By Degrees

Betsy Wackernagel Bach (Ph.D., University of Washington) is Professor Emerita at the University of Montana, where she spent most of her career. She is a Past President of the National Communication Association and of the Western States Communication Association, and also worked for two years as Director of Research Initiatives at NCA. She studies organizational socialization/identification, has published one book, 40 articles and chapters, and received WSCA's Distinguished Service Award and NCA's Eckroyd Award for Teaching Excellence.Dawn O. Braithwaite (Ph.D., University of Minnesota) is a Willa Cather Professor of Communication at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She studies discourse dependent relationships, dialectics of relating, and communication in step- and voluntary families. She has published six books and 125 articles and chapters. A Distinguished Scholar of the National Communication Association and Western States Communication Association, Braithwaite received NCA's Brommel Family Communication and Becker Distinguished Service Awards. She is a Past President of the National Communication Association and of the Western States Communication Association.Shiv Ganesh (Ph.D., Purdue University) is a professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. He writes about communication and collective action issues in the context of global and technological processes. He has worked in the United States, Aotearoa New Zealand, and India, and has held leadership positions in the National Communication Association as well as the International Communication Association.

"I used By Degrees in my Introduction to Graduate Studies in Communication course with our program's 25 new master's students. I had a great experience using the book in my teaching—it was so helpful in orienting students to the field. One of my students commented positively on the book in my teaching evaluations, stating: 'I think the new textbook reading (By Degrees) is a wonderful added addition to the class. Perfect for a first-year graduate student.' I concur with the student, and will plan to use it again when I teach this course again in the future."Jamie McDonald, Associate Professor, Graduate Advisor of Record, The University of Texas at San Antonio

• Introduction for Students: "Completely Altered the Way I Viewed the World"– Betsy Wackernagel Bach, Dawn O. Braithwaite, and Shiv GaneshChapter 1: "Providing the Intellectual Tools": Getting to Know the Discipline of Communication – Dawn O. Braithwaite, Tina M. Harris, Jessy Ohl, and Trevor KauerChapter 2: "How Do I Find a Good Fit?": Applying to Master's and PhD Programs – Betsy Wackernagel Bach, Kendyl Barney, and Mackensie MinniearChapter 3: "I Have to Re-choose to Do This Every Single Day": Beyond Narratives of Success in the Pursuit of Graduate School – Shiv Ganesh and Andrea ZornChapter 4: "Spanning the Abyss": Graduate Student Steps and Tasks - Randall A. Lake, Emma Frances Bloomfield, Beth L. Boser, Allegra Hardin, and Barbara A. PickeringChapter 5: "Work with Someone Who Seems Excited About Your Success": Building Advisor/Advisee Relationships - C. Kay Weaver and Bridget Reynolds ShefferChapter 6: "Do Something You're Passionate About": Planning and Carrying Out Research - Sarah J. Tracy, Cris J. Tietsort, and Laura MartinezChapter 7: "A Process of Discovery": Finding Your Groove as a Writer - Lisa Keränen and Andrew GilmoreChapter 8: "Yikes! What Do I Do Now?": Advice for Graduate Students Sharing Their Work - Ronald Jackson II and Celnisha DangerfieldChapter 9: "From Sitting in the Classroom to Facing It": Becoming and Growing as a Teacher - Kirstie McAllum, Simon Mallette, Tyler Rife, and Uttaran DuttaChapter 10: "Without People in My Corner, I Will Fail": Personal Resources for Graduate Students - Vincent R. Waldron, Brianna Avalos, Dayna N. Klober, and Jameien TaylorChapter 11: "One Mountain, Many Paths": Navigating Roadblocks and Succeeding in Graduate School - Jordan Soliz and Megan E. CardwellChapter 12: "Graduate School is a Human Experience of Struggling, Celebrating, and Striving Together": Graduate Life as a Collective Endeavor - Jenna N. Hanchey, Samantha Gillespie, and Ana-Luisa Ortiz-MartinezChapter 13: "It Was Within My Control to Max My Possibilities": Academic Life After Graduate School - Patrice M. Buzzanell, Zhenyu Tian, and Timothy BettsChapter 14: "A Roadmap to Career Success": Pursuing Careers Outside of the Academy for MA Graduates - Stephen K. Hunt, Aimee E. Miller-Ott, and Viraj PatelChapter 15: "Translate Your Talents": Pursuing Careers Outside of the Academy for PhD Graduates - Katlyn Gangi and James Stiff