Free Dissertation Advice

Prepping for Graduate Studies – Interview with Raising LeBarre

The Big Lie about “Safe Jobs” – Interview with Gertrude Nonterah

Unpacking Dissertation Writing – Interview with Solange Hackshaw

Preparing for Dissertation – Interview with Amy Scruggs

Navigating Graduate School – Interview with LeTroy Gardner

Surviving Grad Studies as a Professional Mom – Interview with Sarah Reckman

What to do if you feel like you don't belong in academia – Interview with Emma Brodzinski

Burnout, Isolation, Imposter Syndrome, and Disorganization – An Interview with Dana Brookover

Black Women and Mental Health in Academia – Interview with Dimitrius Thee Bradford

Mastering Your Dissertation: Expert Insights – Interview with Julie DeLucca-Collins

Figuring Out if More Education is What You Need to Grow Your Career – Interview with Andrea Barr

Practices that Transform Toxic Academic Work Culture – Interview with Danielle De La Mere

IRB for Dissertations: Your Comprehensive Guide to the Institutional Review Board Application

One of the services I offer through my coaching is support with IRB applications. Thinking about what this service looks like and why is needed has made me realize just…

Pursuing A PhD: Is It Time to Make Your Academic Move?

The path to higher education may not always be a straight line, but it’s never too late to take the next step. In this episode, we explore the journey of…

How to Choose the Right Tools for Dissertation Writing: Time, Value, and Support Systems

Is help always as helpful as we think? This is a reminder that a support is only a support if it genuinely offers value even after the costs have been…

If You Are Struggling with Dissertation Focus … Try Letting Your Mind Wander

What if allowing your mind to wander from time to time is actually really important? Here are three tips for infusing more mindwanderfulness into your life.

How A Structured, Limited Approach Can Help Ward Off Defense Prep Anxiety

When anxiety strikes, you need to work less to work smarter. Are you brave enough to slow the pace?

What Should Dissertation Feedback Look Like?

Dissertation supervisors are there to support you throughout your Ph.D. But what should supervisor feedback actually look like? This guide answers that and more.

Where Can You Go for Extra Help During Your Dissertation Research?

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.

Three Apps for Being A Grad Student and Parenting at the Same Time

In this post, I'll share the five apps that I use to help me keep a life with kids balanced and sane, and that I always recommend to my coaching…

How to Write the Recommendations Section of your Dissertation Discussion Chapter

In this post, we'll examine three options for recommendations to include in this important section of your paper, along with examples of what these can look like.

What To Expect in Your Dissertation Defense Presentation

Exactly what happens after you hit the “submit” button, and how can you prepare for that all-important presentation day? Here’s a quick guide to what to expect and how to…

Do I need to be a genius to do a doctorate degree?

In this post, I’ll spell out the top skills you should look for in yourself if you are thinking about enrolling in doctoral degree, focusing on five that every doctoral…

Sections to Include in Your Dissertation Introduction

Finding a template for the introduction chapter of your dissertation is easy… but what exactly goes into each of the sections in the template? Here's a quick visual summary to…

The Top 6 PhD Podcasts for Surviving Your Dissertation

In this post, I’ll share six of my favorite research and study podcasts for dissertation students.

What is a Dissertation Problem Statement?

This post will walk you though some starting points for your dissertation problem statement: the reason for having a problem statement, the types of problem you can focus on, and…

Manual vs. Software Coding for Qualitative Dissertations: Which Is Better?

Before you begin qualitative data coding, you need to determine whether you should opt for manual vs. software coding. Keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of both!

Qualitative Data Coding for Dissertation Students: What Is It and Why You Need It

In this post, we’ll take a look at the importance of qualitative data in dissertation research, the various ways to code it, and how to determine the best approach to…

10 Essential Dissertation Blogs for Ph.D. Students

In this post, I'll share ten of my favorite research blogs for dissertation students, including academic, writing, and humorous options.

What’s The Difference Between the Problem Background and Problem Statement in Your Dissertation Chapter 1?

Many students struggle to understand the difference between the problem background and the problem statement. The result is a poorly organized introduction that is difficult for a reader to follow. Here’s…

IS IT JUST ME, OR IS MY DISSERTATION SUPERVISOR USELESS?

There are many reasons why so many students experience poor supervisor standards while others have a great experience. This post is here to help you feel seen if you are…

Do I Need a Dissertation Coach?

In this article, I explain the 101 of dissertation coaching, so you know what to expect and how to decide if coaching is right for you.

What is Dissertation Coaching?

