Discussion Thread: Advice for the Journey

MANAGE DISCUSSION

week 8

This is a graded discussion: 50 points possible

due May 13

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At the start of the course, we discussed fears and concerns regarding the process of writing a dissertation. Now that you have begun the journey, what is one of those fears that you now feel a bit better about? What fears continue to linger? What might you do to address those lingering concerns? Is there a word of advice you heard in the presentation that you plan to “take to heart” and implement in your own journey? If so, what was that advice and what do you plan to do?

The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and
Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing,

and

Defending your Dissertation

Creating your Dissertation Team

Contributors: By: Carol M. Roberts

Book Title: The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and

Defending your Dissertation

Chapter Title: “Creating your Dissertation Team”

Pub. Date: 2010

Access Date: April 1, 2021

Publishing Company: Corwin Press

City: Thousand Oaks

Print ISBN: 9781412977982

Online ISBN: 9781452219219

DOI:

http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781452219219.n5

Print pages: 53-62

© 2010 Corwin Press All Rights Reserved.

This PDF has been generated from SAGE Knowledge. Please note that the pagination of the online

version will vary from the pagination of the print book.

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Creating your Dissertation Team

Creating your dissertation team

Peak Principle: Always Climb Fully Equipped

Climbing high mountains without being fully equipped is folly. Being fully equipped includes having expert
guides. Exposure, high winds, treacherous ledges, bone-chilling cold, and unpredictable weather pose grave
dangers for the novice climber. To reach the top and return safely, you must have knowledge of where, when,
and how to climb. This kind of knowledge comes only from expert guides.

Expert guides are people who have already been where you want to go. They possess the wisdom of
experience, know the terrain, and can assess the abilities and limitations of those being guided. Expert guides
also inspire confidence and convey what must be done to accomplish the goal. For your survival, you must
have absolute confidence and trust in their abilities and be willing to go along with their instructions.

Don’t take the journey to EdD or PhD lightly, for there are multiple challenges and obstacles along the way.
Selecting a dissertation advisor is the most vital decision you make; that’s the person you rely on to help you
face the challenges and overcome the obstacles. This person’s primary responsibility is to guide your work.
He or she becomes your significant other throughout the entire dissertation process. Thus, it behooves you
to select wisely.

Selecting a Dissertation Advisor

The dissertation advisor’s main role is to offer advice and counsel during each phase of the dissertation
process. He or she helps you develop and refine your research topic and methodology, critiques multiple
drafts of each chapter of the dissertation, and guides you through the proposal and oral defense meetings. In
addition, your advisor provides encouragement, shepherds you through any roadblocks, and acknowledges
your good work. However, his or her ultimate responsibility lies in ensuring that you produce a high-quality
dissertation—one relevant and useful to the field and one that meets your university’s standards of scholarly
research. Your work reflects not only your own scholarship but also that of your advisor. Your professional
reputation and that of your advisor and university are all on the line when someone reads your

dissertation.

Criteria for Selecting an Advisor

Ongoing program evaluations conducted at my university found that the top five factors most helpful to
students in completing their dissertations dealt with the student-advisor relationship. These five factors, in
order of their significance, were the following:

• 1.
Student-chair compatibility

• 2.
Chair reliability

• 3.
Chair responsiveness

• 4.
Chair understanding of student’s needs

• 5.
Chair accessibility

These results suggest some criteria you might use in considering your choice of an advisor. Before making
that choice, take time to investigate and get to know potential advisors. You might talk with students who
worked with a particular advisor, read dissertations chaired by an individual with whom you are interested in

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working, or take potential advisors to lunch and explore their interest in your topic.

Advisors exhibit a broad array of expertise, style, and personality; plus, they have different expectations of
advisees. In selecting a compatible advisor, an important criterion is the level of comfort you feel with that
person. Does the person’s style of working match your own preferences? For example, do you prefer working
with someone directive and highly structured (who closely monitors your work, adheres strictly to timelines,
holds regular meetings, etc.), or do you prefer someone more laissez-faire (who waits to be contacted by you,
allows more leeway to follow your own leanings, expects a greater amount of independent thinking, etc.)? Do
you need nurturing and much support along the way, or are you a confident, independent worker?

Which advising style fits you? Which is most compatible with your needs? As you consider your choice, keep
in mind some additional criteria:

• 1.
The person likes your topic. It is not necessary that the advisor be an expert in your topic.
Compatibility is often more important than expertise. However, it then becomes crucial that at least
one committee member possesses expertise in your research area or methodology.

• 2.
The person reads drafts in a timely manner.

• 3.
The person makes sound, helpful comments and suggestions.

• 4.
The person is accessible—willing to talk with you or meet regularly with you.

