Dissertation: Diary of a Doctoral Student

As I have transitioned through my doctoral program, I have found it important to pass on what I have learned. I have entered into the final phase of this program, which includes my dissertation. In the Spring 2008 semester, I completed the Proposal Development course. I found this to be very helpful as I wrote the first two chapters of my dissertation, developed a powerpoint for my proposal defense, and also engaged in a mock proposal defense with classmates. This helped me to get a better understanding of the upcoming process and to determine if I was prepared to answer in depth questions about my research topic and design. So, what have I learned throughout my first years in the doctoral program about the dissertation process and what do I want to pass on?

1. Choose

As you enter your doctoral program, start to consider specific research topics of interest to you. When I entered, I had a topic in mind which was self-injury amongst adolescent females. Although I had this topic, I eventually realized I did not have a passion for it that I would want to commit a couple years of my life to researching it. So, I transitioned through two other topics but found it would be challenging to locate willing participants. So, I transitioned to another but realized how important it was to align my topic with the interests of the professors, and this one was not in line. Finally, as I engaged further in my program, I noticed my topic and area of interest emerging. I have always had in interest in diversity and culture-related issues. In addition, I have a passion for teaching whether it is in the classroom, through presentations, writing, or providing guidance to a friend. As a clinical social worker, I feel it is extremely important for mental health professionals to be aware of cultural issues that affect a client's wellbeing. Therefore, I wanted to research the process of cultural competency development. How does a mental health professional become culturally competent? Do the courses taught help a student address deeply held biases and beliefs? Do students hold a color-blind racial ideology that research shows can lead to subtle racial biases due to lack of acknowledgement that differences exist due to race, ethnicity, gender, etc.? So, this became my area of study, which I enjoy presenting about and infusing into the current courses I teach. So, your topic may change a few times, that is okay, but really consider what your true area of interest is. Does it align with the interests of your professors, does the current research literature say there is a need for further research in this area, and how will it contribute to the profession?

2. Focus

When you have your topic in mind, do your best to focus on this topic when writing papers for your courses. When you pursue your PhD, there is a lot of writing involved. Therefore, when you have a writing assignment, determine if you can write about a certain aspect of your topic. For example, in certain classes I had to write a literature review on a topic in line with the class theme. Therefore, I chose a specific aspect of my dissertation topic that would fit into that class. This may not always be possible but it is worth a try. This process will cut down on your writing in the future. So, as you transition through classes, determine if you can add one more piece to your dissertation paper. Note...my first two chapters, references, and appendices has a current page count of "103". So, this process was very helpful for me.

3. Contact

Your topic does need to be approved and supported by previous research. This means, other researchers and professionals in your area need to say there is a necessity for further research on that topic. If there is not call for further research then do not do it. First, it may be challenging for you to locate enough articles to write an appropriate paper. Second, if there is no need, then this means it may not be a benefit to the profession. Stay in contact with your advisor and share your thoughts about topic areas. It is good to gain his/her input along the way. The topic of multicultural competency has been greatly emerging in the mental health area, especially as the U.S. is a diverse country, therefore mental health professionals should have knowledge of this diversity and how to respond to each client's needs. So, according to the literature, there is a need for my topic to improve teaching strategies for students and for the overall profession to increase in cultural competency.

4. Mentor

Finally, find a mentor. Do your best to locate someone who has completed the dissertation process or is currently involved in it. It would be great to have a previous student within your same program or someone who used your type of research design. Valuable input can be gained from this person, so it is good to ask and see who may be willing to give you a hand.

I feel those tips will help to get you started on the path to writing your dissertation. My goal is to add updated articles to this diary as I transition through the process.