From Dr. Wendy Carter of TA-DA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished

Making Progress When You Don't Feel Like Writing Your Thesis or Dissertation

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:09:00 +0000

To finish your degree, you have to establish several mini-goals for the end of the year and start working towards them.

What is it you want to cross off your to-do list this year instead of rolling over to next year’s resolution list? Perhaps you are looking forward to making significant progress on your thesis or dissertation before the end of the year. Be specific. How many pages/chapters would you have to finish for you to feel like you have made significant progress?

Read the entire article, Making Progress When You Don't Feel Like Writing Your Thesis or Dissertation

5 More Rules to Making a Good Impression in Graduate School

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

To recap from last month's newsletter rules 1-5:

Rule #1: Let Your Hard Work Speak For You
Rule #2: Dress Appropriately
Rule #3: Speak Clearly
Rule #4: Be Professional with Advisor/Committee Members
Rule #5: Respect the Time Others Give

The road to making a good impression continues here.

Rule #6: Manage Your Time Effectively

Your ability to complete projects in a timely manner will help you make a good impression on your professor and or advisor. You should demonstrate that you know how to manage your time effectively by handing in papers, projects and required paperwork by the specified deadline or even before.

Read the entire article, 5 More Rules to Making a Good Impression in Graduate School

Making a Good Impression in My Graduate Department

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:20:00 +0000

Add this to your list of priorities for graduate school: making a good impression on your professors. Why? As a graduate student you need to find someone on the faculty who will be willing to become your advisor or mentor. Moreover, jobs and academic fellowships often require references. Faculty are ideal sources of references. In addition, your professors’ perception of you could also influence your grades and ability to find a good advisor. Like it or not, perceptions matter.

Read the entire article,Making a Good Impression in My Graduate Department, 5 Rules

Do You Have What it Takes to Complete a PhD?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:48:00 +0000

I recently attended the Ph.D. Candidacy reception at UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), where Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, III — president of the university — gave a speech on the characteristics of people who successfully achieve their Ph.D. Here are the characteristics he pinpointed, and my own comments about how they can help you succeed.

Read the entire article, Do You Have What it Takes to Complete a PhD?

Thesis and Dissertation Help: Tips, Tools and Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:35:00 +0000

This issue of FinishLine was written for those of you who are struggling with completing your Master’s thesis or dissertation. Many advisors think that the struggle to complete your thesis or dissertation is based on your inability to write and or conduct research but at TA-DA we recognize that completing your degree is about much more.

Three of the most helpful resources by far for graduate students are TA-DA FinishLine, TA-DA! Online and the TA-DA! CD. These tools are designed to guide you step-by-step through the entire process of finishing your thesis or dissertation, and to help keep you motivated along the way. The tips and guidelines included will make the process much, much easier … including the writing phase. TA-DA! also provides tools to help you overcome procrastination, frustration and any other obstacles you may face. Most importantly, TA-DA! will show you how to organize and plan your time and actions so that you complete at least one task every day … and that’s what it will take to make sure you finally get finished. Our motto is “A Good Dissertation is a Done Dissertation.” Remember: it doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be done!

Read the entire article, Thesis and Dissertation Help:Tips, Tools and Resources, including the answers to some common questions posed by some readers of FinishLine.

Completing Your Thesis or Dissertation:

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:45:00 +0000

Pull Out Your Cape and Tights

I got the idea for this newsletter after listening to past Dissertation House participants describe how they were able to complete their dissertation. Most of them relayed almost heroic tales of what they had to go through in order to complete their degree. One told of sleeping in his office only two hours a day and living on freeze dried rations for sustenance. A female graduate remembered giving birth and having to get back on task only three weeks later, despite her desire to spend time bonding with her newborn. Yet another recalled being so anxious about her ongoing workload that she wasn’t ever able to get a full night’s rest.

When students in the Dissertation House heard these stories, many sat silently thinking, “I don’t think I can do that”. This newsletter is for all of you who have the same fear, or who are thinking you have to be “Superman” or “Superwoman” in order to finish your degree. Read more about Completing Your Thesis or Dissertation.

Make It Work for You: The Research Assistantship

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:26:00 +0000

The previous newsletter dealt with a number of ways to help you through graduate school more quickly. In my own opinion, how you support yourself financially also determines how quickly you finish your degree. One of the best options is a paid research assistantship.

