Also by Joan Bolker, Ed.D. The Writer’s Home Companion: An Anthology of the World’s Best Writing Advice, from Keats to Kunitz Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day JOAN BOLKER, Ed.D. Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day A GUIDE TO STARTING, REVISING, AND FINISHING YOUR DOCTORAL THESIS AN OWL BOOK Henry Holt and Company • New York Owl Books Henry Holt and Company, LLC Publishers since 1866 175 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10010 www.henryholt.com An Owl Book® and ® are registered trademarks of Henry Holt and Company, LLC. Copyright © 1998 by Joan Bolker All rights reserved. Distributed in Canada by H. B. Fenn and Company Ltd. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bolker, Joan. Writing your dissertation in fifteen minutes a day: a guide to starting, revising, and finishing your doctoral thesis/ Joan Bolker. — 1st ed. p. cm. “An owl book.” Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. ISBN-13: 978-0-8050-4891-9 ISBN-10: 0-8050-4891-X 1. Dissertations, Academic—Authorship. 2. Report writing. 3. Academic writing. I. Title. LB2369.B57 1998 808'.066378—dc21 98-5262 Henry Holt books are available for special promotions and premiums. For details contact: Director, Special Markets. First Owl Books Edition 1998 Designed by Victoria Hartman Printed in the United States of America 19 21 23 22 20 18 For EDB —Placet Contents Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Beginning Writing Your Way In Developing Your Own Work Process Choosing a Topic Doing Research On Ownership About Maxims 2. Choosing an Advisor and a Committee Your Advisor Your Committee Using Your Advisor Well On Dissertation Paranoia Troubles with Your Advisor 3. Getting Started Writing Thoughts on the Writing Process Using Behavioral Principles About Creating a Writing Addiction Freewriting and Making a Mess Setting Your Daily Writing Goal 4. From Zero to First Draft The Zero Draft The First Draft Getting to Your First Draft Asking Questions A Few Approaches to Writing a First Draft More Strategies for Working on Your First Draft 5. Getting to the Midpoint: Reviewing Your Process and Your Progress Taking Stock of Your Dissertation Your Writing Process Your Writing Progress On Deadlines R&R 6. Interruptions from Outside and Inside Interruptions from Outside Ambiguous Interruptions and Events Interruptions from Inside Funky Exercises for Times When You’re Stuck 7. You, Your Readers, and the Dissertation Support Group Writing for Yourself and for Others You and Your Readers The Dissertation Support Group 8. Revising: The Second Draft and Beyond Thinking About the Revision Process Useful Revision Strategies Revision and Truth Telling 9. The Best Dissertation Is a Done Dissertation The Costs of Growth Hitting the Wall Getting On with It A Possible Horrible Scenario The Thesis Defense Afterward 10. Life After the Dissertation Publishing Your Dissertation Publishing Your Dissertation as Articles Transforming Your Dissertation into a Book Becoming a Writer Appendix I. How the Computer Revolution Affects You and Your Dissertation Appendix II. Some Advice for Advisors Some Useful Books and Articles Index