ABSTRACT
The chapter introduces the concept of A.B.D., a status indicative of when a doctoral student completes coursework and begins the dissertation (“all but dissertation”). The chapter reflects on the challenges of moving away from the status by completing the dissertation. These challenges are balanced by solutions to help readers understand proactive steps they can take towards completing the dissertation. Challenges include finding time to write; perfectionism and procrastination; plagiarism; and balancing coursework and the dissertation. Solutions include daily writing schedules; peer support; managing time and resources; effective notetaking and bibliographic software; and the integration of different scholarly components.
