the Author 171 Author Index 173 Subject Index 175 vii REFERENCES Covey, S (1989) The habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal change New York, NY: Fireside Creswell, J (2009) Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Csikszentmihalyi, M (1991) Flow: The psychology of optimal experience New York, NY: Harper Perennial Davis, G., & Parker, C (1997) Writing the doctoral dissertation: A systemic approach (2nd ed.) Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series Eissenberg, T., Paniker, S., Berenbaum, S., Epley, N., Fendrich, M., Kelso, R., . Simmerling, M (2004) IRBs and psychological science: Ensuring a collaborative relationship Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/research/responsible/irbs-psychscience.pdf Fowler, F (1995) Improving survey questions: Design and evaluation Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Glass, G (1976) Primary, secondary, and meta-analysis of research Educational Researcher, 5(10), 3–8 Glenn, D (2010, March 31) Help to the finish line: Ways to reduce the number of Ph.D dropouts Chronicle of Higher Education Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/article/Helpto-the-Finish-Line-Ways/64879/ Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A (2002) Primal leadership: Learning to lead with emotional intelligence Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press Kaufman, J (2009) Creativity 101 New York, NY: Springer Kaufman, J., & Beghetto, R (2009) Beyond big and little: The Four C Model of Creativity Review of General Psychology, 13(1), 1–12 Messick, S (1995) Validity of psychological assessment: Validation of inferences from person’s responses and 168 References performances as scientific inquiry into score meaning American Psychologist, 50(9), 741–749 Morgan, S.E., Reichert, T., & Harrison, T.R (2002) From numbers to words: reporting statistical results for the social sciences Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Park, J H (2013) Keynote speech delivered at the International Group Development Questionnaire Conference at Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA Payne, S (1951) The art of asking questions Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press Philippe, F., Vallerand, R., Halfort, N., Lavigne, G., & Donahue, E (2010) Passion for an activity and quality of personal relationships: The mediating role of emotions Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(6), 917–932 Pryrczak, F., & Bruce, R B (2000) Writing empirical research reports (3rd ed.) Los Angeles, CA: Pryrczak Publishing Reynolds, C (2010) Measurement and assessment: An editorial view Psychological Assessment, 22(1), 1–4 Salovey, P., & Mayer, J D (1990) Emotional intelligence Imagination, Cognition, and Personality, 9(3), 185–211 Schnee, E (2008) “In the real world, no one drops their standards for you”: Academic rigor in a college worker education program Equality and Excellence in Education, 41(1), 62–80 Silberman, M (1998) Active training: A handbook of techniques, designs, case examples, and tips San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass/Pfeiffer Silvia, P (2010) How to write a lot: A practical guide to productive academic writing Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Spies, R A., Carlson, J F., & Geisinger, K F (Eds.), The eighteenth mental measurements yearbook Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press 169 REFERENCES Thorndike, R L (1982) Applied psychometrics Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Tilin, F (2011) Process consulting model Retrieved from www groupworksglobal.com Urdan, T (2010) Statistics in plain English (3rd ed.) New York, NY: Routledge Wheelan, S A., & Hochberger, J M (1996) Validation studies of the Group Development Questionnaire Small Group Research, 27(1), 143–170 170 About the Author Dr Joanne Broder Sumerson is a research psychologist dedicated to closing the gap between research and practice Her research processes were developed over the years from her experiences as a seasoned research practitioner, program evaluator, consultant, professor, and, of course, former student She has consulted to a multitude of