I think I just hooked the guy with the zwitter your doing with a chassis.
My Guy is still looking for a 52 pan so its a slow go on the restoration untill one turns up.
I think I just hooked the guy with the zwitter your doing with a chassis.
My Guy is still looking for a 52 pan so its a slow go on the restoration untill one turns up.
Well Ain't that Sweet Of ya. Ya want a cookie or something?
chocolate chip
F@g.
Has anyone used that truck bed protective stuff on the underside? I'm kinda debating to use it on the pan, when it gets warmer..
On Jan 9, 5:50=A0pm, Remco wrote:
What this handout is about
Graduate school pundits often cite 50% or more as the attrition rate for ABD students. Why? This handout will not only answer this question, but also give you good, practical advice on starting, drafting, and completing your dissertation. Reasons for ABD inertia=97the nature of the beast Why don't doctoral candidates manage to get rolling on the dissertation any sooner, or KEEP rolling once they get started? Partly because the dissertation is a completely new experience that is much larger and more independent than your previous academic work.
To this point, being a graduate student has been, more or less, an extension of your earlier life as a student. Many people, in fact, go to graduate school because they have always been "good at school," and want to continue with something that brings them success and self- confidence. The reading assignments, labs, papers, and tests you have been assigned as a graduate student may not have been so different from your undergraduate course work. The dissertation, on the other hand, is a new kind of academic project, unlike anything else you've done. It is the academic project that marks your transition from student to scholar.
Writing a dissertation is a lot like writing a book. It is, by definition, a self-directed process. There are usually no weekly deadlines from professors, no regular discussions with classmates, no reading assignments, no one telling you what to do=97you are on your own, writing something longer than you've ever written, and doing it without a net. This independence can make the process seem very intimidating
When you embark on this large, independent project, you may begin to ask yourself questions about your future in academia. After all, the dissertation is the beginning of the end of a graduate career. When you finish your dissertation, you have to change your life pretty dramatically =97you may go on the job market, begin work as an independent scholar, develop classes, move out of a community that you have grown to love, and so on. You may also feel like your dissertation will begin to define your professional identity. You may feel like your research interests, your theoretical influences, and your skill as a writer may all be evaluated by this first piece of serious scholarship. Whether any of these points are true or not, you may find yourself questioning your commitment to your chosen profession or topic and unable to begin the dissertation.
top So what can you do if you are questioning your commitments? If you find yourself questioning your commitment to your dissertation or a career in academia, consider these tactics: =95 Do some soul-searching.
This may be a time to ask yourself what the Ph.D. means to you and whether you really want to continue. Remember that what it means to you and what it means to your partner, family, or friends may be very different. You might make a list of all the reasons you want to get the Ph.D. and all the reasons you would rather not. You might try free- writing about your topic and the reasons it inspires you. You might plan out your life's possible courses for the next 2, 5, 10, or 20 years if you do and if you don't proceed with the degree. Through all this, ask yourself "What will make me happy? And why?"
=95 Seek help from other sources of advice.
If you are too close to your own graduate school anxieties to think critically about them, visit campus resources that can help you sort out your thinking on this difficult and important issue. Your advisor or colleagues in your department may be able to help you if you have a good relationship with them. Other graduate students, especially those who are about to finish or have finished, may be particularly helpful. University counseling services may prove helpful as well. They regularly talk with students about just this issue.
=95 Remember that there is no shame in not pursuing this advanced degree.
Many, many people lead happy, fulfilling lives, build lucrative and rewarding careers, make important contributions to knowledge, share interesting ideas with others, and generally get along just fine without three letters after their names. Deciding not to continue with a Ph.D. does not mean that you have "quit" or that others who remain in the program are smarter, more driven, or more virtuous than you are. It also does not mean that you have wasted the time and money that you invested in the degree up to the ABD stage. It may simply mean that after considering your own personal motivations and goals, you decided this career choice wasn't for you=97and that you plan to use the skills you honed as a graduate student in other ways that are more suited to you.
top So what if you decide that the dissertation is for you? The good news! You will build skills in writing your dissertation that you will use throughout your career.
The dissertation is not a one-shot deal. Unlike the elaborate study strategies you developed in order to pass your comprehensive exams, writing the dissertation will enable you to start developing a set of valuable research and writing skills. Thinking analytically, synthesizing complicated information, writing well, and organizing your time will all serve you well regardless of the career you begin. If you choose a career in academia, the systems of support, research strategies, work schedules, and writing techniques that help you do the dissertation will help you write books, articles and lectures for many years to come.
The document itself may become an important part of your early career.
