Project Summary: Staying Motivated One of the goals of this course is to help you prepare for your Dissertation. The Dissertation process is long and difficult (though not impossible). In this Discussion, you will consider ways that you can keep yourself motivated during the data collection, data analysis, and writing process. To prepare for this Discussion: Review the audio programs "Staying Motivated" and "Evolution of a Researcher." What questions do you still have about the Dissertation process? How far away are you from needing to select your committee and chair and complete your Dissertation Prospectus? How would you describe your level of motivation as it relates to your progress with these important steps in the Dissertation process? What part of the Dissertation process do you look forward to the most? What part of the process has you feeling anxious or ambivalent? When you have faced challenging tasks in the past, what strategies have you used to keep yourself motivated? With these thoughts in mind: QUESTION:Post a response of 2 to 3 paragraphs in which you determine an action plan for continuing to stay motivated as you analyze your data and write your Dissertation. When appropriate, be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the reading(s) and/or video program(s), using APA format. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction You have been working on the various pieces of the qualitative research proposal. Now is the time to pull these pieces together into a coherent document. By the end of this week, you will have completed all elements of your qualitative study proposal that you can use as a basis for your Dissertation Prospectus. Use this time to revisit your research proposal and to complete and revise any sections that are not finished. Learning Outcomes By the end of this week, you will be able to: Develop a Qualitative Research Plan Determine an action plan to stay motivated during the Dissertation process Required Resources This page contains the Learning Resources for this week. Be sure to scroll down the page to see all of this week's assigned Learning Resources. To access select media resources, please use the media players below. Websites Walden University: Office of Student Research Support http://researchcenter.waldenu.edu/Office-of-Research-Administration.htm Media Video: Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010c). Staying motivated. Baltimore, MD: Author. Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 11 minutes. TRANSCRIPT OF THE VIDEO Staying Motivated Program Transcript [MUSIC PLAYNG] FEMALE SPEAKER: On behalf of the board of directors, the faculty, staff, and administration of the university, I am pleased to welcome you assembled here today and those who are joining us via live webcast for the 43rd convention of Walden University. [APPLAUSE] JUDITH KLEIN: My name is Judith Klein, and I'm from Ventura County, California, and my degree is in public health epidemiology. GREGORY PARKER: My name is Gregory Parker. I'm from New Braunfels, Texas, just north of San Antonio. My area of study is public policy. FEMALE SPEAKER: We spoke with a diverse mix of modern Ph.D. students about how they maintain their momentum and motivation through the dissertation process. The voices in this program are from students attending Walden Residency and Commencement in Dallas, Texas. Following are their words of experience, advice, and encouragement offered to you. MALE SPEAKER: --Ph.D. in educational technology, and I am from Salt Lake City, Utah. MUSTAFA AHMED: My name is Mustafa Ahmed. JULIA SPENCER: My name is Julia Spencer. DAVID MICHAEL RAY: My name's David Michael Ray. JUDIA YAEL MALACHI: My name is Judia Yael Malachi. How have I kept my momentum? Just understanding that this degree is first for myself, and then also for my community, but also for my family members who unfortunately have not been able to pursue education. So, I look at that as a degree for me and them as well. FEMALE SPEAKER: Basically it was visualizing the end result, looking at in my mind's eye me being a Ph.D. Sometimes I would write it, like how will I sign my name when I'm a Ph.D.? And just trying to harness that to motivate me to move forward. FEMALE SPEAKER: I dived in, told myself when I wanted to be done, and I've broken it up into little bites that fit the timeline. And I went on to Walden and bought my graduation ring! It's a little one. It's not real expensive, but every time I get stuck, I just 2012 Laureate Education, Inc. 1 look down, and I think, I can do this. I'm going to be done at a certain amount of time. I'm going to have my doctorate. I'm going to be doing what I want to do, and this shows me I'm going to get it done. FEMALE SPEAKER: For me, this is something that I have wanted for years. It's just that I've had to wait for other things in my life to kind of resolve themselves and stuff. So, the momentum just comes from an innate desire to want to do this. MALE SPEAKER: My momentum, that's an easy one. My family is my momentum. A few years ago, when I didn't have a direction, that my father-in-law came up and said, what do you want to do with the rest your life? Because at the time, I was about 15 years out of high school, and I hadn't really thought about college. But he sat me down one day, and he said, you know what? Time will pass. No matter, you can't stop it. What you do with it depends upon you. So you can either get your education or you don't. And I said, OK, well, I'm going to get it. And since then, I