private and public organizations Her research and consultation interests include group process, emotional intelligence, social media, and wellness She is a research professor and thesis advisor at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania She is also the co-founding editor of Psychology of Popular Media Culture, published by the APA, and writes a blog, Research Notes, for Psychology Today Magazine In addition, she is active in the American Psychological Association Joanne earned a PhD in Education Psychology and MEd in Adult and Organization Development from Temple University, as well as a BA in Psychology from Monmouth University Joanne’s past work experience includes prison counselor, corporate human resources generalist, and research and evaluation specialist 171 Author Index Adair, J., 72 American Psychological Association, 36, 37, 48, 52, 53, 95, 122, 149 Beghetto, R., xxi Boyatzis, R., 5, 100, 105, 116 Bruce, R B., 21, 37, 91 Campbell, D., 50, 61, 82 Carlson, J F., 68, 82 Choudhury, B., xviii Cohen, J., 66 Cone, J., 37, 92, 98, 112, 116 Cooper, H., 37, 105 Costa, P T., 46 Covey, S., 7, 124 Creswell, J., 26, 41, 61, 82 Csikszentmihalyi, M., xxi, 13, 114 Davis, G., 14 Donahue, E., xviii Duhigg, C., 37 Eissenberg, T., 83 Farley, F H., 17 Foster, S., 37, 92, 98, 112, 116 Fowler, F., 65, 82 Geisinger, K F., 68, 82 Glass, G., 63 Glenn, D., xvi, xix Goleman, D., 5, 116 Halfort, N., xviii Harrison, T R., 138 Hochberger, J M., 16 Kaufman, J., xxi Lavigne, G., xviii Mayer, J D., xxvi, 5, 12 McKee, A., 5, 116 McRae, R R., 46 Messick, S., 76–77 Morgan, S E., 138 Park, J H., 17 Parker, C., 14 Payne, S., 74 Philippe, F., xviii Pryrczak, F., 21, 37, 91 Reichert, T., 138 Reynolds, C., 18 173 AUTHOR INDEX Salovey, P., Schnee, E., xix Silberman, M., 39, 108 Silvia, P., xxii, 55 Spies, R A., 68, 82 Stanley, J., 50, 61, 82 Strunk, W., 55 Sumerson, J B., 167 Urdan, T., 97, 105 Vallerand, R., xviii Wetcher-Hendricks, D., 105 Wheelan, S A., 16, 28 White, E., 55 Zimbardo, P G., 118–119 Thorndike, R L., 45 Tilin, F., 124 174 Subject Index Abstract section, 36, 140 Acknowledgments section, 36, 141 American Psychological Association: participation and presentations to, 120–121 Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 36, 37, 48, 52, 53, 95, 122, 149 Anatomy of dissertation: back matter in, 37, 66–67, 92, 114, 149 Discussion in, 35, 109, 147–149 front matter in, 36, 139–141 Introduction in, 30, 40, 141–142 Literature Review in, 31, 47, 142–143 Methodology in, 32–33, 58–60, 143–145 overview of, 29 program-specific requirements for, 29, 37 resources on, 37 Results i n, 34, 93–94, 145–147 sample of, 139–149 Appendices section, 37, 66–67, 92, 149 Appreciation and thankfulness, research etiquette on, 6–7 Backup systems, computer, xxiii–xxiv Beginning dissertation: hypothesis formation in, 26–28 note-taking system in, 17–18 research questions in, 22–25, 26, 27–28 topic selection in, 13–17 variables addressed in, 18–22, 23–24, 26 Benchmarking, 72 Case study research design, 63 Certifications, xxv, 84 Chapter killers: for Discussion, 113 for Introduction, 42 for Literature Review, 54 for Methodology, 81 for Results, 104–105 Committee: acknowledgments section including, 141 appendix requirements of, 37, 92 Chairperson of, 3–4 complaints to and against, 2, 4, credibility and quality of members of, xx, 2, 3–5 Discussion participation of, 110, 112 etiquette and emotional intelligence for working with, 5–7, 116 external Committee member, 175 SUBJECT INDEX Committee: (Continued) general members of, 4–5 hypothesis challenges from, 27 instrument and material review and recommendations by, 78 journal publication co-authorship with, 122 oral defense before, 3, 114, 115–118, 151–155 procedure approval by, 79 relationship with, 1–8 research design guidance from, 61 research question approval by, 22, 24 Results requirements of, 92, 95 revised drafts provided to, revisions requested by, 7, 42, 54, 80, 81, 104–105, 113, 118 structure of, 2–3 technical support from, xxvi, 2, time commitments for, topic selection and approval role of, 3, 14 Computers: backup systems for, xxiii–xxiv Microsoft Excel software on, 95, 97–98 online resources