You may not be sure what exactly a dissertation coach does, whether you personally would benefit from hiring one, or how to choose a top-quality coach from the crowd. In…

How Much Does Dissertation Coaching Cost?

Dissertation coaching is an investment. While the upfront cost might feel steep, it is paltry when you consider what you are getting and the costs it can help you avoid.

Benefits of Hiring a Dissertation Coach

Do you really need a coach? What can a coach actually do for you? Here are some of the top benefits my students have expressed appreciation for.

5 Self-Care Tips for Overworked Dissertation Students

In this post, I share my top tips from 10+ years of working in higher ed and coaching dissertation students for avoiding burnout and supporting your wellbeing.

What is ABD (“All But Dissertation”) and How Can You Avoid Getting Stuck There?

For many students, ABD can stand as both an exciting milestone and a terrifying sinkhole. This post will cover some quick tips to help you prepare early to avoid the ABD…

Five Top Tips for Preparing for Your Dissertation Oral Defense (Viva Voce)

Here are a few top tips to help you keep the panic at bay and prepare for an awesome dissertation defense.

Five Research Tips for Your Dissertation Literature Review

The purpose of your dissertation literature review is to clearly demonstrate the research gap that your research will fill. But how should you go about finding sources? Here are five…

Five Ways to Prepare for the Academic Job Market

Especially in the wake of pandemic-related hiring freezes and funding cuts, competition for faculty positions and tenure-track roles is fierce. In this post, I share five strategies that will help…

What Happens When You Submit Your Dissertation?

Think you’ve hit the finish line when you finally finish your full dissertation draft. Well … not quite. You actually have many more steps before you finally get to call…

How Dissertation Students Can Seek Graduate Teaching Experience to Succeed in the Academic Job Market

Here are four tips you can use to prepare for academic teaching and prove your worth as an educator to hiring committees.

Understanding the Peer Review Process

Thinking of publishing your research? Here's everything you need to know about the peer-review process.

What to Look for in an Awesome Dissertation Supervisor (and What to Ask For)

Whether you're a bit lost, an absolute beginner, or a long-distance PhD student, choosing and managing a supervisor to ensure the best working relationship possible can be intimidating. So, I'm…

Your Guide to Graduate Studies in Children’s Literature

With so many options available to you in the field of children's literature, it can be difficult to know where to start. In this article, I’ll walk you through what…

How to Create an Academic Website

A personal academic website can showcase your research and serve as your digital portfolio, offering potential employers easy access to your professional profile. In this article, I’ll walk you through…

Understanding The Dissertation Defense Process

You may unaware that there is still some work ahead before you can call your dissertation done and dusted. Here’s a quick guide to what to expect as you approach…

How to Get Motivated When Your Dissertation Deadline is Approaching

When you have a dissertation deadline approaching, it can be challenging to keep motivated. In this post, I'll share some top tips for staying motivated.

Getting Started with Your Dissertation Literature Review

One of the most frequent concerns I see with my new students is that the literature review can seem a daunting and potentially endless task. How do you know what…

Balancing Old and New Sources in Your Dissertation Literature Review

There are three key factors to consider when deciding which sources to include in your literature review draft, all of which come down to relevance and timeliness. In this post,…

How to Write a Strong Materials and Methods (Methodology) Section

The Materials and Methods Chapter is easy to write… if you know the tricks of the trade. Here is a handy guide to help you breeze through this chapter.

Five Good Reasons Professional Editing is Worth the Cost

There are five very good reasons why a professional copy-editor with a specialism in academic editing is worth that extra forty-eight hours and few dollars. In this post, I'll walk…

A Quick Guide to Conferences for Grad Students

In this post, I'll walk you through the benefits of attending a conference as a grad student, and how to get the most out of the experience.

What is a Dissertation?

In this post, I'll walk you through everything you need to know to decide if a dissertation is the right move for you.

Why You Should Use the MS Word “Tracked Changes” Function When Revising Your Dissertation

Tracked changes is one of the most useful tools you can use when revising a dissertation draft – but it can be overwhelming if you've never used it before. Here's…

How to Keep Your Dissertation Reference List Under Control

How can you keep your references and citations in order when you are working with so many sources over so many months and drafts? In this post, I give you…

How to Choose Your Children’s Literature Dissertation Topic

In this post we’ll look at five key techniques for choosing your dissertation topic in more detail, including some examples specific to the field of children’s literature.

