Please join us at the CIS 720 seminar from 4:30 to 5:30pm on Monday February 28 (4:30-5:30pm) for a talk by Professor Anne Freese on “Writing your dissertation: process and product.” Dr. Freese will discuss her very popular proposal writing course, EDCS 761, and provide tips and advice.
Brief overview of the course:
The dissertation journey can be a lonely one. This course (EDCS 761) is designed to support students in developing their dissertation proposals and/or initial dissertation drafts. The course provides opportunities for students to critically evaluate research designs and scholarly writing. Students critique the structure and organization of dissertation research and writing (i.e., review of the literature, methods, data analysis, etc.). The course engages students in the process of scholarly writing by providing opportunities to design and develop a focused dissertation proposal within a supportive learning community. Discussion and implementation of the appropriate research design and methodology is explored. In addition, an important aspect of the course involves exemplars of scholarly writing and guest speakers, including previous PhD students, who share their PhD journeys and valuable insight.
If you are working on your proposal, I highly recommend you consider taking the course, particularly if you would like a little more structured environment where you have guided instruction and the support of a peer group. This course has helped numerous PhD students make tremendous progress in their dissertation journey.
Student testimonials:
“Dr. Freese’s writing course was the best investment I could have made in my Ph.D. journey. I am still so thankful for all of the amazing exemplars she shared, for her coaching and expert support (which she still offers me a year after I have finished the course), and for the community that she helped to build with and for all of us. This journey can be very lonely as we all know so well. However, through my participation in Dr. Freese’s writing course, I not only gained a mentor, but I gained a writing buddy and friend that has been instrumental in helping me to see the light at the end of the tunnel! This is a gift you must give to yourself.”
“As an international student born and raised in a small business family, I had no idea what research is and how to write a dissertation proposal. Dr. Anne Freese’s class is strategically designed to support students like me. She is a mentor. She provides a warm, caring, and supportive learning environment with detailed and practical suggestions. She even offered writing sessions after her class was finished. I highly recommend her class. You learn not just dissertation writing, you will have the opportunities to make friends, build relationships, and share life experiences.”
Bio:
Dr. Anne R. Freese has been an educator for over 50 years. She was a faculty member in the College of Education for 20 years where she taught and Chaired the Master of Education in Teaching Program (MET). She taught graduate courses on qualitative and quantitative research methods, teacher action research and curriculum theory. She received the UH President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2000 and the University of Hawaii Board of Regent’s Medal for Excellence in Teaching in 2006. In addition to numerous journal articles and book chapters, she co-edited the book, Making a Difference in Teacher Education through Self-Study (2006), and co-wrote the book, Self-Study of Teaching Practices (2011). Although she is retired, she continues to teach the dissertation course which she developed in 2008 in response to students’ request for a course to guide them during their PhD writing phase.
Image credit – modified version of “Dissertations Historiques et Critiques sur la Chevalerie…” by Library & Archives @ Royal Ontario Museum is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0