Ask Doctoral Advising

Notes on Writing

I want to offer some thoughts about writing throughout the dissertation process.  They come in no particular order.  Each is important and should be taken to heart.  And if you are a learner in a doctoral program, I want to encourage you to use the Comments section to pose questions, to share your own ideas and feelings about writing, and to contribute to this conversation.

These thoughts will be explored more in-depth in future posts by me or by my colleague Constance Davis.  But I want to put them out there to generate conversation and to make people aware of common hurdles learners must overcome when at the stages of the Comprehensive Exam and the Dissertation milestones.

1. Writing a paper for a course assignment is not the same as writing for your Comprehensive Exam or for your Dissertation.  You are writing at a higher level with higher expectations when you reach your Comprehensive Exam and your Dissertation.  In the Exam, you are showing that you have mastered the conventions of writing at the doctoral level, and that you have the ability to evaluate, synthesize, and integrate information in a cogent, legible, and organized manner.  In the Dissertation, you are implementing these writing skills to demonstrate your expertise and original contribution to the field.  Therefore, do not assume that A’s on most of your coursework papers mean you will automatically ace your Exam or fly through your Dissertation.  Many of you will definitely succeed in both of these!  But you should always endeavor to ask yourself:  as a writer, what are my weaknesses and what are my strengths?  What resources are available to help me improve?  Am I doing everything I can to improve?  If I continue to struggle with writing while in the Dissertation phase, have I visited a Dissertation Writer’s Retreat?
2. Criticism is support.  Write these three words down on a note card and keep them in view of your work area.  Get into the habit of learning how to accept constructive criticism and how to use it to improve your work and your skills.  Do not take feedback personally.  You will have received a mountain of feedback, much of it constructively critical, by the end of your dissertation.  Learn how to humbly accept criticism, how to earnestly respond to it, and how to recognize it as part of the iterative process of dissertation writing.
3. Proofread, proofread, proofread.  Proofread your emails, proofread your papers, proofread your Exam.  Make sure you are always weeding out the grammatical errors, the sentence fragments, the run-on sentences, the sloppy punctuation and subject-verb disagreement.  Make the cultivation of your writing a habit.
4. Write every day.  Writing a dissertation is a self-driven process.  You no longer have the weekly deadlines for discussion posts.  There is no deadline at the quarter’s end.  You must therefore learn how to fit writing into your daily schedule:  at lunch, early in the morning before everyone else has awoken, after work before winding down for the night.  Try to write an hour a day, which is seven hours a week.  Write even if you do not feel like it. 
5. Learn how to discuss your project with the people in your life.  Learning how to talk about your project with non-specialists, to give that 30-second elevator speech, has direct relevance to your ability to write about your work.

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Blog Series: ALDA Advisors Share Wisdom of Experience – Part Four

During these five months (May, June, July, August, and September), the Ask Doctoral Advising blog showcases the wisdom of advisors from ALDA (Advanced Learner Doctoral Advisor) who support learners in the comprehensive exam and dissertation stages of Capella University’s doctoral programs. We’ll hear from individuals who serve these Schools: Public Service Leadership, Education, Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Business and Technology. In September, we’ll hear from ALDA supervisors. Beginning in October and throughout the upcoming year, we’ll feature the advice of Capella University alumni. Stay tuned!

In August, I asked ALDA advisors in the Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (HASoSBS), “What is your signature piece of advice for anyone in a PhD program? What is your essential message you would like your advisees to know, understand, and do?”

The following is the HASoSBS team’s wisdom of experience:

Ellen Carey:
“It’s important to keep a balanced perspective. Always keep your eyes on the goal – becoming a PhD or PsyD. Understand not only where you are headed, but what’s involved in each step along the path. Don’t forget the details, but don’t get bogged down in them either. Work independently and think for yourself, but don’t work in isolation. Listen to your mentor and make good use of the resources available to you. Expect success, but be prepared for unexpected bumps along the way. Develop a realistic plan for completion and do your best to stick to it. Celebrate the successes along the way and recognize the disappointments are part of the learning process. Be kind to yourself, but hold yourself accountable. You are responsible for your ultimate success, but remember your Capella team truly wants you to succeed and is here to support you.”

Dr. Vera Keracovic:
“The transition from coursework to the dissertation stage represents a shift, and possibly a quantum leap in the way of thinking and being. Beyond the academic skills and competencies, there are additional critical factors that facilitate successful completion of the dissertation project and ultimately the doctoral program. Importantly, intellectually agreeing and actually applying them in practice may be worlds apart!