• 5.
The person is sensitive to your needs yet demands quality work.

The best advisor is one who can be your ally, advocate, and adversary when he or she needs to be.

Selecting the Committee

The dissertation committee usually consists of three or five members (including the advisor), depending
on the type of degree and each university’s policy. Preferably, these members possess earned doctorates
and are highly regarded professionals in their field. Select them for their ability to make specific and useful
contributions to your study. These contributions might be expertise in the topic, methodology, or analysis used
in the study or the ability to easily access the study’s population.

The committee’s primary responsibility lies in contributing new ideas, suggestions, and insights for each
chapter. In addition, the committee judges the worth and quality of your dissertation and its defense.
Committee members should participate actively in all phases of the dissertation process. Early involvement
contributes to their sense of ownership in the dissertation and helps eliminate any surprises at the oral
defense. They should not be considered “rubber stamps” of the advisor.

Choose the committee in concert with your advisor. Always discuss prospective committee members with
your advisor before issuing invitations to them to participate in your study.

The same criteria used to select an advisor are appropriate for selecting committee members, but because
of their secondary role in the dissertation process, they are less crucial. A compatible advisor and helpful
committee members contribute greatly to your success in completing a scholarly dissertation.

The Care and Nurture of Advisors and Committee Members

A good working relationship with your advisor and committee is vital to finishing your dissertation. I offer the
following as a guide for obtaining the help and support needed in your journey to become a doctor.

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Rule 1

Always Submit Drafts of Your Best Work

Resist the temptation to submit drafts that are not carefully thought out, organized, or well written. It is
inappropriate to throw something together in the hope that it gets approved or that your advisor will think and
edit for you. With a polished draft, your committee can focus its feedback on substance rather than style and
format. Take time to carefully proofread each page. You can pick up many mistakes by reading it aloud to
yourself or to another. It also helps to have a critical friend read it over before you submit it to the committee.
Very often committee members’ initial impressions are lasting ones. David Sternberg (1981) said it well:

It has been my experience as a dissertation adviser and editor/consultant for several publishers that the
reader’s attitudes and appraisal of a manuscript are disproportionately shaped by the first draft which comes
to his [or her] attention. If the first impression is unfavorable, successive drafts—even substantially revised
ones—never quite erase the memory or smell of the first stinker. (p. 131)

Sloppy, careless work is unappreciated, and it reflects an attitude that you willingly cut corners and don’t care
about quality. It also shows a lack of respect for your committee’s time. Always do your best work with each
draft you submit.

Rule 2

Accept Criticism With Grace and Nondefensiveness

Your dissertation should reflect scholarly research and, as such, requires quality thinking and writing that
is clear, concise, and cohesive. Expect to make multiple revisions to create such a document. It is critical
that you accept your committee’s feedback without getting your feelings hurt or being defensive. Develop
professional maturity, and remember the committee’s job is to provide comments and suggestions that
strengthen your study and ensure that it adheres to your university’s high standards. Show that you are
teachable, flexible, and open to the committee’s advice.

Rule 3

Always Incorporate Your Committee’s Recommendations for Revisions

Committee members spend considerable time reading and critiquing your drafts. Usually, they are
conscientious about making suggestions for improvement. It is not OK to ignore their suggestions. They trust
you to incorporate their ideas into your study. Be sure to indicate on your return drafts where you incorporated
their suggestions (boldfaced, colored highlighter, or italics, or in a personal note to them). Often, suggestions
are negotiable. If you disagree with any of the changes suggested by a committee member, call that person
to discuss the situation. Present your ideas persuasively and with tact and diplomacy. Show that you are
flexible and open to their opinions rather than defensive of your own position. Such an approach resolves
your differences in an amiable fashion.

Rule 4

Respect Your Committee’s Time Constraints

Faculty are busy people and must be given sufficient lead time to respond to drafts and inquiries. Don’t
demand instant turnaround or immediate appointments. However, it is reasonable to ask when a response
might be forthcoming. A comment that all advisors dread hearing is, “I realize I’ve taken six months to revise
Chapter 1, but would you be able to read it by tomorrow?” One professor explained, “Bad planning on your
part does not constitute an emergency on mine.” Do keep to your timeline as much as possible. Often,
faculty members make decisions about adding additional advisees based on when you plan to complete your

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http://sk.sagepub.com/books/the-dissertation-journey-2e/n1.xml

dissertation.

Rule 5

Keep a Positive, Cheerful Attitude

Enthusiasm engenders enthusiasm and makes working with you so much more pleasant. Your committee
wants you to have a positive experience. If you appear morose and whiny, it negatively affects your working
relationship. Even if you don’t feel positive and cheerful, fake it!

