Writing and Research Tips
Books and Movies to Celebrate Halloween
27th October 2020
It’s almost Halloween, and although it might look different this year for many people, you can still get into the holiday spirit! As the weather gets cooler in many parts of the country and the leaves start to fall, we love diving into the autumn traditions like pumpkin or apple picking, hayrides, and spooky activities.Benefits of Dissertation Coaching
6th October 2020
Writing a dissertation or thesis can be challenging. It takes a long time from start to finish, and for many people, is unlike anything they’ve ever done before.How Dissertation Editor Can Help with Math Anxiety
17th September 2020
If you have math anxiety, you’re not alone. Many kids, teens, and adults have anxiety or trepidation with math, which has often led them to avoid it at all costs.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.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.Books to Read in Honor of the ADA Turning 30
27th July 2020
The Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, turns 30 this year. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990.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.Alleviating Aches and Pains While Working at your Computer
30th June 2020
If you’re working on your thesis or dissertation, perhaps in addition to sitting in front of a computer screen all day for work, you’re probably familiar with the myriad aches and pains you might develop.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.Coping Strategies During COVID-19
11th June 2020
We did a post on self-care in the era of COVID-19 and self-isolation/social distancing, but as the weeks go on, we may find ourselves running out of coping strategies.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.Staying Positive in the Face of Uncertainty
26th May 2020
It’s been a hard few months. People are out of work, others are working from home, many are juggling teaching their children and making sure they’re staying on top of the work the school provides and working from home – it’s a lot.Clearing up Misconceptions About Academic Editing
19th May 2020
If you’ve ever wondered about academic editing, you’ve probably heard some falsehoods about it. You might have heard that it’s plagiarism, or that it’s only for people whose first language isn’t English, or that you can just have your friend who majored in English proofread your paper and it’s the same thing.Star Wars Day!
4th May 2020
It’s May 4th, the best day of the year for Star Wars fans! Here at Dissertation Editor, we love a good space opera and we love Star Wars.How Dissertation Editor Can Help with Online Teaching and Learning
28th April 2020
With online teaching being the new norm right now because of COVID-19, we realize this may be unfamiliar territory for many of you, especially those of you who are teaching elementary, middle, and high school.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.Working from Home with Kids During COVID-19
23rd March 2020
Working from home can be challenging enough if you’re not used to it, whether it’s for your job or working on your dissertation or thesis.Academics in the time of COVID-19
16th March 2020
If you attend an in-person undergraduate or graduate program, you most likely have been affected by school closures, due to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.Celebrate Pi Day!
14th March 2020
Ah, Pi Day – no, not PIE day, although we’d love that, too – but Pi Day, a day in which math lovers everywhere celebrate the wonder that is pi, the mathematical constant typically known as 3.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.Books to Read for Black History Month
11th February 2020
February is Black History Month. This originated as “Negro History Week,” which historian Carter G.Maintaining Your Motivation During Winter Time
21st January 2020
It’s the middle of winter, and in many parts of the country, the temperatures have dropped and snow may be on the ground.Academic New Year's Resolutions for 2019
2nd January 2020
It’s a new year! It’s that time when people make resolutions…and often break them. We did a post like this last year, which you can read here.How Failure Can Help You Succeed
17th December 2019
There was an article going around about a PhD candidate who defended her dissertation wearing a skirt made out of rejection letters she’d gotten during her doctoral program: scholarship rejections, journal rejections, grant rejections, conference rejections, and more.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.What Can You Do with a Dissertation Editor Gift Card?
5th December 2019
The holidays are coming up, and sometimes it’s not easy to figure out what to get friends or family members.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.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.Dealing With Math Anxiety
1st October 2019
Math anxiety is real and quite common. Many graduate students dread their Statistics class or shy away from data-driven projects.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.Want to Combat Stress or Burnout? Get Outside!
