Does the thought of starting your dissertation leave you with sweaty palms and an upset stomach?

Well, rest at ease, because help is on the way for those seeking the highest degree in higher education.

Advanced NIU doctoral students in all disciplines are invited to attend “Strategies and Resources for Dissertation Writers” from 2:30 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10 in room 202A of DuSable Hall.

The program will begin with opening remarks from Jerrold Zar, dean and associate provost for Graduate Studies and Research. A general question and answer session with panelists will follow the opening remarks. Students also will have the opportunity to choose from among four different workshop options.

For those with writer’s block, Charles Pennel, director of undergraduate studies in the English department, will discuss “Developing Your Very Own Writing Processes” in DuSable 220C.

Byron Anderson, assistant professor in the University Libraries, will speak on “Library Reference Services” in DuSable 222B.

“Meeting Graduate School Requirements” will be covered by dissertation advisers Diane Johns and Judith Mausher in DuSable 202A. Also, Robert DeMoss will help students with “Managing Stress” in DuSable 220A.

Reesun Jung Majcher will discuss grants and fellowships, and Ann Litow, a 1991 doctoral graduate of NIU, will give insight into what it takes to receive a doctoral degree.

Katherine Wright, a graduate adviser in the English department, said students who attend the program will walk away with thorough knowledge of dissertation writing.

“Many people become involved in the Ph.D. experience only to give up when it comes to writing the dissertation,” she said. “This program is designed to help people at all stages of the dissertation writing process.”

Students should feel free to participate in only part of the afternoon as their schedules permit. Interested faculty members and advisers also are welcome to attend.