Thesis and Dissertation Advisors -
Marketing

LES FOXMAN
Public Relations - Media - Mass Communications - Journalism

Les Foxman has been a public relations professor at Utah State University and the University of Utah.

He has a great deal of empathy for those involved with extensive writing projects and he is willing to help writers meet the challenge at virtually any stage of the writing process – from framing good research questions to presenting results and conclusions in clear, detailed language. He works closely with students in developing the appropriately narrow focus essential to writing effective introductions, conclusions and abstracts. Likewise, he helps students work through the systematic procedures for identifying relevant theoretical literature, substantiating the significance of the research problem, describing research variables, and demonstrating how the study advances the academic discipline’s knowledge base. Well versed in the full spectrum of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies common to public relations and mass communications, he also works with students on framing the valid research protocol for their theses and dissertations.

He is comfortable in a fairly wide realm of topics, which extend beyond public relations, including journalism history, popular culture, criticism, integrated marketing communication, public policy issue management, crisis communication, and media message planning and management for organizations.

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RONALD B. MARKS, PhD
Statistics - Data Analysis - Market Research

Ronald B. Marks, PhD was a marketing professor, now retired from the University of Wisconsin. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri - Columbia, with a major in Marketing and minor in statistics. During his thirty year career, he taught undergraduate and graduate market research and multivariate statistics amongst other courses. He made extensive usage of SPSS, Minitab, and LISREL in both teaching and research. His research credentials in the use of multivariate statistics are evidenced in articles, such as: "A Structural Equation Model of Predictors for Effective Online Learning," Journal of Management Education, 29 (4), August, 2005 and "Psychometric Evaluation of the ADAPTS Scale," Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, Vol. XVI (4) (Fall, 1996, 53-56)

He attended seminars in "Multivariate Statistics" at the University of Colorado and "General Structural Equation ("Lisrel") Models," (Introduction and Advanced) at the Inter University Consortium for Political and Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He also conducted similar faculty seminars in Multivariate Statistics at the University of Wisconsin.

In counseling dissertation students and business clients, his experience is that "a problem well defined is half solved." Or as Tom Peters suggested in his best-selling book on management, "if you don't know where you are going, you are likely to end up somewhere else." That is, no matter how arcane the statistics employed, they will never compensate for poorly stated hypotheses and literature review. Hence, when consulting with students, he helps them first develop lucid, operational hypotheses and then determines which statistical methods to use, rather than the converse.

Scope: multivariate statistics, behavioral sciences, marketing research, research design, SPSS, Minitab, structural equation modeling (LISREL), survey research, web-based surveys, quantitative methods, correlation, ANOVA, MANOVA, multiple regression, discriminant analysis, factor analysis, methodology chapter editing, nonparametric tests (such as chi-square or Mann-Whitney U Test), statistical application to social science data (e.g. psychology, sociology, economics) and business data (e.g. finance, business, and marketing), can aid with set-up of data files, analysis of sample characteristics, can also help develop persuasive Power Point presentations for oral defenses or business presentations.

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BARBARA von DIETHER
Education - Business - Interdisciplinary Studies

BARBARA von DIETHER, M.Ed., Ed.D. Dissertation, thesis, and term paper preparation; writing coach; academic, business, and technical writing consultant.

Scope
Generalist -- numerous subjects/categories, including:
Education administration, education technology, secondary education, curriculum development, needs assessment, distance education, education leadership, instructional design, instructional media, advertising, business administration, business management, leadership training and development, communications, NEPA-compliant environmental assessments and impact statements.

Academic Advising
Graduate on time
Dr. von Diether guides students through difficult advisor relationships and hazy research proposals.

Academic Writing
Maximize the time and money invested towards obtaining a higher degree
Dr. von Diether helps students write theses and dissertations that connect with advisor, committee, and graduate school demands. Dr. von Diether helps organize research and content and prepares students for the final defense.     

Sample Capstone Syllabus

"I did it! I passed! It was an unconditional pass from all faculty members!  The head of my department said it was one of the top 3 defenses he has ever seen and probably one of the most professional presentations ever... and he has been doing this for over 20 years!!!  Talk about feeling good!!!! I am so very happy!!!" E. R, Ph. D., BCBA (contact information on request)