Customer Reviews

Authoring a Ph.D.: How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation

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Dunleavy's book is the best of the many guides to writing a PhD, especially for those in the social sciences. Aimed at thesis students rather than at graduate students more generally, the focus is on the mechanics of putting together a dissertation rather than on picking a program, choosing a committee, etc. Dunleavy answers all of those questions you want to ask your advisor but don't - how long each chapter should be, what percentage of the dissertation needs to be original work, how to write a lit review, how to structure your chapters as separate entities that nonetheless tell a cohesive story, how to revise, etc. He even gives suggested word-counts for various parts of the dissertation. Once you learn the rules, you have more confidence in breaking them!

I wish I'd found this book at the start of my PhD. There are many out there, including some that address 'political' elements of such an undertaking. But with the focus of this book clearly addressing how to do the 'to do' items of a thesis, it is incredibly helpful. Not only does it explain what to do, it also suggests timeframes, ways to avoid common problems, and useful tips about managing the process overall. As soon as I'm supervising other doctoral candidates, I'll have it on their "essential reading list".