Sources to understand dissertation process, methods? I am a first-year psychology doctoral student (PsyD) and am forming my dissertation topic. I am having trouble finding a really good book or article that outlines the guts of what makes a good dissertation. Really understanding the core purpose of this requirement for my degree is important to me (instead of just ping-ponging through the process until it's done) because I am creative and have some unorthodox ideas that I'd like to fit into the dissertation framework. So knowing the limits will help me be creative within them. The faculty in my program are great but I am a bit of an anomaly with my goals and need to gather all the resources I can.

FWIW, right now I am looking at an integral lit review between Murray Bowen's "emotional system" in Family Systems Theory and the core Buddhist teachings of Vipassana. The goal will be to show that they were "proposing" the same core construct of human functioning. Should be very challenging.

Thank you!
The goal will be to show that they were "proposing" the same core
  construct of human functioning.


You should consider starting with a question, rather than a preselected answer. For example, consider the goal of 


  Analyze the similarities and differences between the constructs of
  human functioning proposed by Murray Bowen's "emotional system" in
  Family Systems Theory and the core Buddhist teachings of Vipassana.


The difference lies in how you will view anything that suggests differences. With your current goal you could be tempted to ignore or downplay differences. With a more open-minded goal you will be more able to give balanced treatment to everything you find out during your research.