In its short-chapter format, Foundations of Academic Writing by Julie P. Combs focuses on the skills of reading, writing, searching, and organizing a research study. Instructors have used this book to advise thesis/dissertation students and in courses about writing and literature reviews. Students learn to select a topic, take notes using systems, summarize, avoid plagiarism, develop editing strategies, and build a writing practice.
Dear Dr. Noelle: Are You Thrashing Around in the Undertow of Dissertation Revisions?
By Dr. Noelle Sterne
Q: How do I get out from the endless waves of dissertation revisions?
— Almost Drowning
A: In the throes of writing your dissertation, you’ve submitted your drafts to your chair and committee more times than you want to count. And they’ve returned the drafts with seemingly endless rounds of revisions. Granted, they may drive you crazy, but—please believe me—you can handle the revisions so they don’t completely erode your confidence, deepen your depression, and thoroughly destroy your sanity.
A chair or committee’s insistence on revisions that keep kicking back (one student called them “regurgitating revisions”) generally stem from one of two main motivations. The revisions reflect the less-than-healthy inclinations of some professors who are perfectionist, vindictive, petty, and competitive. They may be frustrated with their current position, shouldering too many doctoral students’ dissertations, or still bitterly recalling their own chair who put them through the grinder. And they want to show you who’s boss.
2025 TAA Virtual Conference Bookstore Featured Book: ‘The Force Continuum’
The Force Continuum, by Wendi Zimmer, is a series of four pillars that, when strengthened, allow us to apply the information we already know. When strengthened, the Force Continuum, which consists of our mindset, identity, energy, and habits, gives us permission to take control of our lives.
Industry News Round-Up Week of 7/7/25
Stay updated on the latest news, advancements, and changes that are shaping the textbook and academic authoring industry with our bi-weekly Industry News Round-Up. Have an item to share? Email Sierra.Pawlak@TAAonline.net.
Trump cuts subscriptions to Springer Nature journals (June 27, 2025)
Federal judge rules copyrighted books are fair use for AI training (June 24, 2025)
Investing in Student Engagement: University of Georgia Equips Faculty and Students with Free Access to Top Hat (June 17, 2025)
2025 TAA Virtual Conference Bookstore Featured Book: ‘Precalculus Lecture Video Series’
An entire precalculus course made available to you entirely on video. Laid out by an easy to follow Chapter, Section and Learning Objective (LO) setup, each video in the Precalculus Lecture Video Series, by Jay Abramson, covers a particular learning objective. Just navigate to what you are searching for and watch. Our 300 precalculus videos have your back, with our complete precalculus support for all topics that you could possibly cover in any Precalculus, College Algebra or Algebra & Trigonometry course. Learn by watching and following along. All lessons are taught by Jay Abramson, with 43 years of teaching experience in high schools and universities, and the recipient of 4 Teacher of the Year Awards at 3 different universities.
2025 TAA Virtual Conference Bookstore Featured Book: ‘Quests for Questioners’
This edited book, Quests for Questioners, by Kathryn Roulston (Ed.), presents a range of approaches to asking questions in research interviews and conversations and attending to the more-than-human aspects of the world. Authors in this book explore how to talk to people in ways that are responsive to cultural contexts and how to think with concepts drawn from an array of theories.