have gotten one associate's degree, two bachelor's degrees, two master's degrees, and in another year, my Ph.D. FEMALE SPEAKER: I made sure that I balance my time, balance family time, balance work, keep in contact with all of my committee members. Just balance has been the key to keep me going through this. FEMALE SPEAKER: Perseverance, determination, and the one thing that keeps me going is that goal, that ultimate light at the end of the tunnel, graduation. As a matter of fact, I had my oral defense of my proposal last Friday, and the minute I passed that, and I found out I passed that, I put a graduation timeline as a wallpaper on my computer so I see it every day. This is the day that this is going to the IRB. This is the day that I'm going to get it approved. This is the day that I start my analysis. Just planning it out, and so, having that light at the end of the tunnel in front of me and knowing that it's there is getting me through it. FEMALE SPEAKER: I'm very tired, but it's that there's something at the end of the tunnel. It's something that I want. It's important for me to be able to have this degree. It's going to help me in my profession. It's going to help me with talking to my students about what they need to be doing for the future, because I'm at the community college level, so I want them to be better students for in the future, for their instructors that they're going to have down the line. And so that's been very important to me and part of this process. MALE SPEAKER: Really, I honestly say, I have not kept my momentum. And I say that because you will get fatigued and you will get tired. But I think seeing the end goal and seeing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, there is a P, an H, and a D that will go behind my name. OK, that's going to be me in about a year and a half or in about two years, and that keeps me motivated. 2012 Laureate Education, Inc. 2 FEMALE SPEAKER: It's hard. I work full time, I have a family, but whenever I start getting down, I take time off time for myself, and then I pick back up. And I think the best thing is once you get going, stick with it. When you're up, make sure you get as much out as you can, and then when you're down, take a break. Don't be so hard on yourself, and take a break. MALE SPEAKER: I have some other friends who were just going to traditional schools, and again, I tried to again utilize their knowledge and skills to keep myself motivated. Because in a way, I felt alone when they had a supporting system with more people. But that's why I had to go back to my Walden community and try to make that connection, or keep that connection. FEMALE SPEAKER: I have a job, and so I have the children, I had to compartmentalize. But I also had a very supportive spouse, so I was able to schedule everybody, schedule my work, and then schedule my schooling time. If I don't set it up that way, I won't be very successful. So I had to look at it like another job, another important job, so that's kind of the mindset that I had going in. FEMALE SPEAKER: Coffee. [LAUGHING] No, I have two young children at home, and while some might have thought that this could not be done with two little ones, and a growing family, and a very good career, a very nice role in my community, I really looked at that as the reason why I kept going. I look at my little boys every day and realize that the contributions that people before us have made is what enables them to have the type of education that they have. So I think of myself as somebody contributing to their generation, to their children's generation, and being able to provide for them, to make their experience as better and thus their children's experiences better. MALE SPEAKER: Sometimes I felt like a juggler in a circus, trying to balance work, family, and the motivation to stay on point. And I did that by carving out specific times in the evening-- albeit very late-- that were sacrosanct in terms of nobody can get into that zone that I'd set aside to be able to accomplish it. FEMALE SPEAKER: I think for me, putting a date stake in the ground, and focusing on that date, and identifying what I needed to get done by that date really kept me on focus. There's a lot of things that happened in my personal life that I had to take a couple hiatuses, but in every fiber of me, I knew I was going to finish. MALE SPEAKER: I just kept focus on what I wanted. I wanted to receive my degree. I wanted to finish at Walden, and I did whatever to get it. And keeping my sanity was kind of all relative, because I was going to finish. I was determined to do it. And finding time to relax and do something that you really enjoy, don't put that off. You have to do something you really enjoy once, twice a month, and you could finish. FEMALE SPEAKER: I work at a college, and it was a natural part of, well, everybody should be involved in research. And they showed such real interest in what I was doing that whenever I got a little down or frustrated, they were all there to say come on, we've 2012 Laureate Education, Inc. 3 all been through this, it'll work, it'll happen. So, they really, really were just dynamite support. MALE SPEAKER: Well, I was motivated by several factors, but once you get into something like this, you're motivated to go ahead and finish it. I finished every program I've ever been in. It was tough in the mid-going, but I got encouragement, had good sport system at home, and so there were any number of things that kept me going. FEMALE SPEAKER: I kept reviewing what