- Be in charge and resourceful:
- Know and understand the process (Milestone Guidebook, Comprehensive Manual, Chapter Guides, Dissertation Manual, Research Center website)
- Create and cultivate a working relationship with your mentor about frequency of contact, turnaround time, and accountability for both of you
- Get ORGANIZED
- Manage your time – time is money
- Work on creating a supportive environment:
- Have a conversation with significant people in your life, both family and at work about what will change in terms of your availability and what type of accommodation you will need
- Advocate for yourself
- Prioritize your commitments – what do you need to let go for now?
- Embody and role-model doctoral aspirations – if you have children, what do you want them to understand about what you are working to achieve?
- Know that failing is a gift of learning. What is your response to failure?
- Self-care – prolonged exhaustion, physical and/or mental is not conducive to higher order thinking
- CELEBRATE your successes!

Dr. Mark Larson:
“Humility”

Johnna Williams:
“Develop the relationship with your mentor! Like any other relationship, it will take time and effort. There will be missteps and miscommunications. You will think you understand what they said, when in fact, you haven’t and vice-versa. There will be frustrations, and there will be great days. It is work, just like any relationship (friend, spouse, significant other, employer, etc.). You cannot assume that you know everything about a person by what you think they have (or have not) said, so do the work. It will pay off!”

What is the one piece of advice you’ve received that has been of the greatest help to you in your doctoral journey?

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Colloquia: How do you pronounce it?

Colloquia – what are they and how do you pronounce the word? Learners laugh with me often about the funny ways we try to pronounce the word “colloquia.” More serious are the talks I have with learners about their plans to attend colloquia in the first half of their program. Too often I hear learners lament that they are almost done with their courses, anticipating moving into their comprehensive exam, and yet they have not attended their required colloquia. These can be painful conversations for learners on multiple levels. READ MORE

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Academic Success: Courseroom Discussions

By Alair Altiero and Lian Partlow

A learner recently shared how energizing it has been for her to participate in courseroom discussions with peers in other states. The discussions pique her interest and she finds herself spending more time than she thought she would conversing in the courseroom. Another learner recently lamented that she did not understand why she had to meet course discussion posting deadlines since she wanted more flexibility in timing and the ability to be more independent of her colleagues. Both of these experiences express the challenges of online discussion forums and remind us how vital they are to our academic success. READ MORE

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Blog Series: ALDA Advisors Share Wisdom of Experience – Part Three

The 2010 months of May, June, July, August, and September, the Ask Doctoral Advising blog showcases the wisdom of advisors from ALDA (Advanced Learner Doctoral Advisor) who support learners in the comprehensive exam and dissertation stages of Capella University’s doctoral programs.  We’ll hear from individuals who serve these Schools: Public Service Leadership, Education, Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Business and Technology.  In September, we’ll hear from ALDA supervisors.  Beginning in October and throughout the upcoming year, we’ll feature the advice of Capella University alumni.  Stay tuned!

In July, I asked ALDA advisors in the School of Business and Technology, “What is your signature piece of advice for anyone in a PhD program? What is your essential message you would like your advisees to know, understand, and do?”

The following is the School of Business and Technology team’s wisdom of experience:

Jeff Scanlon:
“The mentor-mentee relationship requires interaction and collaboration. Keep your mentor informed of your progress (or lack of progress) on a regular basis. Keep the relationship fresh and dynamic.”

Dr. Laura Hutt:
“Persevere!”

Jo Tebbetts:
“Every resource needed is located on iGuide3. Become comfortable with the site.”

Capella Learners: What is the one piece of advice you’ve received that has been of the greatest help to you in your doctoral journey?

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Making a Career Change? It’s Not Just About the Degree!

This week I am moderating the career-themed discussion thread in the colloquium courseroom for Public Service Leadership learners who are attending the upcoming Orlando colloquium. Lots of learners in my Track 1, Track 2, and Track 3 courserooms are looking to make a career change after they complete their doctoral degrees. 

A Track 1 learner posed the following question earlier this week:

How does a person get experience in their chosen field, if they do not have the relevant experience to get the first employment opportunity?

I ask this because education is obviously not the only criteria measured by employers. Please reply with your comments or answers…all are welcome!

In asking his question, this learner hit upon the nut of the challenge of making a successful career change: how to get experience in a new field when all positions require previous experience? It can feel like a chicken-or-egg sort of riddle, and is a vexing problem for a lot of would-be career changers. Frequently, learners enroll in a degree program thinking the degree alone will open doors in their new career field. Unfortunately, this isn’t usually the case; employers look at degrees, but also place a lot of value on skills and knowledge acquired through past work experience.  When learners wanting to make a career change come to this realization, they sometimes respond with frustration, despair, or anger. The PhD degree itself is such a huge undertaking – how can it not be enough to open doors in a new career field? READ MORE

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Considering the National Dialogue on Doctoral Education – Program Environment (Part 5 of 8)

