What would make a good dissertation topic?

In a perfect scholarly world where all research and writing is done by intelligent, diligent, inspired and inspiring people, a dissertation would be a) a great read about b) a very important topic that c) has been rigorously and thoroughly researched and d) thoughtfully and brilliantly developed to e) instruct, edify and inspire a wide-ranging audience into f) action that thereby solves or, at least, moves in a positive direction toward solving a major problem or issue in the world or field about which the doctoral candidate has studied and with which he/she has engaged.

That’s a perfect world dissertation, anyway.

Sadly, it’s been my (vast) experience that few dissertations achieve those admittedly lofty goals. Most of the 4000+ dissertations I’ve seen are good, but not great. Adequate but not outstanding. Worthy but not noteworthy. Good enough but not enough to do any good.

Pick an important topic, if you’re a serious doctoral student that is.

This is very serious, folks. No less than the future of higher education rests–in a very large sense–on the seriousness, scope, and importance of the research, arguments, and conclusions of this generation’s doctoral students. I say to this current legion of doctoral students: don’t settle for writing tripe. Pick a big and crucial subject. Do your dissertation diligence as if your life and the future of humanity, the world or at least your field depends on it.

Write a great dissertation, I challenge you.

As a PhD and owner of one of the world’s most experienced dissertation editing services (having edited over 4000 of them since 1999), I am an authority on this subject. I hereby challenge all universities and all doctoral candidates to raise the bar far higher than it is now. Raise it to Olympian heights. Demand of students and of yourselves to tackle the world’s problems with your research and writing. Make your dissertation make a difference. Don’t settle for merely obtaining your PhD with it. Make it so good it can be turned into a book that everyone should read.

Now that’s a worthy goal. You can do it, you doctoral candidates. You can make a difference. You can write a great dissertation that might even change the world. All that’s stopping you is yourself.

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In seminary, I took a course that focused on the great devotional writings of Christian history. Some were from giants of Christian theology, such as Augustine. Others were written by people that I had never heard of before, nonetheless had never read. Having been raised in a Protestant tradition in the southern USA, Saint John of the Cross’ The Dark Night of the Soul was one such work. So I was surprised to see this helpful metaphor of transformation through the midst of trial. Here are some thoughts that can help you get through writers block and other dark times of your writing.

View tough times as a blessing.

Are you experiencing writers’ block? Are you just not motivated? Are you running up against a deadline? Sometimes those tough moments mean a breakthrough is just around the corner. But the point of going through difficulty may mean that you find a new thought, process, or discipline that you will develop in your writing or personal life. This change in perspective can help you embrace the hard times and look expectantly to how it will change you for the better.

Tough times take you back to the basics.

St. John of the Cross wrote of the basics of Christian disciplines, such as sacraments, daily Bible study, and prayer. For a writer, this is putting in the time to write daily. Make time on the calendar. Put it in your daily schedule. Write something, even if painful, until the words flow again. And perhaps you will find a brand new discipline that will inspire you. Start reading again. Read in your field but in other fields too. Allow yourself to read something purely fun and see if that inspires you toward writing again in your areas of study.

Trials bring purification.

Hopefully coming out the other side of a dark night means that your writing is more focused, more real, and more relevant to your reader. Especially if you are writing to inspire or encourage through sharing your personal story, the trials of your writing process will help your readers identify with you and learn from your experience.

Live with hope and expectancy in difficult times.

Christians live with the ultimate promise of being brought through the trial because of one’s remembering the person and work of Christ. For the writer, there is hope in the experience of having pulled through a time of writers block or low point in the writing process before. There is knowledge that the season of difficulty will pass and the newness of creativity will return. Living with that expectancy that better days are ahead will help you reach those better days faster.

Seek a relationship with those who are willing to mentor and guide you.

Jesus is the ultimate example for the Christian. Because of Jesus’ pain and suffering, he is called brother, a companion in life’s journey. There is no greater help for the writer perhaps than to find the companionship of another writer for brotherhood, insight, and encouragement during a dark time. Someone who has been there before can help in ways that no well meaning other could help. Plus, remember to help others in their time of need when you are on the other side!

Ask any editor. Punctuation mistakes hurt your writing. Take the time to get it right so that your writing is better received.

