Authoring a PhD

The Intellectual Life: Its Spirits, Conditions and Methods
(Dublin: Mercier Press, 1978), translated by Mary Ryan. Originally
published in 1920. A warm but serious reflection on intellectual
work infused throughout by Catholic thinking. It should be useful
for religiously inclined people, but the theology will put off others.
Robert J. Sternberg, 
The Psychologist’s Companion: A Guide to Scientific
Writing for Students and Researchers
(Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press and British Psychological Society, 1988). Very spe-
cific to psychology in some parts, but with more generally relevant
insights as well.
David Sternberg, 
How to Complete and Survive a Doctoral Dissertation
(New York: St Martin’s Griffin, 1981). A fairly general book about
completing an American PhD but with plenty of insights too about
managing a dissertation committee.
Eviatar Zerubavel, 
The Clockwork Muse: A Practical Guide to Writing
Theses, Dissertations and Books
(Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press, 1999). A stylishly produced short book focusing on the logis-
tics of the writing process, written by a sociologist. Zerubavel gives
some detailed guidance drawn from his own experience, but reading
it may give you an inferiority complex. As the title suggests, he
believes in keeping to time!
Books discussing style and related issues
There are numerous general books on writing, mainly on issues around
style. Most are not a great deal of help for doctoral work. Each of these
books has different virtues and limitations, but they may be helpful in
upgrading your writing style for the demands of writing a lot of text.
Peter Elbow, 
Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing
Process
(New York: Oxford University Press, 1998), second edition. 
A substantial collection of advice, orientated towards literary and
cultural areas and lower-level courses. But it is helpful on quite a
range of issues and for people whose first language is not English
Albert Joseph, 
Put it in Writing: Learn How to Write Clearly, Quickly and
Persuasively
(New York: McGraw Hill, 1998). A business-orientated
treatment and not at all academic, but it provides a useful guide to
modern, ‘generally accepted standards’ of good communication.
The book does not overclaim and it is very well presented.

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F U R T H E R R E A D I N G
Theodore A. Rees Cheney, 
Writing Creative NonFiction: How to Use
Fiction Techniques to Make Your Nonfiction More Interesting, Dramatic
and Vivid
(Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1991). The advice here 
is orientated towards journalism and general-interest non-fiction
writing, but it could apply also to literary and cultural studies areas.
The emphasis is on actively trying to interest readers.
Joseph M. Williams, 
Style: Towards Clarity and Grace
(Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1995). I find this the most useful book
on style issues, with systematically based and modern-looking advice.
There are a lot of carefully worked examples, but also a useful focus
on the intellectual purposes that you are trying to achieve.

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Index
291
abbreviated references, 129
ABD, ‘all but dissertationed’, 8, 266
abstract, for dissertation, 52, 203–5
academic jargon, 117–20
academics, 214–16
Access (software), 125
acronyms, 107, 120
adviser, main, 5, 8, 11, 13–14, 29, 64,
82, 140–2, 209–16, 245, 248–9,
271;