Unless you have written many formal documents before, you might be surprised how difficult it can be to write a thesis or dissertation. When writing a thesis or dissertation, your style should be formal and similar to what you find in the scholarly journals of your discipline. Review journal articles in your discipline to get a sense of what is expected in terms of structure, style and language. Thorough reading of current journals will also help give you a sense of the “hot” topics in your field along with the most common key words and phrases.

Keep it Simple. The Literature Review is often the section written in the most formal, academic language. While there is not much scope for rhetoric in a Results section, a Literature Review may allow you to express yourself in a more elegant, academic or literary manner. However, it is important not to get too carried away! Shorter, less complicated sentences and paragraphs are always better – and more readable – than complicated prose. Don’t worry about trying to sound “smart”; it is better to be clear.

Remain Objective. One of the fundamental qualities of academic language is that it attempts to be objective, and it is important to maintain a respectful, scholarly tone when discussing the work of others. For example, even if you think a researcher’s methods were sloppy and arguments ridiculous, it is not appropriate to write, “This was terrible, sloppy research.” Use more neutral language; if you write, “without examining the issue directly we cannot be sure about the implications of this research,” your readers will understand what you mean. Likewise, when writing about arguments presented by other authors, use phrases like “Carter argues…”, “According to Mare…” or “The authors suggest that…” Avoid words such as “think” “believe” or “feel” when writing about scholarly discussion. Not only are those emotive, they may be inaccurate; you don’t know what the researchers felt, believes; only what they reported or wrote.

Write for a Wide Audience. In addition, be sure not to overestimate the reader’s familiarity with the topic, particularly in the Introduction. Though you may be writing for researchers in a general area, not all of them will be specialists on your particular topic. As you read through your draft, try to look at it through the eyes of another person … for example, a researcher you met at conference on your subject who worked in a different area. Though the person was intelligent and had the same general background as you, he or she may still know little about the literature or “specific nuances” that apply to your particular area of expertise.

First vs. Third Person. A stylistic area in which scientific disciplines and journals vary widely is the use of first vs. third person constructions. Some disciplines and their journals – e.g., business – have moved away from a very strict adherence to the third person construction, and permit limited use of the first person in published papers. Other disciplines like sociology or – especially the biomedical fields – still prefer the third person construction. Limit your use of first person construction (i.e., ” I” or “we” undertook this study….): usually it is most acceptable in the Introduction and Discussion sections, and then only to a limited extent. Use first person in the methods sparingly if at all, and avoid its use in the results.

Use Active Verbs: Use active verbs whenever possible; writing that overly uses passive verbs (is, was, has, have, had) is deadly to read and almost always results in more words than necessary to say the same thing.

Keep Key Words and phrases Handy
If you are well versed in the literature in your particular discipline you will notice some repeated key words and phrases used in every journal article. Make a list of these key words and phrases and be sure to ‘sprinkle’ them throughout your document. A wide range of vocabulary is of course important, however, when writing academic papers, it is often helpful to find key terms that are familiar to your reading audience.

Focusing on scholarly text will also ultimately assist you in the writing process. Use academic journals to prepare a list of key words that are important in your research area – use this set of key words repeatedly throughout your document.

Resist the urge to use your thesaurus to come up alternate synonyms to substitute for key terms; these words all have different meanings, nuances, and connotations. For example, if the key phrase for your discipline is “family structure”, – do not try substituting other phrases like “family composition”, “family formation”, “family arrangement”, or “family size.” Experimenting with alternative word choice can do more harm than good.

On the other hand, purposely repeating key words and phrases links sentences and paragraphs. Moreover, repetition of key words and phrases not only emphasizes important points but also adds cohesion to your overall argument by creating powerful links between ideas in your paper and helping your reader understand the logic of your paper.

Each sentence in a dissertation must be complete and correct in a grammatical sense. Moreover, a dissertation must satisfy the stringent rules of formal grammar (e.g., no contractions, no colloquialisms, no slurs, no undefined technical jargon, no hidden jokes, and no slang, even when such terms or phrases are in common use in the spoken language). Indeed, the writing in a dissertation must be crystal clear. Shades of meaning matter; the terminology and prose must make fine distinctions. The words must convey exactly the meaning intended, nothing more and nothing less.

Remember, to complete your thesis or dissertation you must turn in a written product: the key to success is practice. You don’t become a better writer by just reading an essay like this. Instead, you need to practice, practice, practice. Every day.
]]> http://globaljobsearch.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/writing-a-thesis-or-dissertation-takes-a-lot-of-practice/feed/ 0 bishan http://globaljobsearch.wordpress.com/2008/12/01/job-search-tips-developing-a-job-target/ http://globaljobsearch.wordpress.com/2008/12/01/job-search-tips-developing-a-job-target/#comments Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:05:28 +0000 bishan http://globaljobsearch.wordpress.com/?p=9 ]]> Many job seekers have a tendency to start their job search with the “Ready, Fire, Aim” approach. There are numerous reasons, which include things like just being let go from a current job, the desire to get out the present employment quickly, or simply a lack of understanding or focus.

