Choosing an academic career Book

Dr. Hawley writes that her goal was to encourage those who start their doctorate not to end up as an ABD (All But Dissertation). Her hope is to be a "kind of mentor" to help students meet the challenges ahead with a minimum of stress. She also states that she wrote with the non-traditional student in mind. That is those students who must work and attend school part-time, older people returning to update their skills, minorities and foreign students who have found and academic home in this country. Hawley says that there are "politics" involved with doctoral study. By that she means there are things that the student can't control. She then lists some of those "politics": (1) how doctoral study differs from previous pursuits; (2) choosing a dissertation topic; (3) your chair, your committee, and you; (4) writing the proposal; (5) the dissertation; (6) the defense of the thesis; (7) spouses, family, and friends. The book is helpful and full of practical advice.