To begin with, this position can help you complete your degree more quickly than with other funding options. According to the National Research Council (NRC), students with the shortest time-to-degree (TTD) generally received some type of funding assistance in the form of fellowships, traineeships or research assistantships. Those with teaching assistantships and other forms of funding – such as loans – generally took longer to complete their degree.

To read the entire article, Making Graduate School Work for You, The Research Assistantship, click here.

Make it Work for You: Another Perspective on Graduate School

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:42:00 +0000

Graduate school is typically viewed as a three-stage process, comprising:

1) Coursework;
2) Qualifying exams; and
3) Dissertation/thesis writing

Most grad students don't have any difficulty with the coursework, as they're well accustomed to taking classes and receiving a grade. After the coursework is done, however, many students falter in the unfamiliar territory of the next two stages, particularly when it comes to writing their dissertation or thesis. Students can take months and even years to complete these final stages.

In my opinion, the key to avoiding this pitfall is to view these three stages not as isolated segments but, rather, as tightly inter-woven processes that connect and complement one another. For example, before you even begin the first stage of taking courses, it is highly beneficial to have at least a general idea of what you would ultimately like to research for your thesis or dissertation. If you wait to make this decision, all of the work you complete in your coursework will be simply to fulfill university course requirements. But if you've already pinpointed a general subject area, you can use every single course as a vehicle to explore your interest and, consequently, contribute to your end-stage document.

For more about Making Graduate School Work for You, click here.

'I Need Answers!' ... The Quest of the Research Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:56:00 +0000

What problem do you wish to solve? What questions do you hope to answer? What pertinent knowledge do you want to uncover? What do you aspire to prove?

These are among the questions you will need to answer before you can write a "problem statement" for a proposal or research paper ... and certainly before you can begin writing the paper itself.

When most graduate students begin their journey, they have only a general idea in mind for their topic, e.g., "women's poverty in Senegal." The far more difficult task is to specifically define what they wish to discover about "women's poverty in Senegal." The purpose of a research paper or thesis is to answer a research question (or questions). Read the entire article on research problems...

TADA! Summer Dissertation Writing Group

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:28:00 +0000

Are you tired of writing alone? Do you think no one cares if you finish your dissertation? Are you almost, but not quite, finished with your thesis or dissertation? Even if you are working on your Quals or prelims you can post your progress here.

Many of the students who participated in TADA! Thesis and Dissertation Challenges previous have already graduated. Who's next? Is it your turn to graduate and get those letters after your name? M.A., M.S., Ph.D.?

Don't wait until the summer gets here to start post, you can begin today.

Post can your daily, weekly, or monthly progress here. Posting to a daily or weekly blog keeps you honest and accountable to the group.

This Blog is created for those who have previously participated in the Dissertation House and or TADA Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished Challenges or for those who want the public/weekly accountability. If you post, I will publish.

Here's How to begin

1. Setting up your FREE Google account at www.gmail.com
2. Logging in to the blog
3. Clicking on "Comments" below and posting the answers to these questions:

What will you work on?
How much time will you spend daily working on it?
Tell us how much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

Want to Finish Your Thesis or Dissertation in 30 Days?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:35:00 +0000

You Really Can Do It!

Many people would say it’s absurd to think that anyone could complete their dissertation in just 30 days. But with the proper motivation, people can accomplish almost anything … even completing a thesis or dissertation in such a short timeframe.

I’ve heard of a professor who did exactly that. She was working on her dissertation when a close family member was diagnosed with cancer and scheduled to begin chemotherapy in 30 days. The professor wanted to support her loved one during the treatments in every possible way, yet knew she couldn’t accomplish that and work on her dissertation at the same time. So she went into “Ph.D. Completion Mode,” dedicating herself completely to finishing her dissertation within the next 30 days so that, afterward, her family member could be her one and only priority.

Instead of waiting for a family crisis or other 30-day deadline to call you into action, what can you do right now to complete your project in a more timely fashion? Is it possible to delay some less critical tasks so that you can focus completely on your dissertation? What can you put off so that your dissertation can come first?

Here are some tips to help you finish your thesis or dissertation in 30 days...

Do You Really Want To Finish? Here’s How!