May 5, 2010 I posted an initial entry related to the recent monograph issued by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) on promising policies and practices that promote learner success. The foundation of our dialogue, while every institution has their own “flavor” or approach to doctoral education, the CGS’s Ph.D. Completion Project demonstrates that we do share common areas of concern and it only in promoting a “culture of evidence” that we’ll improve doctoral completion rates and meet society’s demands for a more relevant, globally competent PhD.
Subsequently, we have extended this dialogue to reflect on various policies and practices on various facets ranging from admissions and enrollment practices, mentoring/advising, to financial support.  Today, in this fifth entry, we turn our attention to the area of program environment.  The CGS cites program environment as “department-led and university-wide efforts to create the conditions of high expectations, high performance, and strong student support” (Executive Summary, 2010, p. 3).  
  READ MORE

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Considering the National Dialogue on Doctoral Education – Financial Support (Part 4 of 8)

May 5, 2010 I posted an initial entry related to the recent monograph issued by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) on promising policies and practices that promote learner success. The foundation of our dialogue, while every institution has their own “flavor” or approach to doctoral education, the CGS’s Ph.D. Completion Project demonstrates that we do share common areas of concern and it only in promoting a “culture of evidence” that we’ll improve doctoral completion rates and meet society’s demands for a more relevant, globally competent PhD.

In Part 2, we extended this dialogue to reflect on policies and practices surrounding admissions, enrollment and institutional selection.  In Part 3, we began reviewing the factor of mentoring/advising.

Tonight, we continue the dialogue on the policies and practices of financial support.  Without a doubt, one of the single most significant and relevant conversations today centers on financing one’s education.  Pick up a copy of the Washington Post, New York Times, New Yorker or latest Chronicle conversations and you would be hard pressed not to read about some facet of mounting student loan debt or expectations on forthcoming legislative reform to further monitor recruiting practices, default rates, student loan programs and the like. 

READ MORE

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Blog Series: ALDA Advisors Share Wisdom of Experience – Part Two

During the next four months (June, July, August, and September), the Ask Doctoral Advising blog showcases the wisdom of advisors from ALDA (Advanced Learner Doctoral Advisor) who support learners in the comprehensive exam and dissertation stages of Capella University’s doctoral programs. We’ll hear from individuals who serve these Schools: Public Service Leadership, Education, Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Business and Technology. In September, we’ll hear from ALDA supervisors. Beginning in October and throughout the upcoming year, we’ll feature the advice of Capella University alumni. Stay tuned!

In June, I asked ALDA advisors in the School of Education, “What is your signature piece of advice for anyone in a PhD program? What is your essential message you would like your advisees to know, understand, and do?”

The following is the School of Education team’s wisdom of experience: READ MORE

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Fourteenth: The rules apply to all of us

So, please understand that we have policies and processes in place for a reason.

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Planning ahead

“Taking charge of your own learning is a part of taking charge of your life, which is the sine qua non in becoming an integrated person” – Warren G. Bennis
I have been thinking a lot lately about the importance of thinking and planning ahead in a PhD program. When I was in my PhD program, you could say that I did not take charge of my own learning until more than half way through my program. I spent very little time planning ahead beyond the next semester. Therefore, I found myself stuck after I passed my comps, with little understanding of what I needed to do next. READ MORE

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Considering the National Dialogue on Doctoral Education – Mentoring and Advising (Part 3 of 8)

May 5, 2010 I posted an initial entry related to the recent monograph issued by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) on promising policies and practices that promote learner success. The foundation of our dialogue, while every institution has their own “flavor” or approach to doctoral education, the CGS’s Ph.D. Completion Project demonstrates that we do share common areas of concern and it only in promoting a “culture of evidence” that we’ll improve doctoral completion rates and meet society’s demands for a more relevant, globally competent PhD.

In Part 2, we extended this dialogue to reflect on policies and practices surrounding admissions, enrollment and institutional selection.  Arguably, the importance of “fit” or “match” is a matter of ongoing relevance, but perhaps most important at the point of pre-application or program admission. 

Today, we continue our conversation with looking at policies and practices related to mentoring and advising.  In March 2009 (Do You Possess Clarity) I offered mentoring/advising as one of the single most significant factors in a learner’s success and program completion vs. failure and program attrition.  Unfortunately, it also poses one of the most significant challenges to doctoral education, as individual practices, values, and ideologies vary not only among institutions or programs, but amongst individual mentors and/or advisors.  Reflecting on such diversity, what makes a good mentor/advisor, good? 
READ MORE

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Thirteenth doctoral commandment: Build those relationships

Learning to work with your mentor is no different than learning to work with anyone else in your life. It probably does not happen overnight. It may even mean a few missteps at the beginning. But the best way for it to grow is to keep working at it. You learn to respect boundaries, but you learn to ask questions. You learn to communicate and you learn when to figure things out yourself.

Apparently some learners think that relationships just happen and that it requires no work on their part. Or they think that because they are paying for each quarter in dissertation, the mentor should wait on the learner hand and foot. I tell my own advisees to take ownership of this phase of their doctoral journey. Initiate contact. Make sure there is weekly contact – if nothing more than a check-in most of the 10 weeks of the quarter. Do not expect your mentor to be available 24/7. Ask questions – but see if you can figure out some of the answers first. (Translation: do some homework before you ask the questions.) Remember that a relationship also requires some discussion (and active listening) about issues, flexibility and some respect for what each brings to the table.