If you take some care in developing your dissertation, the document can be transformed, after graduation, into a book or series of articles that can help launch your academic career. Unlike earlier course papers that just received a grade and were then shuttled off to a filing cabinet or trash bin, your dissertation can be used and revised for years to come. On the other hand, it can be an end as well as a beginning=97you don't have to develop the dissertation beyond the completion of the degree if you don't want to. If you're sick of the topic, you can focus on just finishing it for the degree, and then move on to other projects.
top With all that good news, what's the problem? Sometimes, even if you appreciate the differences between the dissertation and previous work and know that you really want to complete the degree, you may still have trouble. Why? Both external and internal stresses can cause the dissertation process to be more difficult than it has to be.
top Your topic, your advisor, and your committee: making them work for you By the time you've reached this stage, you have probably already defended a dissertation proposal, chosen an advisor, and begun working with a committee. Sometimes, however, those three elements can prove to be major external sources of frustration. So how can you manage them to help yourself be as productive as possible?
You may assemble your committee for the proposal defense, and then never see them until the final dissertation defense. That may work fine for you, or you may decide that you would prefer more frequent contact.
top "Too busy to work": exhaustion, money, and time management Even when you are dedicated to your dissertation and have no problems with your topic, advisor or committee, you can have trouble getting your dissertation written. Simple exhaustion, financial stresses, and family responsibilities can seem to conspire to keep you from doing the work that you need to do. While you can't do anything about many of these stresses =97the rent needs to be paid, and the Grad School still wants you to know two foreign languages, for examples=97you can change the way that you deal with these external concerns and minimize their impact on your psyche and productivity.
Often, graduate students juggle many personal and professional responsibilities while working on their dissertations. You may be teaching an undergraduate course, working a second job to make ends meet, seeking child care, writing conference papers, serving on committees, and more. All of these activities and worries can leave you feeling exhausted. Sometimes, finding time to exercise, meditate, or participate in relaxation programs (yoga, stretching, massage therapy, and so on) can help you cope with tiredness better, even if those things do little to alleviate the work load. The Student Recreation Center and Rams Head gyms offer several exercise classes that may prove useful and relaxing. Good nutrition can also go a long way toward improving your sense of well-being.
A fellowship, grant or scholarship can provide enough financial cushion that you can quit at least one job, and perhaps even find full funding for a year. The Graduate School offers funding workshops and a GrantSource library that can help you identify potential sources of funding. Full fellowships or grants, though, can be a mixed blessing. Often, having one part-time job or other commitment while researching or writing can help you structure your day, get to campus early in the morning, and so on. Without that structure, the day can slip by pretty quickly. With a whole year ahead of you with nothing to work on but the dissertation, there's a tendency to feel like you can put off the dissertation for a day, a week, or more=97there's no sense of urgency. So while fellowships can be tremendously helpful, they also require great discipline to prove effective.
Effective time management can be another way to alleviate some of the external stresses of graduate school. Here are a few strategies:
top Work smart: planning to work when, where, and how you work best When scheduling your dissertation time, think about when, where and how you work best. By giving some thought to these details, you can ensure that the hours you schedule for dissertation work are productive.
Do you write well in the morning, or are you too sleepy to do academic work? Can you work in the evening after a 9-5 day, or do you really need a break? Do you like to read/research on the same day that you write and, if so, do you prefer to write first and then turn to other sources, or the reverse? Once you determine the hours that are most productive for you (you may need to experiment at first), try to schedule those hours for dissertation work. If at all possible, plan your work schedule, errands and chores so that you reserve your productive hours for the dissertation. Directors of Graduate Studies and other employers may be pretty sympathetic to this desire to schedule your best hours for your dissertation=97after all, the dissertation is your reason for being here and should be your number one priority.
Figure out where you work well and plan to be there during your dissertation work hours. Do you get more done on campus or at home? There's no sense in planning to work at home two days a week if you wind up watching Oprah every time you try to work at your kitchen table. Similarly, if you do your best work in your home study, try to avoid planning your days so that you are stuck on campus all day every day, without access to your best work space.
Of course, while it's ideal to plan your days to enable you to spend your most productive work time in your most productive work space working in your most productive method, you can't always do that. So practice working elsewhere, and at other times. Being away from your favorite fountain pen is not an excuse not to write! Neither is losing your lucky rabbit's foot, having to work on campus, or having to schedule something during your "work time." Try to be flexible, and don't use your rituals as excuses.
top Graduate school regulations Graduate students sometimes report that they feel bogged down by departmental requirements, graduate school regulations, and other bits of bureaucracy. Here are a few tips to keep you sane:
top Internal stresses that cause problems for dissertation writers Some sources of graduate student stress are not external=97instead, they come from within. Competition with other students, feelings of inadequacy, and plain ol' procrastination can all slow you down. Competition
Competition is rampant among graduate students. Departments often hold meetings in which graduate students are ranked in order to determine who should be given funding or teaching appointments. Scholarships pick and choose the "best and the brightest," and seminars can turn into arenas where students vie to make the smartest, most insightful comment in front of the professor. This competition can lead to a cut-throat atmosphere that encourages hostility and fears of inadequacy and also inhibits much-needed personal support. If you=92ve reached the ABD stage, you=92ve probably seen some of this action already. But what can you do if you feel that competition within your department is hindering your ability to get work done?
