Writing and Research Tips
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.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.Ways to Improve Your Written English
23rd June 2020
English is a difficult language. Here at Dissertation Editor, we have years of experience working with clients for whom English is not their first language.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.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.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.Academic Writing Tips: How to Declutter Your Writing
17th September 2019
It’s important to get words down on the page. Without it, you don’t have a thesis or dissertation.Writing 1000 Words a Day (or 750, or 500...)
10th September 2019
Did our blog headline get your attention? Great! We thought it would. Too good to be true, you might be asking? Nope.How Close Reading Can Help Your Academic Writing
5th September 2019
In the book Reading Like a Writer, Francine Prose examines the link between reading and writing, and how reading informs writing, and vice versa.Setting Reasonable and Attainable Goals in Dissertation Writing
16th April 2019
The dissertation writing process is a long one – the dissertation process itself is more like an Ironman triathlon than a quick sprint.Thoughtful Thursday: Books About Science that Everyone Should Read
3rd January 2019
It’s the tail end of winter break for many of you, and hopefully you've been able to take at least some time off from writing and research and enjoy some free time, get some sleep, get outside and play in the snow, or do some “pleasure reading.
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.Dissertation Writing Tips: Helpful Writing Software
27th November 2018
We know that the best advice to get started with writing is just to write. But there are definitely tools that help make the process less arduous (see our favorite books about writing here).Organizing Your Dissertation: A Reverse Outline
8th November 2018
You’re probably familiar with using an outline to help plan your thesis or dissertation, but what about a reverse outline? A reverse outline is usually used to check your work.How to Utilize National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), Even for Your Dissertation!
1st November 2018
It’s November, and it’s National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Although it was developed for people writing novels, many people use it to write nonfiction.Dissertation Writing Tips: Writing Transitions
18th September 2018
Many clients come to Dissertation Editor with notes from the professor that say “choppy,” or they’re told that their ideas need to flow better.Dissertation Writing Tips: How to Paraphrase
6th September 2018
Avoiding plagiarism is a central focus when you’re writing your dissertation, and part of that involves paraphrasing the research you read.Dissertation Writing Tips: Tightening up Your Academic Writing
31st July 2018
When editors write things like “tighten this up!” or talk about “tightening up” during a consultation, they’re not referring to physical fitness! Tightening up a piece of writing, whether it’s academic or creative, means cutting the excess, streamlining the ideas, and getting to the point.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.Finding and Maintaining your Motivation during the Dissertation Process
5th July 2018
Most people writing a dissertation have heard the comparisons to a “marathon, not a sprint.” While that’s not wrong, sometimes that’s not entirely helpful, either.
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.Plagiarism: What it Is, and How to Avoid It
15th May 2018
One of the most common inquiries we get from graduate students is whether we can check for plagiarism; another common type of email is that of a student wanting us to go over the TurnItIn report and “fix” the plagiarism that was found.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.Dissertation Help: Creating the Perfect Dissertation Workspace
9th December 2015
I often fantasize about my perfect office. It would be at the top of a tall building, and my desk would be in front of a window with a great view.How to Safeguard Your Mental Health from the Hidden Costs of a PhD
25th November 2015
In the right circumstances, earning a PhD can be an amazing undertaking. It gives you the opportunity to grow as an intellectual and a thinker.Dissertation Writing Help: How Do You Write a Methodology Chapter?
23rd November 2015
What is Methodology? The word methodology refers to the techniques, practices, and procedures that a researcher uses when conducting research.Dissertation Research Help: Scholarly Sources
8th May 2015
When you are researching your dissertation, you will need to make extensive use of scholarly sources.Summertime Dissertation Writing: How to Stay On Task When the Sunshine Beckons
1st April 2015
Summer! The sun is out, the beach is beautiful, and it's time to relax, right? Well, for those who have dissertations to write, summer is perhaps less a chance to kick back, and more of a chance to get some serious work done in the absence of the regularly scheduled demands of the academic year.What is a Dissertation Committee Supposed to Do, Anyhow?
20th March 2015
Your dissertation committee is a team of professors who are meant to provide expertise, guidance, mentorship, and dissertation help.Dissertation Formatting Tips: Citing Digital Sources
12th March 2015
Dissertation formatting can be challenging enough as it is – there are so many meticulous details to pay attention to, and it's crucial to adhere to the formatting and citation style prescribed by your institution or department.Avoiding Digital Distraction while Writing Your Dissertation
5th March 2015
It happens all too easily. One moment you're staring at your dissertation on your computer screen, trying to work through a tough sentence or idea.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.Write Every Day
25th October 2014
Writing is central for both working on a dissertation and for academic careers that often follow graduate school.Dissertation Writing Practice
24th October 2014
At the start of my PhD program, a member of my dissertation committee told me something that I never thought would help me finish my degree: “There will come a point in your graduate school career where you will think you are dying.Clear Communication with Your Dissertation Advisor
16th October 2014
Your relationship with your dissertation or thesis advisor is important. Both the quality of your graduate school experience and even the success of your dissertation depend a lot on how well you work with your advisor.Helpful Dissertation-Writing Blogs
15th October 2014
Writing a dissertation can be a long, lonely, difficult process. Dissertation writing is filled with highs and lows, exciting and dull stretches, moments of elation and despair.Go on the Job Market - Without a Finished Dissertation?
3rd October 2014
Tackling the professional world (especially the academic one) is already challenging enough, but doing so while you are writing your dissertation is just a bad idea—or is it? Melissa Dennihy recently did just that, and wrote a detailed article about her experiences doing so with Inside Higher Ed.Finishing Your Dissertation
26th September 2014
The Challenges of Dissertation Writing Dissertations are huge projects. They are often the biggest, most extensive undertaking that a graduate student has been tasked with completing up to that point of his or her academic career.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.Dissertation Isolation Syndrome
21st August 2014
The process of writing a dissertation or thesis can be incredibly isolating. You seclude yourself for days on end with nothing but books, pages on a computer screen, and your own thoughts.Dissertation Proposal Writing Tips
14th May 2014
One of the most important tasks of your doctoral journey is developing a persuasive proposal or prospectus that outlines the research and conclusions you plan to make in your dissertation.Literature Review Writing Tips
12th May 2014
It's Time to Write Your Literature Review! So, you’ve finished your coursework and passed your exams.Dissertation Writing Tips
6th May 2014
Dissertation Writing Tips Writing a dissertation is a marathon rather than a sprint and it’s important to remember that slow and steady wins the race.