A speaker at my own commencement talked about that mentor-mentee relationship and how difficult it could be. I remember watching as my fellow graduates received their hoods from their mentors and then greeted the mentors. The body language told me a lot about the nature of those relationships. Some gave their mentors a warm hug. Some gave just a lukewarm hug. Some had a hearty handshake. And in a few instances, the new graduate could not have stretched any farther to shake the mentors’ hand. Which new graduate will you be?

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Blog Series: ALDA Advisors Share Wisdom of Experience – Part One

During the next five months (May, June, July, August, and September), the Ask Doctoral Advising blog showcases the wisdom of advisors from ALDA (Advanced Learner Doctoral Advisor) who support learners in the comprehensive exam and dissertation stages of Capella University’s doctoral programs.  We’ll hear from individuals who serve these Schools: Public Service Leadership, Education, Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Business and Technology.  In September, we’ll hear from ALDA supervisors.  Beginning in October and throughout the upcoming year, we’ll feature the advice of Capella University alumni.  Stay tuned!

In May, I asked ALDA advisors in the School of Public Service Leadership (PSL) program, “What is your signature piece of advice for anyone in a PhD program?  What is your essential message you would like your advisees to know, understand, and do?”

The following is the PSL team’s wisdom of experience:

Dr. Constance Davis:
“My signature advice may change from day to day.  Prominent advice, advice I consider essential is:  Writing Matters.  Writing is Important.  Your mentor is not your editor.  If your mentor suggests hiring an editor, listen to that.  Your dissertation will be published for all the world to see.  And people will read it.  Think of the dissertations you have read while you started your own dissertation.  Others will read yours, too.  If the writing in your published dissertation is sloppy, why wouldn’t the reader of your dissertation think your research is sloppy, too?  Second, it is important to understand the dissertation process.  Most of your questions can be answered in iGuide, the Dissertation Manual, or the Dissertation Milestones Guidebook. Seek answers before you ask questions.”

Dr. Melissa Williams:
“Be realistic about whether a Ph.D. is right for you, but also be realistic about whether you are right for a Ph.D.”

Capella Learners: What is the one piece of advice you’ve received that has been of the greatest help to you in your doctoral journey?

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Considering the National Dialogue on Doctoral Education – Admissions, Institutional Selection and Enrollment Section (Part 2 of 8)

May 5, 2010 I posted an initial entry related to the recent monograph issued by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) on promising policies and practices that promote learner success.  Given recent economic stresses we are all experiencing first hand, I find such research extremely important to engaging further dialogue both as a larger, collective doctoral education community, but also at a smaller, more micro level and here within our own institutional community.  While every institution has their own “flavor” or approach to doctoral education, the CGS’s Ph.D. Completion Project demonstrates that we do share common areas of concern and it only in promoting a “culture of evidence” that we’ll improve doctoral completion rates and meet society’s demands for a more relevant, globally competent PhD.

READ MORE

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Twelfth doctoral commandment: Think critically

Do you have someone in your circle of friends or family who is constantly forwarding to you outraged emails about something the government (or feel free to substitute the person or institution of your choice) is supposedly doing? Emails that have been forwarded and forwarded?

How do you react to those emails? I think we all know people who will read the email and be outraged by the supposed wrong that is outlined. And then they forward it to other people and ask them to send it to everyone on their email list. Some of those recipients will also be outraged and will continue to forward the email.

But here is the question I have to ask: Why would you forward something that is flat out wrong? Do you stop for a moment to ask yourself if this message has any truth in it, or do you react the way you do because it is a message that reinforces your beliefs? And if it reinforces your beliefs, then are you even going to think about questioning its truth? It is very easy today to visit one of the many wonderful web sites that debunk the myths being circulated. Do you choose to question things you do not want to believe and not question that which you want to believe? Do you turn off your critical thinking skills when they might interfere with your beliefs?

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Eleventh doctoral commandment: Check out fantastic IRB tool

Nothing less than tell you exactly what you need for your IRB application. I recently sent emails to my advisees to alert them that this tool was now available. I have heard back from a number of the advisees – including from one who has struggled and struggled to figure out exactly which forms will be required for the learner’s IRB application. Several times now, the learner had thought that all forms had been identified and completed. But when the learner used the new tool, the learner found that several more forms were required.

The tool also allows you to experiment a bit. If you are thinking of using a vulnerable population, use the tool so that you will know exactly what kinds of permissions and consents and other forms you will need. You might want to figure out the easiest path through the IRB process and see if you want to restructure your research questions and methodology accordingly.

This tool is meant to be used, so use it.