via (see Online resources) preparation of reliable, xxii–xxiii printer and scanner for, xxv SAS software on, 74, 98 SPSS software on, 74, 95, 98 Conclusion section, 35, 109, 113, 149 Conference presentations, 120–121 Confidentiality and anonymity, xxiii, xxiv, 65, 85–86, 104 Consent or permission forms, 65, 66–67, 81, 87–88 Consultation projects, 123–125 Creativity, xix, xx–xxi, xxvii, 13, 14, 18, 107, 110, 112, 120 Cross-sectional research design, 62 Data: backup of, xxiii–xxiv confidentiality and anonymity of, xxiii, xxiv, 65, 85–86, 104 Discussion interpretation of (see Discussion) hypothesis supported or challenged by, 26–27, 96–97 instruments and materials for collecting (see Instruments and materials) integrity of, 26–27 juicing sources of, 49–54, 157–161 Literature Review of existing (see Literature Review) locked file cabinet for, xxiv Methodology of generating (see Methodology) Results presentation of (see Results) statistical analysis of, 24, 34, 67–68, 74, 79, 92, 95–96, 97–99, 105, 128–138 storage of, xxiv validity of, 50, 76–79, 110–111 Dedication section, 36, 140 Discussion: chapter killers for, 113 conclusion in, 35, 109, 113, 149 creativity in, 107, 110, 112 hypothesis and research question presentation in, 110 implications for theory and practice addressed in, 35, 109, 112, 148 interpretation of findings in, 35, 109, 110–111, 147–148 introduction of, 35, 108, 109, 147 juicing data sources on discussion interpretation, 159 limitations addressed in, 35, 109, 111–112, 148 next steps and future research addressed in, 35, 109, 112–113, 148–149 Results vs., 96, 104, 105, 108 subsections and points covered in, 35, 109, 147–149 validity of data addressed in, 110–111 Dissertation: abstract section of, 36, 140 acknowledgments section of, 36, 141 anatomy or format of, 29–37, 139–149 (see also Introduction; Literature Review; Methodology; Results; Discussion) 176 Subject Index appendices section of, 37, 66–67, 92, 149 back matter of, 37, 66–67, 92, 114, 149 beginning, 13–28 Committee reviewing (see Committee) computer usage for (see Computers) conclusion section of, 35, 109, 113, 149 creativity in, xix, xx–xxi, xxvii, 13, 14, 18, 107, 110, 112, 120 data for (see Data) dedication section of, 36, 140 emotions associated with (see Emotions) energy used for, xxi, xxv, xxvii, 2, 9, 14 front matter of, 36, 139–141 integrity in preparation of (see Integrity) IRB oversight of (see Institutional Review Board) oral defense of, 3, 114, 115–118, 151–155 passion for topic of, xviii–xix, xx, xxi, 3, 13–14, 17, 120, 121, 123 planning and preparation for, xxi– xxviii, 13–28 postgraduation suggestions for, 120–125 program-specific requirements for, 14, 17, 26, 29, 37, 46, 84 proposal for, 42, 66, 80, 85 references section of, 37, 114, 149 research for (see Research) revisions to (see Revisions to dissertation) rigor ensuring quality of, xix–xx, xxi, 13, 17, 18, 23, 79, 120, 123 rubric for assessing, 151–155 stuckness when writing, 9–12 table of contents of, 36, 140 time involved in (see Time and timing) title page of, 36, 139 topic of (see Topic of dissertation) variables in (see Variables) work space for writing and researching, xxiii, xxiv, xxvii Document review, 73 See also Literature Review Emotions: dissertation writing generating, xvi, xviii–xix, 9–12, 115 emotional and social intelligence, 5–7, 88, 116 emotional support system, xvii, xxv–xxvi, 6, 11, 141 graduation generating, 120 Energy, xxi, xxv, xxvii, 2, 9, 14 Ethical behavior See Integrity Ethnographic research design, 63 Experimental research design, 61–62 Family, friends and colleagues: acknowledgments section including, 141 interpersonal strength and support system through, xvii, xxv–xxvi, 6, 11, 141 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 86 File cabinets, xxiv Files See Data Focus groups, 71, 99 Format of dissertation See Anatomy of dissertation Graduation: academic requirements for, xvii dissertation treatment suggestions after, 120–125 emotions associated with, 120 Zimbardo’s paths for life after, 118–119 Honesty See Integrity House analogy, to research, 18–19, 22, 45, 46, 61 Human participants See Research participants Hypothesis: Discussion