==================================================
THE ALL-BUT-DISSERTATION SURVIVAL GUIDE(tm)
Devoted to practical steps for completing your
doctoral dissertation.
http://www.abdsurvivalguide.com
==================================================To subscribe, visit www.abdsurvivalguide.com
http://www.abdsurvivalguide.com/INDEX
1. Ben's note
2. The Party’s Over… Getting Back to Work
By Gina J. Hiatt, Ph.D.
3. Inspired to Write? Contribute to the ABDSG
4. Request for Dissertation Friendly Resources
5. Words of Wisdom
6. Inspirational QuoteSUMMARY
=========In this issue, Dr. Gina J. Hiatt offers some easy-
to-follow tips to help you overcome the dread of
going back to work on your dissertation after the
holidays.If you know of dissertation friendly resources or if
you're inspired to write, consider contributing to the
ABDSG.We round out this issue with Words of Wisdom & an
inspirational quote.<>===<>===<>===<>===<>===<>
Ben's Note
December 30, 2004
Dear ABD Survival Guide Reader,
As 2004 winds down to a close, it seems a fitting
time to mention the importance of acknowledging
your accomplishments over this past year. In a process
as lengthy as writing the dissertation, it's all too
easy to lose sight of your accomplishments, and, instead
to become discouraged or overwhelmed by how much
further you have left to go.Instead, I'll ask you to take a few minutes to honor
your accomplishments over this past year- both
dissertation-related and life related, and, too,
to think about setting effective goals for 2005.As we ring in the New Year, you'll find this issue's
feature article offers some tips and hints for
getting back to work after all the holiday
festivities are said and done.>From all of us here at the ABDSG, we wish you a bright
and shining 2005. We look forward to helping you
make 2005 the year of your Ph.D.See you in two weeks.
Warmly,
BenP.S. If you are a helping professional interested in
coaching, please visit www.mentorcoach.com. If you are a
professional from any other discipline interested in
coaching, please visit www.ecoach.com=================================================
The Party’s Over… Getting Back to Work
Gina J. Hiatt, Ph.D.
=================================================Dread.
That is what you may feel as you think about working on
your dissertation after the holidays.Overwhelmed.
The clear and steady path that you had been following
seems like a distant memory. Now it is just a stack of
books, folders, papers, or cryptic computer files that
seem to have been created by someone else.When the moment comes to sit down to write, it feels like
trying to exercise after you get the cast off your leg.
It’s painful and slow. With that kind of misery, it’s
often easier to check your email or play solitaire. The
dissertation can wait until tomorrow.There are some steps you can take to lessen the pain of
starting up again. These suggestions will make the
transition back to a regular writing program more palatable.1. Make a schedule. Choose a time that you will work
every day, or every workday, if possible. It doesn’t have
to be the same time every day.2. Plan to work no more that 30 minutes a day. You
can extend this later, but if you have been having trouble
getting back into it, this could be the most important
step. If 30 minutes overwhelms you, start with 15 minutes.3. For your first session back at work, your
assignment is just to read over what you had written before
you took a break. Either you’ll be pleasantly surprised,
or aware that you need to edit.4. In the next session you will begin writing. If you
have no trouble getting started at this point, you can skip
the next steps. If you are still feeling unable to write,
read the following.Robert Boice, the author of “Professors as Writers”
suggests “writing before you are ready.” This means that
you don’t have to know exactly what you are going to write
before you start. Your thinking is clarified by the very
act of writing.In order to start writing before you’re ready, you may need
to notice that “inner critic” who is telling you that what
you are writing is a bunch of junk. The following steps
will help you to silence your inner critic.1. If you feel you are completely unable to write on
your dissertation subject, spend a few minutes writing
about what you hate about writing. Just get some words
down – it doesn’t have to make sense. Then move on to the
next step – writing on your dissertation topic.2. Write for 10 minutes. It may be somewhat “stream
of consciousness.” Don’t worry if what you write is good
enough to use in your dissertation. After 10 minutes, stop
and read what you’ve written.3. On another page, make a rough outline or diagram of
the thoughts that are emerging or starting to emerge. You
don’t have to use complete sentences.4. Go back and rewrite what you’ve just written a
little more clearly, adding logical links and
clarifications.5. Keep your eye on the clock – it is very important
to stop at 30 minutes.6. Keep repeating steps 3 though 5 until your time is
up. Do not worry about the quality of what you’ve
accomplished. All that matters is that you started! If
what you’ve written is wonderful, stop anyway. It will be
much easier to start tomorrow.Hope. Relief. Maybe even excitement.
