Earning a doctorate is a marathon in many ways. It involves a lot of preparation and training leading up to the main event -- writing the dissertation. While many doctoral students manage the process of coursework, it is the stage of doctoral work after coursework is completed that stops so many doctoral students from being any more than that.

When doctoral students finish their coursework they are still far from done. The large task of writing and defending a dissertation stands between the student and a completed degree. However, before the student can begin that process there are three smaller, but no less important, tasks: preparing a reading list, passing a qualifying exam, and writing a dissertation proposal.

For many doctoral students the idea of preparing a reading list is a daunting task. The length and composition of a reading list depends on the institution, program, and degree; however, it is meant to be a substantial list of books and articles, for example 100 books or 400 articles. The intent of the reading list is not to create a definitive listing of all works on the dissertation subject but instead to focus on the foundational works, key works, and most recent findings on the subject.

If the size of a reading list seems daunting students should not worry. It is actually a lot easier to develop a list -- especially with the aid of modern technology. However, before delving into technological research, students should begin building their reading list at home or in their office with the books and articles collected during coursework for classes and projects. Quite often this collection of material will provide a good foundation for the more specific research necessary for the dissertation itself.

The next step, again before delving into search engine work, is to develop a list of key words and terms. This list will be used to organize the reading list but more importantly it will be used for the search itself. These key terms will specifically support the dissertation question the student has developed.

Once the key terms have been decided it is time to begin research. While it is tempting to immediately delve into electronic research, a more logical place to begin is a visit to the university library. Do enough key word searches to determine the hot spots in the stacks for your key terms and spend some time browsing. This will give you a good idea of some of the more foundational works as well as the newer works in this area. Do not overlook another more traditional source of information -- the works cited in the articles and books you have found so far. This will often give you clues as to the key works and figures in your key areas.

Once armed with this information you are ready to make an electronic search. Do not overlook your library's electronic databases -- especially those specific to your field. Another useful modern tool is Google Scholar. Look into whether or not your field has a search engine or database specifically for the discipline. Also, do some web searches for bibliographies for your key terms. While you do not want to depend exclusively on such lists they can be a goldmine of information.

Following these key steps will help you prepare a solid reading list in a fairly short time and put you one step closer to completing your dissertation.