finishing your dissertation...

I've written on this blog in the past about my trials and tribulations with working on my own dissertation. It's easy to get off track and have the weeks just flow by you like a bubbling brook on a lazy summer day...

It makes me think of my favorite Doug Adams (author of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) quote:

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.

And my second favorite Doug Adams "quote":

Don't panic

And it was like Jorge over at PhD Comics was reading my mind and my blog (okay, I know he wasn't reading my blog, but still...):

"Piled Higher and Deeper" by Jorge Cham
www.phdcomics.com 

Like I said...just for me. And now, you too...

Stay cool...

-- Dawn 

Addendum: I just came across an article on the Chronicle of Higher Education site that talks about excuses to not write (I Don't Write Enough Because...) which is great. Think about your excuses and how to overcome them. Mine? I can only write in the morning before anyone else is up, drinking a fresh cup of coffee, in my office, when it's completely clean and organized, by hand, on perfectly-spaced-lined paper that's not too thick and not too thin, with a blue pen...

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Upcoming Events:

I am presenting two workshops in the Summer Career Development Workshop Series. The first is TOMORROW, so get signed up TODAY! Hope to see y'all there...

Summer Career Development Workshops

Are you going to be graduating soon? Interested in applying for academic jobs this fall? Don’t know where to start or what to expect, or just want some more insight into the process? Now is the time to start preparing your application materials and doing your research. Please join us for one or both of our Career Development Workshops being offered this summer.

Session 1: Applying for an Academic Position

Tuesday, June 25, 3:30 – 5:00 pm, 269 Bell Engineering

Are you graduating soon? Interested in applying for a faculty position or post doc? Now’s the time to start preparing your application materials. At this session we’ll be discussing what you need to do to prepare for the job search, how to find position openings and how to tailor your application materials for the position you’re applying for.

Presented by: Dawn Farver, PhD Candidate and Career Counselor

Refreshments will be provided, and registration is required.

Session 2: Preparing for the Academic Interview

Tuesday, July 16, 3:30 – 5:00 pm, 267 Bell Engineering

You’ve submitted your application materials for the position of your dreams and they’ve called you, you have an interview! Now what? We’ll be discussing what to expect in the interviewing process for a faculty position. We’ll talk about the dreaded phone interview, the maybe-even-more-dreaded Skype interview, and the on-campus interview. Put your best foot forward and show them you want the job.

Presented by: Dawn Farver, PhD Candidate and Career Counselor

Refreshments will be provided, and registration is required.

The seminars are open to all graduate students, but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. To register for one or both of these events, please visit the Graduate School Events Page: http://grad.uark.edu/dean/events/index.php.  

advice for TAs

Preparation is underway for the season of graduate student orientations. The First Year Graduate Student (FYGS) Orientation and TA Orientation are coming up fast. (Just in case you're wondering what I'll be up to for the next two months...)

There's a great group of folks who serve on the Teaching Assistant Effectiveness Advisory Committee (TAEAC) who help to organize not only the TA Orientation, but also seminars/workshops throughout the year to help TAs with classroom management and help prepare them to address different situations in class. I've been meeting with graduate student members of the TAEAC, and we've had the chance to share some of our stories/experiences and how we've handled them...sometimes just muddling through the best we can. I thought I would share a few of the things we've discussed...tips and tricks we've learned through our experience. I acted as a TA for a junior level course for three semesters, and as instructor of record for three different classes over four semesters. 

1. Your syllabus is important
It is really important to have a comprehensive syllabus with clear course goals, expectations and procedural information for your students. If you want it to be your classroom policy that the use of cell phones is not allowed, put it in your syllabus. If students are required to work independently on assignments, put it in your syllabus. If you plan on allowing students to drop one assignment grade or quiz grade, put it in your syllabus. 

One of the best additions I made to my syllabus was to require students to request a regrade on an assignment or exam in writing. I was having too many students come to me after an exam telling me I had made an error, that their answer was correct, etc. There was no way that I could review their work, remember their exam and make a judgment in just a few minutes...with a whole line of students behind them. I required that they provide me with their assignment/exam, a write up of what they think was graded incorrectly, how they proposed that the "error" be remedied, and turn it in a the beginning of the next class period. At that time, I would review their statement, and make a final decision within a week. I made clear that "you took off too many points" was not an acceptable excuse.

2. You never have to make a decision RIGHT THAT SECOND.
If you have a student come to you with a complaint, upset with how something was graded, actually, upset about anything related to your course, you can always ask them to come back at another time and/or schedule an appointment. If it's during office hours, you can tell the student that you can't make a decision until you discuss it with your supervisor. You are the instructor. You can always say no. 