It’s a wonderful feeling once you get back in the writing
habit. Use this technique any time that you feel stuck.
Always keep in mind that short bursts of writing help
clarify your thinking. And Happy New Year!=================================================
About Dr. Gina J. Hiatt
=================================================Gina J. Hiatt, Ph.D. is the owner/editor of
http://www.AcademicLadder.com, a website for both
ABD’s and professors. She coaches academics who
want to complete dissertations or writing projects
while balancing the demands of academia, including
going on the job market and achieving tenure. In
addition to individual coaching, Gina runs phone
coaching groups for both faculty and ABD’s. Most
recently one of her clients got a post-doc at
Princeton, another accepted a tenure track position
at a research 1 public university, and a third
received the highest teacher ratings in the school
in her first semester as faculty. Gina can be
reached at Gina@AcademicLadder.com or by phone:
(703) 734-4945.=================================================
Inspired to Write? Contribute to the ABDSG
=================================================We'd like to issue an open invitation for all recent
Ph.D.'s, faculty advisors, university professors,
consultants, graduate students and writing coaches to
share your personal insights and wisdom regarding the
dissertation process. If you'd like to write for the
ABDSG, please contact rachna@mentorcoach.com to request
our guidelines and list of possible topics. You can
also view our archives at http://www.abdsurvivalguide.com
to see what we've recently published and/or to get some
ideas.We look forward to broadening our knowledge base through
your participation.When you share what you know, we all benefit.
Thanks in advance-Ben & the ABDSG staff
=================================================
Request for Dissertation Friendly Resources
=================================================In our ongoing efforts to make the ABDSG even more useful
for you, our readers, we're in the process of compiling
dissertation helpful resources in all categories. Do you
have editors, statistics consultants, software, books, or
other resources that you're using and are finding valuable?
If so, can you please share this information with Rachna
(rachna@mentorcoach.com), and she'll put together a
compilation of resources, posted on our website, so you can
find everything you might need - all in one place.Again, please send any relevant and helpful resources to
rachna@mentorcoach.com and please put ABDSG Resource in the
subject line.Thanks in advance for your help.
=================================================
Words of Wisdom
=================================================
Create an outline format for the dissertation so
[you can] work on any part at any time and insert
ideas at the time they [are] conceived, and go
back to them later for further elaboration.=================================================
Inspirational Quote
================================================='Work joyfully and peacefully, knowing that right
thoughts and right efforts inevitably bring about
right results.'
~~ James Allen=================================================
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.He is also founder of eCoach (www.ecoach.com) which
helps interdisciplinary professionals become coaches.Ben lives in suburban Maryland with his wife and two
young children, and Walnut, their hamster.=================================================
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' and 'Get it Done Faster: Secrets of Dissertation
Success'. If you'd like to learn more about me or my
books, please visit my website:
http://www.ExcelWithEaseCoaching.com
< http://www.excelwitheasecoaching.com/>
If you have questions about this newsletter, you can
direct them to me:rachna@mentorcoach.comI'm excited to be working with you to meet your academic
goals. You can do it!
=================================================
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? READY TO
TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
=================================================
Email ben16-76471@autocontactor.com You'll receive an email
outlining the application process, follow the instructions
and submit the form. Your application will then be forwarded
to potential coaches so that you might arrange a free,
initial consultation. Various fee plans are available.
=================================================
ABOUT TO GRADUATE?
=================================================First, congratulations!!!! Yeaaaaaa!!!! Second, please send
any email to: FreeAtLast@mentorcoach.com Within seconds,
you'll receive a note from Ben.=================================================
A FAVOR
=================================================
There are more than a million graduate students in the US
alone. Although we have subscribers worldwide, we have
barely scratched the surface. If you find this newsletter
helpful, forward it with your endorsement to your friends,
ABD list servers, sympathetic faculty and administration,
and, editors of print publications (who will have our full
permission to reprint these newsletters - for free - if they
wish).=================================================
ARCHIVE
=================================================Past issues of this newsletter are available at
http://www.abdsurvivalguide.com=================================================
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
=================================================If you've received this copy from a friend or colleague and
would like your own subscription, you can sign up for it
directly at http://www.abdsurvivalguide.com/subscribe.htm
If you would like to have your name removed from the
subscription list, please click the link at the bottom of
this page to unsubscribe. If this does not work, please send
your unsubscribe request to cathy@mentorcoach.comCopyright Ben Dean Ph.D. and MentorCoach LLC 1998-2005