I had to do to get between where I was to the end, and I would do that every few months, is just to see what I'd achieved and how much closer I was getting. So I really kept my eye on the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. FEMALE SPEAKER: Will the candidates for the doctor of philosophy and the doctor of education degrees please rise or otherwise signify your presence. [APPLAUSE] FEMALE SPEAKER: Director Singer, as the chief academic officer and senior vice president, and on behalf of my esteem colleagues from the faculty at Walden University, I have the pleasure of presenting to you these candidates who have completed all of the requirements for the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Education. Candidates, upon the authority vested in the Board of Directors of Walden University by the state of Minnesota, I confer upon yo the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Education with all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities there to appertaining. Congratulations. [APPALUSE] [MUSIC PLAYING] In this audio program, Walden PhD students talk about how they keep their motivation and momentum during the Dissertation process. To listen to this audio program, use the media player located at the top of this page. Accessible player Video: Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2010b). Evolution of a researcher. Baltimore, MD: Author. Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 12 minutes. TRANSCRIPT OF THE VIDEO Evolution of a Researcher The Skills Developed Program Transcript [MUSIC PLAYING] DELLA JACOT: My name is Della Jacot. I'm from Spring Hill, Kansas, and my degree focus is Business Administration with a concentration in Project Management. ERIN FRESHWATER: My name is Erin Freshwater. I live in Jacksonville, Florida, and I'm in the Organizational Psychology PhD program. JOSEPH HANSEN: Joseph Hansen. I'm from Maryland-- NARRATOR: We spoke with a diverse mix of Walden PhD students about how they've evolved and transformed as researchers as a result of their doctoral studies. MARY ANN: My name is Mary Ann-- NARRATOR: The voices in this program are from students attending a Walden residency and commencement in Dallas, Texas. Following are their words of experience, advice, and encouragement offered to you. MALE SPEAKER: --from New Braunfels, Texas, just north of San Antonio, and my area of study is public policy. DANIELLE KASS: My name is Danielle Kass. DENNIS DAVIS: My name is Dennis Davis. CATHERINE ROSS: My name is Catherine Ross. JOHN DAVID MCGROARTY: My name is John David McGroarty. The first thing that I've learned to be a better researcher is really looking at literature more critically, really having the knowledge to pick it apart with a fine-toothed comb. The second thing I would say is knowing exactly how researching can help me professionally, how I can increase not only my knowledge, but my confidence in what I say, as we are becoming scholar practitioners as is stated by the Walden mission statement, and transferring that knowledge to not only my fellow colleagues, but also members of the community, members of my area, other people that I come in contact both professionally and personally. MARY ANN: I'm a writer by nature, and so I often think that I can just write and everything will be in there. But there's a rubric to follow, and so I've been working really 2012 Laureate Education, Inc. 1 hard on making sure that I follow the directions. And that's definitely a skill, following directions. FEMALE SPEAKER: This is going to change a lot of things in my life and that I need to start preparing for that, because it is starting to change how people perceive me, how I perceive myself. ERIN FRESHWATER: I see myself almost blossoming into a professional. And I can see where people look at me, and they're like, OK, she knows what she's talking about, and she's a credible source. she can articulate her ideas and she can think critically. FEMALE SPEAKER: To be organized. Organization's not my main forte, and I've had to learn to trust Walden and how they have lined things out. And I've learned to cut and paste what they get me into the overall template of things, and it organizes me like crazy. It really makes a big difference. MALE SPEAKER: One of the things that Walden has really brought out in me is the ability to actually think critically of what I read. It's not about, OK, yes, I read this article. Oh, that's great. But to actually question what's in the article and say, OK, how did they arrive at their conclusions? Well, they only did a study of four people as opposed to 10,000 with this study. Is that really the best way or the best study I should use or cite? As well as how to cite those studies and how to actually think through the process while I'm writing and justifying my assertions. FEMALE SPEAKER: Skills that I've learned along the way are persevering, knowing how to ask the right question. Even when I'm Goggling for information, there's more than one way to skin the cat. There's more than one way to ask a question, and knowing how to be really specific about your question so you can get the answer. So I've learned to research better, and writing and being more concise. FEMALE SPEAKER: The skills that I have found that I have been able to hone in on a little bit more are my critical thinking skills, my writing skills, definitely self-assessment, just being able to say, OK, this is where I am right now and I'm able to do this process. FEMALE SPEAKER: I don't have very strong statistical background, but every time I figured something out, the light bulb went on, I just jumped up and down for-- my husband could tell you how exciting this was for me. One thing that this process has taught me was being independent and going through it by myself, I can say that I know how to do it. Nobody's fed me the information. DELLA JACOT: I think time management has been the biggest skill that I've been able to build as a result of writing this dissertation, looking at myself from a different perspective, meaning that I can do this. This has helped me to build confidence. It's provided me the opportunity to step back and take a better look at myself. 