The Dissertation

Abstract

The dissertation is at once the culmination of various skills learned from day one in graduate school and a completely new monster altogether. Course-work has taught you how to conduct research, to read critically, and to identify common methodological approaches to the materials in your field. Seminar papers have taught you how to write chapter-length analyses of those materials. Examinations have served to expand and focus your knowledge of the specialized area. And hopefully, you will have developed a system for managing your time and research materials that will help you to be efficient and organized. In a very real sense, then, you should possess by the time you are an ABD all of the tools you’ll need to write a strong dissertation. However, you’ve never had to manage quite this amount of material. You’ve never had to focus on a topic this deeply. Very likely, you’ve never had to write 300 pages on a single subject.