Let me know what other topics would be helpful for you.
Your Thesis Topic:
In this list of 10 things to consider, I have left out some of the obvious ones such as “how much time do you have.” In this draft, I’ve also not connected the dots (e.g., OK, if you want to understand something more deeply, what methodologies might you consider?) Feedback welcomed.
If I Am On Your Committee
Here is some information about communication approaches and options. Communication During a Thesis or Dissertation Project
Favorite Resources
Some of my favourite high-level resources include the following.
Research Methodologies: Mindful Inquiry is one of my favourite high-level books. I discovered it some time between my MA in Leadership and PhD and find myself referencing it regularly for many purposes. This is not a book to teach you the ABCs of particular methodologies. It does help you think about who you are as a researcher, your research context, and how those things fit together to guide your choices of methodologies and research tools.
Academic Writing: Fussy Professor Starbuck’s site is a good, plain language primer on academic writing, and the Purdue site is great for quick checks on APA style.
Dissertations from the Heart: Although I’ve not yet read this The Authentic Dissertation, I’ve talked to the author about it, read segments, and think it has great promise. It touches on many things that interest me as a researcher, including ethnography, Indigenous perspectives and the power of narrative.
Terminology: Academic terminology can be daunting, especially for adults who move into academic work after decades in the workforce. Here are a couple of glossaries that may be helpful. This site provides basics about the world in which academics operate, defining terms such as “tenure” and “impact factor”. This site includes quite a bit of research terminology. It has some gaps; let me know if you have other recommendations.