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Develop Your Dissertation Topic from Day One

In my initial advising calls with new doctoral learners in the School of Public Service Leadership, I make it a point to feel out their thoughts about the dissertation by asking,  “What ideas or areas of interest do you have for a potential dissertation topic?” READ MORE

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Considering the National Dialogue on Doctoral Education (Part 1 of 8)

Have you ever had that moment of pause where you wonder, “How did I get here?  Why am I putting myself through this?  Is it all worth it in the end?”  Sadly, for many, this contributes to PhD program attrition.  So much so, the need for reform and improvement of the PhD experience continues to place high on the national education reform dialogue.  At times, it difficult to see just how valuable your contribution and experience is to this dialogue, but whether you realize it or not, you represent a new movement dedicated to re-envisioning the doctoral process; to increasing completion rates to a more acceptable level; to leveling the currently underrepresented PhD learner and graduate field; to stand in opposition of the belief that the past approach to developing a scholar is sufficient for 21st century demands. 

READ MORE

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Writer’s Block

“My biggest excuse to others and to myself was that I had writer’s block, as if it was some kind of illness.”
-Mary Gardner
Since I started my dissertation last spring, my home has never been so clean, my closet so organized, or my kitchen stove so utilized; I’m becoming the next Julia Child.  I find myself escaping into my secret domestic life more often these days. 
So, what is this unknown “evil” that is turning me from Professor Plum into June Clever?  Strangely enough, (or perhaps a relief to some of you who are reading along) this behavior is common for those who are experiencing writer’s block.  Writer’s Block—the arch nemesis of all graduate student writers, and of all writers in general.  Writer’s block is the inability to produce or create new work over a length of time.  These periods of time can last hours, days, months or possibly even years.  Bouts of writer’s block have even lead to writer’s abandoning their projects completely (this, of course, will happen to none of us)! 
There are several reasons or causes for writer’s block.  Some people feel that they have lost their creativity, possibly due to lack of inspiration; changes in their personal circumstances, such as illness, depression, or a change in their relationship status.  Other causes for writer’s block could be a feeling of stress and anxiety over time constraints or the importance of their work; others could be worried over not being good enough, or becoming a failure.  These are just some of the many reasons a person might experience writer’s block.
So, how can we overcome this “writing disease?” READ MORE

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Tenth doctoral commandment: Check out iGuide3

I certainly find it easier to navigate and find whatever I might be looking for. Go and explore. Look at each of the menu items and see what is there. Find your program and explore there. See the information provided by the library staff. Check out the possibilities under the Community section. You will never want to go back to iGuide2.

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Fear of Success, Part 3

When we think of fears associated with pursuing academic goals, fear of failure often comes to mind. Yet, another phenomenon, fear of success, can be just as present, formidable, and self-sabotaging as the fear of failure.

Last month we explored the effects of fear of success. In February we explored the nature of fear of success. In March we shared just some of the effects fear of success. This month’s post identifies some of the strategies that we can use to mitigate it. READ MORE

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Ninth doctoral commandment: ask for help

The dissertation is not going to be done in a day. You might be able to get it done within a year, but it is more likely that it will take two or three years. And it might take longer.

However, life is not going to wait for you as you are moving through your dissertation. You are going to have to deal with all that life hands you along the way, and sometimes you might find yourself struggling not to be overwhelmed by life events and still work on your dissertation.

First of all, learners should remember that they may ask to step away from the dissertation process for awhile. Talk to your advisor about taking a quarter of inactivity. Sometimes that one quarter allows learners to regain a little balance or to deal with an issue that has consumed an enormous amount of time and energy. If the dissertation is the proverbial straw, maybe it is time to consider a short break.

Second, sometimes your stressors and challenges become so great that you just need to talk to someone else. Please speak with your advisor and ask your advisor to connect you with a service that Capella provides for its learners. I have certainly provided this information to some of my own advisees. I assure my advisees that the only way I will know if they use this service is if the advisees themselves share that with me.

We may not be able to do much about some of the pressures we face, but we might be able to do something about how we handle them. Please ask for help.

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Preparing for Success

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell

How much do we acknowledge to ourselves that success on our PhD journey results from preparation and learning from failure? Hard work, yes, I think that most of us expect to work hard in a PhD program. But preparation and failure? READ MORE

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The Benefit of Learning from Others

“I will not only use the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow.”
-Woodrow Wilson 

While on your academic journey, you may find  yourself coming across others that will inspire changes and growth within you.  As others influence you, you too will influence them though your own insights into life and learning.  We find ourselves playing dual roles of both teacher and student—after all, life is not a solitary occupation, but one to be shared.  Sometimes, it is those who challenge us the most that we learn the most from. READ MORE

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Frustration with Milestone Deadlines

The dissertation research process at Capella is based on a set of 16 milestones which measure learner progress.  Unlike in coursework where there are weekly assignments, learner’s progress in dissertation is measured by milestone completion.  Milestones have set timelines that are not tied to quarters.  For example, when learners receive a six-week timeline for completion of the dissertation committee process, it means that learners should immediately set about contacting prospective members via email.  In a previous post, I described a method that seems to make the process go more smoothly.   READ MORE

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Fear of Success, Part 2

When we think of fears associated with pursuing academic goals, fear of failure often comes to mind. Yet, another phenomenon, fear of success, can be just as present, formidable, and self-sabotaging as the fear of failure.

