The Qualitative Dissertation in Education A Guide for Integrating Research and Practice

The Qualitative Dissertation in Education focuses on the experiences of students pursuing a doctorate in education and writing a qualitative dissertation. The literature on qualitative research has grown substantially over the past 25 years, but methods books often fail to consider the unique situations and resources available to students pursuing a professional doctorate.

This book examines the entirety of the dissertation experience, walking readers through the process with examples and guidelines. The structure of the book outlines each chapter of the dissertation as well as the necessary steps to start and complete the dissertation, such as working with a faculty chair and committee, developing a peer support group, and organizing literature.

Not only does the book cover each stage of the dissertation process, it also provides practical guidance on topics such as productivity, with exercises and resources to help students overcome obstacles and make progress in their writing. The Qualitative Dissertation in Education provides a foundation to understand both the basics of qualitative research and the expectations of the EdD dissertation.

Acknowledgements

About the Authors

Preface

About this Book

Part I: Pre-Proposal

Chapter 1: Overview
Chapter 2: Productivity

Part II: Proposal

Chapter 3: Starting Your Proposal
Chapter 4: Literature Review
Chapter 5: Types of Qualitative Studies
Chapter 6: Designing Your Study

Part III: Data Collection & Analysis

Chapter 7: Data Collection
Chapter 8: Analyzing Your Data

Part IV: Results & Finalization

Chapter 9: Organizing and Writing Your Findings
Chapter 10: Identifying Implications, Recommendations, and Conclusions
Chapter 11: Final Defense and Conclusion

Karri A. Holley is Professor of Higher Education in the College of Education at The University of Alabama, USA.

Michael S. Harris is an Associate Professor of Higher Education, and Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Southern Methodist University, USA.