A thesis, commonly required to obtain a master's degree, is supposed to test a student's understanding of his or her field of study. A dissertation is written by a doctorate student and focuses on original research.
Dissertations and theses are scholarly sources and examples of grey literature (or gray literature).
Grey literature is material that has not been published through traditional means and generally does not go through a peer‐review process.
1. How do I write a thesis at CSUF? (Deadlines, awards, etc.)
2. CSUF Thesis/Dissertation Manual
3. How do I find a CSUF thesis?
4. More on dissertations, theses, and projects (ARCHIVED CATALOG)
5. Developing strong thesis statements
6. Attend a thesis retreat at CSUF
Searching for a Dissertation/Thesis,
1. Look in our catalog if its from CSUF
2. Look in resources (right side)
3. Look in open access repositories at university libraries websites where the dissertation/thesis was written - may provide full access
4. Try contacting author or advisor of dissertation/thesis for a copy
5. If you cannot find the dissertation/thesis, try requesting it (free of charge) from interlibrary loan
Writing a Watertight Thesis by
Writing a doctoral thesis can be an arduous and confusing process. This book provides a clear framework for developing a sound structure for your thesis, using a simple approach to make it watertight, defensible and clear. Bottery and Wright draw on their extensive experience of supervising and examining numerous doctorates from an internationally diverse and multicultural student body both in the UK and overseas, and include examples of how successful theses have been made watertight along with exercises to enable readers to do the same thing to their own thesis. The authors demonstrate how the key to making a thesis watertight lies in selecting the central research question and the sub-research questions that together collectively answer this main one. If these questions are well formulated the thesis can be defended successfully against criticism on structural grounds a major part of the battle. Including chapters on the viva process, strength-testing your thesis and essential preparation for writing up your research, this is the resource for anyone looking to produce a well-structured, watertight piece of research.
Writing Your Master′s Thesis by
Are you looking to find your voice, hone your writing tactics, and cultivate communication skills with impact? Using real-world cases, student vignettes, and reflective questions, author Lynn P. Nygaard leads you through the A to Zen of the writing process, building your confidence as well as developing your skills. Discover how to: Understand yourself, your audience, and your project, so you better understand your role in communicating research Choose a question and plan an appropriate design Build a foundation of ethics and background research into your writing practice Find your own writing (life)style Work with your supervisor, so you can get the best from the relationship Navigate structure, arguments, and theory, for deeper critical engagement Contextualize your research and maximize its impact. Going beyond the standard "how to survive" advice, this inspiring writing guide empowers you to develop the voice, tone, and critical engagement required for you to thrive at Master's level. SAGE Study Skills are essential study guides for students of all levels. From how to write great essays and succeeding at university, to writing your undergraduate dissertation and doing postgraduate research, SAGE Study Skills help you get the best from your time at university. Visit the SAGE Study Skills hub for tips, resources and videos on study success!
Writing a Graduate Thesis or Dissertation by
Writing A Graduate Thesis or Dissertation is a comprehensive guide to the stages of working through the rigors of writing and defending a graduate degree from the initial stages of choosing a thesis topic and supervisor, right through to the defense of the work. Each chapter can be consulted separately, or the whole book read to give a wide-ranging understanding of the issues most pertinent to writing and defending a thesis. This book provides something for everyone involved in that process. Both graduate students and their supervisors will find this a refreshing and thorough collection that addresses the topic across a wide range of disciplines.
Taking Control of Writing Your Thesis by
Taking Control of Writing Your Thesis offers you a clear account of the how, what, why and who of working together so that you can produce, finish and submit a successful thesis. Guccione is a Thesis Coach and Thesis Mentoring Programme Designer and is currently researching the barriers to thesis completion; Wellington has supervised and examined numerous dissertations at MA and doctoral level. They draw on these experiences throughout in providing you with expert guidance for your thesis, informed by real student testimonies and with 'Points to Ponder' and a wealth of online resources to support you along the way. Guccione and Wellington show that planning, writing and support for thesis writers is a collaborative venture but also one which you can take ownership of and manage. They show that there are ways to become more connected to what and who you need, and explore the collegial and peer-support structures that are there to be utilised. They situate the student within an educational context viewing them not as the lone researcher able or not able, skilled or unskilled, but as the navigator of the writing process. The authors draw on their experience to provide ways of thinking, and tools for empowering students to feel more in control of the practices of writing about research.