Last month we explored the nature of fear of success. This month’s post identifies some of the effects of fear of success. In April, we will identify strategies to mitigate it.

If you have experienced fear of success, please share how this fear has affected you.

We will begin with the assumption that fear of success impedes our ability to succeed. As such, if our ability to succeed is compromised, we are likely to decrease our chances of success and we will fall short of our goals. READ MORE

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Becoming. Developing.

“Becoming” is a key word for anyone in a doctoral program.  One Becomes a Scholar.  One Becomes a  PhD. 

“Developmental” is a collollary to “Becoming.”

Becoming is a process of seeking a desired state. It requires change and growth.
Developmental is growth, building upon a foundation of knowledge so that one can take the next step. READ MORE

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Eighth doctoral commandment: focus on the positive

My colleagues and I reach out to our advisees on a regular basis to ask some questions about how they are doing.

We want to make sure that learners who are completing their first quarter in dissertation are communicating with their mentor, are beginning to understand what the dissertation is all about, and are moving forward in the process.

We have also learned that our advisees at every stage of dissertation sometimes struggle to stay motivated — for any number of reasons. One of the questions we will ask our advisees is how they stay motivated. As you can imagine, they are motivated by everything from financial issues to just getting done and seeing Ph.D. behind their names.

One of my advisees shared that he stayed motivated by keeping a gratitude journal. And I thought what a great idea! I know that it is so easy to let yourself go negative during the dissertation process. It seems like one would not have to look too far to find something to complain about.

However, I also think one would not have to look too far to find something to feel good about. It might be that you wrote one really solid paragraph – or a whole page. Perhaps you tracked down that elusive article you have been searching for. Perhaps your mentor, along with suggestions for improvements, also let you know that you are on the right track. Perhaps you just mastered the latest version of Microsoft Word. Along the way to the completion of each milestone, you will surely find many positives. Focus on them.

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Just Do It!

Throughout my career in consulting and teaching, I have included the subject of procrastination in my various course outlines, syllabi and workshop agendas. Having taught writing, speech and group communication, as well as job search workshops, the topic was always apropos. When have I met individually with clients in the past, the subject frequently came up. At Capella, with milestone deadlines looming, our learners often ask why they procrastinate. Alternatively, as advisors, we sometimes confront learners about their progress on their dissertations and try to determine if procrastination is a significant barrier.

READ MORE

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Fear of Success

When we think of fears associated with pursuing academic goals, fear of failure often comes to mind. For example, how many times did you experience fear of failing a course, fear of failing the comprehensive examination, or fear of failing to complete your dissertation? Yet, another phenomenon, fear of success, can be just as present, formidable, and self-sabotaging as the fear of failure.

In the next three months, we will explore fear of success. This post examines the nature of fear of success. Next month’s post will identify some of the effects of fear of success. In April, we will identify strategies to mitigate it. READ MORE

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Seventh doctoral commandment: ask questions

An advisee who felt he had not accomplished anything during his first quarter in dissertation recently sent me an email to complain about it. The advisee told me that he had gotten feedback twice during the quarter from his mentor, and each time the advisee had responded to the feedback by making quick corrections and turning the work around within hours.

Basically my advisee wanted to know, “Is That All There Is?” to the dissertation. (Cue Peggy Lee.)  He did not feel that he had worked very hard. I agreed with him; he had not worked very hard. It appeared that his mentor had done more work so far on the advisee’s dissertation than the advisee had. READ MORE

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Let’s Get Personal

Perhaps one of the most difficult pieces of being an adult and in a doctoral program is being an adult in a doctoral program, yes?  Oh for the life of a traditional-aged school experience, where, for most, life’s responsibilities were limited in comparison.  Today, you’re older, wiser, and steeped with professional and personal responsibilities.  And some how, you reached the conclusion that despite those responsibilities, there was still room to add the demands of a doctoral program.  Fairly incredible if you think about it. 

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Fear Factor: Job Search Edition

Here’s what I’ve decided: job searching freaks most people out. Rare is the person who hears terms like “job search,” “resume writing,” or “networking,”  and thinks, “Great! What fun!” Most people conceal this fear and anxiety pretty well, but the it’s there, regardless of how good they are at masking it, ignoring it, or joking about it. 