Rule 6

Take the Initiative, but Expect Guidance

An important goal in writing a dissertation is developing the ability to work independently. You need advice
and counsel along the way, but it is your responsibility to determine the direction of the research, manage
your time, and persist in getting the work done. Take control of your own dissertation. What do you want to
know? What is important to you? A good advisor encourages you to make your own decisions; after all, it is
your dissertation. Don’t wait to be told what to do. It delights your advisor when you bring fresh ideas and new
insights and perspectives about your study. Keep self-sufficiency and dependence in proper balance. It’s up
to you to succeed.

Rule 7

Maintain Contact

Schedule regular meetings (at least once a month for one hour) with your advisor to discuss progress and to
get advice on specific problems you may be having. It helps keep you in his or her memory, helps to maintain
the relationship, and shows your commitment to completing the dissertation in a timely manner.

Consider making regular progress reports to your committee. Mauch and Birch (1993) believed this to be the
“single most effective way to stay in touch in a constructive way with each committee member” (p. 134). Their
suggested format is as follows:

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In addition to sending a written progress report by mail, fax, or e-mail, you should also make a telephone
contact every month or six weeks to keep communication channels open.

Be sure to seek advice when you need it. Often, students inhibit themselves in this regard and don’t want to
appear ignorant or incompetent. It is easy for advisors to overestimate the depth of their students’ knowledge.
Just don’t be a pest! Remember to share the joy of discovery as well as the obstacles overcome.

Adhering to these seven rules creates a more harmonious relationship with your advisor and committee
members and ensures a relationship based on mutual respect and shared responsibility.

How to Approach a Potential Advisor

Faculty can choose which dissertations they will or will not chair. Following appropriate etiquette improves
your chance of obtaining the advisor you want. First of all, be adequately steeped in the literature related to
your topic so you can talk intelligently about it. Also, prepare a well-thought-out prospectus or proposal to
show a potential advisor. This document should clearly define the problem and methodology of your study.
If done well, it provides insights into the clarity of your thinking and writing—something advisors look for in
potential advisees.

Next, give your prospectus or proposal to a potential advisor and request an appointment to discuss it. Be
direct about your situation—are you shopping for an advisor or have you decided on one? Don’t expect an
agreement to chair your dissertation right away, and don’t feel rejected if you get a “no.” Typically, faculty
turn away students if they are overcommitted, not interested in the topic, or do not feel comfortable with the
methodology or analysis procedures. Sometimes they are just not willing to work with a particular individual.

What if no one Agrees to be your Advisor?

At this point, you need to ask yourself why no one will chair your dissertation and do some soul-searching.
Here are some common reasons why potential advisors turn students down:

• 1.
The topic. It’s too broad and ill defined; it may be trivial, poorly thought out, or they are just not
interested in the topic.

• 2.
Students lack academic skills. The time and agony of working with poor writers, superficial thinkers,
or those known for cutting corners are not worth the effort.

• 3.
Personal attributes. Students who are antagonistic, abrasive, stubborn, or undependable always
have a hard time convincing a faculty member to chair their dissertation.

You need to appraise your situation and decide where you might need to change. Perhaps you should adjust
your behavior and attitude or get some professional help with specific skills you may lack. It is hard to
overcome a negative reputation.

At my university, the dean assigns an advisor for you if all faculty members turned you down. This means that
the professor assigned has no choice in the matter and must work with you whether or not he or she likes it.
This is not a good place to be.

Choosing Outfitters and Bearers (Other Specialized Consultants)

In addition to expert guides, difficult climbs also require outfitters and bearers. You can only reach a high
goal with help from other people. Be smart and use all the resources available to you. There are consultants
(editors, statisticians, research specialists, etc.) you can call on for expert help and advice. There are campus
services available for your use, as well as supportive, caring faculty and student peers eager to help you on

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your way. Going it alone can be inefficient and costly—it may even cost you your degree. Choose your guides
and mentors carefully and then heed their advice and counsel.

Technical Assistance

Often, students require assistance with the technical aspects of writing a dissertation. Getting help with
questionnaire design and statistical analysis is reasonable. Unless you were the valedictorian of your
statistics class, it behooves you to consult a statistician; however, it is vital that you know enough about
statistics to understand his or her advice. An experienced statistician can assist you with analysis techniques,
interpretation of the numbers generated, table presentations, and technical writing. He or she should act as
a tutor to help you understand why a particular test was used and what the results mean. However, you are
responsible for understanding your statistics and defending their use at your oral defense.

Writing Assistance

Consider using an editor throughout the dissertation process. Committee members do some editing; however,
their primary role is to assist you with conceptual clarity. They appreciate receiving drafts that pass the literacy
test. An editor can be a close friend skilled in grammar who understands dissertation-style writing. If your
writing leaves a bit to be desired, then definitely hire a professional. It saves you hours of grief and a multitude
of drafts. Just remember that editorial assistance for a dissertation is permissible and encouraged, but only in
matters of style, not content.

