The Dissertation Journey

Reach the summit of the dissertation mountain.

In many ways, the journey of completing a dissertation is like climbing a mountain. It requires planning, research, teamwork, and perseverance. In this fourth edition of their best-selling book, authors Laura Hyatt and Carol Roberts address the challenges that students will face as they journey to the peak of their academic career and complete their dissertation.

Completing a dissertation is a transformative and fulfilling life experience. It requires knowledge, tenacity, and preparation for the inevitable uncertainties that will arise along the way. It also necessitates strategies and techniques for dealing with the unanticipated events that many dissertation writers face, such as procrastination, writer's block, and the uncertainty of how to conduct a literature review or approach a methods section. This newly revised edition addresses those elements and also includes:

• Indispensable information for organizing and writing a dissertation
• Recommendations for identifying and writing research methods
• Expanded coverage of research ethics
• Insightful reflections from students who have effectively written and defended their dissertations

From preparing for the climb to enjoying the view from the summit, this book will assist you to successfully complete The Dissertation Journey.

About the Authors

Laura Hyatt is a professor and chair at Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Education and Psychology. She is also the Executive Director of Academic Affairs for the Graduate School of Education where she encourages scholarly research. She is an Associate of a global think tank, participated as an advisor to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., and was appointed to a White House Policy Conference by the President of the United States. Prior to teaching, she was Vice President of Education for a production company and part of a collaborative effort that won several awards in the entertainment industry. She earned her doctorate degree from Pepperdine University.

Dr. Hyatt has authored books, book chapters, and journal articles and serves on editorial boards for peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Hyatt has received recognition and grants for her research, which focuses on the intersections of learning, neuroscience, change, and the powerful climates created by our convergent stories as individuals, organizations, and communities.

Carol Roberts is a professor emerita from the University of La Verne, where she taught Leadership in the Doctoral Program. She advised doctoral students, chaired dissertations, and taught a variety of leadership courses, primarily in personal leadership, communication, conflict, and coaching. She has served as a consultant and seminar leader specializing in organizational and team development, strategic planning, conflict resolution, coaching, and personal mastery.

Dr. Roberts has been a consultant and trainer for the Administrator Trainer Center and Effective Schools Program, the California School Leadership Academy, and the California School Boards Association. She received her doctoral degree in planning, policy, and administration from the University of Southern California. Carol has also served on the executive board for the Southern Counties Women in Educational Management and was awarded its Woman of the Year award.