Friend to Tell Me All

¶ … friend to tell me all about his/her experience obtaining a doctorate in (field), he/she laughed and said, "I'm surprised I am still alive. It was a lot of work!" he/she was pleased that I called her before proceeding, however, since many people try to go it alone without advice and support. "It's much easier not to reinvent the wheel if you don't have too," he/she added. Considering that a large number of doctorates are completed in about three to five years, this is something that individuals want to be completely committed to and have as much support as possible.

Too many students are afraid of asking questions, at risk of looking foolish. But, if you don't ask questions, you are even more foolish. Why get frustrated and waste a lot of time looking for answers, when all you have to do is talk with someone who has gone through the process or a professor or two who are happy to be of help? Also, keep in mind that everyone's experience is different. There are many similar experiences among PhD students, but the joys and frustrations of one differ from that of another.

You have to prove to the school that you are knowledgeable in your field. In order to advance to doctoral candidacy almost all programs require that you demonstrate competence in the field in preliminary, comprehensive, or qualifying exams. This is done after the completion of several or all courses. The written exam may consist of an essay and/or multiple choice questions. Once the written exam is graded, an oral exam is scheduled.

One of the biggest hurdles upon completion of the coursework is determining the subject of the dissertation. This sounds easier than it is, especially if you want to cover a new area and perhaps publish in the future. Some advisors will help students decide on a topic.

You want to make sure that you have a new take on the chosen subject. Find 1 1/2 million masters and doctoral dissertations at Dissertation Abstracts www.ovid.com/site/catalog/DataBase/47.jsp?top=2&mid=3&bottom=7&subsection=10

You have to be interested in the topic, since you will be living it for so long. It could be something that you have already been studying or that has long been of interest. You also want to make sure that the subject is not so new that very little has been written on it, or so old that nothing remains written on it from hundreds of years ago. Also consider that you may need to compromise somewhat on your topic choice in order for desirable committee members to be interested. Finally, consider what the topic trends are in the field.

Once you have an idea, the school will want to receive a thorough proposal on the topic and research to be conducted, or a justification. This will include elements such as 1) Thesis title, 2) Clear statement of the aims of the research, 3) Justification for the research topic and aims, 4) Review of the relevant literature as background to the aims, 5) Clearly stated outline of the research methods to be used, 6) Full description of the resources required to complete the research, 7) Carefully considered work schedule including completion date for each stage, 8) Evidence that ethics approval has been obtained, if required, for the topic of research and endorsement and comments from the main supervisor on the merits of the proposal and the ability to complete the work.

Hand-in-hand with choosing a topic is deciding on a chairperson from the faculty who will guide you through the process. Your chosen topic should align with the interests and research area of the chairperson. Several questions regarding this process are in order: Who can provide the support and assistance you require? Will the faculty member have enough time to help you throughout your study? Does the chairperson have productive relations with other possible committee members so your research study can be smoothly completed? You should feel free to regularly submit questions to your chairperson. By asking questions as you work, you should develop a dissertation draft that is not far different than the final version. When an acceptable version of the dissertation is completed, the chairperson and the doctoral candidate will disperse copies for full committee review.

The selection of the faculty members for the dissertation committee is also a very important decision. These faculty members should be chosen on their expertise in relationship to your topic. Also important is the amount of time available for continued objective review of your study. In most cases, when the dissertation is completed, the candidate will be given a specific date for defense of the work. Depending on the particular school, the defense may be open to the public or closed to only those involved. The purpose of this meeting is to verify to the committee's satisfaction that the research and written document adhere to the highest standards of scholarly work. At the defense, the doctoral candidate presents the study in a formal manner with visual aids. The background and significance of the study, experimental questions, method and results are presented. This presentation is followed by a question-and-answer period. Normally, copies of the dissertation are provided to the library. It is also possible that the student, with or without the chair, will publish the paper.

My friend emphasized that there are two major components to working on and completing a dissertation. The first is the academic factor: You need to understand and be able to communicate and eventually instruct in your designated topic. Your proficiency is recognized through the coursework, examination, dissertation and defense.

Just as important are the personal characteristics that are required to complete this challenge. These include:

Strong commitment and desire: Several years of one's life are involved with this process. This will mean personal sacrifices for both the student and his/her significant other and/or family. Patience is of the utmost importance.

Interest: A student needs to follow a subject area that provides much interest and personal satisfaction, otherwise the drive and motivation will be limited.

Flexibility: In any education situation, there will be times when the student needs to make compromises and rethink direction and choices. A healthy balance has to be found between commitment and flexibility.

Personal motivation. A student has to have faith in his/her ability to successfully complete this difficult. At times, the student will only have him/herself to provide the willingness and desire to continue. Along with this comes pride of a job well done. No one will ever be completely satisfied with the dissertation. One has to know when he/she has done the best work possible and be personally gratified.

After talking with my friend, I had to think carefully about my future and the possibility of getting a doctorate. Presently I am in the computer consulting business. I have been giving serious thought to going back to school and getting my doctorate in Education. This would greatly change my present lifestyle. Although I work full time, I have a number of hours free time every week to participate in activities with friends and family. If I go to school on a full- or even part-time basis, I will have little time left for a personal life outside of school. I know that I enjoyed my undergraduate work and I gain personal satisfaction from attending classes, relating to other students and learning new subject areas. I also have had decent grades and know that I can do well if I apply myself.

By talking with my friend, I realize that I have to give serious thought to two important things. First, I need to consider whether I will enjoy the area of education in general and teaching in specific to spend the next several years fully dedicated to this topic. This is not something you can go into halfway. You need to submerse yourself fully and knowing that you will not back down, except under an emergency. I will want to talk further with teachers about their experiences in the educational system and the pros and cons of going into education, versus another field. I will also want to talk to others who have gone on for their master's or doctorate degree and listen to their input and suggestions about my future possibilities.