Word Processing Typist

It takes a tremendous amount of skill to prepare tables, figures, and so forth and to type the dissertation
manuscript in the appropriate style format. The final document has to be precisely in the style required by
your university. Most students do not possess this expertise nor do they have time to learn it. Therefore, my
advice is don’t do your own final copy. Type it yourself through the oral defense, if you wish, but then hire a
professional to complete the final copy. This saves you much anxiety, time, and money. Be sure to contract
with a typist early in the dissertation process. Provide an approximate date when you will hand over your
manuscript.

Where to Locate Specialists

Check with your own university to see if there is a list of experts available to assist you. Also, the ASGS
website, http://www.asgs.org has a database of professional consultants (editors, word processors, and
writing consultants). The names are arranged according to expertise areas and geographic location. You can
click on a name and view detailed information, including services and hourly rates. Another good way to locate
reliable technical specialists is to simply ask prior dissertation students and university faculty whom they know
and recommend. Try to get at least two names so you can have a choice and not feel tied to someone with
whom you may not be compatible.

Once you have a list of names, contact them. Let them know who recommended them and share your
timetable for completing the dissertation. Also, let them know what kind of help you need and find out if they
have the time to assist you and what they charge.

Summary

Selecting an advisor and committee members is one of the most vital decisions you make. Ideally, these
individuals should like your topic, make helpful suggestions, return drafts in a timely manner, be accessible,
and hold you accountable for quality work. In this chapter, I suggested seven rules to help you maintain
a good working relationship with your advisor and committee members and offered guidance in observing
appropriate etiquette when approaching a potential advisor. Other available resources to help you complete

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http://www.asgs.org/

the dissertation are statisticians, editors, typists, and so on.

Your preparation for the climb thus far included filling your backpack with the inner essentials, identifying
a topic to research, and selecting expert guides, outfitters, and bearers. The next chapter centers on peer
dissertation support groups and provides strategies on their formation and structure.

• dissertation
• members committees
• committees
• drafting
• statisticians
• chairs
• technical writing

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• The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and Defending your Dissertation

Creating your Dissertation Team
Creating your Dissertation Team
Peak Principle: Always Climb Fully Equipped
Selecting a Dissertation Advisor
Criteria for Selecting an Advisor
Selecting the Committee
The Care and Nurture of Advisors and Committee Members
Rule 1
Rule 2
Rule 3
Rule 4
Rule 5
Rule 6
Rule 7
How to Approach a Potential Advisor
What if no one Agrees to be your Advisor?
Choosing Outfitters and Bearers (Other Specialized Consultants)
Technical Assistance
Writing Assistance
Word Processing Typist
Where to Locate Specialists
Summary

The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and
Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing,

and

Defending your Dissertation

Organizing Yourself

Contributors: By: Carol M. Roberts

Book Title: The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and

Defending your Dissertation

Chapter Title: “Organizing Yourself”

Pub. Date: 2010

Access Date: April 1, 2021

Publishing Company: Corwin Press

City: Thousand Oaks

Print ISBN: 9781412977982

Online ISBN: 9781452219219

DOI:

http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781452219219.n7

Print pages: 67-74

© 2010 Corwin Press All Rights Reserved.

This PDF has been generated from SAGE Knowledge. Please note that the pagination of the online

version will vary from the pagination of the print book.

javascript:void(0);

http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781452219219.n7

Organizing Yourself

Organizing yourself

Organizing is what you do before you do something so that when you do it, it’s not all mixed up.

—Christopher Robin in A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh

Successfully completing your dissertation requires organization and planning. Working hard is not enough,
you must also work smart. Working smart means organizing a place conducive to writing and developing
a time schedule to which you faithfully adhere even if you lack inspiration. Knowing yourself, the peaks
and ebbs of your energy patterns, is also essential to efficiently getting the job done. Working smart also
requires maintaining balance in your life. Today, many doctoral students are married with children and hold
full-time jobs, making it essential to balance dissertation activities and other life obligations. This chapter
offers suggestions for organizing your workspace, your time, and yourself for effective dissertating and f

or

maintaining balance in the process. Think of these suggestions as options. Try them out to see which ones
work for you.