Writing the Winning Thesis or Dissertation by
Since 1998, this book has been the go-to resource for scholars seeking guidance at every phase of the process. This revised and updated fourth edition is the most comprehensive guide yet to researching, writing, and publishing a successful thesis or dissertation
The Productive Graduate Student Writer by
This book is for graduate students--and others--who want to become more productive writers. It's especially written for those who want to: * increase their motivation, focus, and persistence to move a project to completion * overcome procrastination and perfectionistic tendencies * reduce (or write in spite of) their anxiety and fear of writing * manage their time, work, energy (and advisor) for greater productivity The process or craft of sustained writing is not a matter that's taught to undergraduate or graduate students as part of their studies, leaving most at sea about how to start a practice that is central to a career in academe and vital in many other professional occupations. This book grew out of conversations Jan Allen has held with her graduate students for over 30 years and reflects the fruit of the writing workshops and boot camps she has conducted at three universities, her own and numerous colleagues' experiences with writing and advising, as well as the feedback she receives from her popular Productive Writer listserv. While Jan Allen recognizes that writing is not an innate talent for most of us, she demonstrates that it is a process based on skills which we can identify, learn, practice and refine. She focuses both on the process and habits of writing as well as on helping you uncover what kind of writer are you, and reflect on your challenges and successes. With a light touch and an engaging sense of humor, she proposes strategies to overcome procrastination and distractions, and build a writing practice to enable you to become a more productive and prolific writer. Jan Allen proposes that you read one of her succinct chapters - each devoted to a specific strategy or writing challenge - each day, or once a week. When you find one that increases your concentration, motivation or endurance, make it a habit. Try it for two weeks, charting the resulting increased productivity. It will become part of your repertoire of writing and productivity tools to which you can progressively add.
A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by
When Kate L. Turabian first put her famous guidelines to paper, she could hardly have imagined the world in which today's students would be conducting research. Yet while the ways in which we research and compose papers may have changed, the fundamentals remain the same: writers need to have a strong research question, construct an evidence-based argument, cite their sources, and structure their work in a logical way. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations--also known as "Turabian"--remains one of the most popular books for writers because of its timeless focus on achieving these goals. This new edition filters decades of expertise into modern standards. While previous editions incorporated digital forms of research and writing, this edition goes even further to build information literacy, recognizing that most students will be doing their work largely or entirely online and on screens. Chapters include updated advice on finding, evaluating, and citing a wide range of digital sources and also recognize the evolving use of software for citation management, graphics, and paper format and submission. The ninth edition is fully aligned with the recently released Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition, as well as with the latest edition of The Craft of Research. Teachers and users of the previous editions will recognize the familiar three-part structure. Part 1 covers every step of the research and writing process, including drafting and revising. Part 2 offers a comprehensive guide to Chicago's two methods of source citation: notes-bibliography and author-date. Part 3 gets into matters of editorial style and the correct way to present quotations and visual material. A Manual for Writers also covers an issue familiar to writers of all levels: how to conquer the fear of tackling a major writing project. Through eight decades and millions of copies, A Manual for Writers has helped generations shape their ideas into compelling research papers. This new edition will continue to be the gold standard for college and graduate students in virtually all academic disciplines.
Research and Technical Writing for Science and Engineering by
Engineering and science research can be difficult for beginners because scientific research is fraught with constraints and disciplines. Research and Technical Writing for Science and Engineering breakdowns the entire process of conducting engineering and scientific research. This book covers those fascinating guidelines and topics on conducting research, as well as how to better interact with your advisor. Key Features: advice on conducting a literature review, conducting experiments, and writing a good paper summarizing your findings. provides a tutorial on how to increase the impact of research and how to manage research resources. By reflecting on the cases discussed in this book, readers will be able to identify specific situations or dilemmas in their own lives, as the authors provide comprehensive suggestions based on their own experiences.
A Nurse's Step-By-Step Guide to Writing a Dissertation or Scholarly Project by
Feeling overwhelmed by the mere thought of writing your dissertation or scholarly project? Wondering how to begin and where to find the time? You are not alone. Earning your advanced degree is an extraordinary accomplishment, but completing those final stages can be a daunting task. A Nurse's Step-By-Step Guide to Writing a Dissertation or Scholarly Project, Second Edition, is a straightforward how-to guide. This book is intentionally concise because let's be honest, the last thing a busy candidate needs is another unwieldy, doorstop-sized book. Packed with practical steps and tools, this fully updated second edition-which includes a new chapter on the various formate for manuscript dissertations-will help you plan, document, organize, and write your dissertation or scholarly project. Don't go it alone; let author and fellow dissertation survivor Karen Roush help you get from square one to Done. Book jacket.
Writing Dissertations and Theses in Psychology by
This accessible guide equips students to succeed in their master's thesis or doctoral dissertation in psychology. The authors provide concrete assistance to the myriad tasks and requirements that students will encounter as they plan, conduct, and present their dissertation or thesis research. Drawing upon their many years of experience in working with graduate students, the authors address the multiple stages of the dissertation and thesis process. They take you through drafting the proposal, the advisor-advisee relationship, interacting with committee members, the writing process, handling obstacles, and the final presentation. Chapters provide guidance on using a research team, collecting data, conducting a literature review, and even acquiring financial support. Finally, students will find additional resources such as practical information on copyright issues, research methods, case analyses, and teleconferencing. This is an essential book for both graduate psychology students working on their master's theses or doctoral dissertations and their advisors.
