"J.L." wrote:
> I am a PhD student in biostats. who will be starting the dissertation
> process in about a year and a half. Could anyone direct me to some
> useful books/web sites/other references on beginning, researching,
> writing the dissertation? Most of the books I have found so far seem
> to be written more for students in non-science related fields.
I may be misunderstanding the question, but many of these details
are specific to the university and program, even at the early stages.
For example, some programs point students in the general direction of a
research topic; others leave students to sink or swim according to their
ability to formulate a proper proposal. Dare I say there are even
programs that tell students exactly what to work on? You should start
with your advisor and director of graduate studies. Since you're 18
months away, you should consult with senior graduate students. You
should also look at recent dissertations from your department. Your
question is entirely reasonable and deserves an answer. Many programs
expect this information to be transferred informally, almost by
osmosis. This is sufficient for some students, but doesn't have to be
for all. Don't be afraid to ask.