top The procrastination monster People procrastinate for a lot of reasons, some of which you already know. The key to beating procrastination, though, seems to be figuring out why you are procrastinating, so that you can develop strategies for stopping it. Good books and websites on the subject can help (see bibliography), and UNC resources are available to help with procrastination, writer's block and other internal dissertation problems. The University Counseling and Wellness Services sometimes sponsors a dissertation support group, for example, that allows students to meet with a counselor in groups to work through dissertation problems.
top Getting down to business: tips for writing consistently Things to write when you don't want to write
Okay, so you've figured out what you can do to manage the external stresses in your life, and you've done your best to fight your procrastination demons and do battle with feeling that you're not worthy. You've got your workspace set up and time scheduled and you sit down to write and...nothing. Not a word is coming to you. Here=92s what to write when you don't feel like writing:
Boosts to keep you going
So let's say you DO feel like writing. How do you go about it in a consistent way?
Feedback, rewards, and punishments as motivators
Many people use rewards, feedback, and punishments as motivators in the dissertation process.
top Feeling like a professional One of the most important parts of becoming a scholar is feeling like one. The transition from student to scholar is a huge mental step toward completion. Here are a few tips that can help:
top Will It may sound silly, but a major part of the dissertation writing a dissertation is simply having the will to write it=97making yourself do it, even when you don't want to. The dissertation is a marathon, not a sprint, and it will take endurance, determination, and perseverance. Developing and sustaining the will to complete a complicated, long- term project is a habit that will serve you well in other areas of life.
top Get silly Take time to laugh at the process and at yourself. Make up a Top 10 lists of "rejected" dissertation titles. Figure out who would play whom in the movie version of your dissertation (or of your dissertation defense)! Come up with "dissertation proverbs" that will help you survive. Here is a list of some we've heard:
top Works consulted
We consulted these works while writing the original version of this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout's topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find the latest publications on this topic. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial. Books on dissertation writing, procrastination, and graduate school:
Becker, Howard S. with a chapter by Pamela Richards. Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article. (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1986).
While Becker=92s book is geared toward social scientists, writers in other disciplines will probably find it useful. Becker draws on his experience as a sociologist and as the leader of a course on writing for graduate student. He focuses on the process of writing, from developing a writing persona, to getting started, to editing. His chapter on "Getting it Out the Door" may prove especially helpful to graduate students. His tone is generally humorous, but some may tire of the sociological examples he uses.
Bolker, Joan. Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis. (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1998).
Joan Bolker, a clinical psychologist and writing counselor, does not, in fact, tell you how to write your dissertation in only fifteen minutes a day. She does, however, explain how starting with fifteen minutes of work each day might lead to a habit of work that will lead to the successful completion of a dissertation. Her psychological training is particularly beneficial in the sections of the book where she describes the many underlying reasons behind graduate students=92 inability to do consistent work. She offers suggestions for handling all sorts of roadblocks. Some of her recommendations are long-range, large-scale changes like cultivating a "writing addiction." Others are short-term, quick fix solutions, like making a list of all the things you want to jump up and do while writing (like cleaning the oven, paying the bills, edging the lawn, etc.), promising yourself that you can do them when you have completed your allotted amount of work for the day. "You=92ll be amazed," she promises "how much less attractive the items on your list look once you=92ve finished your writing that day." (pg. 90) Some may find her suggestions to take out additional loans or hire help with cleaning or child-care unrealistic, given their finances and the job market, but on the whole she offers useful advice.
Burka, Jane M. and Lenora M. Yuen. Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do About It, (Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company,
1983).Psychologists Burka and Yuen divide their book into two parts =97"Understanding Procrastination" and "Overcoming Procrastination." They describe the different habits of procrastination and the reasons behind them in the first section, focusing on fear of success, fear of failure, fear of losing autonomy, fear of separation, and fear of attachment. They also describe how people become procrastinators. In the second section, they offer concrete advice for resolving problems with procrastination and explain how to set goals, schedule, improve timing, set up support, and so on. The book offers great insight into a very common problem. For the second section of the book to be useful, you must read the first part of the book. [May not be in UNC Libraries; available on the Writing Center bookshelf]
Fitzpatrick, Jacqueline, Jan Secrist, and Debra J. Wright. Secrets for a Successful Dissertation, (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications,
1998).Written in an inviting, often humorous style, this book deals with the mechanics of writing a dissertation (how the process works, how to organize literature reviews, and so on) as well as the more intangible aspects, such as the development of support groups and personal organizational strategies. The book includes a number of short and helpful checklists and "top secrets" set off from the main text for easy reference. The appendix provides a list of action words to introduce quotes, a list of suggested items for inclusion in a research proposal, a statistical decision tree, a list of general action verbs, and an impressive annotated bibliography of books on writing, research, confidence, public speaking, computers, and more. The authors=92 backgrounds are in education and counseling.