3. Please be aware of FERPA.
FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. What it means is that students have a right to privacy and you cannot share their information with anyone without their permission through an official FERPA waiver that can be filled out online. As a TA it is unlikely that you know who a student has given the U of A permission to share their information with. You may not even have the permission required in ISIS to look it up. If you have someone call, or a parent even comes in with their student requesting information on their academic performance in your class, or in general, BY LAW, YOU CANNOT PROVIDE IT. You can take their information, let them know that you will speak with your supervisor and get back to them if appropriate. Students have to fill out the waiver to give their parents permission...even if those parents are the ones paying for school...before you can share any information with them. 

4. There are people/offices on campus to help you
Having a problem with a student? Concerned about a student's well being? There are a lot of people who can help. They can come present to your class, you can send your students their way. I know you've "heard" me say this before, but you're not alone. Talk to your advisor, your supervisor, other students. Attend seminars. 

5. Go to TA Orientation (Monday - Tuesday, August 19-20, 2013. 
To learn more about what I've discussed...if I've piqued your interest, if you're teaching a class in the fall, please come to our TA Orientation. It is organized and sponsored by the Graduate School, and registration is required. You can register at: http://grad.uark.edu/dean/events/index.php. We will have sessions about using Blackboard and ISIS, about putting together a syllabus, senior TAs will be speaking on a panel about their experiences, and Day 2 is going to address some situations that have been experienced by TAs just like you...and there will be people talking about the best way to handle each situation...and who's available to help. Come, ask questions, and find some folks you can contact if you have questions.

Stay cool...I'll be posting about some upcoming Career Development Workshops that I'll be presenting this month and next once our registration page is up. 

-- Dawn

the thesis/dissertation soundtrack...

Whenever I'm doing work on my research, this can be writing or anything at my computer, I like to listen to music. What kind of music varies depending on my mood as well as the task at hand. As such, I've managed over the years to create a soundtrack for myself. There were even a few CDs I listened to during my undergrad years to help get me through those long homework/studying nights.

When I was writing my thesis, a friend provided me with some music that had helped her. Some classical, some Irish-inspired...music that was, well, musical, and easily faded into the background. When I'm writing, or having to really focus on what I'm doing, the perfect music will do that. For music to fall into the background for me, but still be fun and uplifting, I revisit my high school years. To do this, my new favorite friend has been Pandora. You may have your own version of Pandora that you use. Spotify is another example. I'm going to date myself a little here, but my new favorite "station" on Pandora is "90's Pop." The songs make me happy, even when I'm only partially listening, and I know them well enough, that they don't take my focus off of the task at hand. If you haven't used Pandora or Spotify, or something of the like before, it plays music in a certain genre, or based on an artist and similar artists, but you can "tell" the program if you like or don't like something, and it refines the selections it offers you. So I can keep songs I really liked from the 90s and skip some of the ones I didn't like so much, (but to be honest, I feel some nostalgia for some of the songs I didn't like too.) 

Here are some tips for selecting your soundtrack:
1. For work that requires a lot of focus, go with the classics. Select songs or CDs or artists that you're really familiar with, and songs that make you feel good. Or go literally, for the classics. Songs without lyrics, even if you're not as familiar with them, tend to be less distracting. I'll also occasionally tune into KPLU, a public radio station out of Seattle that plays Jazz during the day and streams live online.  

2. For work that doesn't require as much focus, it's fun to try out new genres and artists. You'll be in a unique position that you might have the time to listen to an album all the way through. 

3. If you're having a bad day, or need to decompress after a crazy day...listen to something upbeat, or loud, or angry. Yell along with the lyrics, dance around the room, whatever. It will get you a short burst of energy and burn off some of the bad vibes. My current favorite song to do this to is Thrift Shop, by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. (Warning: there is explicit language, but it's a fun song with a great dancing beat...and it can be addictive.)

4. Sometimes, you just need to slow down and meditate...and for that, there's a "spa" station on Pandora. Just be careful because there are commercials that break in every once in awhile during the free version. Lay in the middle of the floor, on your back, and listen...let your mind wander...let thoughts flow into your mind and right back out. This can be helpful to help you sleep after a long day of brain work. 

5. Don't forget exercise. It's so important to be physically active for your physical and mental health. Go for a long walk, run on the treadmill, whatever. A good soundtrack can make it more fun. (Just be careful if you're running alone outside...better to be aware of your surroundings in that case than lost in your music.)

What kinds of songs/artists are on your different "soundtracks"? Maybe you'll find something new to try out that you didn't think you'd like. 

Post a comment or email me. What got you through your thesis/dissertation/comps?

-- Dawn