Writing and Research Tips

 

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NaNoWriMo and Academic Writing

5th November 2021

NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, started in 1999 as a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days in November.

October is National Book Month!

1st October 2020

I bet you didn’t know that October was National Book Month, did you? The National Book Foundation established the first National Book Month in 2003.

Need to Get Organized? Read These Books

15th September 2020

Getting and staying organized: for some people, it comes naturally. For others, it takes some work and effort.

Dissertation Editor is Now in the UK!

1st September 2020

We have exciting news! Dissertation Editor now has a branch in the UK, Thesis Editor. After working with clients both in the US and internationally since 2005, we here at Dissertation Editor decided to establish a UK-specific branch to better serve our clients in the UK.

Self-Publishing 101

20th August 2020

So you want to write a book – great! Or better yet, you’ve written a book – even better! How will you publish it? There is the traditional mode of publishing: depending on your genre, you need an agent, who will then submit the manuscript to publishers.

Benefits of Joining a Virtual Writing Group

18th August 2020

Writing groups have always been helpful, and, especially in graduate school, they’re often done in-person.

It's Summer! Here's How to Stay Motivated

16th July 2020

It’s summertime, and while our summer this year looks different than in years past because of the COVID-19 pandemic, hopefully you’ll still be able to get outside in the sunshine, relax a bit, and recharge for the coming year.

Setting Up Your Outdoor Workspace

7th July 2020

As the weather gets nicer, you might feel the pull to be outside more – and that’s great! Being outside and spending time in nature can help reduce stress and anxiety.

Staying Organized Working from Home During COVID-19

9th June 2020

Many – if not most – people are working from home right now. For those who aren’t used to it, this can be a rude awakening and a rough transition, especially if you have a partner or children.

The Benefits of Joining a Book Club

4th June 2020

Book clubs can be a fun, engaging, and educational experience at any time, but especially now during the COVID-19 stay-in-place orders, they can be especially helpful.

Helpful Websites for Writers

2nd June 2020

Whether you’re writing your thesis or dissertation, a journal article, or a novel or memoir, sometimes you need…something else.

National Library Week!

20th April 2020

It’s National Library Week (4/19-4/25) – a time to celebrate the libraries in your life. Libraries serve the needs of their communities, whether it’s a busy undergrad university, a small charter school, a research institution, an inner-city neighborhood, or a graduate school.

Self-Care During COVID-19

14th April 2020

It’s always important to practice self-care, but it is especially important during graduate school and while you’re working on your thesis or dissertation.

April is D.E.A.R. Month

7th April 2020

Do you remember DEAR (Drop Everything And Read)? In elementary school, there would be DEAR time, and we’d all stop the lesson and take out a book and have quiet time to read.

How Do You Know if You Have the Right Dissertation/Thesis Topic?

31st March 2020

Many people spend a lot of time wondering how to choose a thesis or dissertation topic, but how do you know when you have the right one? Well, it can be different for everyone, including how you define “the right topic,” but there are a few ways to know you’ve picked a good topic.

Choosing Credible Sources

24th March 2020

In this day and age, we are lucky to have a surplus of scholarly information at our fingertips. No more are the hours of paging through card catalogs or scrolling through microfiche.

Dealing With Feedback

10th March 2020

This blog post might be hard for some of you to read. Good. That’s a good thing – we all need to push our comfort zones and be uncomfortable from time to time.

National Grammar Day!

4th March 2020

March 4th! It’s the only day of the year that is also a complete sentence (march forth!). It’s also National Grammar Day.

Keeping a Research Journal

10th December 2019

We’ve discussed academic bullet journaling and how it can help you in a previous blog post, but what about keeping a research journal? While bullet journaling keeps a record of your deadlines and schedules, a research journal is different.

Submitting Your Dissertation or Thesis to ProQuest

26th November 2019

After your final revisions are complete, your manuscript has been edited, and you are completely finished with your thesis or dissertation, you’ll upload your manuscript to ProQuest.

Dealing With Burnout

5th November 2019

The term “burnout” gets thrown around a lot, but do you know what it really means? Burnout is defined as a state of chronic stress leading to physical and emotional exhaustion, cynicism, detachment, and feeling ineffective and unaccomplished.

Tips for Effective Presentations

15th October 2019

Graduate school provides many opportunities to hone your presentation skills: some classes require you to present your research or a topic, you may be teaching, and you might go to a conference or two and do a poster presentation (you can check out our blog on that here).

Dissertation Editor: What We Do

8th October 2019

The school year is getting underway and Dissertation Editor is ready to help! Our name might have the word “dissertation” in it, but did you know that we aren’t just for dissertations or theses? That’s right! We offer a range of services for both students and professionals, at every stage of your career.

Podcasts for Writing

13th August 2019

Are you a podcast-listener? We’ve talked about podcasts for graduate students before, but as you know, whatever you’re interested in, there’s a podcast for that! Here are some that may be helpful in writing your dissertation – and writing in general, too.

Classics that Are Perfect for Summer

6th August 2019

We’ve written posts before about how important it is to read widely, and if you read interviews with writers or talk to an established writer, at some point it’s likely that they’ll tell you that in order to write well, you need to read a lot.

How to Deal with Rejection (From Academic Journals)

23rd July 2019

It happens to everyone. Really, it does – rejection from academic journals. It’s almost a rite of passage.

