When a Travel Agent writes their Dissertation Goals…
The day we returned from our Paris trip, I started the first official credit towards my dissertation. I started this process the day after Anna and Clara started Kindergarten and Bo started First Grade and now they are in Third and Fourth Grade. I’ve completed 63 hours of coursework and I have 5 credits to go — the dissertation. All I have to do is a write a book — ya know, just a book of my own original research… no big thing…
The entire process has been a challenge – especially in terms of time management! I started my travel business just a few months after starting my Ph.D., plus the trio started swim team, and I’ve been working full-time as an assistant professor at Ashford as well. Finding time to work on my courses (and now my dissertation) in the middle of everything else has definitely been a challenge and I fully expect the next year to be the most challenging yet…
There have definitely been moments where I have thought to myself “Why on earth am I doing this?!” but hopefully in a year or so (my official deadline for myself is October 2019 – so I fully expect this goal list to shift a bit and for it to take longer than I have scheduled here… Dissertations are not without hoops and hiccups!), your travel agent will be an official Ph.D. (Not sure what good that does you, but hey! ;)) I thought some of you might find my goals list (and trip rewards!) amusing… At this point, the goal is to do whatever it takes to stay motivated and get it done!
Dissertation Goals!
Dissertation Credit 1 – 4/10/2018 – 6/11/2018
1. Determine seminal/foundational writers for Delphi.
2. Draft Chapter 1 – Introduction
3. Draft Chapter 2 – Literature Review
4. Draft Chapter 3 – Methodology
Submit draft of Chapter 1, 2, and 3 for review by Friday, June 1, 2018!
Mini-Reward 1 – Universal and Clearwater – June 1-June 11, 2018
Dissertation Credit 2 – 6/12/2018-8/13/2018
1. Complete revisions of Chapter 1 – Introduction
2. Complete revisions of Chapter 2 – Literature Review
3. Complete revisions of Chapter 3 – Methodology
4. Complete Proposal with all revisions.
Complete proposal with all revisions and submit by Friday, August 3, 2018!
Mini-Reward 2 – Italy and Mediterranean Cruise – August 5-August 20, 2018
Dissertation Credit 3 – 8/14/2018-/10/15/2018
1. Defend proposal (ideally would like to do this before Italy – but not sure if that is realistic?)
2. Obtain RRB approval
3. Begin Data Collection
4. Begin to Analyze data
Mini-Reward 3 – Trip to Walt Disney World!
Dissertation Credit 4 – 10/16/2018-12/17/2018
1. Draft Chapter 4 – Results
2. Draft Chapter 5 – Discussion
Send drafts of Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 no later than December 14, 2018!
Mini-Reward 4 – Christmas Trip!
Dissertation Credit 5 – 1/1/2019-3/4/2019
1. Complete Revisions of Chapter 4 – Results
2. Complete Revisions of Chapter 5 – Discussion
3. Defend Dissertation!
Mini-Reward 5 – Spring Break Trip!
October 2019 – GOAL – JAMIE WEITL, Ph.D
