Stephanie Dailey

An old Chinese proverb states “Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.” Over the course of the last few months I have talked about the different stages of the dissertation process and my experience along the way. What I haven’t addressed is the vast amount of unexpected knowledge I have acquired. Whereas I anticipated learning content, I didn’t predict how much this independent and very large project could teach me about myself and my education!

Last week I mentioned that getting out of my own way has been crucial because – let’s face it – sometimes I am the biggest obstacle. The greatest challenge is staying focused on my immediate goals rather than being fixated on the end product. If I do the latter I end up asking myself, “Have I even put a dent in this dissertation?” However, if I am consistently working each day towards my smaller goals then the answer is yes, I have made progress.

…is a deadline. Although this was said by the ever annoying but somehow alluring Stephen A. Smith of Fox Sports Radio, these words ring true. When beginning a dissertation deadlines, schedules, projected targets – whatever you want to call them – help provide structure to the process. Since this is a completely new experience for all of us, breaking each step into smaller segments helps clarify what this monster of a project is going to look like. This plan will also set realistic expectations and alleviate anxiety. Basically, if I need a list to navigate the grocery store then I certainly need a personalized plan to walk me through this project!

I like change. In fact I embrace change and, according to Darwin, I change every day. However, what I do not embrace is the release of a new APA Publication Manual when writing my dissertation proposal. Especially when – and I’ll be nice – APA can’t even figure out what the changes are. This all started about a year ago when I received an informative email from my dissertation chair. This was similar to the type of notification you get when your dentist calls for your regular checkup. You know it’s coming, they know it’s coming...but you really don’t want to talk about it.

I come from a long line of people who make or fix stuff. Whether it is construction or surgery – building an airport or medical procedures – we plan and measure carefully. Measure twice, cut once. That’s our motto. Surprisingly enough I found this an important lesson when selecting my dissertation committee. The following are my thoughts about how to make an informed decision about your committee. Whereas you are the one doing the research – they’ve already written a dissertation and don’t need to do it again - these members serve the essential role of helping you construct a viable study, ensure rigor and guide you through the process.