Welcome to Summer!

Today begins summer quarter! Summer to me is sitting on the porch, working in the garden, picnics, and long naps (which "Princess" Mandy is demonstrating in the attached photo).


It can be hard to work on your dissertation when there is so much going on that is more fun! It is important to make some decisions now on what you will do this quarter. Set some times, such as early morning or in the evening when little is going on, and plan to work during these times. Be realistic, if you tend to have a lot of activities on the weekend, then don’t think you are going to squeeze in writing time then. It is better to get up an hour or two early in the morning, work when it is quiet (and cooler), and then you are done for the day!


Make a commitment to your dissertation that you will keep working, but also make it fun. Maybe you could work on your patio, deck, porch, or go to the park. You could bring in some summer flowers to put on your desk. Instead of a novel, take an article or 2 to the beach. In other words, make your writing part of your everyday life.


As you put together your dissertation goals for summer, take into account family commitments, be realistic. But keep writing!


Next time I will talk about celebrating small milestones.  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

Blog index- May

2014, Current to 5/28

Topic	Dates of Posts
Dissertation, general
Selecting a Topic	4/28, 5/9
Organization
Committee Members	5/7
URR
Center for Research Quality
Overview of Process
Premise
Prospectus	4/4, 4/7, 4/9, 4/11, 4/14, 4/18, 4/21, 4/23, 4/25, 4/28, 5/2, 5/5
Proposal
Research questions	4/18
C. 1
C. 2 (literature related)
C. 3	1/3, 1/6, 1/13
Defense
IRB	1/10, 1/15, 1/17, 1/20, 1/22, 1/24, 1/27, 1/29, 2/3, 2/5, 2/7, 2/10, 2/12, 2/17, 2/19, 2/21, 2/24
Data Collection
Quantitative	1/3, 2/26, 3/12
Qualitative	1/6, 3/14
Mixed Methods	1/3, 1/6
C. 4	3/5, 3/10, 3/12, 3/14, 3/17, 3/19, 3/21
C. 5	3/21, 3/24, 3/26, 3/28
Final Defense
Career
Goal Form	5/23, 5/26
Motivation	1/1
Secondary Data	2/24
Support, Getting	5/21
Writing	5/16, 5/19
Other	2/14, 3/3, 3/7, 4/16, 5/12, 5/14, 5/28

 2013

Topic	Dates of Posts
Dissertation, general	7/5, 8/16, 8/19, 9/27, 10/2
Selecting a Topic	4/23, 7/8, 7/10
Organization	4/22, 10/2
Committee Members	4/17, 5/3, 6/10, 7/19, 8/21
URR	5/8, 5/27
Center for Research Quality	12/9
Overview of Process	4/19, 9/18, 12/13
Premise	4/17, 9/6
Proposal	4/22, 9/9
Research questions	10/9
C. 1	5/6, 10/21, 10/23, 10/25, 10/28, 11/1
C. 2 (literature related)	4/26, 5/29, 6/3, 6/12, 6/17, 6/28, 9/16, 10/11, 11/4, 11/6, 11/9, 11/15
C. 3	5/1, 10/16, 10/28, 11/18, 11/20, 11/22, 11/25, 12/2, 12/4, 12/6, 12/11, 12/16, 12/18, 12/20, 12/23, 12/27
Defense	4/23, 5/8
IRB	5/10, 10/14
Data Collection	5/13, 5/15, 10/16
Quantitative	5/17, 7/24, 7/26, 7/29, 7/31, 8/2, 8/5, 10/4, 10/7, 11/20, 12/2, 12/4, 12/6, 12/18, 12/23, 12/27
Qualitative	5/20, 11/20, 11/22, 11/25, 12/11, 12/16
Mixed Methods	5/22, 11/18, 11/20, 11/22, 11/25, 12/11, 12/20, 12/23, 12/27
C. 4	5/17, 5/20, 5/22, 7/17
C. 5	5/24, 9/20, 10/11
Final Defense	4/23, 5/27/ 9/11
Career	7/12
Goal Form	8/12
Motivation	6/5, 6/26, 7/1, 8/16, 8/23, 9/2, 9/18, 10/18, 11/8, 11/27
Secondary Data	5/31
Support, Getting	4/26, 6/5, 6/24, 8/16
Writing	4/26, 4/29, 6/12, 6/21, 7/3, 8/9, 8/14, 9/4, 9/23,9/25
Other	4/18, 6/7, 6/14, 6/19, 6/24, 6/26, 7/1, 7/8, 7/15, 7/19, 7/22, 8/7, 8/16, 8/19, 8/26, 8/28, 8/30, 9/2, 9/13, 9/18, 10/18, 11/27, 12/13, 12/25

 Next time we start summer quarter.  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

 

Journal empowerment*

You should consider keeping a journal of your dissertation adventure. This is different than the research journal I have talked about previously, this is a personal volume where you can share your hopes, dreams, and frustrations. It can be a paper or electronic version, but the important thing is that you write it in regularly! What to talk about? Write about what you are doing each day on your paper, and how you feel about it. Talk about your chair, committee member, and URR; this is where you can write out frustrations and revelations. 

