Is an outside mentor for you?

I have had a couple of questions about whether having a mentor outside of education is useful. First, let's define what we are talking about – it is NOT someone on your committee. We are talking about someone in your field of interest that might have an applied view of the topic. This person may be able to offer insights that from the applied side that you can't get from just reading about the topic. An example might be if you are interested in domestic violence, a contact or mentor that works in a shelter may offer ideas that you have not considered. 

It is definitely something to consider, but a few cautions- remember they probably do not know what is required for a Walden dissertation, so do not rely on them for this type of advice. Even if they have a doctorate, they probably do not have the necessary knowledge of Walden's dissertations. Always check their comments/ ideas against the literature; they may have interesting anecdotal information, but you must rely on empirical support. An applied perspective can lead you in interesting directions; however, it must be tempered with literature. 

How do I see the relationship working? Talking with them when you are trying to come up with a research question makes sense. Running ideas that you find in the literature by them may be useful. Also when you have your results talking them through the results in light of their applied experience may be very helpful. Just keep in the back of your mind when writing that you are not trying to please them – they are not on your committee, use them as a resource. 

It is a nice idea to send them thank you notes for helping you and a copy of your final dissertation. Be sure to mention them in your acknowledgements. 

Next time I will talk about rewriting.  Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu