Doctoral Symposium II at CTU: An In-Depth Reflective Analysis
Enjoying the Forest: Taking a Stroll Through the Dissertation Process
Drs. In January 2024, Karen O’Donnell and Debra Burrington conducted the session exclusively for the First Year/First Symposium students. They stressed the significance of the journey over the destination. Their metaphor of walking through the forest appealed to us, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the learning process, not hurrying through it. They discussed how they kept their interest and motivation to learn more about our research topics, which was necessary for newcomers to doctoral studies.
Selecting a Research/Project Topic
In January 2024, First Year/First Symposium students attended the session by Dr. Christina Anastasia, which was dedicated to choosing a research or project topic. She motivated us to pursue our interests and things that intrigued us because these would make our long research journey bearable. Dr. Anastasia highlighted the need to select a topic that combines our interests and fills the void in the current literature. This session enlightened us on the understanding that the choice of the topic is the pillar on which the dissertation or project is created.
Identifying a Research Problem/Phenomenon of Interest
In a session for First Year/First Symposium students, Dr. David Marker discussed the procedure of discovering a research problem or phenomenon of interest. He emphasized that a straightforward research question is the core of any successful study. Dr. Marker’s advice on how to formulate a research question that was specific and succinct laid the foundation for the entire research exercise. We left the session armed with tools to identify, frame, and tighten the research problem.
Trio Alignment: Problem, Purpose, and Research Question
Designed for first-year/first Symposium students, Dr. Weese’s session focused on the relationship between the problem statement, purpose statement, and research question in the research project. Alignment guarantees the consistency and efficiency of a study. Dr. Weese offered pragmatic advice on accomplishing this congruence, enabling students to present the essential elements of their research correctly.
Mastering the Literature Review
Dr. Anastasia reappeared emphasized the necessity of identifying and combining relevant research to inform the study better. The strategies that Dr. Anastasia shared for an in-depth literature review focused on the importance of the literature review to the theoretical framework of a research project. By the end of the session, students had a plan for completing a literature review, which would act as the intellectual core of the research.
Methodology Overview: Action and Design Science Research (Drs. David Levy and Alexa Schmitt, January 2024)
This session, for the first-year/first-time Symposium students, focused on action and design science research methodologies. Led by Drs. This helped Levy and Schmitt understand how to do doctoral stappropriately studies appropriately. The session delved into the concepts, methods, and practices of action and design science research so that the students could learn about innovative research methods. Such methodologies were essential for students pursuing research that led to practical change.
Methodology Overview: Qualitative and Quantitative (Drs. Susan Weese and Debra Burrington, January 2024):
Tailored for first-year/first Symposium students, this session was conducted by Drs. Weese and Burrington discussed qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. It guaranteed that students understood the basics of every method, thus giving a balanced view of research techniques. The session highlighted the need to choose the best methodology for particular research questions, encouraging a nuanced and knowledgeable approach to research design. Drs. Weese and Burrington’s ideas gave students the ability to choose their research methodologies based on their study objectives.
These sessions covered the whole process of dissertation/project, from topic selection to methodology and research design. All sessions helped develop my understanding of the doctoral process and the key steps required for a successful dissertation or project.
References
Madison, R. D. (2024). What to expect on the doctoral journey [Symposium session]. CTU Doctoral Symposium II.
O’Donnell, K., & Burrington, D. (2024). Enjoying the forest: Taking a stroll through the dissertation process [Symposium session]. CTU Doctoral Symposium II.
Anastasia, C. (2024). Selecting a research/project topic [Symposium session]. CTU Doctoral Symposium II.
Marker, D. (2024). Identifying a research problem/phenomenon of interest [Symposium session]. CTU Doctoral Symposium II.
Weese, S. (2024). Trio alignment: Problem, purpose, and research question [Symposium session]. CTU Doctoral Symposium II.
Anastasia, C. (2024). Mastering the literature review [Symposium session]. CTU Doctoral Symposium II.
Levy, D., & Miller, R. (2024). Research design and methodology: What design suits my study? [Symposium session]. CTU Doctoral Symposium II.
Levy, D., & Schmitt, A. (2024). Methodology overview: Action and design science research [Symposium session]. CTU Doctoral Symposium II.
Weese, S., & Burrington, D. (2024). Methodology overview: Qualitative and quantitative [Symposium session]. CTU Doctoral Symposium II.
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