Organize Your Workspace

It is extremely important that you find a suitable place for dissertating where you can be productive. Determine
where you do your best work, and plan to be there each time you work on the dissertation. Your dissertation
workspace may be your office at work, your office at home, or a separate area in your home designed
exclusively for your dissertation work. It should be quiet, private, and free of interruptions and distractions
such as posters, TV, fish tank, portraits, and pleasure books. Let the answering machine take phone
messages while you work. If music helps you write, then keep CDs or your iPod handy. Relegate to this office
only those activities related to the dissertation—no writing letters, paying bills, or surfing the Internet. Having a
single-minded focus makes you much more efficient. Wherever you work, make sure you have the following:

• Computer and printer
• Comfortable, ergonomic chair
• Sturdy, decent-sized desk
• Good lighting
• Appropriate reference materials (dictionary, thesaurus, style manual, etc.)
• Necessary materials (printer ink cartridges, etc.)
• Bookcase
• Filing cabinet
• File folders
• Writing materials (pens, pencils, sticky notes, tablets, etc.)
• “Ideas” notebook to jot down ideas that come to you

An organized workspace dedicated exclusively to your dissertation study goes a long way toward maintaining
optimum efficiency.

Organize Your Time

Because no deadlines are imposed on you while writing the dissertation, time can escape quite easily.
Completing a dissertation requires that you manage your time well. Realistically assess how much time you
can devote to your dissertation study. It is a big challenge to find time in an already busy daily schedule.
The reality is that you have to make time. Those who don’t, relegate themselves to the title ABD (all-but-
dissertation).

Planning and scheduling time are the keys to making things happen. Planning is deciding what to do.

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Scheduling is deciding when to do it—picking the time to do the activities. It is more like a commitment,
whereas planning is the intention. Scheduled things tend to happen. To be truly efficient, create at least three
scheduling plans. First, design an overall dissertation timeline, which helps you see the big picture and keeps
you on track. Second, create a time schedule to which you commit so many hours each day or week. Third,
create a to-do list—a daily reminder of the tasks that need to be done each day. The following describes these
three techniques and offers some recommendations to make them work for you.

1. The Dissertation Timeline

The Gantt chart—a useful method for creating a dissertation timeline—can be as detailed as you wish. To
construct a Gantt chart, list the major phases or specific activities of the dissertation down the left side of the
page. Across the top, list the time for completing the entire dissertation process. Then, create a bar graph
that shows the beginning and ending times for each major phase or activity. When creating this long-range
plan, it helps to work backwards from commencement. When do you need to turn in the dissertation to your
graduate office? To do that, when would you need to defend? To do that, when would you need to get it to the
committee? See Appendix A for an example of a Gantt chart.

2. Time Schedule

Creating a strict schedule of hours each day or week to work on your dissertation is essential. I cannot
emphasize this enough. No real progress can be made without ongoing involvement with your study.
Otherwise, you spin your wheels trying to figure out where you left off the last time. Try to schedule as many
unbroken hours as possible for uninterrupted concentration. I find that in a block of two hours, I can make
considerable progress. As much as possible, maintain daily progress—even if it is only 15 minutes at a time.
This way your mind stays focused and your subconscious working. It helps to set a goal for how much work
you will accomplish each day or week and to keep a record to determine if your goal was met. This keeps you
moving and motivated.

Remember

• Plan each day. Block out 30 minutes, an hour, three hours, or whatever time you can to work on your
dissertation.

• Choose a scheduling strategy that works for you. You may choose to work in terms of hours and
minutes worked or pages written. Figure out which works best for you.

• Stick to your schedule.

3. To-Do List

In the time management literature, experts suggest myriad techniques for managing a To-Do list. Some
recommend listing everything that needs to be done and reviewing the list first thing in the morning to confront
items that still need to be done. Others recommend keeping a short, doable To-Do list. They say you should
place only three to six items on your To-Do list and make sure you accomplish them. This forces the habit of
finishing what you place on your list and results in a feeling of accomplishment.

One good way to be efficient is to write out a To-Do list every day. Separate your To-Do list into A, B, and
C priorities. A items are your high-priority activities; B items may be urgent but not as important; C items
are those that would be nice to do if you get the time. Start with the A items—the ones that must be done.
Then move to the B items—the ones that probably should be done. C items are least important. Don’t work
on a C just because it’s easy to do. Check off items as you complete them to give yourself a sense of
accomplishment.

Another way to prioritize your To-Do list is found in the book Time Tactics of Very Successful People by
Griessman (1994). He suggested you prioritize by asking the following questions of each item:

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• Will it help me do my thesis or otherwise make my life better?
• Does it have a real deadline that will cost me if I miss it?
• Is it a command from someone I can’t ignore?
• Will it help me fulfill my potential?
• Will it matter a year from now?

It makes little difference which type of priority technique you use as long as it works for you. The main thing
is to develop the habit of first things first.

Helpful Hint

Be sure to keep your To-Do list handy, on your bulletin board or day planner or in your purse or pocket.

