Flyer for the book (as PDF-document)

THE ACADEMIC GAME

Psychological Strategies for Successfully Completing the Doctorate

Focus is on the psychological and social factors that research suggests influence whether or not students successfully complete the doctorate. The premise is Knowledge Equals Power.

Students are empowered with information-gathering strategies for a) identifying how things 'work' in their institution, academic department and discipline and for b) systematically identifying and further developing the intellectual, social and personal/psychological skills and abilities they need for a successful doctoral journey.

Dr. Elaine R. Parent, a counseling psychologist is a former Graduate administrator at the University of California, San Diego. Her understanding of how the academy 'works' as well as her theoretical grounding makes possible a new, holistic approach to the doctoral experience.

For far too many young scholars, graduate school is a disorienting experience that ends in despair and failure. Here is a book that provides a clear, understandable, and usable guide to thinking clearly about the challenges of completing a Ph.D and how to meet them successfully. Useful reading not only for students entering graduate school, but for their advisors and teachers as well.
— Michael Cole, Professor of Psychology
Director, Center for Comparative Human Cognition,
University of California, San Diego

Doctoral time to degree rates are escalating in most disciplines. This book offers a powerful new scientific approach to addressing this problem. It is based on theory and research suggesting that the best predictors of timely progress to the doctorate are one's personal committment to finishing in a timely manner and "understanding how the system works." As a result, insights are plentiful for young and experienced scholars alike in this very important contribution to the higher education literature.
— Martin Ford, Senior Associate Dean and
Professor of Education
College of Education and Human Development
George Mason University

Capable, intelligent students all too often drop out of graduate school because they haven't developed a plan and do not understand the psychological, interpersonal character of the process. A very valuable book!
— Anne J. MacLachlan, Ph.D., Senior Researcher
Center for Studies in Higher Education
UC Berkeley
The Academic Game

was published at Infinity Publishing

and is available from
www.buybooksontheweb.com,
Amazon.com

or your university bookstore (ISBN: 0-7414-2713-3).