My dissertation is a hermeneutic phenomenological study of graduate student experiences
using web-based computer conferencing.  This method of research commonly uses written text
to describe experience.  I decided, with the support of my dissertation committee, to use a
web-based format to re-present and interpret the students' experiences.  A web-based format
offers me a variety of options for entering into the experience.

Several structural and convention decisions needed to be made early in the development
of the dissertation.  The dissertation uses a postmodern type structure.  It is not linear, but
spatial to take advantage of the capabilities offered by a web-based format.  In an effort to
assist the reader to understand the navigational structure and at the suggestions of my
committee, I have write this brief orientation to the dissertation.

 I am committed to letting the reader assemble the dissertation based on individual interest.  A
reader can begin and end anywhere in the dissertation.  To support this notion of freedom, all
of the menus are designed in a circular pattern rather than a list or linked outline that implies
order and hierarchy.  Several of the menus are animated to reinforce this sense of freedom of
choice. The animations are designed in Flash and require the Flash Shockwave plug-in to view them.
If you have Netscape 4.5 or higher, Flash is already installed.  For Netscape users, the easiest way to
download and install the Flash plug-in is by using Netscape's Smart Update which can be
found on the Netscape home page.