Why the fear?
Job search anxiety has a lot of sources. For some people, the discomfort is due to a feeling of incompetence – they don’t feel like they know how to effectively search for open positions or write a resume or interview well. Other people are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work involved in executing a job search. They’re afraid they’ll put forth a lot of effort that won’t yield results. Others feel like they don’t have any marketable skills, and worry that a job search will confirm these suspicions. Many people are afraid of failure or rejection, both of which are part of most job searches. Finally, some job seekers feel hopeless in the face of a poor economy, which leads to fears about not being able to provide for themselves or their family. READ MORE

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Organization Learning, Individual Learning, and the Doctoral Purpose

Have you ever stopped to think about how your contribution fits into your organization’s learning?  Admittedly, until recently, I hadn’t.  I suppose when you are surrounded by many, many, MANY bright and talented people, you easily forget an organization is learning too.  And that can be frustrating, can’t it? 

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Sixth doctoral commandment: learn from the feedback

Too often (and once is too often) I see learners who become quite upset over the feedback they receive on their comprehensive exams or their dissertation chapters. Those learners do have a choice: they can choose to ignore the feedback and make the process more difficult, or they can learn from the feedback (even embrace the feedback) and improve their writing skills.

I have told more than one advisee to grow a thicker skin and to change their attitude about the feedback. We can all improve our writing – no matter how well we write. Writing comprehensive exams and dissertations requires everyone to step up their level of writing. Everyone gets feedback on their comps and their dissertation chapters. The question is what do they do with that feedback? Do they acknowledge that the feedback is a fair comment on their writing or do they become defensive and refuse to accept the suggestions offered for improvement? READ MORE

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Building a Library for Your Future Success

A learner recently asked me what he should do with his books after each course: should he keep them or sell them? READ MORE

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Dissertation Committee Nomination Made Easy (Well…Easier)

Often, a learner will express frustration with the committee nomination process, which can be daunting for a number of reasons, not the least of which is persistence when one receives rejection after rejection.

One day, it dawned on me that an organized approach might make the task a bit simpler.  Now I tell my advisees to follow this plan when READ MORE

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Set Your Career Resolutions for the New Year!

After watching unemployment top 10% in November, many people are more than ready to say good-bye to 2009.  Even if you are part of the 90% who remained employed this year, the ongoing bad news about the economy may have prompted you to spend some time thinking about what you would do if you lost your job, or what you could do to feel more secure in your current position. 

As we head into 2010, now is a perfect time to take action and make some career development resolutions.  To help you to get started, the Career Counselors in Capella’s Career Center suggest giving some thought to the following career development activities.

Nourish your network
Commit to reconnecting with your network of contacts, and to developing new professional relationships.  Make some phone calls, set some lunch dates with former colleagues, and consider doing some informational interviews with experienced professionals in careers of interest to you. Increase your involvement with your professional association. If you’re not a member of any professional associations, determine which associations are most relevant, and join the local chapters. Check the dates of upcoming conferences and workshops for your professional associations and mark them on your calendar.  Volunteer for one of the association’s committees as a way of developing relationships with other members. Consider submitting a presentation proposal.  Presenting at conferences is one way to increase your exposure and establish your expertise in your field.  Use online social networking tools like LinkedIn to build your network and share your expertise with others who may be new to the field.  Join Capella’s LinkedIn user group to connect with thousands of other learners, alumni, staff, and faculty. READ MORE

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Learners on the Doctoral Journey: Understanding and Managing Fear

While engaged in learning, individuals experience a wide range of emotions: joy, delight, interest, wonder, disappointment, frustration and fear. While all emotions need to be managed, fear may be the most significant barrier to adults realizing their full learning potential. In a series of blog posts, Lori shares information—and asks you to offer insights and strategies—to understanding and successfully managing fear that may occur throughout the doctoral journey. Acknowledging that fear exists is key to making peace with it. Her goal is to provide a medium for us to share our perspectives on learner fear and liberate ourselves in doing so.

This blog topic may be of interest to all learners who occasionally experience self-doubt and fear about their ability to achieve the doctoral degree.

 By the end of this series of blog posts on learner fear, you will be able to:

• Identify at least one non-productive fear that you may be experiencing

• Know the impact of fear on your learning

• Understand the sources of learner fear

• Develop strategies for better managing fear so that goal achievement is more efficient and certain.

 Last month we examined the sources of learner fear. This month, we will explore strategies to mitigate it.

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December 31, 2010

It is always at this time of year we stop and reflect on what has occurred in our lives over the past 12 months.  What have we accomplished?  What would we have done differently?  This is the time that we resolve ourselves to make the changes that will bring our goals closer to us in the upcoming year.  I am no different than most – I spent 2009 wanting to achieve many things.  I hit some goals and missed many others, so my focus is now on the new year.  My New Year’s Resolution is going to be a bit different this year, however…

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Learners on the Doctoral Journey: Understanding and Managing Fear

While engaged in learning, individuals experience a wide range of emotions: joy, delight, interest, wonder, disappointment, frustration and fear. While all emotions need to be managed, fear may be the most significant barrier to adults realizing their full learning potential. In a series of blog posts, Lori shares information—and asks you to offer insights and strategies—to understanding and successfully managing fear that may occur throughout the doctoral journey. Acknowledging that fear exists is key to making peace with it. Her goal is to provide a medium for us to share our perspectives on learner fear and liberate ourselves in doing so.