Mauch James E., and Jack W. Birch. Guide to the Successful Thesis and Dissertation: Conception to Publication, (New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc., 1983).
The authors offer a no-nonsense approach to planning your project, conducting research, writing, working with your committee, defending the dissertation, and developing it further. The book includes a number of charts, forms, and checklists to help you along the way. The book seems geared toward the dissertation writer who knows what he or she wants to do, and just needs some solid advice on form, planning, and strategy to move them in the right direction. If you know what you need to do and how you ought to do it, but just can=92t seem to get moving, this book might not prove as useful as some of the more "touchy feely" titles on this list.
Peters, Robert L. Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student=92s Guide to Earning a Master=92s or Ph.D., (New York: The Noonday Press, 1997).
Peters covers graduate school from deciding to go in the first place to completing the degree, offering valuable advice at every step along the way. (Skip the section on whether or not you should go to graduate school if you=92re feeling down=97it includes some depressing, if accurate, assessments of the job market.) Of particular interest to the dissertation writer are the chapters entitled The Doctorate: History and Hurdles, Managing Yourself, Choosing and Managing Your Thesis Committee, The Thesis Topic: Finding It, The Thesis Proposal, The Thesis: Writing It, The Thesis Defense, Dealing with Stress and Depression, The Social Milieu and Swimming with the Mainstream: Returning Students, Women, Minorities, and Foreign Students. The book is based on interviews with graduate students, faculty members and counselors, and the real-life experience of the interviewees is particularly helpful. Peters offers a friendly and encouraging style, sound and realistic advice=97and a sizable dose of humor.
Sternberg, David. How to Complete and Survive Your Doctoral Dissertation, (New York: St. Martin=92s Griffin, 1981).
A sociologist and advisor to many graduate students, Sternberg focuses on moving the student from ABD to Ph.D. His chapters explore topic selection, filing systems, proposal-writing, research, writing, committee relations, "the Dissertation Dumps," the defense, and the post-defense uses of the dissertation. Sternberg does strike somewhat of a balance between the "buck up" school that says "Just write the thing and quite whining" and the sympathetic school that is inclined to tell you "it=92s okay," hold your hand, and validate your feelings. On the whole, his suggestions tend to center around developing a plan for completion and adhering to it despite doubts, rather than exploring the doubts themselves in great depth. Some of his advice may seem dated. For example, in discussing sexism, he writes "deep-rooted sexism is still a fact of graduate university structure and hierarchy" that can be "exploited by a woman." He concludes that the "feminist ABD has to suspend her struggle for that ongoing cause during the two years of the dissertation struggle." (p. 150)
top Helpful websites:
Advice on Research and Writing:
Advice for the Ph.D.-Lorn:
How to be a Good Graduate Student DesJardins, Marie:
Preparing Future Faculty:
Back to Dissertation Basics:
Kjell Erik Rudestam, Ph.D. and Rae Newton, Ph.D., authors of Surviving Your Dissertation: A Comprehensive Guide to Content and Process.
The ABD Survival Guide Newsletter:
top
Handout Contents What this handout is about Reasons for ABD inertia Questioning your commitments? Benefits Difficulties Your topic, advisor, and committee Exhaustion, money, and time management Smart planning Graduate School regulations Internal stresses The procrastination monster Tips for writing consistently Feeling like a professional Will Get silly Works consulted Helpful websites
Other UNC Handouts
Writing the Paper Argument Audience Brainstorming College Writing Conclusions Evaluating Print Sources Evidence Fallacies Getting Feedback Introductions Paragraph Development Procrastination Reading to Write Reorganizing Drafts Revising Drafts Spell-check Programs Statistics Summary Thesis Statements Track Changes Transitions Understanding Assignments Using the Library Writing Anxiety Writing Groups
Citation, Style, and Sentence-Level Concerns Articles Citation Resources Commas Conditionals Editing and Proofreading Fragments and Run-ons Gender-Sensitive Language Passive Voice Plagiarism Quotations Should I Use"I"? Style Word Choice
Specific Writing Assignments Abstracts Annotated Bibliographies Application Essays Book Reviews Business Letters Comparing/Contrasting Dissertations Essay Exams Grant Proposals Honors Theses Literature Reviews Oral History Poetry Explications Scientific Research Reports Speeches
Writing for Specific Fields Anthropology Art History Communication Studies History Literature (Fiction) Philosophy Political Science Religious Studies Sciences Sociology
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License. You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout (just click print) and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.
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