Working Smart

Working hard is not enough—you need to work smart to ensure that the hours you schedule for dissertation
work are truly productive ones. Developing efficient habits and routines and applying the various techniques
described in this book are some of the ways you can work with the least amount of wasted time, motion, and
money. Here are some recommendations for working smart.

1. Work on Your Dissertation during Times That You Are Most Productive

Are you a night owl?

or

Are you an early bird?

Pay attention to your biorhythms. Determine the hours most productive for you and try to schedule those
hours for dissertation work—your number one priority. If you’re an early bird, consider rising two hours earlier
than usual; if a night owl, stay up two hours later. Schedule routine tasks for your low-energy periods and your
dissertation tasks when you’re alert and energetic. It’s more productive to work with your daily rhythms and
ride your energy peaks.

2. Learn to Say No

Learn to say no to nonvital, trivial requests. In the book Secrets for a Successful Dissertation (Fitzpatrick,
Secrist, & Wright, 1998), the authors expressed this idea well:

Are you able to say no to favors, fun times, fund-raising, chair positions, family reunions, and frolicking in the
park on Sunday afternoons? Because if you are ever going to gain control over your days and nights, and
manage your time efficiently, the first lesson to learn is to say no. Say it regretfully, say it remorsefully, say it
with clenched teeth, or say it with joy—but say it loud and clear. The world is Full of Time Zappers who will
steal your time if you allow them, so put all your good deeds on hold and use the word no freely. You’ll be glad
you did. (p. 97)

Practice making responses such as, “I’m sorry, I’m not available that night,” “I can’t do that task today, but how
about next week?” “How about asking John instead?” or “What would you like me to give up to do this?” Be
gracious with people, but be firm with time.

Your dissertation year is not the time to be president or chairperson of anything, take on additional
responsibilities, give a presentation, or attend a conference. Eliminate unnecessary activities and accept only
those obligations you consider absolutely necessary. You must be ruthless with your time and energy. Learn
to say no when you should, and learn to say it without guilt.

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Life can get away from us through thousands of little dribs and drabs.

—B. E.Griessman

3. Schedule Frequent “Joy Breaks”

Throughout your working time, stop and do something pleasurable. Stretch, move about, take some deep
breaths, play with your dog, make some tea, or take a walk. These activities energize you and keep you
focused. Also, the mind is quite remarkable. When allowed to wander, it often comes up with creative ideas
and decisions. You must let your body and mind rest to do your best creative work.

4. Know Your Timewasters

Two useful tasks to maintain maximum efficiency are (a) determine those things that waste your time and (b)
work on reducing or eliminating them. Develop a mind-set that judges every activity in terms of whether it
brings you closer to completing your dissertation. People must learn to respect your time as much as you do.
Make a list of 5 to 10 timewasters in your life and then prioritize in order of importance. Determine what you
think might be the cause(s) of each timewaster and generate some possible solutions to reduce or eliminate
each one.

5. Reward Your Efforts

Behavior persists when it is rewarded, so give yourself rewards along the way. When you meet a deadline,
have coffee with a friend, do a crossword puzzle, rent a movie, buy yourself an ice cream, or do something
else that makes you feel good about your accomplishment. Tell yourself you can’t do that thing until you
accomplish the allotted amount of dissertation work. Punishments can also work. Some people find it useful
to say, “If I don’t get this done by that date, then I can’t do ________.”

Maintain Balance

Finding the right balance between your dissertation and the rest of your life is difficult. All work and no play
puts considerable pressure on you. It causes illness, depression, burnout, and exhaustion. Most doctoral
students I have known report the first thing that goes is their fitness routine. They also mention the strain the
dissertation causes in family relationships.

Having a life beyond the dissertation is important. To finish, you need to put the dissertation first. This means
putting other life areas on hold from time to time. However, you needn’t always give up other important life
activities and devote every waking moment to your dissertation. Working all the time will likely lead to burnout.

One way to get a handle on balancing your life while dissertating is to write down all the things most important
in your life (health, family, friends, hobbies, fun, etc.). Then you can identify strategies to help keep them in
balance.

Strategies for Getting a Life While Dissertating

1. Take Care of Your Body

Because you must be well to do your best work, remember to get plenty of rest and eat nutritious meals. Also,
there is considerable evidence about the benefits of deep breathing and regular exercise to your well-being.
The extra oxygen sent to the brain provides energy and helps you think more clearly and creatively. It is also
considered a stress buster.

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2. Increase Family Support

To maintain family support, block out hours during the week for family and friends. For example, agree that
Saturday nights are available for socializing with friends, Wednesday and Friday nights plus Sunday are
reserved for family time. Such a plan maintains positive and healthy relationships with the important people in
your life. In addition, it cuts down on the guilt so many students feel when these vital relationships are ignored.
If you stay true to these time commitments, your friends and family can readily adjust to the schedule.

