Welcome
Welcome to a discussion of the doctoral journey, written by your doctoral advisors.
This blog intends to provide points for your reflection and self assessment. We will be using metaphors, examples, and questions. Your role will be to contemplate and reflect. We invite you to question and comment.
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Current Topics
PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
Advisors often hear from learners who have been in dissertation for several quarters and still do not have an approved proposal. In psychology, there is an additional, complex form – The Methodology Review Form – that must be completed and approved before work can proceed on the proposal, even further slowing forward progress.
Learners need to continually remind themselves that the their progress cannot be measured against any other learner or against the perceived notion that the whole dissertation process takes one year. READ MORE
Posted in Becoming Doctoral, Dissertation | 1 Comment »
ACADEMIC RESILIENCY OR WHAT MAKES YOU SUCCEED?
Being successful in the doctoral or any graduate program is a clear objective. The path to that outcome is however not easy. The focus is on what happens when learners encounter roadblocks and even more importantly on what helps them in overcoming them. Maybe we can call this an academic resiliency. We all have been in that place when one looses focus, the big picture does not look as bright, the job is no longer as secure, the events in our life may displace academic priorities, and the most immediate assignment seems like an insurmountable task. READ MORE
Posted in General | No Comments »
The Power of a Doctoral Education, Part II
May 21, 2009 I wrote an entry on the power of a doctoral education, questioning whether a doctoral education was a guiding outlook, like optimism? This idea that a doctoral degree and those three little letters and your decision to pursue this degree has a far more extensive impact than intellectual growth only.
In my initial entry, I wrote on the power the doctoral education has on impacting those indirectly, which prompted “Mike” to further the conversation and elaborate the power it has on self-identity and this idea of a uniquely individual, transformative effect – further confirming that there is in fact a spiritual element to this power.
Today, I’d like to take that conversation further and question how doctoral education can both paralyze you or empower an individual to overcome great challenges.
Posted in Becoming Doctoral | 3 Comments »
First doctoral commandment: know thy resources
Use the Capella resources. Know them. Know how to use them. Use them. READ MORE
Posted in General | No Comments »
Charmed.
I wear a charm. 26.2
It symbolizes that I accomplished the marathon miles. READ MORE
Posted in Becoming Doctoral, General | No Comments »
Writing Services for Capella Writers
Posted in General | 2 Comments »
Be proactive
On a regular basis I have discussions with learners who seem to sit back and wait. And wait. And wait. READ MORE
Posted in General | No Comments »
Injured.
Injuries are part of running. Major kudos to those of you who have avoided injuries.
I’m currently injured, a minor thing, but I’m taking it easy while my muscles heal. Now the time for reflection: What could I have done different to avoid the muscle pain? How painful is it? Can I/should I run? How do I move to reduce the discomfort and allow the healing (it is difficult to avoid using one’s knees in daily life) READ MORE
Posted in Becoming Doctoral, General | 4 Comments »
What is a Curriculum Vitae (CV)?
A resume is a brief summary of your skills, abilities, education, and experience, and is essentially a self-marketing tool used in a job search. Like a short personal commercial, a resume provides an overview of your background and highlights your unique qualifications in order to encourage the consumer (in this case, a prospective employer) to seek more information.
Curriculum vitae (’vē-te) means “course of life” in Latin, and as you might expect, this is a much more comprehensive document than a resume. Your CV is like your own personal infomercial. READ MORE
Posted in General | 1 Comment »
Endurance and Resiliency
“I could never run a marathon” is a common comment I get.
My response “You could if you trained” READ MORE
Posted in Becoming Doctoral, General | No Comments »