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:39:00 +0000

Welcome to all our new subscribers!

I am starting my Spring Break here in Maryland. Generally to a graduate student, Spring Break does not have the same meaning it once did. You still have to keep working. If you are writing your thesis or dissertation and or planning to graduate this May, you definitely cannot take a break.

This newsletter is dedicated those of you who are within 6 months of graduation.
----------------------------------------------------------
Are you almost, but not quite, finished with your thesis or dissertation? This is a very critical time. Now that most of the work is done, it’s easy to begin slacking off … I’ve seen far too many students fail because of complacency at this point in the process. Now it’s more important than ever to buckle down, keep working hard, and finish strong.

Even during this final phase of your project, TA-DA! can help you stay motivated and on track. Following are some key ways you can keep from stalling the completion of your dissertation or thesis, and finally feel the excitement of finishing that degree! Read More . . .

ABD to PHD

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 12:38:00 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Jerry D. Bryan, who just earned his Ph.D. in management and organizational leadership at the ripe young age of 60. Though his age does make his situation a bit unusual, the issues and challenges he faced during the almost six years he spent pursuing his degree are pretty typical of all graduate students.

I wanted to share our conversation, because I felt that many of you could benefit from Dr. Bryan’s personal journey, and what he learned along the way. I’ve added my own helpful advice in italics, as well!!!

Read and learn …

Dissertation House

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:06:00 +0000

Our TADA Winter Challenge is over but if you have not gotten into the habit of posting your goals and accomplishments please continue to post them here.

Use this blog to help you finish your degree.

This Blog is created for those who have previously participated in the Dissertation House and or TADA Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished Challenges or for those who want the public/weekly accountability. If you post, I will publish.

Here's How to begin

1. Setting up your FREE Google account at www.gmail.com
2. Logging in to the blog
3. Clicking on "Comments" below and posting the answers to these questions:

* What are you working on?

Your proposal? Your Prelims?/Qualifying Exam? Dissertation Methodology? Problem statement? literature review?...
* How much time will you spend daily working on it?
* Tell us how much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
* At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

I am still working on getting a separate blog for just for Dissertation House but in the meantime, keep working and finish your degree.

Don't forget to sign-up for our FREE Monthly Newsletter TA-DA!FinishLine

Dr. Carter

www.tadafinallyfinished.com

Finishing Your Degree: So Close But Still a Ways to Go

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:12:00 +0000

10 Techniques to Help You Finish Your Degree

Happy Holidays to all of you
from all of us at TA-DA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished.
We wish you all the best in the New Year.

The Dream Needs To Be Stronger than the Struggle
- Author unknown

Dr. Carter

Last month I got an email from a 60-year-old graduate student who had just finished his degree after six years of work. News of his success uplifted my spirits and reminded me that it is never too late to start — or finish — anything. If your goal this year is to complete your degree, the following steps can help!

Read the entire article 10 Techniques to Help You Finish Your Degree.

Get The Knowledge You Need to Avoid Grad School Pitfalls

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:32:00 +0000

The end of the calendar year is often a time of reflection. During these tough economic times, for many the focus of that reflection is how furthering their education might possibly also further their professional success. If you’re one of these folks, and are currently struggling with whether or not you should apply to graduate school and/or complete your degree, this newsletter is for you!

Should you or shouldn’t you?

Read the entire article about avoiding grad school pitfalls.

TADA Winter Break Challenge is Coming : Dissertation House Jan 21-23, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:20:00 +0000

Stop with the excuses . . . it's a brand new year, new president, new era. . . new you.

Join Us in the 'On-line Dissertation House'

Happy New Year! What was your New Year's resolution? Have you renewed your efforts to finish your thesis or dissertation? No more excuses. The inauguration is over! Join us in the Dissertation House for the next 3 days. It doesn't sound like a lot of time but in the past 3 days what have to done to move your thesis or dissertation forward?

At TADA we believe that it is important to do something everyday to move the document forward. Do you have 15 minutes to spare?

A group of students in the University of Maryland System (UMBC) will be participating in "Dissertation House on Campus" for three days. Some will be participating on-line and others will meet daily from 9:00am-5:00 pm. Join us, as we work on our proposals, theses, or dissertations.