Another recommendation is to keep your family and friends informed about how you’re progressing on the
dissertation and even involve them as much as possible. Children love being a part of something so significant
in your life. Let them experience your university campus firsthand, and include them in all celebratory
activities.

Organizing effectively is critical to your success in the dissertation journey. It takes time to learn to be efficient
with your time, but it’s well worth the effort. I do hope you try some of these techniques.

The key to completing a dissertation is not brilliance or even inspiration, but organization.

—David Sternberg (1981)

Summary

Make organization and planning a top priority in your dissertation journey. It is important to organize your
workspace so you can concentrate and be productive. It is equally important to organize your time to
maximize energy and keep on track. Create at least three scheduling plans: (a) an overall dissertation
timeline, (b) a daily or weekly schedule, and (c) a To-Do list. Work smart by developing efficient habits and
routines such as (a) working at a time when you are most productive, (b) learning to say no, (c) scheduling
frequent joy breaks, (d) knowing your timewasters, and (e) rewarding your efforts. Maintain balance between
your dissertation and the rest of your life by taking care of your body and increasing family support.

Following the guidelines and recommendations presented thus far puts you firmly on the path and ready to
begin the climb to the top. The next chapter helps you acquire the skills of using the Internet and technology
to conduct research throughout the various phases of writing a dissertation and offers tips to keep you sane
and productive in the process.

• dissertation
• routines and habits
• Gantt charts
• working time
• working hours
• keeping track
• habits

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• The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and Defending your Dissertation

Organizing Yourself
Organizing Yourself
Organize Your Workspace
Organize Your Time
1. The Dissertation Timeline
2. Time Schedule
Remember
3. To-Do List
Helpful Hint
Working Smart
1. Work on Your Dissertation during Times That You Are Most Productive
2. Learn to Say No
3. Schedule Frequent “Joy Breaks”
4. Know Your Timewasters
5. Reward Your Efforts
Maintain Balance
Strategies for Getting a Life While Dissertating
1. Take Care of Your Body
2. Increase Family Support
Summary

The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and
Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing,

and

Defending your Dissertation

Dissertation Support Groups

Contributors: By: Carol M. Roberts

Book Title: The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and

Defending your Dissertation

Chapter Title: “Dissertation Support Groups”

Pub. Date: 2010

Access Date: April 1, 2021

Publishing Company: Corwin Press

City: Thousand Oaks

Print ISBN: 9781412977982

Online ISBN: 9781452219219

DOI:

http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781452219219.n6

Print pages: 63-66

© 2010 Corwin Press All Rights Reserved.

This PDF has been generated from SAGE Knowledge. Please note that the pagination of the online

version will vary from the pagination of the print book.

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Dissertation Support Groups

Dissertation support groups

The fact that only about 40% to 50% of doctoral students complete their degrees is a consistent research
finding. Even though the reasons vary considerably, the issue of support—kind and amount—usually affects
this attrition in some way. Sources of support come from family, other students, consultants, and faculty. You
enhance your chance of obtaining your doctorate when you deliberately seek out all sources of support.

Chapter 5 described the role of advisors, committee members, and other consultants and how they support
you along the journey. This chapter focuses on peer dissertation support groups and offers general guidelines
on their formation, goals, and organization.

Joining a support group provides both emotional and academic support during the dissertation process.
Researching and writing a dissertation can be lonely and isolating. For the most part, it is a solitary journey.
It’s easy to drop out when you feel as if no one understands or cares. So surrounding yourself with people
who empathize and support you can be a valuable asset.

Few people outside your doctoral peer group understand what you’re going through emotionally or have a
clue about how to help you academically. Support-group members understand your dilemmas and frustrations
and help lift your spirits. They provide an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, and a foot to boost you back on
track when necessary. They help you when you’re stuck. They are your cheering squad and reliable critics
who contribute valuable insight and suggestions from conceptualizing a research topic to improving your
written drafts.

Critical Decisions

There are no clear-cut rules for creating a viable dissertation support group. Each group must determine its
own goals, expectations, and working procedures. But before jumping into a group or attempting to create
one, some critical decisions should be made if the group is to survive and benefit all members. Here are some
to consider:

• Should the group have a formal leader, rotate leadership, or be leaderless?
• What are the group’s goals? What does each person want from the group? (Primarily

academic—focused on critiquing written drafts or discussing methodology? Primarily
support—focused on providing social and emotional support for personal problems?)

• How many members should there be? Need they be at the same stage in the dissertation process?
• How often and for how long should the group meet? Where?
• What norms should be established? What will happen if someone consistently violates the norms

(chronically late, fail to bring a promised draft, etc.)?