Summer Reading: Books and Workbooks on Academic Writing

9th July 2019

Summer is a great time to work on any challenges you might have with writing, especially academic writing.

Basics of Submitting to Academic Journals

2nd July 2019

Summer is a great time to start thinking about submitting to journals for publication. You might be working with a professor on research, have you dissertation, or other paper, completed that shows some promise, or you finally have time to finesse that article you’ve been working on.

How an Academic Bullet Journal Can Help with your Dissertation Work

9th April 2019

By now, you’ve probably heard of bullet journals, or BuJos. We even posted this article about their use with dissertation work and academia from Inside Higher Education on our Facebook page.

The Importance of Proofreading

12th March 2019

During the dissertation writing process, we get a lot of clients who are aware of the value of editing, rewriting, and revising, but did you know that a final proofread is just as important as the initial editing, if not more so? When we work with a client, after the editing process (both line and then copy) is over and the client thinks they have the finished product ready to go, we will often suggest a final proofread and format order.

How to Write a Teaching Philosophy

22nd January 2019

If you’re going into academia - teaching, especially - then at some point you’ve likely been asked to write a statement of your teaching philosophy.

The Benefits of Journaling in Graduate School

26th December 2018

When was the last time you journaled? For many of us, it was as angsty teens, or kids who kept a diary.

How to Construct an Effective Poster Presentation

15th November 2018

If you decide to present your research at a conference, you might have to prepare a poster presentation.

How to Write Professional Emails

23rd October 2018

You’re probably wondering why we’re devoting a whole blog post to the simple task of emailing – after all, we all do it, right? What could we possibly blog about? Well…a lot, it turns out.

Scholarly Writing Tips: Writing Application Essays

16th October 2018

Have you decided to apply to graduate school or apply for a fellowship? Are you applying to go back to school after being out for a few years? The application process can be challenging, especially the essays or personal statements, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve had to write anything for school.

Scholarly Writing Tips: Writing a Grant Proposal

9th October 2018

Depending on your research and your research needs, sometimes you need additional funding through grants.

Academic Writing Tips: How to Write an Abstract

3rd October 2018

If you’ve written a research paper, journal article, thesis, or dissertation, you likely have to write (or have written) an abstract.

How to Beat Writer's Block

25th September 2018

Ah, the dreaded writer’s block. It happens to all of us at some point. Whether you’re working on a book, a paper, your dissertation, or a work project, sometimes you just get stuck.

Converting your Dissertation into a Book: Not as Easy as it Might Seem

16th August 2018

The day has come: your dissertation is finished, you passed, it’s all bound up and in your hands. After a much-deserved break and some relaxation, you might be considering turning your dissertation into a book – after all, it’s a fascinating topic, you’ve thoroughly researched it, and you have a lot to say about the topic.

Dissertation Writing Tips: How to Improve and Strengthen Your Writing

27th July 2018

Nathaniel Hawthorne once said “Easy reading is damn hard writing.” He was right, of course. Good writing takes time and practice, and even if you have a natural inclination toward writing, it’s still not easy.

Scholarly Writing: Words and Phrases to Avoid in Your Dissertation

26th June 2018

Academic writing is much different than writing for the general population, and it can take some time to get acclimated.

Motivational Quotes to Help Fuel your Writing

19th June 2018

There’s no doubt about it, writing can be hard. Often we just need a little extra motivation to jump start our creativity or give us a push to help get us over the latest hurdle.

Thoughtful Thursday: Anxiety about Writing

3rd May 2018

Anxiety during graduate school is normal, and a small amount of anxiety can actually be healthy. However, if it starts interfering with work, daily routine, or mood, it can be a sign of a problem.

Some of our Favorite Books on Academic Writing

27th March 2018

I’m a big reader. If I’m facing a problem or difficulty, I like to read books or articles about it – about people who’ve faced similar situations, or instructions on how to make it easier.

Formatting Friday #1: The Importance of Proper Formatting

16th March 2018

Welcome to our new blog series, Formatting Friday! Every Friday, we’ll be looking at a topic in formatting.

Happy National Grammar Day!

4th March 2018

https://youtu.be/RPoBE-E8VOc Quick, what day of the year is also a complete sentence? Why, March 4th, of course! (March forth!) It’s also National Grammar Day.

Choosing the Right Dissertation Advisor

23rd July 2015

Your relationship with your dissertation advisor can make or break your grad school experience. The right advisor can mentor you throughout graduate school and beyond, but the wrong advisor can hamper your progress and hold you back.

Dissertation Research Help: Scholarly Sources

8th May 2015

When you are researching your dissertation, you will need to make extensive use of scholarly sources.

Running an Effective Dissertation Writing Group

3rd March 2015

Forming a writing group is a great way to combat the feelings of isolation that can come with dissertation writing.

How to Write a Dissertation in Scholarly Tone

10th September 2014

In any written, academic undertaking, scholarly tone is of utmost importance. Tone, rigor, sources, and precision are some of the clear indicators that distinguish scholarly from popular writing.

Having a neutral editor review my dissertation and help me reduce the content to the key facts was incredibly helpful. As researchers, we are often too close to the data to know which parts of the document to shed and which to keep. This process helped me create a better document with more focus and better delivery of the research results.

 

- Kim M.

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