Many people use the TA-DA! Winter Break Challenge to take a step on getting one thing accomplished and setting a schedule to get that one thing done. They get that one thing done and then are able to enjoy their break without the sense of guilt looming in the background. Other people set out to see how much they can accomplish in 3 days.

Many of you already work with deadlines. If you're joining this challenge, your deadline is January 23, 2008. Let's see how much can you get done in 3 days! Are you ready?

Don't wait until January 21, 2009 to sign up for your gmail account. Get it now and be prepared on the first day.

On January 21-23, 2009, Join us On-Line by:

Setting up your FREE Google account at www.gmail.com
Logging in to the blog
Clicking on "Comments" below and posting the answers to these questions:
What will you work on?
How much time will you spend daily working on it?
Tell us how much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

Here are some helpful tips:

Take the first step. Make a commitment to yourself using our TADA!™ Certificate online. Print it out and use it as a daily reminder of your commitment to yourself.
Breakdown your tasks into bite-size manageable chunks and make a list and post that list in a public space.
Make a daily commitment to work on your thesis or dissertation. Set aside a reasonable amount of time each day to work on your thesis or dissertation. You can get a lot done in 15 minutes a day.
Work within your limitations . . . if you are a morning person by all means make yourself some coffee and spend 15 minutes with your dissertation before everyone else rises . . . if you are a night owl . . . turn the TV off 15 minutes earlier and write for 15 minutes.
Celebrate small victories when you accomplish your tasks for the day. Spend the rest of the day guilt-free enjoying your Summer Break knowing that you have done something (no matter how small) on your dissertation.
Whatever you do, don't spend the week constantly worrying and saying to yourself 'I really should be working'. Above all, enjoy your Winter Break

I Have an Academic Advisor but…..should I get an academic coach or therapist/counselor?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:46:00 +0000

Writing a dissertation is a huge project, and one that you will not be able to do alone. Seeking help with the massive amount of work you will need to complete is not a sign of weakness; rather, drawing on the wide variety of resources available to you is a prudent way to work smarter, not harder … and, as such, is one of the most important steps you can take towards earning your degree.

Of course, one of the most helpful resources you can draw upon is the TADA! CD, designed to guide you step-by-step through the entire process of finishing your thesis or dissertation. This amazing resource includes tips and guidelines that will make your journey much easier, show you how to organize and plan your time and actions, ensure that you make progress every day, and overcome any obstacles that you may face.

Another resource to strongly consider is the use of a dissertation “coach.” I recently sat down with Gina Hiatt, Ph.D., who outlined the benefits that this helpful support person can provide to graduate students. Read the interview with Dr. Gina Hiatt...

How to Complete a Dissertation With the Help of Family and Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:54:00 +0000

No man is an island … and no one writes a thesis or dissertation alone, regardless of how isolated and alone some of us may feel while completing this laborious project. Even if it’s just listening to you talk or complain about your thesis or dissertation month after month -- or, in some cases, year after year! – your friends and family are definitely involved in the process. So why not let them play a more productive role? Click here to read the entire article, How to Complete a Dissertation With the Help of Family and Friends

How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Using Academic Language

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:06:00 +0000

Unless you have written many formal documents before, you might be surprised how difficult it can be to write a thesis or dissertation. When writing a thesis or dissertation, your style should be formal and similar to what you find in the scholarly journals of your discipline.

Review journal articles in your discipline to get a sense of what is expected in terms of structure, style and language. Thorough reading of current journals will also help give you a sense of the “hot” topics in your field along with the most common key words and phrases. Click here to read the entire article of tips for writing a thesis or dissertation using academic language.

Scientific Writing: The Six Burner Stove

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:20:00 +0000

Are you apprehensive at the thought of having to write a scientific paper? Don’t be; it’s not rocket science!

What’s most important to keep in mind is that the purpose of a scientific paper is not just to present information or ideas; rather, it’s meant to document and create excitement among other scientists about new, original research. Read the entire Scientific Writing article

Dispelling the Myths About Writing a Thesis or Dissertation

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:23:00 +0000

Congratulations to those of you who took advantage of our offer. Last week, I was facilitating the TADA On-line Summer Break Challenge along with the activities in Dissertation House at the University of Maryland. It’s still not too late to join in.

