Fishing and Dissertations
June 18th is National Go Fishing Day! Do you feel like you keep casting your dissertation line in the water only to reel in an empty hook? Perhaps you need to learn to fish!…
“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
The origins of this quote are contested, but I think most agree with the sentiment. So, what’s the equivalent of “learning to fish” for completing your dissertation?
Here at Dissertation Done, I occasionally get requests from students who want me to write their entire dissertation for them. That’s not what Dissertation Done does.
I’m in business to help people be successful. Writing your dissertation for you isn’t just unethical, it doesn’t really help you. But supporting you, teaching you how to move forward, that enables you complete your dissertation. Yourself. It’s kind of like having a guide show you the best spot and recommend the right bait.
Learning to fish is more than just casting out a line and waiting! You should poke your head in at the bait shop. Chat with the folks there. See what bait people are using, what gear. Find out where the best fishing holes are. Make sure you have the right bait and tackle. Then fish.
Have you ever heard the terms “metadata” or “metacognition”? These are based on the root word “meta,” which simply means “beyond.”
Metadata is “data about data.” Metacognition is “thinking about thinking.” What dissertation coaching does isn’t to write your dissertation; it’s more “meta-dissertation;” it’s about the dissertation process.
So, if you’re sitting down to write your dissertation and it seems you don’t really know what to do, it’s probably because you haven’t done enough “meta” work.
How should you organize your dissertation?
What process should you use?
How should you structure your time?
The more you know about the dissertation process, the more progress you’ll make on your dissertation.
So, if your dissertation nets keep coming up empty, perhaps I can teach you to fish. Click here to schedule a quick, 15-minute chat with me to see if you’re a good candidate for our Fast Track Your Dissertation Coaching Program. If you are, then I’ll invite you to join the fastest group of dissertation students out there and help you to reach graduation a good year or two faster than you would on your own.