1. How to use an apostrophe. This one was tough for me as a grade school student, so I know why people have trouble today. The issue revolves around the entire question of whether to use ‘s or s’ in cases of possessives. I used to draw the apostrophe almost on top of the s if I wasn’t sure, hoping the teacher would give me the benefit of the doubt since I was a well-behaved student! A singular possessive needs an ‘s and plural possessives need an s’. You may have to look up other uses of apostrophes to ensure proper use, but do not to leave it to chance!
2. Overuse of semicolons. Resist the urge to keep combining sentences with a semicolon. If sentences are short and easily combined, it is OK to use a semicolon. If you are using a semicolon often to combine long, complex sentences, the reader is going to get bogged down in your reading. The semicolon is for occasional use only. Save your semicolons when you really need them to separate items in a series that use commas and can be confusing without the use of semicolons.
3. Comma splices. Don’t force two sentences together with a comma in-between either. Make a concerted effort to read for a complete thought. If you pause to start the next thought, then you need to use a period.
4. Missing the ? I don’t know why this is an easy mistake to miss, other than their being so many more periods that end sentences than there are question marks. But always look for your end punctuation. Questions deserve questions marks!
5. Quotation marks and punctuation. This can be a difficult rule. A period or comma always goes inside the end quotation mark. Sometimes a question or exclamation mark can go outside the ending quotation–if the entire sentence asks a question or deserves the exclamation–not just the part in quotation. If only the quote needs a question or exclamation mark, then move the punctuation inside the end quotation mark.
6. Dash or hyphen? A dash is not the same as a hyphen. A hyphen is used to break words at the end of a line or in compound words such as great-grandmother. There are two kinds of dashes. An en dash (about the length of the letter n) is used for age and date ranges. An em dash (about the length of a letter m) is used to emphasize a phrase that is set apart. Most word processing programs convert two hyphens to an em dash. Check with your word processing program to be certain what keystrokes to use.
7. Its or It’s – This one really has a simple fix, so it amazes me how often people miss it. If the word is a contraction for “it is,” meaning you can read “it is” and the phrase makes sense in the sentence, then use it’s. If “it is” does not work in the sentence, use its.

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Tell Me A Story:  Lessons From Parker Palmer That Can Transform Your Writing

I was still in graduate school when I attended my first American Academy of Religion (AAR) conference. I was not yet at the point of putting together a syllabus for any course but was still interested in attending sessions related to teaching religion. One course in particular introduced me to Parker Palmer and his philosophy of teaching. I still think of Parker Palmer every semester as I put together a syllabus and have used his teaching philosophy in every course I have taught. Palmer’s influence has several applications to writing as well.

 The teacher (or writer) is the lesson.

If you want students or your readers to fully invest themselves in you, you must be transparent with them. Honesty is the primary factor in this type of openness. No one expects you to be flawless. They want to see your humanity as well. Share your life through your writing, and others will be more likely to connect with you, through both low points and successes.

The teacher (or writer) is on a journey with the student.

The goal is not for the teacher to talk nonstop, communicating information one way, filling the heads of the listener or reader. But how can a writer be on a journey with the readers? It is a matter of perspective! Write to share your vision, story, and passion and invite the reader to join in your journey together. This practice may be more prevalent in religion, where one investigates matters of faith and belief and calls out others to commit to faith. But no matter your subject, you are asking others to join with you in examining topics you care about.

The model for teaching is a conversation.

The same is true for writing. Open conversation with your reader. It is OK to challenge, confront, and even bring discomfort, but it is done in a way where everyone has a voice and seat at the table. Welcome feedback. Welcome questions. Welcome doubt and disbelief. Be open to new ideas and alternative theories. Teachers and writers who do so will build an audience and following much quicker than those who are distant and uninviting.

Provide a safe environment for an equal seat at the table.

The teacher sets the stage in his classroom, laying ground rules for conversation, confidentiality, and respect. A writer does the same thing through even through his word choice. Derogatory references and outdated euphemisms can kill a reader’s trust and willingness to invest in you or your writing.

Personal experiences provide the best entryway to conversation.

I borrowed a model from the professor I heard that day at the AAR. The first assignment I do every semester is to ask all my students to write a spiritual autobiography or about a key experience that shapes their spirituality. This assignment shows how each of us have opinions and thoughts about ultimate questions, even if we don’t have specific beliefs, and provides a current assessment. Teachers and writers should open themselves to sharing this same information in order to have students and readers take risks in sharing themselves. The result should be integral both to winning trust and taking the journey together through the pages of your book.