presentation of, 110 forming, 26–28 juicing data sources on, 52, 158 Methodology presentation of, 27–28, 32, 58, 143 null, 26 177 SUBJECT INDEX Hypothesis: (Continued) program-specific requirements for, 26 Results analysis of, 34, 91, 93, 95–96, 96–97, 146 (see also Results) Institutional Review Board (IRB): application to, 66, 83, 84–85 certifications required by, xxv, 84 confidentiality and anonymity guidelines of, xxiv, 65, 85–86 consent or permission forms guidelines of, 65, 66–67, 87–88 file cabinet requirements of, xxiv integrity standards of, xxiv, xxv, 65, 66–67, 80, 83–89 members of, 83–84 procedure approval by, 80 recruitment process explained to, 66–67 revised drafts provided to, 88–89 survival skills for working with, 88–89 transparency of risks and benefits guidelines of, 86–87 voluntariness of participation guidelines of, 85 Instruments and materials: benchmarking as, 72 construct validity of, 76–79 document review as, 73 focus groups as, 71, 99 guidelines for clarity and ease-of-use of, 74–76 interviews as, 69, 71, 99 juicing data sources on, 52, 158 Methodology presentation of, 33, 59–60, 67–79, 144–145 mixed-method, 68, 72–73 observation as, 72, 99 online tools for, 68, 74, 87, 98, 100 pros and cons of various, 69–73 psychometric best practices for, 76 qualitative, 67, 69, 71, 75 quantitative, 67–68, 70, 73, 75 questionnaires and surveys as, 69–70, 74, 98, 99–104 reliability of, 78–79 review and revision of, 78–79 standardized, 68, 73 time involved in using, 75 Integrity: checklist for maintaining, data manipulation impacting, 26–27 in dissertation research and writing, xx, xxi, xxiv, xxv, 8, 26–27, 48–49, 64–65, 66–67, 79–80, 83–89 IRB standards for, xxiv, xxv, 65, 66–67, 80, 83–89 plagiarism as lack of, 8, 48–49 research participant truthfulness and, 65 treating research participants with, 64–65, 79–80, 85 Internet resources See Online resources Interviews, 69, 71, 99 Introduction: chapter killers for, 42 introduction of, 30, 40, 41, 141 proposal vs final write-up, 42, 85 purpose of study statement in, 13, 30, 40, 41–42, 142 rationale for study statement in, 30, 40, 41, 141 subsections and points covered in, 30, 40, 141–142 writing a strong, 39–43 Journal publications, 121–123 Juicing data sources: empirical juicers, 50, 51–53, 157–160 external validity considered in, 50 internal validity considered in, 50 for Literature Review, 49–54, 157–161 methods of using juicers, 51 theoretical juicers, 50–51, 53–54, 160–161 Literature Review: chapter killers for, 54 citations and reviews of literature in, 31, 47, 142 conceptual definitions of variables in, 21, 31, 45, 46, 47, 143 exemplary, 46, 48 integrity of citations in, 48–49 178 Subject Index juicing pertinent information from sources for, 49–54, 157–161 length of, 46 program-specific requirements for, 46 research questions addressed in, 22, 45, 46, 52 resources for additional help with, 55 subsections and points covered in, 31, 47, 142–143 writing a streamlined, 45–55 Longitudinal research design, 62 The Mental Measurements Yearbook, 68 Messick, Samuel, 76–77 Meta-analysis, 63 Methodology: chapter killers for, 81 construct validity in, 76–79 detailed evaluation in, 61, 79–80 hypothesis addressed in, 27–28, 32, 58, 143 importance and purpose of, 57 instruments and materials addressed in, 33, 59–60, 67–79, 144–145 integrity applied in, 64–65, 66–67, 80, 83–89 IRB approval and oversight of, 65, 66–67, 80, 83–89 juicing data sources on methodology used, 52–53, 158–159 operational definitions of variables in, 21, 32, 59, 61–62, 144 procedures addressed in, 33, 60, 79–81, 145 program-specific requirements for, 84 proposal vs final write-up, 66, 80, 85 research design addressed in, 32, 58, 61–63, 143–144 research participants addressed in, 33, 59, 63–67, 79–81, 83–89, 144 research questions addressed in, 22, 27–28, 32, 58, 61, 67, 143 resources for additional help with, 82 subsections and points covered in, 32–33, 58–60, 143–145 Microsoft Excel, 95, 97–98 Minors, as research participants, 65, 86, 87, 88 Note-taking system, 17–18 Observation, 72, 99 Office See Work space Online resources: backup systems as, xxiv certification training courses via, 84 consent forms via, 