Dr. John Decman, professor and program director of the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership at Sul Ross State University, has published Demystifying Dissertations: Providing Clarity in the Chaos, a new scholarly resource designed to support doctoral students and the faculty who guide them through the dissertation process.
The book was published by Kendall Hunt Publishing and co-edited with Dr. Forrest Kaiser, assistant professor at the University of Texas at Tyler.
The text offers comprehensive guidance for doctoral candidates and faculty mentors, addressing every stage of the dissertation journey from establishing foundational research frameworks and selecting appropriate methodologies to maintaining momentum through completion and transforming dissertation work into publishable scholarship.
Decman provided the editorial vision for the volume, organized its progression and edited all contributing chapters. The publication reflects his longstanding engagement with doctoral education and his commitment to creating programs that support students throughout the doctoral experience.
The book’s release comes at a significant moment for Sul Ross as the institution prepares to launch its first doctoral degree program in its 109-year history. Under Decman’s leadership, the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership program is designed to serve educational professionals throughout Texas.
“The dissertation process has never lacked information. What it has lacked is clarity,” Decman said. “This text was built to change that. We were fortunate to bring together an exceptional group of scholar-practitioners, colleagues who have spent careers mastering this craft and who chose to give that expertise back to the field. What they produced represents the current state of the art in dissertation preparation, and doctoral programs across Texas are already adopting this text and putting it to work.”
He added, “That is the standard upon which Sul Ross is built. Our students will be taught by faculty who operate at this level, in a program designed from the ground up with that purpose. We intend for our doctoral program and everything it produces to be known for exactly that kind of contribution to the profession and to the communities it serves.”
Demystifying Dissertations: Providing Clarity in the Chaos brings together the expertise of scholars and practitioners from across higher education, providing practical, research-informed guidance that addresses the challenges doctoral students commonly encounter. The publication serves as both a roadmap for students navigating the dissertation process and a resource for faculty supporting doctoral research.
For more information about the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership program at Sul Ross State University, visit https://srinfo.sulross.edu/education/programs/educational-leadership-edd/ or email john.decman@sulross.edu.