1. 2008 FAU Student Advisory Council’s 7th Annual Research Symposium
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Doctorate: The Products, the Pacing, and the Process
Valerie Bryan, Ed.D, Educational Leadership
Deb Duay, Ph.D, Educational Leadership
2008 FAU Student Advisory Council’s 7th Annual Research Symposium

2. Pacing is important
Chronicle of Higher Education reports, despite a dearth of comprehensive national statistics, several studies have indicated that the attrition rate in doctoral programs could be as high as 50 percent (Smallwood, 2004).
According to Council of Graduate Schools, time-to-degree has been rising nationally, with the median placed at 7.6 years.

3. Journey begins Required coursework
Individual projects in classes may suggest where you do or do not want to go with your dissertation
it is never too early to think about your topic
Team projects often give an opportunity to explore areas outside of your direct view and may offer new perspectives
Readings for classes are excellent sources of ideas for your dissertation and support for your topic
Case Study Example 1
Case Study Example 2

4. Directed Independent Studies
IRB may not be required if not human subject oriented
Create mini-literature reviews on units of literature that will relate to dissertation statement of purpose
Design literature matrixes for future tables, contrasts and correlates for study purpose
Create definitions of areas under study to later use in Chapter I
Development of instrumentation (questionnaires, surveys, conceptual framework, etc.)
Case Study Example

5. IRB Approved Field Projects
Field testing or Pilot testing various components or approaches that will be used (or not) in the dissertation
Instrumentation (Search of questionnaires)
Methodology (qualitative or quantitative or mixed)
Appropriate subjects to use or not to use
IRB process through trial and error
Technological aids (Podcasts, Wikis/Blogs, Atlas.Ti, SPSS, Clickers, Snap.com, ProQuest, Digitool, EZProxy, 360 Search, STAT-USA)
Case Study Example 1
Case Study Example 2

6. Student Productivity & Mentoring
BEFORE your dissertation:
Present a research paper at a national conference
Submit a research article for publication
Publish a research article in a refereed professional or trade journal
Present at a SAC research venue
What a wonderful way to practice in a safe environment
to get prepare for a proposal paper and defense
or for the writing of the dissertation,
and the defense

7. Possible Side Effects Rate of progress to degree may increase
Research productivity may increase
Socialization may increase
With faculty
With mentors
With peers
Satisfaction may increase
Job productivity may increase
Life Stressors may decrease

8. Mentoring is essential . . . mentoring is:
a more intricate, long-term, one-on-one relationship that goes well beyond simply providing information. True mentoring is a complex process between professor and college adult learner that supports a mutual enhancement of critically reflective and independent thinking" (Galbraith, 2003,p. 16).
a series of mentor-mentee dialogues noted for collaborative critical thinking and planning, mutual participation in specific goal setting and decision- making, shared evaluation regarding the results of actions, and joint reflection on the worth of areas identified for progress (Galbraith, 2003,p. 11).

9. Your Interaction with Your Mentor (s)
Discussed academic issues outside of class with faculty/mentors
helps to confirm your purpose and create your pace
Received some type of feedback about progress from mentor (beyond grades or work)
Socialized informally with a mentor if possible
Discussed your career plans and ambitions with a mentor
Discussed personal problems or concerns with a mentor, in limited amounts, when the world is crashing in

10. Student Productivity: Unpacking the Dissertation
AFTER your dissertation
Can submit ALTERNATE versions to multiple conferences, journals or other publications
Alternates can be produced by mergers, contrasting, correlating, slicing
Dissertation
Journal Article
Refereed Conf
Conference
Article
Case Study Example

11. References
Galbraith, M. W. (2003). The adult education professor as mentor: A means to enhance teaching and learning. Perspectives: The New York Journal of Adult Learning, 1(1), 9-20.
Lage-Otero, E. (2006). Doctoral dissertation - looking back, looking. Tomorrow’s Professor Blog. Retrieved March 26, 2008 from
Smallwood, S. (2004, January 16). Doctor dropout. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 50.