 |
 |
 |  |  |
|
|
Ph.D. Survival Tips: How to Successfully Complete Your Dissertation Learn one Ph.D. graduate’s secrets for thriving throughout the dissertation process.  Dr. Susann Getsch When Dr. Susann Getsch addressed Ph.D. students in the Graduate Panel session at the summer 2009 residency in Minneapolis, she placed an attention-getting prop on the podium: her published dissertation, Educating Students With Pervasive Developmental Disorders: An Exploration of Government Mandates and Teacher Perspectives. In her presentation (watch the video), Getsch offered these tips for dissertation success. Choose a Manageable Topic My chair helped me focus on the crux of what I really wanted to explore. She gently pointed out to me that I couldn’t change the whole world with my dissertation, but I could add to the body of knowledge—that’s what you can do, too, if you pick a topic and follow it through in an intelligent manner.
Write One Chapter at a Time
Make Time for Yourself and Your Family Cultivate a Respectful Relationship with Your Committee I trusted my committee’s judgment. I heard their concerns, and it made the process easier on all of us because I was open to what they were saying, and they treated me respectfully. Don’t take anything personally. Change, explain or adjust your method, hypotheses or research questions to get on the same page as your committee. Remember: No one wants you to complete your dissertation more than your committee. Strive for Knowledge, Not Perfection When my bound dissertation arrived in the mail, I sat down and read the book from cover to cover. I was really disappointed because I found some ... things that I could have worded better. But the lesson is nothing is perfect; don’t get stuck on perfect. My dissertation served its purpose. It shows that I understand how to envision and implement a research project and that I know how to write in a scholarly manner. More Information Watch the video of Dr. Getsch sharing her tips on successfully completing your Ph.D. Watch the Alumni Lecture Series, “Teaching a Child with Special Needs,” which Getsch co-presented with Julie Macker. Read about Getsch’s transition from Walden master’s student to Walden Ph.D. student in the Walden alumni magazine article, “Serving as a Voice for Others.”
|
©2009 Walden University |