Conference Presenting a Good Idea?

All Students

Greetings Everyone! I hope your semester is going great. Today’s topic is one that a lot of students do not take advantage of. Prior to beginning my doctoral program; I had never presented at a major or local conference. Even though I had completed my Masters degree, I did not take advantage of opportunities that were available to me by presenting at national and local conferences. If you are in this similar boat, today’s topic may be of special interest to you.

While sitting in the airport yesterday waiting to return home from a national conference, I felt the need to share this information as it maybe helpful to you all. I met a number of masters and doctoral students who were at the conference either presenting a poster or engaging in a break-out session. For many of the students it was their first time presenting, and they were very nervous. However, the growing theme for all of them were they was excitement about the possibilities that presenting would offer them down the road. While speaking with them, I could not help but think back on the process of presenting for me while in my doc program. A presentation at a national conference in San Antonio in 2008 put me in direct contact with a program coordinator whose program at that time was looking for faculty members to add to their ranks.

I had no idea that the presentation I was giving was in direct relation to the type of research interest that the department was looking to add. Long story short is you NEVER know who will be in the audience when you are presenting. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to present please take advantage of it. While talking to a few of my colleagues at the conference, they informed me of prospective doctoral students who were graduating within the next few months who were presenting and looking for academic positions. As a result, I went to a few of those sessions to see those doc students presentations.

Attending and presenting at those national conferences in your discipline can put you possibly in direct contact with leaders in your discipline. It is also important in relation to network possibilities as you will meet individuals from all parts of the United States and World. Therefore, if your major advisor or professor are encouraging you to present with them, take them up on their offer. In addition, if the department you are in has money for you to travel be sure to take advantage of those opportunities as well.

I believe that presenting at conferences are a bonus for any graduate student. The opportunities are endless as you may run across someone in the audience who is currently looking for potential applicants. Below are a list of things to consider if you are thinking about presenting:

• If you are new to presenting, a poster presentation is where you may want to start
• Gather professionals and being a moderator is a good way to present if you are nervous
• Ask your mentor or advisor if they will present with you
• Present on a topic that you are interested in
• Use your Masters thesis as a topic if you have just finished gathering results
• Make sure you have the right equipment with you (i.e. projector and jump drive)

I hope the above points will help you if you are deciding to present at a national or local conference. In the event that you have questions feel free to send me an email at getmotivatedtofinish@gmail.com

Take Care,

Dr. Quintin Boston, LPC, CRC

Am I Being Productive?

Dissertation Writers

The semester is coming to a close, and mostly everyone feels the “hurry up mode” to ensure deadlines are met. Over the last few weeks, I have been responding to a number of emails regarding dissertation writers who feel they are not being productive. Therefore, this week’s post is specifically geared toward dissertation writers. In the event that you are not a dissertation writer; if you find this information is helpful for your academic journey, please feel free to utilize these suggestions as well.

First off, I can attest to feeling like your production is slipping. My Advisor/Mentor/Dissertation Chair had to constantly remind me that this writing process from an academic standpoint is like non other. I had a real hard time grasping that concept because while in school we are conditioned that when you turn something in, the feedback should come within a few weeks or possibly days depending on the professor. Well, as I am being reminded in emails from current dissertation writers, this is one of main causes of the slippage in production. There are a few ways you can view this, once the drafts or draft is turned in to your advisor or chair, you have no choice but to remain in the wait and see mode. I was once there so I can understand the frustration.

There are some options that are available to you depending on your fatigue level. While  working on my dissertation I was also in the process of studying for the Certified Rehabilitation Counselors Exam; therefore, I had some other things on my mind as well (which I do not recommend for someone in the same case). I found that studying for the CRC was stressful in its own right which I think added to my probably elevated heart level :). Other colleagues of mine had publications that kept them busy while in their wait and see mode. Some of my friends at other Universities took that wait and see time to relax and do nothing but wait. They found this was relaxing for them and they were energized when it was time to write again.

As I pointed out in the emails I responded to, do not look at it as a production slippage “if you have done your best” with the product turned in to your chair. However, if you were rushing and your draft was weak, then that is a different scenario. Below are a list of options for you if you feel you are at the slippage stage:

• Pick up a hobby (e.g. chess, checkers, etc).
• Work on other scholarly activities
• Relax if this works for you
• Travel (if you know your feedback will be at least a week away)
• Pick back up following your favorite athletic team (if you are not already doing that)
• Volunteer with your favorite charity
• Journal your journey (you may find this really relaxing)

I hope the above points will help you if you feel you are slipping in production. Keep in mind as a dissertation writer you may feel you “always have to be busy.” Remember, you will have another wait and see time when you are collecting data, depending on your study. I remember I had at least 2 months of waiting as results to my surveys were DRIBBLING into psychdata. It got to the point that I had to stop checking my stats daily, as that became frustrating. This is a time when you will need to be at your best; therefore, take the “wait and see time” to take care of you and your business whether that is academic or personal.

If you have questions or comments feel free to send me an email at getmotivatedtofinish@gmail.com …

 

Quintin Boston, Ph.D., LPC, CRC