Cracking the Dissertation Code with Alan Belcher

Happy Doc Student Podcast

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In episode #133, I'm hanging out with Dr. Alan Belcher who will help you crack the code on your dissertation. Alan is an experienced educator, administrator, and consultant, having worked with students in schools at all different levels and in many states and countries.

Highlights

· Think of your dissertation as a problem to solve.

· Your dissertation isn't just a requirement but a skill-building exercise that prepares you for future research and problem-solving.

· A doctoral journey is transformative in shaping how you approach and solve real-world issues - it will absolutely change the way you think.

· Choosing the right research method goes beyond whether you are more comfortable with words (qualitative) or numbers (quantitative).

· In most case, one method is not necessarily easier or faster than the other (an exception might be when you leverage existing data sets and systematic literature reviews).

· Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) are a valuable method for synthesizing existing research to identify gaps and contribute new insights (this might be an option if you are in an applied program and if it is not, look for SLRs in your topic area – time saver when you are building the rationale for your research).

· BEFORE you settle on a research method (which must be appropriate given your problem statement and RQs), take the time to do a thorough literature review and method exploration.

· You are surrounded (and your tuition funds) experts; leverage your Chair, advisors, methodologists, and librarians!

· Aim for excellence and clarity NOT perfection (you do want to graduate, right?)

· Don’t lose sight of the iterative process of learning and adapting during the journey; dig deep to develop your curiosity, flexibility, and a commitment to rigorous methodology.
If you are looking for the spreadsheet, please email: [e-mail] as I could not link to the show notes.

Five relevant episodes to Cracking the Dissertation Code.

1. The Best Dissertation is a DONE Dissertation with Dr. Melanie Shaw - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1547113/7455607

2. The Dissertation Shift with Dr. Todd Fiore - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1547113/7242724

3. The 4 H's of Doctoral Success with Dr. Todd Fiore - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1547113/9399117

4. Exposing 5 Dissertation Myths with Dr. Dani Babb - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1547113/12829732

5. Best Practices for Students and Chairs with Dr. Eva Mika - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1547113/8752221

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