87 data collection and collation tools using, 68, 74, 87, 98, 100 IRB Web site as, 83 plagiarism software as, social network administrator permission for study postings, 66–67 Oral defense: Committee members needed for, 3, 116 pointers for successful, 116–118 preparation for, 114, 115–116, 117 revisions to dissertation after, 118 sample rubric for assessing, 151–155 Participants See Research participants Passion, xviii–xix, xx, xxi, 3, 13–14, 17, 120, 121, 123 Patience, research etiquette on, Plagiarism, 8, 48–49 Planning and preparation: beginning dissertation as, 13–28 certifications in, xxv computer arrangements in, xxii–xxiii, xxiii–xxiv, xxv data storage in, xxiv file backup systems in, xxiii–xxiv hypothesis formation in, 26–28 interpersonal strength and support system in, xvii, xxv–xxvi locked file cabinet in, xxiv note-taking system in, 17–18 pre-dissertation, xxi–xxviii printer and scanner access in, xxv research questions in, 22–25, 26, 27–28 topic selection in, 13–17 variables addressed in, 18–22, 23–24, 26 work schedule in, xxii, xxv, xxvii, 17 work space in, xxiii, xxiv, xxvii work style in, xxvi–xxviii 179 SUBJECT INDEX Postgraduation suggestions: conference presentations, 120–121 consultation projects, 123–125 dissertation treatment, 120–125 journal publications, 121–123 Zimbardo’s life path, 118–119 PRICE See Passion; Rigor; Integrity; Creativity; Energy Printers, access to, xxv Procedures: juicing data sources on, 52, 158 Methodology presentation of, 33, 60, 79–81, 145 Proposals, 42, 66, 80, 85 Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 36, 37, 48, 52, 53, 95, 122, 149 Qualtrics, 74 Quasi-experimental research design, 62 Questionnaires and surveys, 69–70, 74, 98, 99–104 Questions See Research questions References section, 37, 114, 149 Regulations, on research participant interaction, 65, 86 Research: confidentiality and anonymity issues in, xxiii, xxiv, 65, 85–86, 104 creativity in, xix, xx–xxi, xxvii, 13, 14, 18, 107, 110, 112, 120 data in (see Data) energy in, xxi, xxv, xxvii, 2, 9, 14 etiquette and emotional intelligence in, 5–7, 88, 116 future, recommendations for, 35, 109, 112–113, 148–149 house analogy to, 18–19, 22, 45, 46, 61 hypothesis in (see Hypothesis) instruments and materials used in (see Instruments and materials) integrity in (see Integrity) limitations of, 35, 109, 111–112, 148 participants in (see Research participants) passion for topic of, xviii–xix, xx, xxi, 3, 13–14, 17, 120, 121, 123 procedures followed in, 33, 52, 60, 79–81, 145, 158 proposal for, 42, 66, 80, 85 relevance of, 14 research design, 32, 52, 58, 61–63, 143–144, 158 research questions in (see Research questions) rigor in, xix–xx, xxi, 13, 17, 18, 23, 79, 120, 123 support system for researcher, xvii, xxv–xxvi, 6, 11, 141 validity of, 50, 76–79, 110–111 variables as measurable constructs in (see Variables) Research design: case study, 63 common models of, 61–63 cross-sectional, 62 ethnographic, 63 experimental, 61–62 juicing data sources on, 52, 158 longitudinal, 62 meta-analysis, 63 Methodology presentation of, 32, 58, 61–63, 143–144 quasi-experimental, 62 selecting type of, 61 Research participants: certification for working with, xxv, 84 compensation for, 65, 66 confidentiality and anonymity of, xxiv, 65, 85–86, 104 consent or permission forms for, 65, 66–67, 81, 87–88 convenience samples of, 64 demographics of, 34, 92, 95–96, 146 identifying appropriate, 63–64 IRB oversight of treatment of, xxiv, xxv, 65, 66–67, 80, 83–89 juicing data sources on, 52, 158 Methodology presentation of, 33, 59, 63–67, 79–81, 83–89, 144 minors or special needs participants as, 65, 86, 87, 88 procedure approval by, 80 180 Subject Index recruitment process for, 66–67 sample size of, 66 time commitment of, 65, 81 transparency of risks and benefits to, 86–87 treating with integrity, 64–65, 79–80, 85 truthfulness of, 65 voluntariness of participation by, 85 Research questions: beginning dissertation with, 22–25, 26, 27–28 Committee approval of, 22, 24 Discussion presentation of, 110 hypothesis as educated guess of answer to (see Hypothesis) juicing data sources on, 52, 158 Literature Review linked to, 22, 45, 46, 52 Methodology