Happy New Year!

The New Year is a time for reflection and to consider what you have done in the last year and where you going in the new one. Take a few moments to think about what you accomplished on your dissertation in 2016- go back and look at your files and actually examine the evidence. Then let's set some realistic goals for the new year.

What are realistic writing goals? Writing a couple of pages a week is probably realistic, but plan to work at least a little while on it every day. Why do I say that? Because it so easy to get out of the habit of thinking about it and working on it… before you know it a week or two have gone by and you have done nothing. Then the tendency is for students to sit down and try to write 10 pages in two days, which are a mess, and have to rewritten.

This type of writing takes planning, reflection, and a lot of effort. Be kind to yourself, work a little on it every day. Rearrange your day so the time is built in, get up an hour early or stay up an hour later. You can do this. Make it a priority for 2017! 

Next time we will continue our review - Chapter 4 Analyses: Mixed Method. 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