27th August 2019
As graduate school looms in the not-so-distant future, you might be a little anxious about starting or going back to your graduate program or stressed out about your dissertation or thesis.How to Beat Back-to-School Nerves
22nd August 2019
If you’ve been in any store lately, you know it’s just around the corner: back-to-school time! You can’t escape the school sales, kids stocking up on clothing and school supplies, and that oh-so-familiar smell of new notebooks, paper, and the memory of the thrill of choosing just the right backpack and lunch box.Back-to-School Necessities for the Graduate Student
20th August 2019
Summer is winding down and going back to school is on the horizon. If you have children, you’ve likely gotten their class lists and are stocking up on supplies – but what about you? Yes, you! Just because you're a graduate student, it doesn't mean you don't need any school supplies.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.Happy Birthday Harry Potter!
31st July 2019
It’s July 31st! In addition to being a sign that the summer is winding down, it’s also Harry Potter’s birthday! Yup, he will be 39 years old this year, and the Harry Potter world of Hogwarts has been part of our cultural fabric for more than 20 years now, if you can believe it.Maintaining Your Motivation This Summer
25th July 2019
It is mid-summer and many of you might have had some plans in mind for your academic work. There's still time! Whether you’re planning on knocking out a rough draft of a chapter or two of your dissertation, making some headway with your research, or even just wanting to get to a reading list of yours, it can be hard to find the motivation to actually do it.Making the Most out of Summer During Graduate School
18th July 2019
Summer is here and your instinct might be to kick back and relax and do as little work as possible on your thesis or dissertation – after all, you want to actually enjoy your summer, right? Well…yes and no.Podcasts for Math, Statistics, and Data Analysis
16th July 2019
Do you listen to podcasts? Do you want to learn more about math or statistics? This post is for you! It’s also for those of you who may not necessarily love statistics and numbers (hey, it’s not for everyone), but want to learn more or need some clarification.The Importance of Fact-Checking and Understanding Your Research
27th June 2019
Recently, the author Naomi Wolf learned – on-air, no less – that a major premise of her book is based on a misunderstanding.Great Podcasts for Graduate Students
25th June 2019
There are all sorts of tools to help you with your graduate school journey: books, websites, blogs, and…podcasts? Yup, podcasts! For those of you who love being able to listen to podcasts while at the gym, on your commute, or while you’re relaxing, now you can listen to a podcast that will help you navigate graduate school and any questions you have about a whole range of topics for grad school and even beyond! First, the basics: what is a podcast, for the uninitiated? It’s generally a series of episodes of audio files, like a digital serial radio show, almost.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.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.Acing Your Dissertation Defense
26th March 2019
After you turn in your dissertation, you will have a defense. The actual format can vary among disciplines and schools, but, in general, it’s a one to two hour event in which you “defend” your work, answer questions, or present your findings to your committee and colleagues.Why Reading Widely Is So Important
19th March 2019
If you talk with any professional writer, at some point they will likely tell you that if you’re interested in becoming a writer, you need to read.Happy Pi Day!
14th March 2019
Happy Pi Day! While we love pie here at Dissertation Editor (and let’s be real, who doesn’t), we also love pi – especially our stats team.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.Selecting Your Dissertation Committee
26th February 2019
Choosing your dissertation or thesis committee is perhaps one of the most difficult but important decisions you will have to make as a graduate student.When Do I Need to Do a Power Analysis?
31st January 2019
You have your dissertation topic, fleshed out your research questions, and have a plan in place for your target study population and how you’re going to collect your data.Dr. Roda's Recent Trip to USF!
29th January 2019
There are a lot of wonderful things going on here at Dissertation Editor, and we wanted to share some with you, our blog readers.
New Year's Resolutions for Graduate Students
10th January 2019
Happy New Year! It’s tradition for many people to make resolutions at the start of the new year, but so many times they fall by the wayside by the time January ends.Study Skills Tips
8th January 2019
Let me guess: you looked at the blog topic and thought, study skills? CLEARLY, I know how to study and study well; I wouldn’t have made it to graduate school if I didn’t.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.4 Ways a Professional Editor Can Help Save You Time and Money
13th November 2018
We get it – as a graduate student, you don’t have a ton of disposable income, and so you’re careful about how you spend your money.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.Thoughtful Thursday: Beating the Mid-Semester Slump
18th October 2018
It’s mid-October, and the semester is halfway over. You’ve gotten into a routine, you know what your professors expect of you, and things are moving forward.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.Research: Literature Review vs Annotated Bibliography
21st August 2018
During graduate school, and especially while you’re working on your dissertation, you’ll probably hear the terms “annotated bibliography” and “literature review” tossed around a lot.Common Writing Mistakes by Non-Native English Speakers
9th August 2018
We’ve worked with hundreds of clients for whom English isn’t their first language, and we know how confusing English can be, even for native speakers.Dissertation Research Tips: Choosing a Topic
7th August 2018
Some people go into their doctoral program with a clear idea of what they want to study and never waver from it; others have a vague sense of what they want their topic to be, and then fine-tune it; still others go in with some idea, and then end up focusing on a completely different topic altogether.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.How to Increase Your Productivity
24th July 2018
We’ve all heard people talking about being morning people or night owls – and with that, comes varying differences in productive times for different people.Thoughtful Thursday: The Benefits of Music
19th July 2018
Anyone who’s ever exercised or runs knows that music can be a big motivator. A long run can feel a lot shorter when you have the right music playing on your headphones, and even a night out dancing can fly by if there’s a great soundtrack.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.
Dissertation Writing: Commonly Misused Words
3rd July 2018
Writing well is hard, no doubt about it. English can be confusing, especially if it's not your first language.Formatting Friday: Putting Tables into your Dissertation
29th June 2018
Visual aids like tables and figures can provide the reader with necessary information quickly and clearly, but if you have too many unnecessary tables or figures, they can interrupt the flow of the paper and become an annoying distraction to the reader.Thoughtful Thursday: Yoga Apps and Videos
28th June 2018
With summertime upon us, it can be a great time to start a new fitness routine (if you have any doubts about your physical ability to do an activity, or have any physical issues, check with your doctor before beginning any exercise routine).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.Formatting Friday: Introduction to OSCOLA
22nd June 2018
We don’t get requests for this formatting style often, but we’ve gotten it enough times to think it warrants a mention: OSCOLA, or the Oxford Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities.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: Aromatherapy
14th June 2018
Most of us have had the experience of smelling something and having an associated, instinctual response – for instance, the smell of chocolate chip cookies reminding you of coming in from playing in the snow and sitting down to a plate of freshly baked cookies; the smell of a cooked meal similar to one your grandmother used to make, bringing you a feeling of comfort, or maybe even making you tear up a little; or even the smell of a medical facility, reminding you of an unpleasant experience.Thoughtful Thursday: Slowing Down
7th June 2018
The summertime invites a slower pace, bare feet, and lounging around, but when you’ve got a dissertation or thesis to finish, slowing down is the last thing you feel like doing! We understand that – but sometimes, even slowing down for part of each day can be beneficial to recharge your soul and “reboot” your motivation.Tips for Summertime Dissertation Motivation
29th May 2018
The summer is (finally) sneaking up on us – barbeques, longer days full of sunshine and swimming and relaxing, and plans with family and friends.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.Formatting Friday: Turabian
11th May 2018
Kate L. Turabian was the dissertation secretary at the graduate school at the University of Chicago from 1930 – 1958, in addition to being the editor of official publications of the University.Thoughtful Thursday: 5 Tips for Stress Reduction
10th May 2018
We’ve done a post on self-care tips, and though this one might overlap a bit, with finals and the end of the semester coming up, having plenty of tools in your toolbox to cope with stress is never a bad thing.Commencement Speeches That Will Inspire You
8th May 2018
Graduation season is approaching, and schools often get leaders in various fields to give commencement addresses.
