Developing a Dissertation Proposal Part 3: IRB advice

If you're like me and have to obtain IRB approval for your dissertation I have one piece of advice- START EARLY.  I mean months and months and months, maybe even years, early.

This is for 2 main reasons:
1- Your major professor/advisor must be on the IRB, requiring that he/she  have all their certifications and approvals up to date with your local IRB.  Thus they are not able to officially be on your study until they pass through each gate; If they're not on it, you don't get approval.  And, if your advisor is as busy as mine, timeliness and follow-through in these types logistical matters is not commonplace.

2- The IRB approval process is slow and out of your hands.

I have witnessed more than one colleague delayed by a semester or more in graduation because they're IRB didn't get approved in time for them to start data collection when planned.

That being said, I don't plan to start data collection until next fall (6 months from now), therefore I started my IRB process 6 months ago. That is one full year ahead of time- IT STILL ISN'T FULLY APPROVED.  After working through each revision mandated by the review board and obtaining their stamp of approval (something I celebrated) I must continue to wait for all study staff to update their certifications with our IRB.

So my advise for you dear reader is this: START YOUR DISSERTATION IRB NOW, even if you have to revise later. It seems to be much faster to amend/revise an approved IRB study than to obtain initial approval.

Just my two cents.  Take it or leave it.

:)

Developing a Dissertation Proposal Part 2- Your conceptual framework: A How-To Guide from Maxwell

It is time to get serious folks. I have been instructed (1) to write my proposal draft and (2) develop my theoretical and conceptual framework.

“Excellent”, I think to myself.  “Directed guidance at last”.  I’ve been yearning for such directedness for quite some time in my studies and here it is laid out for me in two concrete steps. But there is one MAJOR problem; I have no idea what a theoretical or conceptual framework is.  Well, that’s not entirely true.  I’ve read about “these things”, talked about them and probably even written a good number of reflections on what the abstract terms theoretical and conceptual frameworks are according to the various authors I’ve been assigned the last 3 years.  But abstract is where they’ve stayed in my mind.  I can’t begin to “conceptualize” (ha- like the pun) or operationalize them/aka restate meaningfully for myself in concrete terms that my grandma could understand (thank you Dr. Tony Tan for teaching me this skill of clarity in writing- “write it so that your Grandma can understand it”, Tan, class lecture, Fall 2011) what a conceptual nor theoretical framework is and how to develop one for myself.

So, like a good little doctoral student I went searching for books, articles, and lectures- ANYTHING that speaks to DEVELOPING YOUR OWN theoretical & conceptual framework.  ALAS, I found something. A book on qualitative research by Maxwell has a chapter dedicated solely to the term conceptual framework. SCORE!

Maxwell, (YEAR). Qualitative Research Design. Chapter 3:  Conceptual Framework- What do you think is going on?

Maxwell writes that a conceptual framework is  “primarily a conception or model of what is out there that you plan to study, and of what is going on with these things and why- a tentative theory of the phenomena that you are investigating” (p.33). 

OK, so I just need to think about what I THINK is going on here and make sense of this all somehow logically. 

BUT HOW…

Maxwell recommends using a tool: the concept map. Below I outline this process for you- later I will write about how my application of this tool to my own study goes- WISH ME LUCK!

Exercise 3.1 (p. 52)- Creating a Concept Map for your Study

Here it is, in simplified “unplugged” terms:

Develop a concept map of the major concepts your studying and how they are related- remember “at this point you are trying to represent the theory you already have” in your mind

1-    Brainstorm keywords/terms that you use day to day when talking about the topic your studying/interested in

2-    Practice mapping out something you’ve already written on the topic (the Software Inspriations is helpful for this part)

3-    Take 1 initial term or concept from step 1 or 2 above and brainstorm everything you can that might be related to this term/concept

a.     Go over the brainstormed list from step 3 and highlight those that seem most relevant/connected to your study/topic of interest

4-    Have a peer or advisor interview you about your topic

a.     Have them ask/probe you “what do you think is going on and why”

b.     Tape this, listen to it and write down the main words you talked about

c.      FOCUS ON BOTH THE LITERATURE AND YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE EQUALLY!

5-    Now ask yourself how these concepts you generated on above lists are/might be related.  Look for:

a.     Connections

b.     Start with 1 concept/term and draw lines to others- using arrows

c.      The arrows/not the circles are the key here (your proposed relationships)

d.     Ask yourself, “what do I mean by this particular arrow”/”what does it stand for”

e.     Add a concrete example for each arrow/circle- GET OUT OF ABSTRACTION

(don’t worry if you don’t have an exact word- just use a placeholder)

6-    MOVE ,MOVE ,MOVE- continually ask yourself what you mean and if it makes sense. Keep re-working the concepts/terms (the circles) you choose to use and the relationships among/between them (arrows)

7-    Write a narrative about the map using the following probe: What does this map say about the phenomena I’m studying

8-    TAKE RISKS!

PHEW- a starting point.  I’m off to develop mine. Stay tuned for an update- if you do yours let me know how it goes… misery does truly love company!

Developing a Dissertation Proposal- part 1

Here I go folks..... I have officially entered the last semester of course work during which I take the bittersweet course, Research Design.  This is the course where, in theory, one designs their dissertation proposal- YIKES!

This also happens to be the semester during which I will complete my qualifying exams- double YIKES!

I end today with a favorite quote from my reading this week:

"In the mass detail that goes into the planning of a research study, the writer must not forget that the proposal's most immediate function is to inform readers quickly and accurately" (Locke, Spirduso and Silverman, 2007, p.6)

.....now how's that for hitting me where it hurts right out of the gates.

Wish me luck folks and come back often as I chronicle this journey with you- enjoy the ride (then I can be sure at least one of us will).

________________________

Locke, L.F., Spirduso, W.W., Silverman, S.J. (2007). Proposals that work: A guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals (5th ed). Thousand Oakes, Sage.

Dabrowski's Positive Disintegration through Poem

I found this poem today and it spoke to me so I am sharing......

To me I see it exemplifying Dabrowski's Level III: Spontaneous Multilevel Disintegration whereby individuals live with inner turmoil sprouted from tensions between  who they are (their "is" based on personal values/morals) and who they ought to be based on societal/cultural/familial values and norms.

Dabrowski, K. (1996). The theory of positive disintegration. International Journal of Psychiatry, 2(2), 229-244.
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The Poem:
The Chameleon
by Ellen Dove Fiedler (as cited in Daniels & Piechowski's, 2009, Living with Intensity, p.168-169)


Sometimes you see me; then you don't.
I know the tricks for blending in.
My color's bright, 
A glowing hue, 
Changing with your point of view.


My awareness, truly keen, 
Makes me be sure
I'm seldom seen
Unless, unless it's safe for me-
Safe to be all I can be.


In surroundings where no threat
Causes me to fade and hide,
Filled with doubts
And deep despair,
Not quite belonging, anywhere.
If you will see me as I am
Then I can let you come inside,
Into a place
Where you can find
The treasures of my hidden mind.


I'll share my secret world with you,
Tell you my dreams,
My thoughts, my plans.
And then, at last,
Perhaps I can
Know who it is I really am.
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That last line, "know who it is I really am", is powerful and sad...........