What is it you want to cross off your to-do list this summer instead of rolling over to the new academic year? Perhaps you are looking forward to making significant progress on your thesis or dissertation before the end of the summer. Be specific. How many pages/chapters would you have to finish for you to feel like you have made significant progress? At TADA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished™ we believe that a good thesis or dissertation is a DONE thesis or dissertation. TA-DA!™ provides you with the tools to make that happen.

How many excuses have you come up to explain why you can’t begin to work on your thesis or dissertation today? Most of these excuses are simply “myths.” Here are “mythbusters” to common writing “cop outs”. . .

From Dr. Wendy Carter of TA-DA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished: TADA! Do it Now: Join Us in the 'On-line Dissertation House'

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:01:00 +0000

Thank you for joining in. Just click on "Comments" below,
add your thoughts and tell us:

What will you work on?
How much time will you spend daily working on it?
How much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

(For more about our Summer Challenge, see my previous post just below.)

TADA! Do it Now: Join Us in the 'On-line Dissertation House'

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:00:00 +0000

It's That Time Again to Join the TA-DA! Summer Break Challenge (July 6-27, 2008)

Mark Victor Hansen, Ph.D. co-author to the Chicken Soup Series writes "It's not the size of the step that gets you there. It's the fact that you're taking the step."

What is it you want to cross off your to-do list this summer instead of rolling over to next summer's list? Perhaps you are looking forward to making significant progress on your thesis or dissertation before the end of the year. Be specific. How many pages/chapters would you have to finish for you to feel like you have made significant progress? At TADA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished™ we believe that a good thesis or dissertation is a DONE thesis or dissertation. TA-DA!™ provides you with the tools to make that happen.

A group of students in the University of Maryland System (UMBC, UMCP, UMB) will be participating in "Dissertation House on Campus" for three weeks. Some will be participating on-line and others will meet daily from 9:00am-5:00 pm. Join us, as we work on our proposals, theses, or dissertations.

Many people use the TA-DA! Summer Break Challenge to take a step on getting one thing accomplished and setting a schedule to get that one thing done. They get that one thing done and then are able to enjoy their break without the sense of guilt looming in the background. Other people set out to see how much they can accomplish in 21 days.

Many of you already work with deadlines. If you're joining this challenge, your deadline is July 27, 2008. Let's see how much can you get done in 3 weeks! Are you ready?

On July 6, 2008, Join us On-Line by:

Setting up your FREE Google account at www.gmail.com
Logging in to the blog
Clicking on "Comments" below and posting the answers to these questions:
What will you work on?
How much time will you spend daily working on it?
Tell us how much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

Here are some helpful tips:

Take the first step. Make a commitment to yourself using our TADA!™ Certificate online. Print it out and use it as a daily reminder of your commitment to yourself.
Breakdown your tasks into bite-size manageable chunks and make a list and post that list in a public space.
Make a daily commitment to work on your thesis or dissertation. Set aside a reasonable amount of time each day to work on your thesis or dissertation. You can get a lot done in 15 minutes a day.
Work within your limitations . . . if you are a morning person by all means make yourself some coffee and spend 15 minutes with your dissertation before everyone else rises . . . if you are a night owl . . . turn the TV off 15 minutes earlier and write for 15 minutes.
Celebrate small victories when you accomplish your tasks for the day. Spend the rest of the day guilt-free enjoying your Summer Break knowing that you have done something (no matter how small) on your dissertation.
Whatever you do, don't spend the week constantly worrying and saying to yourself 'I really should be working'. Above all, enjoy your Summer Break

Do It Now: Conquering Procrastination

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Carter) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:58:00 +0000

The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.
— Mary Heaton Vorse

How long have you been putting off writing your thesis or dissertation? A day? Two days? Two weeks? Two months? Many students suffer from procrastination because they hate writing ... or hate the fact that they're not good writers. Subsequently, they wait around hoping that divine inspiration will strike them and instill a newfound sense of eloquence and expression.

Stop waiting. So what if your writing skills aren't top notch? The TA-DA system works because it focuses on using the talents and resources you already have . . . not the ones you would like to have. It doesn't matter that you're not the best writer in the world. What matters is just that you write.

So how do you get started? The following tips should help . . . Read the entire article, Do It Now: Conquering Procrastination