This blog topic may be of interest to all learners who occasionally experience self-doubt and fear about their ability to achieve the doctoral degree.

By the end of this series of blog posts on learner fear, you will be able to:
• Identify at least one non-productive fear that you may be experiencing
• Know the impact of fear on your learning
• Understand the sources of learner fear
• Develop strategies for better managing fear so that goal achievement is more   efficient and certain.

Last month we examined the impact of fear on learners. In this month’s post, we will examine sources of learner fear. In January, we will explore strategies to mitigate learner fear. READ MORE

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Professional Portfolios: An Important Tool for Differentiating Yourself in a Competitive Job Market

Given the dreary state of the job market in the United States right now, anyone contemplating a job search probably has some trepidation about their ability to land their next job. This is understandable, given that the labor supply currently outstrips demand by the widest gap in recent memory, resulting in a job market that is saturated with job seekers.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t jobs to be had, or that people aren’t finding employment. It does mean that job searches are taking longer and require much more time and effort that they did in the past. More job seekers vying for the attention of hiring managers also means that candidates absolutely must differentiate themselves in order to land a job. Professional portfolios can be an effective differentiation strategy for job seekers in nearly every field. 

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Giving Thanks

As our national holiday of Thanksgiving draws near, I decided to forgo a blog dedicated to the intricacies of comprehensive exam and dissertation. It felt like a good time to pause to reflect on Capella and distance education in the year 2009.

Distance learning has been around for quite some time. I remember my READ MORE

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Learners on the Doctoral Journey: Understanding and Managing Fear

While engaged in learning, individuals experience a wide range of emotions: joy, delight, interest, wonder, disappointment, frustration and fear. While all emotions need to be managed, fear may be the most significant barrier to adults realizing their full learning potential. In a series of blog posts, Lori shares information—and asks you to offer insights and strategies—to understanding and successfully managing fear that may occur throughout the doctoral journey. Acknowledging that fear exists is key to making peace with it. Her goal is to provide a medium for us to share our perspectives on learner fear and liberate ourselves in doing so.

This blog topic may be of interest to all learners who occasionally experience self-doubt and fear about their ability to achieve the doctoral degree.

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Learning How to Read

If effective reading strategies are the lifeblood of one’s intellectual development as a doctoral learner, what are they? How do you use them? And when do you know which ones to use? READ MORE

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November is National Career Development Month!

Each year, the National Career Development Association celebrates November as National Career Development Month to highlight the importance of life-long career development. Managing your career is an ongoing process, not just something you do when you’re actively in a job search. It’s akin to maintaining a schedule of moderate physical training year-round for a marathon, rather than waiting until a couple of weeks before the race to start training. The runner who exercises two or three times each week will be much better prepared for the race than the one who tries to do all of her training at the last minute. Likewise, a job seeker will fare much better in a job search if he’s laid the groundwork by maintaining good relationships with colleagues in his field over time, and kept his resume updated with his ongoing professional development activities, than if he only begins conducting career management activities when the job search becomes imminent. READ MORE

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Socrates on Leadership

Leadership is a “buzzword” in today’s business world. For instance, books, blogs, and seminars offer advice on how to acquire leadership skills to be a successful leader, despite the dearth of definition about “successful.” In addition, amassing skills in listening, communicating, directing, and writing a mission statement is usually the focus. Am I a leadership Curmudgeon? No. READ MORE

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Learning to Handle Conflicting Feedback

Collaborative research, like many other types of collaborations, can produce differing approaches to solving problems. Some learners labor under the misconception that topic definition, research question development, methodology selection and other aspects of the study should fall automatically into place. Doctoral learners are really apprentices or neophytes and are not expected to know everything or submit completely perfected ideas in the beginning. Their work will evolve as they experience many levels of review. More than likely, they will also receive some conflicting advice. Their job is to sort through the advice and proceed in the direction they feel is correct. If they need to redirect, so be it. It is all part of the learning process.

Sometimes in frustration, learners will say, “Just tell me what to do and I will do it.” That, of course, is the wrong approach. A significant aspect of earning READ MORE

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What is Most Needed to Succeed in a Doctoral Program?

The past couple of weeks, I’ve been reflecting a great deal on Capella’s mission and values.  Why are we here?  What are we all striving for?  How do we prioritize our work?  How do we make decisions?  How do we interact with one another?  And the like. 

In August 2008, I spoke of a pledge to greatness and the invaluable tool of owning your own contribution and this commodity of human potential – the value of honoring the potential of each person and enabling transformation. 

Today, some of my trusted colleagues and I were reflecting on a common question asked, “what is the most important piece of the puzzle needed to finish the PhD?”  The usual fare was offered: competency, knowledge of the topic, the “research gene,” a strong committee, resilience, time, etc.  But today, I say to all, what’s most important is knowing your needs and knowing your aspirations.

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