Tops Tips for Finding Scholarly Articles for Your Dissertation

Many students resort to random browsing, but struggle to find journal articles that are relevant, timely, or both. If this is you, then read on for my top two tips…

Tips for Writing a PhD Program Cover Letter

So, what is a cover letter, exactly, and why do you need one? And more importantly, how do you writer a good one? Let me walk you through the basics.

Top Tips for Writing Your Dissertation Abstract

Writing an effective dissertation abstract with a low word count can be extremely challenging – especially when you’re exhausted from writing the dissertation itself! Here are my top tips for…

Digital File Management: Keeping Your Professional Documents Organized

A robust, reliable digital file management strategy is the secret to dodging these professional pitfalls. While it may sound technical and complicated, it’s really about nothing more than being consistent,…

How to Prepare for your Grad School Interview

Like any interview, the grad school admissions interview is not easy – it’s not meant to be. However, there are some simple steps you can take beforehand to make sure…

Three Careers for Children’s Literature PhD Graduates

Childhood studies range across a wide array of disciplines, including (but not limited to) literary criticism, education, history, cultural studies, psychology, sociology, business, media studies, creative writing, and cognitive science….

Six Tips for Effective Dissertation Proofreading

Proofreading is an essential part of the dissertation writing process. Here are some top tips taken straight from the professional proofreading industry that you can use to up your proofreading…

Creating a Web-Based Portfolio

A key question for budding academics at the moment is how to transform amazing ideas and expertise into a coherent academic career narrative attractive to employers. In this post, I'll…

Dissertation Reference List Dos and Don’ts

Here are some dos and don’ts to help you keep your dissertation reference list under control.

5 Books You Should Buy to Help You Create Your Dissertation Proposal

Here are five books you will definitely find indispensable in your dissertation journey.

Who Should Write a Dissertation?

How do you know if writing a dissertation is the right move for you? Here are my top three pieces of advice.

A Review of “Get Real and Get In” by Dr. Aviva Legatt

I am super excited to share my recently published review of Get Real and Get In – A fantastic new college prep guide by Dr. Aviva Legatt. Are you currently…

How to Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed by Dissertation Writing

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when the task of writing 10,000+ words of dissertation report content looms before you. Here are my top tips for making the task feel more…

Preparing for Peer Review

If you are peer-reviewing an academic paper for the first time, follow these simple steps to write the best peer-review report ever.

Should You Hire an Academic Editor for Your Final Dissertation Draft?

Here are four good reasons why you should consider hiring a professional editor for that final draft submission.

What is Theory and How to Use it in Your Dissertation

A post on the topic of “what is theory” could expand to fill a whole book – and indeed, many books have been written on this topic. This post is…

Goal Setting for Doctoral Students

Read on for a quick explanation of how goals help, how to write goals, and what to do if you don’t manage to achieve your goals as expected.

What to Include in Your Academic CV/Resumé

If you're applying for a faculty job, you need a strong academic resume. Here's everything you need to know to get started.

Introducing Positioning Pooh

My most recent academic project has just been published! Check out this sneak preview…

Quick Tips for Successful Syllabus Design

Effective syllabus design is not difficult – just time consuming. If you are teaching for the first time alongside your PhD, here are a few of the considerations you want…

The Ethics of Hiring an Editor

Not sure if hiring an academic editor is the ethical thing to do? Here's a quick guide on the ethics of outsourcing your draft editing.

What A Great Dissertation Proposal Looks Like, and Five Common Mistakes that Lead to Dissertation Proposal Revisions

This post will outline five of the research proposal mistakes I see most often and how you can avoid them while drafting.

Digital Tools for Putting Together Your Dissertation Manuscript

There are lots of free and inexpensive digital tools to help you create a stellar academic manuscript. Here’s a round up of some of my favorites.

Three Key Tips for Choosing Your Dissertation Topic

If you are struggling to choose a topic for your dissertation, these three tips will help set you on the right path.

How to Communicate with Your PhD Advisor

You can’t do much to change your dissertation advisor’s training in communications, but there are a number of things you can do to improve your own communication and, by doing…

How to use MS Word to Manage and Track Dissertation Revisions

In this article, I’ll walk you through the top three features I use when editing dissertations and working with revising students: tracked changes, comments, and file names.

The Importance of Alignment in Your Dissertation Proposal

In this post, I'll walk you through what "alignment" means, and how to achieve it in your dissertation proposal.

Digital File Management for Dissertation Students

A robust, reliable digital file management strategy is the secret to dodging these dissertation pitfalls. While it may sound technical and complicated, it’s really about nothing more than being consistent,…