You’ve spent years working toward your degree, thinking about your ideal dissertation topic, and crafting the perfect problem statement. But now you have an overwhelming amount of research to do. Where do you start? How do you find more research to support your argument? What kind of research do you need to do?
Dissertation research can be overwhelming, but the good news is that you’re not alone. Here are five experts who can help you with your dissertation research.
In fact, I highly recommend it, even for the most experienced writers. You pour so much research, effort, and passion into your dissertation that you can easily become overwhelmed.
A dissertation writing coach can help take some of that pressure off by offering guidance through the entire writing process, from the first draft to the final manuscript. You can bounce ideas off them, ask questions about focus, and feel more confident about your content.
And since some writing coaches specialize in dissertations, they can offer advice on things like qualitative research coding and reference list organization. Their goal is to ensure your dissertation is as strong as possible – which covers everything from solid research to concise organization.
An editor specializing in dissertations can provide in-depth feedback throughout the writing process, pinpointing where you may need more research or where things don’t align.
Editors help fix basic things like grammar, spelling mistakes, and formatting. But their eye for detail also means they can spot any research-related issues and suggest improvements.
Even if you perform qualitative research, you can still pull quantitative data points from those results.
Since most dissertation students aren’t also mathematical statisticians, they may struggle with research methodology, design, and result interpretation. That’s where professional statisticians can help.
You can hire statisticians to guide you through the entire research process – or just for help with one step. For example, professional statisticians can help you determine the right sample size and ensure your results are valid and reliable.
While motivational coaches may not be dissertation experts, they can help you navigate the stress that comes with being a Ph.D. student.
For example, a motivational coach can help you stay positive and work through various life demands vying for your attention. They can discuss your priorities, help you set goals, and talk through major decisions.
Even if you get stuck in the “all but dissertation” phase, motivational coaches can encourage you to get out of the rut and keep pushing through.
They can also help manage communication with any research contacts and help you with your post-doctoral job search.
Virtual assistants do many of the same things as personal assistants, except they operate from a remote location. They may not be able to run errands for you, but they can schedule any meetings, complete some extra research, and help with data entry.
