THE ALL-BUT-DISSERTATION SURVIVAL GUIDE(tm)
Devoted to practical steps for completing
your doctoral dissertation.
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INDEX
1. Ben's Note
2. You Can Count on It!: Working with a
Statistics Consultant By Mary Dereshiwsky, Ph.D.
3. Words of WisdomSUMMARY
In this issue, Dr. Mary Dereshiwsky shares some
" DO's" and "DON'T's" for successfully working
with your statistics consultant.We round it out with Words of Wisdom.
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Ben's NoteJuly 10, 2003
Dear ABD Survival Guide Reader,
Great news--we've recently
reached 9316 readers in roughly 70
nations on six continents.This despite the fact that many of our loyal
readers unsubscribe--often with warm thank
you notes--when they finish their doctorate.Well, for several years, Rachna and my
goal has been to have 10,000 subscribers.
We're almost there.And so, we want to thank all of you for spreading
the word and passing our newsletter on to your
colleagues and friends- we really appreciate it,
and are glad to be supporting so many of you
during such an important process. Your notes
of appreciation and encouragement really make
this endeavor very worthwhile.Our community continues to demonstrate a
growth and vibrancy that feels just great.
I'm very excited by this new energy level
and know that you all are making sincere strides
to destination Ph.D.In this issue, Mary Dereshiwsky, Ph.D. shares
some tips for working successfully with a
statistics consultant during your dissertation
process.We round it out with Words of Wisdom.
See you in two weeks.
Warmly,
Ben======================================================
You Can Count on It:
Tips for Working Successfully with a
Statistical Consultant on Your DissertationBy Mary I. Dereshiwsky, Ph.D.
======================================================
" Statistics." The very word strikes fear
into the heart of graduate students. It brings
to mind images of foot-long, unintelligible
formulas. Not to mention that fearsome disclaimer
in the middle of a 100-step proof: "it should be
intuitively obvious that..."Most doctoral students will grit their teeth and
somehow endure the one or two required statistics
courses in their programs of study. Eventually,
though, comes the cold realization that they will
actually have to apply statistics in their dissertation
research. That is when the fear of coursework
sometimes morphs into abject terror.Relax...all is not hopeless! You may want to consider
hiring the services of a statistical consultant to help
you. This is as legitimate as hiring a typist to word-
process your dissertation or an editor to proofread
your chapters.Where can you find such a statistical consultant to
help you with your dissertation research? You might
start with the math department of your own, or
nearby, universities. You may be able to hire a
math/stats graduate student or junior faculty member
to help you. The cost may be more affordable; plus,
your statistical expert will be located nearby and thus
accessible to you.Among the things a statistical consultant can help you
do are the following:1) suggest how to input your data (results of surveys,
archival measures such as achievement test scores and
other data) into a computerized software data base;2) suggest the best, most appropriate descriptive
(summary) or analytic (testable) statistic(s) to answer
your dissertation research questions;3) go through the resulting computer output with you
and explain the results;4) help you make tables and charts, and also help you
write the associated narrative, explaining the results
of your statistical analysis for the findings and results
chapter of your dissertation;5) help you practice explaining these results for your
proposal, prospectus or dissertation defense, including
rehearsing questions and answers with you to assist
you in handling your committee members' questions
about your analysis.Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when
working with such a statistical consultant on your
dissertation:* DO plan to spend at least one or two initial meetings
walking your statistical consultant through your
dissertation topic: what you are planning to research;* DO plan, as part of this initial orientation, to
bring along copies of all of your data: i.e., a
complete blank survey, a set of actual test scores
that will be collected per subject, etc.;* DO be prepared to answer any questions your
statistical consultant may have regarding 'how finely'
or 'how broadly' you are measuring a given variable.
