=================================
THE ALL-BUT-DISSERTATION SURVIVAL GUIDE(tm)
Devoted to practical steps for completing your
doctoral dissertation.
http://www.abdsurvivalguide.com
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http://www.abdsurvivalguide.com/INDEX
1. Ben's note
2. A Cool Strategy for Organizing Complex Ideas
By Ben Dean, Ph.D.
3. Words of Wisdom
4. Inspirational QuoteSUMMARY
=========In this issue, I’ll reprise one of my earliest
ABD articles on a great way to organize complex
ideas, even when your mind has turned to much—based
on Walt Disney’s invention of story boarding.
This works for dissertations as well as for simpler projects.We round out this issue with a motivational
Words of Wisdom & an inspirational quote.===============
Ben's Note
October 6, 2005
Dear Reader,
A few months ago, we circulated an
issue of the ABD survival guide about
how technology can actually create a
barrier to finishing the dissertation
(http://www.abdsurvivalguide.com/News/033105.htmv)In the spirit of that article and in
celebration of all things low-tech, I devote
this issue to a gloriously simple, human-powered
way to organize complex ideas.I’ve used and taught this approach for years. I
first learned about it from my friend, Catherine
Fitzgerald back in the ‘80’s and have used it
myself and taught it to thousands of people since
then. It works with lit reviews, with complex projects,
and with simpler ones as well. (Catherine, by the way,
has gone on to become one of the greatest executive
coaches in the US today, see http://tinyurl.com/ab4lx .It is time consuming. If you don’t need it, great. But
when your mind has turned to mush…or when
you’re trying to make sense of a lot
of data, I recommend that you consider this approach.Even if you have an outline for your
dissertation in hand and are happily
writing away, check out this technique
for future reference.Also read on for two ABD Survival Guide
staples: Words of Wisdom and
An Inspirational Quote.See you in two weeks.
Ben
===================================
A Cool Strategy for Organizing Complex Ideas
Ben Dean, Ph.D.
===================================Many graduate students complain that the dissertation is so
huge that it becomes impossible to organize. How can all of
these bits and pieces of accumulated writings be organized
to tell a coherent story?I’m going to teach you a great method for organizing complex
ideas that requires minimal attention and memory. It’s even
possible to use this idea while watching TV.The technique is almost embarrassingly simple. If you
can pump out an outline, you won't need this technique.
But if you're struggling to get started and you mind has
turned to mush, this technique can give you a needed
jumpstart.This method, called storyboarding, was developed at
Disney Studios in the 1930's. It is now used by every
major advertising firm, and a variation of it works
well for individual writers struggling with complex
ideas.To get started, you'll need some basic props: two sizes
of 3M Post-it Notes (or their equivalent) and some
22' x 28' poster board. Ideally, use some 2' x 2'
Post-it notes and some a size smaller than the 2' x 2'.The beauty of this technique is that you can
mechanically grind through it. It is time-intensive, but
it is an excellent technique to use when you're feeling
almost too anxious to work or when you just can't stand
to face a project (but have to do it anyway). It lets
you put your notes and materials together in an almost
rote way that also helps you point out any gaps in your
materials or thinking. You don't need heavy-duty, deep
thought to get started. The only requirement for
success is that you actually do 'get started' -- the
organizing will take care of itself.So, here's the strategy:
Phase 1 – Just Get it Down
Using the smaller size post-it notes, write down every
Single idea you might want to use.Write each idea as a declarative sentence.
Print the ideas for easy reading.
If the idea is not your own, put a code in the corner
of the post-it notes so you can later find the relevant
article and page.At this stage, your aim is to write down every idea that
could be possibly be relevant. Don’t edit yet. When
you're finished you should have a pile of
Post-it notes--each displaying a single idea. This is
the prelude to organization. In the next stage, you
bring order to your pile of miscellaneous ideas.Phase 2 – Weed and Categorize
Now, pick up one Post-it note at a time. With each Post-it
note you have to decide whether or not to use the idea.
If you decide not to use it, just discard it (or if you
Can’t stand the idea of discarding it, put it in an
Envelope labeled “scraps.”If you do decide to use it, stick it on the poster board.
Use one of the larger Post-it notes to assign a category
to it and place the larger Post-it note with the
category name at the top of the board. Make sure the smaller
(“idea”) Post-it note goes below it.Follow these steps with each smaller Post-it note you've
created. Whenever you encounter a note that doesn't
fit into a pre-existing category, just take another
large Post-it note and use it to create a new category.
Remember, all you're doing with each small Post-it
note is deciding whether you want to include it and,
if so, how to categorize it.You do this until you have all your Post-it notes on
the poster board(s). You'll end up with columns of
small notes under larger notes listing the categories.Phase 3 – Straightening Up
The next step is to put the small Post-its into linear
order within each category. You can do this using
any system that makes sense to you. I find it helpful
to slightly indent smaller Post-it's that support a point
being made by other Post-it's.Do this for each category.
When you've finished that, put the categories,
themselves, in order. Number them, peel them off, and
put them back in the proper order.Often when you do this, you'll discover missing
pieces in your research. Whenever you realize
something is missing, make a note of it on a Post-it
of a different color so that you will see where you need
to get more information to fill in the gapsYou did it! Your ideas are now organized.
You can write up an outline from the poster board
Post-its or just use the raw poster board itself
as your outline for writing.Many graduate students have found this simple
method to be highly effective. I like it
because it’s a low-tech but highly effective
way to get organized. Moreover, it's one
that will get you going no matter how
insurmountable your task seems.You should note that there are several software
programs that will let you outline and easily move
entries around. At one time, I used a now defunct
DOS-based program called MaxThink. However,
there is real value in doing
all of this by hand. Physically moving around
pieces of paper that represent ideas makes the
process of organizing easier and more effective.=================================
Words of Wisdom from a new Ph.D.
=================================
Semantics are important. For example, rather than
saying, “I’m writing my dissertation” say “I’m writing
a chapter on ______ or a section about ______.”A chapter is a lot less intimidating than a
dissertation. (And who sits down to write a
dissertation, anyway?)=================================
Inspirational Quote and Comment
=================================
Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation
leans on the doorbell—anonymousLearn to say “no” to temptations and even some
“ opportunities” during the dissertation process.
Finishing your dissertation is the key to opened
doors and new opportunities. What can you say
“ no” to today?===================================
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. You can subscribe to the
Therapist as Coach newsletter at www.mentorcoach.comBen is also founder of eCoach (www.ecoach.com) which
helps interdisciplinary professionals become coaches.
You can subscribe to the eCoach Newsletter at
www.ecoach.comAnd you can subscribe to his new newsletter on Positive
Psychology and Coaching, “Coaching Toward Happiness,”
at www.coachingtowardhappiness.comBen lives in suburban Maryland with his wife, Janice; their
Two children, David and Sara, Luna, their Betta Fish, and
their new dwarf bunny (yet to be named).===================================
THE ALL-BUT-DISSERTATION SURVIVAL GUIDE(tm)
==================================='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 world.===================================
INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH A DISSERTATION COACH?
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===================================First, congratulations!!!! Yeaaaaaa!!!! Second,
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A FAVOR
===================================There are more than a million graduate students in
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