Ask Doctoral Advising

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

Recently, a comment was posted to our blog that due to certain restrictions, we elected not to release the comment, however, the author posed some important, legitimate questions that I would like to address further.

Specifically, the entry raised awareness to a professional dissertation writing website company.  To this author’s credit s/he was not necessarily promoting the use or affiliated with the organization, however, raised questions surrounding the use of such “guidance packages.”  Further questions that I personally viewed as thoughtful and insightful, surrounded the issue of dissertation quality.  Reworking the author’s primary question, are today’s scholars more interested in efficiency and the shortest path to PhD completion v. preparing a quality document and by extension, becoming a scholar?

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It tends to be negative which doesn’t do you any good.

A couple years ago, I entered a half marathon with a time limit. As I struggled through the heat, at the pace I was moving (slow), I had mind talk going about not being able to finish this event. Why did I run, anyway? I knew I wasn’t prepared for this event, why did enter? READ MORE

All Capella learners who are registered for one or more courses are provided free access to Smarthinking.  To being using these services, learners can visit www.capellawritingcenter.org, click on the first link under ‘Resources’ on that page (titled ‘tutoring’), and follow the prompts to make an account. Any one in the general public can use Smarthinking, but the fees can mount quickly, so to avoid being charged fees for the service, Capella learners must make the account using the prompts provided at the location noted above. Once the account is established, learners can use the account with the password and ID that they create.

On that same Writing Center public home page, learners can find new ways to ask for feedback from Smarthinking.  The Writing Feedback Tool (WFT) on the public page (second link under ‘Resources’) provides users with a common language to use when talking about academic writing.  The WFT starts with critical reading (category 1) and moves all the way through 11 categories, including organization, APA format, grammar, mechanics.

Here’s how the WFT can make Smarthinking a more effective tool. READ MORE

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

Know your purpose and what you are reaching for… READ MORE

The past couple of weeks I have been reading a lot about the differences between mentors and advisors.  In most doctoral programs, you’ll probably find that there aren’t “specialized” or professional advisors in doctoral programs, rather, the individual faculty member who mentors or supervises the doctoral candidate, is also responsible for advising the individual.  This led me to question, does Capella’s decision to split this responsibility help or hinder the learner’s growth as a scholar-practitioner? 

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In running and training for a marathon, there are no quick fixes.  I cannot pay someone to train for me and expect that I will be able to achieve the finish line.  Let me amend that…I may achieve the finish line, but I want to be able to function and enjoy life the afternoon of the event.  If I don’t do the work, my body will be hurting.  And I know I didn’t do my best throughout  my training.  I want to achieve running a marathon and know it was my best. READ MORE

I’m a practitioner of procrastination.  I may not be the best procrastinator, I am, after all, writing this piece. READ MORE

There is a point in time when you want to quit.  Just STOP.  READ MORE