2012 Laureate Education, Inc. 2 FEMALE SPEAKER: Definitely learning how to use the library databases. It's taught me to question things that I never questioned before in this program. I always took this fact. And now, when I hear something, I'm more apt to go check that out and find out what's going on here when someone tells me something. FEMALE SPEAKER: When I started this process and I started my proposal, I didn't understand it. My chair would ask me questions, and I was like, what in the world is he talking about? I've become better at gathering my own research and finding information. I've become a better critical thinker. Just the whole process has made me grow as a scholar, and things that I never thought I would be able to do, all of the sudden they just start clicking. FEMALE SPEAKER: I think I am just much more confident in what I know. FEMALE SPEAKER: Being able to read an article that, say, four years ago I would've looked at and it would have been a foreign language to me. And now, knowing I can look at that and break it apart and really see what that person is trying to say and what they're talking about and knowing everything needs evidence. FEMALE SPEAKER: I think a great thing about Walden is that I know how to do research now. I'm done with this program. And I can walk into an organization, and I know how to do a case study. I know how to do quantitative analysis. And that's really what I learned from the program, and I feel confident in my research skills now that I'm done. JOSEPH HANSEN: Personal transformation. I started seeing things from a different perspective. And I've started seeing more shades of gray than black and white. FEMALE SPEAKER: I became more aware of my own responsibilities to the community. I was in my own little world, and my whole life surrounded me. But I became more of a volunteer. I volunteer with Red Cross. I volunteered through our food kitchen in the community. And that's not something I did previously. It was just about me. And Walden helped me realize the social change aspect of it, and pushing that in my dissertation really helped realize, OK, well maybe there is a bigger purpose here. DANIELLE KASS: I really expanded my understanding of APA style and ways to express myself more concisely without so much verbiage. I've definitely improved my writing style. I've also learned more about media and technology and how we can utilize those resources to locate research and studies that have been done prior to my study. There were so many questions I had and so many things I thought I was contributing firsthand and realized that someone had really already laid that groundwork for me. And if you can utilize and build upon what's already out there, it's really a matter of finding those resources. So learning more about what's available globally through media 2012 Laureate Education, Inc. 3 and technology. And certainly, that online environment is definitely something I think I've grown in from the very beginning. DENNIS DAVIS: I actually thought that I could write. And my dissertation having been approved, if you will, by my committee went into what I call the inner bowels of Walden, where an editor, someone I have not met-- and I say lovingly-- ripped it to shreds and suggested that I find myself an editor. And that took me aback. But through the recommendations-- they were very cogent. They were very on point-- I was able to follow methodically which she said, and by doing that, I produced a better dissertation. FEMALE SPEAKER: I think the ability to synthesize the knowledge from all different sources and to differentiate between what are accurate theories versus what is not. FEMALE SPEAKER: One of the reasons why I decided to pursue my PhD was because I think that I'm generally a very smart person who can pick things up very well, but I didn't think that my theoretical grounding was what I wanted it to be. And I tell people like the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services my advice on things, and I wanted it to be really well-grounded, authoritative advice, not just, oh, this is what I think and I'm probably going to be right. And so, for me, it kind of transformed me into thinking I was my own authority on things, where people saw that from me before, I really believed what I was saying. And I felt a lot more confident saying it as a result of getting my PhD. FEMALE SPEAKER: I never thought of myself as a scholar. I thought of myself as someone who was down in the trenches doing the dirty work, so to speak. And now I know that what I do does have a theoretical base, does come from a long line of people who research and give good foundations for educational reform. And Walden's focus on social change really made it come full circle for me. FEMALE SPEAKER: I think, for me, it has transformed me as an individual, as a stronger