presentation of, 22, 27–28, 32, 58, 61, 67, 143 Results analysis of, 34, 91–92, 93, 95–96, 146 (see also Results) strong and precisely-worded, 23–25 Resources: on anatomy or format of dissertation, 37 on Literature Review, 55 on Methodology, 82 online (see Online resources) on Results, 105 Results: additional analyses or supplemental data presented in, 34, 92, 94, 97, 147 chapter killers for, 104–105 content or verbal analysis in, 99–105 demographic variables/descriptive data in, 34, 92, 95–96, 146 Discussion vs., 96, 104, 105, 108 hypothesis and research questions addressed in, 34, 91–92, 93, 95–96, 96–97, 146 introduction of, 34, 92, 93, 145–146 resources for additional help with, 105 statistical analysis in, 34, 92, 95–96, 97–99, 105 subsections and points covered in, 34, 93–94, 145–147 tables and figures in, 95 Revisions to dissertation: chapter killers prompting, 42, 54, 81, 104–105, 113 highlighting for Committee or IRB members, 7, 88–89 IRB requests for, 88–89 Methodology vagueness leading to, 80, 81 oral defense leading to final, 118 Rigor, xix–xx, xxi, 13, 17, 18, 23, 79, 120, 123 SAS (statistical program), 74, 98 Scanners, access to, xxv Schedule See Time and timing SPSS (statistical program), 74, 95, 98 Statistical analysis of data: ANCOVA (Analysis of Covariance), 105, 135 ANOVA (Analysis of Variance), 105, 134 Chi-Square Tests, 130 Cochran’s Q, 132 Cohen’s Kappa and Scott’s Pi, 129 Cronbach’s Alpha, 79, 128 frequencies and percentages, 92, 128 Friedman Analysis of Variance by Ranks Test, 132–133 Kruskal-Wallis Test, 130–131 Logistic Regression, 138 MANCOVA (Multivariate Analysis of Covariance), 136 MANOVA (Multvariate Analysis of Variance), 105, 136 McNemar’s Repeated Measures ChiSquare Test for Change, 131 mean and standard deviation, 95, 98, 128 Methodology inclusion of, 67–68, 74, 79 Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, 129 Regression and Multiple Regression, 137 research questions linked to, 24 181 SUBJECT INDEX Statistical analysis of data (Continued) Results inclusion of, 34, 92, 95–96, 97–99, 105 Spearman Rank-Order Correlation, 129 summary chart of, 128–138 t Test, 134 Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test/MannWhitney U Test, 130 Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, 132 z Test, 133 Stress management, 10–11 Stuckness, managing, 9–12 Support system, xvii, xxv–xxvi, 6, 11, 141 Surveys and questionnaires, 69–70, 74, 98, 99–104 Table of contents, 36, 140 Tilin, Felice, 124 Time and timing: certification completion, xxv Committee member time commitments, deadlines of, xxii delays in, dissertation completion time, xvi, 17 instrument and material time commitments, 75 research participant time commitments, 65, 81 time management skills, xvi, xxii topic scope within time constraints, 14, 17 work schedule of, xxii, xxv, xxvii, 17, 88 work style time preferences, xxvii Title page, 36, 139 Topic of dissertation: checklist for appraising, 15–16 passion for, xviii–xix, xx, xxi, 3, 13–14, 17, 120, 121, 123 purpose of studying, 13, 30, 40, 41–42, 142 rationale for studying, 30, 40, 41, 141 relevance of, 14 scope of, 14, 17 selection of, 13–17 Validity: consequential, 78 construct, 76–79 content, 77 Discussion interpretation of, 110–111 external, 50, 77–78, 78–79 generalizability, 77, 110–111 internal, 50 structural, 77 substantive, 77 threats to, 50 Variables: beginning dissertation by addressing, 18–22, 23–24, 26 confounding, 53, 111, 159 definition of, in dissertation, 21–22, 31, 32, 45, 46, 47, 59, 61–62, 143, 144 demographic, 34, 92, 95–96, 146 dependent, 20, 24, 52, 158 Discussion consideration of, 110–111 hypothesis as educated guess of relationship of, 26–28 (see also Hypothesis) independent, 20, 23–24, 52, 61–62, 158 juicing data sources on, 52–53, 158, 159 levels within, 20–21 Literature Review presentation of, 21, 31, 45, 46, 47, 143 Methodology presentation of, 21, 32, 59, 61–62, 144 overview of, 18–19 research questions based on, 22, 23–24 (see also Research questions) Work schedule, xxii, xxv, xxvii, 17, 88 See also Time and timing Work space: computers in (see Computers) data storage in, xxiv locked file cabinet in, xxiv preparation of, xxiii, xxiv, xxvii work style location preferences, xxvii Work style, xxvi–xxviii Zimbardo, Philip G., 118–119 182 [...]