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THE ALL-BUT-DISSERTATION SURVIVAL GUIDE(tm)
Devoted to practical steps for completing
your doctoral dissertation.
www.ecoach.com
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To subscribe, visit www.ecoach.com
INDEX
1. Ben's Note
2. Getting Started and Keeping at It
By Richard Katz, Psy.D.
3. Words of Wisdom
SUMMARY
In this issue, Dr. Richard Katz shares his
insights and experiences on "getting started
and keeping at it" in the dissertation process.
We round it out with Words of Wisdom.
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Ben's Note
February 20, 2003
Dear ABD Survival Guide Reader,
I want to start this week's note by letting you
know that we've received a significant number
of emails over the past three weeks and
a significant number of unsubscribes. This
is fantastic.
Why is it fantastic?- You might ask. Well, it's
fantastic because all of the unsubscribes are
from people who've completed their dissertations.
Something about the turning of another year, or
a huge push through the beginning part of this
year, but a large number of our readers are
definitely finishing up and moving on.
I share this with you as a reminder that you
can do this, too.
If you could use some help in getting started
again, or some extra words to help you stay
with it, check out this week's feature article.
Finding a new perspective on the dissertation
process might be just what you need to
complete your degree.
Check out our Words of Wisdom section to learn
more about what helped our recent graduates
get through.
See you in two weeks.
Warmly,
Ben
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Getting Started And Keeping At It:
Reflections on how I wrote the damn
thing in two weeks.
By Richard Katz, Psy.D.
======================================================
I was totally in love with the idea of verbal learning, and
talked my advisor into letting me do a series of experiments
to validate an arcane bit of scientific trivia. He finally
agreed to it, and after doing this ridiculously long and
comprehensive search on any and every article and book on
the topic (which at the time I thought was just the coolest
thing on the planet) I did my usual slam dunk attack on the
mountains of index cards summarizing articles and neat
quotes.
What that amounted to was a chronological recanting of the
trail of evidence and contra evidence leading up to The
Research Question, actually just an annotated story with
references to each little crumb along the way. I was
reminded that this was just the rough draft, (but in
reality knew that the lit review would be permanently
out of the way). And, this was the most tedious
part.
Onto Research. Meticulous records of my experimental
technique, documenting who did what and when before,
so as to prove that what I was attempting was not
especially off the wall and actually conformed to the
Scientific Method. Each step of the way being approved
by my advisor and committee chair.
Then finally running the experiments and (ta ta) putting
the results into the computer and discovering that
(ta ta again) that the results suggested....(ah one of the
most favorite words in psychological research...
suggested, not proved, not defined, not settled, not
demonstrated, but suggested that my results were
totally inconclusive).
All that work for this? The great researchers who
preceded me with fine sounding theory and wonderful
looking results led to my finding that the type of
learning that should have been occurring wasn't?
Fortunately, my advisor was a realist and recognized that,
ya know, like Edison, not every attempt produces an
"Eureka!" and that many (maybe even most experiments)
produce a "Uh oh, why did that happen?"
And that the entire purpose of doing research, at least in
graduate school is to teach the student how to do research
and to indoctrinate the acolyte into the methodology.
So I was indoctrinated. I really knew the area. I could
toss off quotes from all the great researchers who
preceded me. I could defend the work I was doing. I
could be cool and not get too nervous. My advisor
told me to write up the results. He was the guy who
got his PhD in statistics, and who helped me analyze the
thing to see if anything could even suggest a
trend, of which there was none.
So I did, and carried a little bag of M and M's with me
into the defense office. I am not sure that all of the
committee members read it, as some of their questions
were quite elementary and rather easy to answer. My
advisor was supportive. The committee, overall, except
for one wise guy who weighed in with too much pomposity
noting that I was rewarding myself with an M and M
whenever I performed well, thought it was a good
project. Of course I passed, with an A.
So now I am a doctor (and have been one for 22 years).
And edited my girlfriend's dissertation which led to her
double PhD at the U of C a few years ago, and supported
her through the BS, and told her how to handle her
committee to the point of suggesting that she
consider suing them for malfeasance.
This is not a big deal, just another hurdle to jump on your
way to the degree. Remember, they let you in to the
school in the first place. Do you actually think they are
going to let you wash out at this stage of the game?
They may play with you, but hey! you're basically
collegial at this point. The fact of the matter is that,
despite all of the michigoss you may be doing to yourself,
you'll do fine. I didn't say it will be easy.
And you will sweat bullets etc., but you will do it.
And, if you want a coach to see you through feel free
to give me a call. I'd love to help.
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About Richard Katz, Psy.D.
=======================================
Richard Katz has been a psychologist for 22 years.
He has taught CBT to psychiatrists as an associate
professor at UIC; and has been a leader in several
large smoking prevention research projects. Recently he
developed a program teaching persons who want to create
and keep a successful marriage how to conduct a search,
selection, and evaluation of a prospective mate that
will lead to a marriage or committed relationship.
Richard can be reached:
By Email: rkatz@mc.net
By Phone: 773-477-1867
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Words of Wisdom from New Ph.D.'s.
=======================================
*The one very helpful word that I received,
to go from 0 to dissertation done in 6 months,
was RELENTLESS. Once I focused on that word,
it helped me to filter out all but essential
distractions and complete my program.
*"Your dissertation will not be your magnum opus.
It represents the beginning, not the end of your
career." While in graduate school, I did an
informal poll of professors and professionals in
my field. Very few were doing anything related
to their dissertation and some even admitted
that their dissertation was their WORST, not
their best, piece of work.*
=============================
BEN J. DEAN, Publisher, ABDSG
===============================
Ben holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of
Texas at Austin and is a psychologist in private
practice in Bethesda, Maryland.
In addition to his clinical practice, Ben loves to train
professionals to become virtual coaches. (If you would like
to see Ben's *other* free newsletter, you may subscribe at:
http://www.mentorcoach.com/
Ben lives in suburban Maryland with his wife and two
young children.
==================================
RACHNA D. JAIN, Editor, ABDSG
==================================
I'm a dissertation coach and licensed psychologist
based in Maryland, with a doctorate from the
University of Denver.
I'm the Editor of the ABDSG, as well as the Author of
"Get It Done! A Coach's Guide to Dissertation Success"
If you'd like to learn more about me or my book, please
visit my website: www.ExcelWithEaseCoaching.com
If you have questions about this newsletter, you
can direct them to me: rachna@mentorcoach.com
I'm excited to be working with you to meet your academic
goals. You can do it!
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CONTACT INFORMATION
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(c) Copyright 2002 Ben J. Dean. All rights reserved.
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