Drawbacks of the Ready-Fire-Aim Approach

Although it is good that a job seeker is excited, energetic, and enthusiastic about launching their job search, doing so before being fully prepared is a mistake. Without clearly defining what it is you are looking for, how can you effectively go after it? Here are some of the consequences of this approach:

- It is difficult to prepare a winning resume when you cannot define where you are headed. Even a professional resume writer will struggle, and the document will lose some effectiveness, because the content is not geared in a specific manner.

- You will spend a lot time reviewing postings and submitting documentation for opportunities that do not really mesh with what you want.

- You can quickly become discouraged, as you may find that the recruiters or companies contacting you are doing so for positions that are not a proper fit.

How to Aim Before You Fire

One of the best things you can do before you launch your job search and before you put together a resume is to take a step back. Take some time to really assess where it is you want to be with your career. This includes the type of position, the type of company, the industry you want to be in, and the geographic market you prefer. You need a clear understanding of your willingness to travel, commute, relocate, etc. Please understand, the process could take a few hours for some, but it could also take several days or weeks for those who do not really know what they want.

Once you know where you want to go, it will make it much easier to prepare a targeted resume and for you to conduct a focused job search. Well, what are you waiting for?

So who am I anyway? Why do I think my advice is so valuable?

My name is Stephen Van Vreede. My company is called No Stone Unturned, and I have been in the career consulting business since 2002 with 8 years of hiring experience prior to that. You can check out my website that offers tools such as the No Nonsense Job Search Strategy guide and other Job Search Tips.

The short story is that I have a B.S. degree in Business Administration & Finance from the University of Maryland and an MBA in Marketing from Villanova University. I am a certified professional resume writer (CPRW) and a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC). As I mentioned, I paid my dues in the corporate world eventually running a large-scale call center for a major truck rental company, and I have spent the past 6 years with No Stone Unturned, assisting job seekers in achieving their goals.

I know that my products will work for you because they are based on commonsense principles leveraged with good, solid expertise and knowledge of the job search process. After working with countless job seekers, I have become more and more convinced that most of them do not properly prepare for a job search and rely way too much on online sites and trendy articles to tell them what to do. Thus, they waste a lot of time, money, and energy.

By adopting a smart approach to job-hunting, you can turn your job search campaign into a successful one. A successful job search campaign requires:

* A clearly defined goal
* An action plan
* Putting that plan into action everyday until you achieve your goal.

Here are the things you need to know and do to land a job:

1) Never act unemployed. You are in transition between jobs. You are not a job applicant, but instead a professional “sales person.” Likewise, practice professional habits only. This is especially important when answering the telephone.

2) Know the type of job you seek and where. Verbalize it to everyone. Remember, you need other people to get you hired. Know your assets, and present evidence of your current and past accomplishments, problems solved, goals attained, credentials, and diplomas (your “Prove it” File).

Make sure you read the job description. If the requirements are, “must be a U.S. citizen, must be able to pass a drug test, and a background and security investigation” do not submit your resume to this position if you have a criminal record, may test positive for substance use, have bad credit, or are heavily in debt.

Also, many job-seekers often leave off very important and critical experience or information that is pertinent to the job they are seeking. Just as bad is to bury this important and relevant information so deep into the resume that the recruiter will not see it. No employer has the time to play Sherlock Holmes or guessing games to figure out your qualifications or background. This is why it is imperative that if you meet the requirements for a position, your resume must immediately grab the resume reviewer’s attention with your skills/experience.

3) Prepare your references now and keep your resume updated. Keep your resume, personal contacts and references on a flash drive, and carry it with you at all times. With a flash drive, a job contact or recruiter can attach it to the USB drive on their computer, and save your resume to their computer. It is imperative that your contact information is complete, easy-to-read, and placed at the top of the first page of resume, and not just on the cover letter. This includes your full name, address, working telephone numbers (home, cell phone, and a day-time number) that has a voice-mail attached to them, and a professional e-mail address. People who are serious about a job make it as easy as possible for recruiters or employers to reach them.

4) Do not use unprofessional email addresses. Email addresses such as foxy-lady@yahoo.com, sexy-hot-chocolate@hotmail.com, or party-animal@gmail.com are a turn-off to employers or recruiters. With the many ISP’s merging or going out of business almost every day, create a permanent email address. Many job-seekers choose to use a work email address, but this is not recommended. There are plenty of free services on the Internet such as Yahoo, Hotmail or G-mail. Remember, your resume will be the first impression a potential employer or recruiter will have of you, so put your best foot forward!