... goes well, ideally, your Chair will collaborate with you on a journal article or conference presentation Your Chair is typically your doctoral advisor and a professor in your program It is essential that you have a positive dynamic with your Chair If he or she is one of those professors who gets on your nerves, don’t pick him or her! As the one in charge of your dissertation process, your Chair should... it is not just about you or your study It is also about the stakeholders interested in this study, such as the Committee Members of the Committee are your program’s professors who mentor, haze, and scare you throughout the dissertation 1 FINISH YOUR DISSERTATION, DON’T LET IT FINISH YOU! process Your overall goal is to manage them and keep them happy enough to sign off on your work so you can be done... part of your interpersonal strength Remember, you have family members, friends, colleagues, pets, and other ABDs (all but dissertation) for that Effective conflict management skills are also very important at this stage Dramatic conflict with your Chair could 3 FINISH YOUR DISSERTATION, DON’T LET IT FINISH YOU! easily contribute to getting stuck and possibly not finishing You do not want your dissertation. .. situation 7 FINISH YOUR DISSERTATION, DON’T LET IT FINISH YOU! HONESTY REALLY IS THE BEST POLICY Dishonesty and a lack of Integrity can certainly finish you before you have the opportunity to finish your dissertation Not only can it get you thrown out of your program and be on your records forever, it will likely make you a high-risk candidate for another program Dishonesty will damage your brand, so stay... the outside world you might be the boss, in this context you are an expendable 5 FINISH YOUR DISSERTATION, DON’T LET IT FINISH YOU! student, another person and item on everyone’s to-do list 2 Be humble Your Committee is a team of content experts who are all committed to your intellectual development through your dissertation and thesis study Appreciate their time and avoid any drama You can show this... ideal environment for you to work on your dissertation and thesis These are just a few suggestions and tools to set yourself up for dissertation success It’s time to think about the committee, topic choice, and what is expected in each of the five chapters for the final write-up Read on! xxvi CHAPTER ONE The Secret Handshake The dissertation process is a small period of your life for a lifetime membership... went through it, too However, we are busy and we are not your therapist If you vent to the Committee about the process, you are making yourself look bad Really, what can they do about it? You are not going to get excused from the dissertation and be granted an honorary degree, so save everyone’s time and yourself some embarrassment and channel your frustrations elsewhere 4 Respect and be very kind to... not be exposed to your dissertation or data until it is ready Never give anyone the opportunity to delete something important Needless to say, if you have your own computer, it will be easier to protect, back up, and lock up Protect your computer like a parent protects his or her baby! ❏ Space where you work best Primary and backup working spaces are important factors in finishing the dissertation A set... student colleagues they can discuss their research with, as well as members of their dissertation committee So engage those around you who possess expertise, and let them guide you.” Dr John (Jack) D Mayer Department of Psychology University of New Hampshire ❏ Know your work style In the context of a dissertation, your work style is being tuned in to how you work best Similar to appearance, our personal... the dissertation study process, owning and embracing your style could help you maximize feelings of Creativity and Energy, which can help make the best use of your work time For instance, if you like to dress conservatively, how would you feel dressed in Gothic-style clothes? When trying to work under our least favorable conditions, we might not feel our best and do our best work To determine your