Strategies and Structures of Successful Support Groups

What strategies and structures have effective dissertation support groups used? In the 1992 Dissertation
News (Vol. 8), 12 rules for forming and structuring support groups were suggested. Additional suggestions
were added in 1997 in the Association for Support of Graduate Students (ASGS) “Best of Doc Talk.” (See
http://www.asgs.org; reprinted with permission from ASGS.)

They are as follows:

• 1.
Get at least 5 students (some will drop; less than 4 doesn’t allow enough diversity) with different
backgrounds in your field (a methodologist, a good writer, a computer whiz, etc.). Members should

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be of about the same academic caliber so they all feel they’re getting as much as they’re giving.
• 2.

Meet once a week and give all members a copy of everybody’s dissertation at the first session. It may
be that some groups might best meet infrequently—say once a month—to accommodate members’
jobs and family obligations.

• 3.
Feature 2 members’ research per meeting, about 45 minutes each.

• 4.
Provide each member an abstract of what will be discussed, at least 3 days before meetings.

• 5.
Keep criticism constructive, with suggestions for improvement. A key to your support group’s success
is for everyone to know how to make supportive criticisms.

• 6.
Agree to spend 3 hours each week (1 to read and critique; 2 to meet). Be clear about what activities
you’ll expect group members to carry out and how much time you expect members to devote to the
group. Will students read each other’s chapter drafts and make comments? What kind of comments
(conceptual, organizational, editorial, etc.) will they be expected to make?

• 7.
Have each member tape record the session focusing on his or her dissertation.

• 8.
End each meeting with 15 minutes for members to report progress and mention specific problems.

• 9.
Restrict discussions to dissertation matters only.

• 10.
If you have less than 4 students, postpone the meeting. Otherwise, presenting students won’t get a
variety of viewpoints.

• 11.
Get written agreement for confidentiality at the first session, so everyone can speak openly, even
about faculty or other students.

• 12.
Acknowledge dissertation victories. Celebrate accomplishments such as getting the dissertation
approved and passing the defense.

Other successful strategies students use at my university are contingency enforcement and timeline
monitoring. Contingency enforcement means that when a group member fails to accomplish a stated
dissertation goal or task or meet a specific deadline, or misses a meeting, the group enforces that person’s
contingency plan. The plan might be as simple as buying lottery tickets for all, paying for everyone’s meal, or
even sending a check to an organization despised by the “errant” student. They are also good at laying on
guilt trips and threatening public disgrace—all in good fun!

These support groups bond students in significant and touching ways. They frequently attend each other’s
oral defense and take notes so their friend can concentrate on the feedback he or she receives. Group
members often become lifetime friends who creatively celebrate each other’s successes even beyond the
dissertation years. They have great times together, laughing and sharing the joys and sorrows of dissertating.
Some groups stay together until the last person graduates, having faithfully attended each other’s graduation
ceremony and party.

Students also help each other monitor dissertation timelines. Each student brings to the support group
meeting his or her projected timeline for completing the dissertation. The timeline consists of all major tasks
to be completed, from obtaining an advisor to making final revisions. They are held accountable by the group
for staying on that timeline.

Caveat

Select group members carefully. There are certain personality types that make group work difficult and
tiresome. Domineering types; shy, retiring types; and negative thinkers place considerable stress on a group.

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Also, there are those who are extremely needy emotionally and drain the group’s energy by asking everyone
to help them cope. For the group to be satisfying, all participants need to both give and take equally—to
critique and be critiqued.

Other Considerations

Rather than joining a support group, consider working with one other person—a dissertation buddy. Someone
you know well and with whom you are very compatible could be more efficient than a larger group. In today’s
world, you might consider creating a virtual support group. With compatible software and computer skills, it
seems the same amount of support could be given online through chat rooms, online editorial critiques, online
coaches (faculty or competent alumni), and so on.

Summary

Consider joining a peer dissertation support group. It can provide both emotional and academic support
during the dissertation process. However, before creating or joining a dissertation support group, consider the
following: type of leadership, individual needs, numbers of members, stage in the dissertation process, and
time schedules. This chapter identified some successful strategies that could enhance the support group’s
effectiveness. In lieu of a dissertation support group, consider working with a dissertation buddy or creating a
virtual support group.

Before beginning the climb up the mountain, you should pay attention to organizing yourself. The next chapter
provides helpful hints on organizing your workspace and your time, working smart, and maintaining balance
in your life.

• dissertation
• support groups
• drafting
• critique
• editorials
• virtual
• faculty

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• The Dissertation Journey: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Writing, and Defending your Dissertation

Dissertation Support Groups
Dissertation Support Groups
Critical Decisions
Strategies and Structures of Successful Support Groups
Caveat
Other Considerations
Summary