5) Avoid long resumes with long paragraphs. In the process of reviewing hundreds of resumes, it will take you 10 seconds or less to grab a job recruiter’s attention. A resume should never be more than 2 pages. If you cannot adequately communicate your background in 2 pages or less, there is a problem. This can indicate to hiring personnel that either you have had too many jobs, a career that is not focused, an inability to be concise, problems with communicating in writing, or something similar. All of which make you undesirable as a potential new hire.

No matter how tempting it may be for you to go into detail about the first job you had 25 years ago, don’t! Instead, let your resume showcase your most recent accomplishments. For the most part, employers and recruiters are only interested in the last 5 to 8 years of your career, 10 at the most. If you are a recent graduate with limited professional work experience, your resume should be only one page.

Remember, a resume is like ad copy. Keep it short, to-the-point, and reflect the keywords the employer uses to describe the qualities and skills they’re looking for regarding the position. No job recruiter has the time to read long paragraphs, which look like a narrative out of War and Peace.

Your resume should be easy to read. The reader should be able to “scan” your resume for your skills and accomplishments. Consider using the following formatting techniques:

Be focused in your job search. Don’t be in such a rush that you will take anything that comes along. Prove yourself to be an appropriate choice for a particular job, not just a jack-of-all-trades.

Employers are always hunting for experts. Know your strengths, weaknesses, interests, and target markets. Above all, be targeted in your efforts.

Be Organized and Professional

Make sure you search for the right jobs in your field. Don’t focus only on one area; broaden your scope and consider a range of jobs that you can do. You need to present yourself as professional and accomplished.

An interview or a personal meeting will not help if your resume is full of errors and grammatical mistakes. Have someone experienced check it over before you submit it.

Sell Yourself to the Employer

You need to be good at marketing yourself, your skills, and training to be selected for the job. Demonstrate your soft skills as well. Sharpen your communication skills.

Sell your value by highlighting your people skills and hands on-experience in your training and previous jobs.

Don’t Sell Your Qualifications

Employers are looking for the contributions you will make to the organization. To create an opportunity, sell yourself as someone who will contribute and make a difference.

Hard work, willingness, and teamwork rate high. Don’t come off as a certificate collector; portray yourself as a contributor.

Have Self-Confidence

Motivate yourself without waiting for someone else to do it. If you are not confident, you will defeat yourself before you even get started. Do not assume a submissive demeanor, but always be assertive and upbeat. Be positive about yourself and your goals.

Do you feel discouraged when you consider your prospects? You need to work on that. Opportunity comes knocking, but we have to prove ourselves. Raise your expectations but also understand that you will have to earn success. Always build good rapport wherever you go because referrals are powerful for opening doors. Build credibility through positive recommendations. Always leave a good trail.

Make sure that your qualifications are suited to the job you have applied for and that your knowledge in that field is thorough. Interest is not enough to get yourself selected for a position, so your credentials need to be in place. Don’t apply for a research job if you don’t meet the criteria.

Utilize your search time effectively by concentrating on jobs that you are qualified to do. Positive, upbeat people radiate success and happiness. Don’t stay a beginner forever. Show that you can provide solutions and solve problems.

Be outstanding in your job search efforts. Always show a positive attitude and leave a good impression. Nobody hires a person with a sour attitude or a grumpy look. Be prepared to effectively answer whatever questions your interviewer asks.

Ask relevant questions when you get an opportunity. This will show your interest in the job. Don’t make a fool of yourself by asking irrelevant questions just to be asking.

Be prepared and do your homework. Be focused and don’t just take any job that comes your way. Think, take time, and prepare yourself and keep your options open.

For the first time in a long time I am working with clients who have been out of the job search market for many years, some for as long as 20 years. That’s not to say they haven’t changed jobs in that long, but in some cases they were recruited out of their previous job or “fell” into their next job. The job hunting experience today is significantly different than it was 5 or 10 years ago. So, for those making their first foray in many years into job search and even for those people who are more familiar with the process, here are a few tips to help you on your way.

1. Identify what skills and talents you have that differentiate you from all those who are out there competing for similar jobs. In other words, create a personal brand. Look at the Internet and focus on some of the characteristics that employers are asking for. How can you work those traits into your personal brand?

2. Make sure your resume reflects your best features, your personal brand. This resume has to answer the questions any employer reviewing it would ask such as, why should I hire you and can you do the job? Based on the amount of experience you have you should use the resume that maximizes your strengths and mi