For example, if one of your variables is 'annual income,'
are you planning to measure it: in dollars and cents;
in ranges ($10,000 or less, $10,001 to $20,000,
$20,001 to 30,000, etc.), or in some other numeric
form;* DO be open to any alternative suggestions your
statistical consultant may offer regarding the scaling/
measuring of your variables (i.e., the annual salary
example above) after you have explained the goals of
your dissertation research;* DO plan to spend whatever time it takes to ask your
statistical consultant for his/her 'prescription' as to
the best, most appropriate statistics needed to answer
your dissertation research questions;* DO ask as many questions as you may have, until you
feel you understand the concepts (not necessarily the
formulas themselves) behind any such statistics. For
example, why is an independent-samples t-test the best
tool to use in testing the difference in average
science score between sixth grade boys and girls
for your study?* DO make back-up copies of your data set, if your
statistical consultant is also serving as your computer
data entry person, when you deliver the original survey
or test results to him/her for input;* DO check back periodically, particularly as you have
any questions in the process;* DON'T plan to 'unload' your dissertation proposal
and boxes of data on your statistical analyst in one
'quickie' meeting and expect him/her to 'take care of
everything' for you;* DON'T put off the statistical analysis of your
dissertation until the last minute;* DON'T expect to simply pick up a stack of computer
outputs and paste them into the findings and results chapter
of your dissertation without corresponding explanation of
'what the numbers mean;'* DON'T be embarrassed to ask as many questions as
you might have on WHY your consultant has recommended a
given statistical procedure for your dissertation; HOW it
works to answer your research question; and WHAT specific
results you need to pull off the computer printouts
to put into your dissertation;*DON'T balk at any suggested rewrites of your findings and
results narrative (rewording, use of different jargon, etc.)
that your statistical consultant may have for you;* DON'T hesitate to ask your consultant to rehearse you through
" explaining this statistic in English" in your defense; or
anticipating the toughest questions your committee members may
ask, and helping you craft the answers;* Above all, DON'T forget that in the final analysis, it
is YOUR dissertation--NOT your consultant's! YOU are the one
who is responsible for the accuracy, completeness and
understandability of your results. For this reason,
DON'T hesitate to go back to your consultant as many
times as it takes for YOU to feel EMPOWERED in
understanding and explaining your results: both verbally
at your defense, and in writing in the form of your final
dissertation document.Oh, and one other thing--DO let your statistical consultant
know how the defense turned out! Your successful partnership
means the difference in making a traditionally fearsome area
of the dissertation do-able and even relatively painless!=======================================
About Mary I. Dereshiwsky, Ph.D.
=======================================
Dr. Dereshiwsky can be reached:By email: statcatmd@earthlink.net
By telephone: 928-523-1892.=======================================
Words of Wisdom from New Ph.D.'s.
=======================================
**It is possible to follow your heart and
complete a dissertation that is _yours_ even
though a committee must approve it.**The dissertation process is a huge hoop
to jump through. It's a learning experience
for all of us and an agonizing one no matter
who you are. You're not stupid...you're just
trying to slog through a task you've never done
before. Everyone has trouble with it. Relax
as much as you can and take it in small steps.
It will all be magically clear when you're
finished! Weird but true.===================
Your Own Coach
===================
If you are considering whether to get your own coach
to help you reach your academic goals, send any email
to: ben16-76471@autocontactor.com
=============================
BEN DEAN, Publisher, ABDSG
===============================
Ben holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of
Texas at Austin. He is the founder of MentorCoach
(www.MentorCoach.com), a virtual university
training accomplished mental health professionals
to become extraordinary coaches. With
Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., Ben is also the founder of
Authentic Happiness Coaching
(www.AuthenticHappinessCoaching.com), a virtual
university training educators, consultants, trainers,
therapists, parents and other professionals to apply
the principles of Authentic Happiness in their own
lives and in the lives of their clients, students, and
children. Ben lives in suburban Maryland with
his wife and two young children, Walnut, their
hamster, and Rubin, their cocker spaniel.
==================================
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!
================================================
THE ALL-BUT-DISSERTATION SURVIVAL GUIDE(tm)
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" The All-But-Dissertation Survival Guide"(tm) focuses
on ways to help its readers more readily overcome the
roadblocks that often seem to stand in the way of
completing the dissertation. It is read throughout the
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