Keeping such a journal is empowering, it allows you safely vent and work through problems. Your spouse/ partner, family, and friends while supportive, probably do not really understand what you going through, you can also burn them out through your frustrations. A journal provides a place to share your feelings, it also lets you go back and reread entries. You will tend to find that you have been through such events before, you survived and learned from it; you will survive the present one too! 

A journal lets you be in control; give yourself permission to write what you want. It is a map of your dissertation experience, the pitfalls and the joys. You may want to consider publishing a version of the journal when you are done or you may wish to share it with your own dissertation students someday. It will be your map of your adventure. Use it wisely! 

*My thanks to Judi for the suggestion of this topic. 

Next time I will post an updated blog index.  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

Getting a U

The quarter is over, what do you do if you get a U in dissertation? First, this really should not be a surprise; hopefully you have already discussed the issues with your chair. If you have not done so, I suggest requesting a phone call with your chair and talk about it (politely and calmly). Take the approach that you want to know how to avoid it in the future.  

The implications are large for getting a U; if you get two in a row or three ever, you can be dismissed from the program. Be assertive in finding out what you did or did not do to get this grade. Typically, it is not reaching your goal for the quarter. Discuss some alternatives for the future. Perhaps you are setting too high of goals for yourself. Ask your chair to help you come up with realistic ones for the next quarter. 

Refrain from beating yourself up over this. Learn from the experience and commit to yourself that you will do better in the summer. Carefully lay out your plan for summer, including any family or work commitments. Then think about how much realistic time you can devote to writing. What if you can see already that you won’t be able to get much done? It may be time to consider a leave of absence and get yourself reorganized and recommitted to the project. If this seems to make sense for you, talk it over with your chair and your academic advisor. 

Next time I will talk about how journaling can empower you as a writer.  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 

End of Spring quarter

It is the end of Spring quarter, you should take a few minutes to reflect on your goals for the quarter and how it went in reaching them. Really think about how long it took you to write, and research the various sections you worked on. Consider what is realistic for you for next quarter? Keep in mind that it will be summer, you will be invited to parties, kids may be home from school, you may want to take a vacation. As you have probably come to realize, it is important to be realistic in your goal for each quarter, because reaching the goal; determines your grade. 

I want to encourage you to take some time off during break, get away from school related issues for at least a couple of days. Give yourself permission to do this without any guilt. You will come back with a renewed approach and perhaps a clearer head. 

Begin thinking about your goals for Summer quarter. Lay out a weekly plan, keep it realistic; taking into account travel and time with family. Renew your commitment to make progress over the quarter. 

Next time I will talk about getting a U in dissertation.  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

Giving back

When you are in the midst of a high stress situation, such as your dissertation (along with work and family) it is difficult to even consider doing things for others. However, I feel it is important for you to consider a few low time ideas to give back to others. Why? Think of all of the people who have helped you in your educational process, from teachers, to family, to friends. They have given you their time, their wisdom, and their faith in you, it is time to pass on some of that. 

Here are a few suggestions. Take a few minutes to write 3 short emails. Send one to someone who has supported you in your graduate program (ideas: teachers, peers, family, friends). Tell them what they did that showed their support. Tell them why it has been important to you. Then send the other two emails to other students you know at Walden who could use a little support. Remind them that what they are doing is important and you believe in them.  

Why did I decide on that ratio of one to someone who has supported you and two to people you can support? While it important to thank those that have helped us, I believe it is even more important to help others. The minute you take to support a friend or peer will make their day; it may be what keeps them working on their paper instead of doing something else clamoring for their attention. You may provide the motivation to keep them from quitting when it gets difficult. 

You have been given so many gifts; sometimes it is hard to remember it, because it is easy to take them for granted. You are intelligent and determined- how do I know that? Because you are working on your dissertation, you wouldn’t be here if you were not both of those things. I believe that you can get your dissertation done, and receive your doctorate. I believe that someday soon you will be able to have Ph.D. after your name, and people will call you doctor. Just keep writing! 

Next time I will talk about the end of the quarter.  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 

Never "done"

I am often sent drafts from students saying that they are "done" with a chapter. It is so important to understand that you are not done with any part of the paper until the CAO (Chief Academic Officer) approves the final draft. Every time a faculty member reads a chapter or section, he or she is sure to spot something they missed on previous reads. Why does this happen? Every time it is read, the reader is in a different cognitive mode. They may have recently run into issues with other students on APA format or grammar, and will be more aware of the issue when they read your paper. They may be more awake than previously or just had a cup of coffee. 

Why is this important for you to remember? Because if you are in a mindset that you are done with a part of the paper you will tend to not reread it, and add in new thoughts or ideas. It also makes you resentful and defensive when a reader points out problems, which is never good. You are writing a book; therefore, you must keep checking that everything is consistent and written correctly. You would be very annoyed with a mystery writer who changes details between chapter 1 and the middle or end of the book. It is similar with your dissertation – it is a whole project; while it is written in parts, you must continue to think of it as whole project. The goal is to have the best dissertation that you can have, to reach this goal, graciously accept criticism, changes, and learn about writing as you do so. 

Next time I will talk about giving back.  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