person, just because of life trials that I've gone through. And also, I'm much more compassionate with the adult students than I were before, because I am a professor. And I am much more compassionate now in the classroom than I was before now that I have lived this road. FEMALE SPEAKER: I think, just for me on a personal level, I had a person in my life early on tell me that if I had an education, that no one could take that away from me. And I never really knew what that meant, but I know today. FEMALE SPEAKER: Will the candidates for the Doctor of Philosophy and the Doctor of Education degrees please rise or otherwise signify your presence. [APPLAUSE] Director Singer, as the Chief Academic Officer and Senior Vice President, and on behalf of my esteemed colleagues on the faculty at Walden University, I have the pleasure of 2012 Laureate Education, Inc. 4 presenting to you these candidates who have completed all of the requirements for the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Educations. DIRECTOR SINGER: Candidates, upon the authority vested in the board of directors of Walden University by the State of Minnesota, I confer upon you the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor or Education with all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities thereto appertaining. Congratulations. [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC PLAYING] In this audio program, Walden PhD students describe how they've evolved and transformed as a researcher as a result of their doctoral studies. To listen to this audio program, use the media player located at the top of this page. Accessible player Readings Review course texts as needed to assist you with completing your Final Project for this course. Handouts Review from Week 1: Final Project: Developing a Qualitative Research Plan This handout, which you downloaded in Week 1, outlines the requirements for your final research proposal. FINAL PROJECT HANDOUTS RSCH 8351: Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis Final Project: Developing a Qualitative Research Plan For the Final Project, students will develop a Qualitative Research Plan based on their selected Dissertation topic. Please note: This is not meant to be a full research plan in that you will not be constructing data collection instruments or generating data to use. The Final Project is meant to develop understanding about the relationships between research questions, research design, and data organization and analysis. For this Project, you will consider more the design and methodology of the qualitative research you propose. Some, but not all, course assignments lead into the Final Project. The Final Project should include the following: Title A. Opening statement (a clear statement demonstrating that the focus of the study is on a significant problem worthy of study) B. Background of the study a. Summary of the literature framing history of the project, using 10 articles related to the problem b. Gaps and/or deficiencies in prior research c. Importance of present study i. Why the study should be pursued ii. For whom is it important C. Problem statement (describes the need for increased understanding about the issue to be studied) D. Purpose of the study a. Research design (narrative, grounded theory, ethnography, case study, phenomenology) b. Intent (understand, describe, explore, develop, etc.) c. Central phenomenon of the study d. General definition of central phenomenon E. Research question(s) a. Central question(s) b. Subquestions (where applicable) F. Theoretical or conceptual framework a. Theoretical or conceptual basis and origin of or source for theory or describe concepts b. Where and how theory has been applied or concepts evidenced previously c. The major propositions or hypotheses of the theory, if used d. How the theory relates to the present study or state how the concepts are important to the present study and provide a lens for it; rationale for that theoretical expectation or conceptual lens G. Nature of the study a. Design i. Paradigm (qualitative) ii. Design (narrative, grounded theory, ethnography, case study, phenomenology) iii. Rationale for the design, with explanations why other likely choices would be less effective b. Methodology i. Participants ii. Site iii. Researchers role in data collection procedures iv. Sampling 1. Type of sampling 2. How the sample will be drawn 3. Sample size and why chosen in relation to population size v. Data collection procedures (interviews, focus groups, observations, etc.) vi. Data analysis and interpretation plan: indicate what analytical tools and procedures will be applied to each set of data collected c. Limitations i. Potential design and/or methodological weaknesses of the study ii. Explain how the weaknesses will be addressed iii. Threats to quality and how they will be potentially addressed in the study d. Ethical concerns i. Describe your proposed procedure for providing informed consent and any ethical concerns with which you may need to deal H. Significance of the study a. Practical contributions of the study b. For whom the study is important c. Implications for social change Research Toolkits Handouts Walden Dissertation Rubric Available from http://researchcenter.waldenu.edu/ The Dissertation Rubric is a Word document linked in the section for PhD Dissertation Process and Documents. Walden Qualitative Dissertations This document directs you to dissertations in the Walden Library that use a variety of qualitative approaches and disciplines.