A Practical Guide to the Qualitative Dissertation

by Biklen, Sari Knopp; Casella, Ronnie

• ISBN13: 9780807747605
• ISBN10: 0807747602
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-04-30
• Publisher: Teachers College Pr

Summary

How do you write a good qualitative dissertation? This book offers advice about and examples of the primary tasks and hidden complications in writing a qualitative dissertation. The long process of bringing a dissertation to completion involves making many choices-substantive, organizational, and interpersonal. This guidebook takes you through the process-from the first formulation of the topic and selection of a committee to development of an argument and, finally, preparation for the defense.

Author Biography

Sari Knopp Biklen is Laura and Douglas Meredith Professor and Chair of Cultural Foundations of Education, Syracuse University Ronnie Casella is Associate Professor of Education at Central Connecticut State University

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. xi
Thinking About the Dissertation	p. 1
Advice	p. 2
What Is a Qualitative Dissertation?	p. 4
Who Do We Imagine You Are?	p. 6
What This Book Is	p. 7
What Makes a Good Dissertation?	p. 9
Three Dissertations and Their Genesis	p. 10
The Qualities of a Good Dissertation	p. 12
Coming Up with an Idea for the Dissertation	p. 15
Doing an Interdisciplinary Dissertation	p. 17
Narrative Authority	p. 21
Making an Argument	p. 25
Forms of Argument	p. 26
Dissertation Advisors and Committees	p. 30
The Committee as Audience	p. 31
Dissertation Advisors	p. 33
Working with Your Committee	p. 36
Learning Lessons from Frustration	p. 37
Thinking About Criticism	p. 40
Thinking About Committees	p. 41
The Protection of Human Subjects	p. 43
The Functions of an IRB	p. 44
Navigating the Policies of IRBs	p. 45
Standard Forms for an IRB Review	p. 47
Specific Advice	p. 49
Balancing Ethics and Strategy	p. 50
A Researcher's Story: Getting IRB Approval	p. 51
The Qualitative Proposal	p. 55
Statement of the Problem and Purpose of the Study	p. 56
The Literature Review	p. 62
Methods and Procedures	p. 63
Organization	p. 64
Concluding Section	p. 65
Common Questions About the Proposal	p. 66
The Chapters	p. 59
What Should You Write First?	p. 70
The Reliable Narrator	p. 70
The Introduction	p. 71
The Literature Review	p. 76
Methods and Procedures	p. 79
The Data Chapters	p. 82
The Conclusion	p. 87
Writing as Work-Getting It Done	p. 89
The Significance of Public Exposure	p. 90
Self-Confidence, Cultural Capital, and the Dissertation Project	p. 91
Writing Groups for Dissertation Support	p. 92
Getting Started, Keeping Going, and Getting It Done	p. 94
Perseverance	p. 96
Writing as Style	p. 98
Using Your Time	p. 100
A Few Words on Style	p. 101
The Defense of the Qualitative Dissertation	p. 105
The Defense: A Definition and Description	p. 106
Preparation for the Defense	p. 109
The Defense as a Performance	p. 110
Nontraditional Dissertations	p. 116
What Is a Nontraditional Dissertation?	p. 117
The Attractions of the Form	p. 118
Considering the Nontraditional Qualitative Dissertation	p. 120
Advice	p. 122
References	p. 123
Resource Guide	p. 129
Index	p. 133
About the Authors	p. 141
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