Formatting Friday: ASA Basics
4th May 2018
ASA (American Sociological Association) style is typically used in the field of sociology to help students and authors prepare papers and manuscripts for ASA journals and other publications.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.Thoughtful Thursday: Juggling Graduate School, Work, and Parenting
26th April 2018
We know many of you are not only working (whether it’s full- or part-time) and going to graduate school, but you’re also juggling family responsibilities.Choosing a Theoretical Framework
24th April 2018
Without a theoretical framework, your dissertation can read as unfocused and unmoored – as if you’re floundering for rationale, or are lost within your research, without a clear path.Formatting Friday: The Chicago Manual of Style
20th April 2018
Another one of the main types of formatting styles used by our clients is Chicago, or The Chicago Manual of Style, abbreviated as CMoS or CMS.Formatting Friday: Intro to American Medical Association formatting
6th April 2018
Many clients of ours are working on scholarly articles for health or medical journals, and sometimes these journals specify that they require AMA style.
Formatting Friday: The Background on Bluebook
30th March 2018
While the majority of our clients use APA style or Chicago/Turabian (don't worry, we’ll get to that style on the blog, we promise!), we have a considerable client base that uses Bluebook style for formatting.
Thoughtful Thursday: Self-Care
29th March 2018
You’ve probably heard about self-care – it’s a common buzzword these days. At its most basic, self-care is simply taking care of yourself – both your body and mind.
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.Pi Day is Here!
14th March 2018
Happy Pi Day! What is Pi Day, you ask? Pi Day is celebrated on March 14, or 3/14. (It also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday, ironically).
National Proofreading Day!
8th March 2018
March 8th. Yes, it’s International Women’s Day, but for the editorial-minded, it’s also National Proofreading Day! Between this and National Grammar Day just a few days ago, who knew editors were such party animals? We get a lot of emails from clients who use the terms “proofreading” and “editing” interchangeably, but the two are actually very different.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.Conferences, Part 1: Presenting Your Dissertation Research at a Graduate Conference
28th February 2018
When you're writing your dissertation, it's often the only thing on which you have time to focus. Attending academic conferences and presenting papers or posters may seem like nothing more than a distraction from your dissertation writing, editing, and formatting.Finding a Mentor During Graduate School
23rd January 2018
Graduate school can be a challenging endeavor, and having a mentor who is accessible, knowledgeable, and helpful can make all the difference.Dissertation Help: Finding Resources on Your Campus
23rd December 2015
As a graduate student, you may have access to more resources on your campus than you realize. When I was in graduate school, it took me a long time to discover all of the campus services that were really at my disposal, and many of them ended up providing me with a great deal of dissertation help and other kinds of assistance.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.Dissertation Research Help: How to Read a Scholarly Article
3rd December 2015
When you're doing dissertation research and preparing your literature review, you will likely need to read many scholarly articles.
Great Gifts for Graduate Students
29th November 2015
The holidays are coming! If you have a dissertation-writing graduate student in your life, and you're looking for the perfect gift, we have some ideas for you! Helpful books There are lots of helpful books out there that can give graduate students a competitive edge when it comes to writing and publishing, and they make great gifts.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 Help: Combatting Impostor Syndrome
19th November 2015
It can strike at the least opportune times. Right before your paper presentation at a big academic conference, a top scholar in the field walks in the room you're suddenly filled with dread an uneasiness.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.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.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.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.Online PhD Programs - Pros and Cons
19th September 2014
Online graduate programs are becoming more and more popular—and this includes PhD programs. Traditional, brick-and-mortar programs have their benefits, but they also have their downsides.How Long Is the Average Dissertation?
4th September 2014
If you're visiting Dissertation-Editor.com, chances are that you’re beginning, working on, or finishing your dissertation.
