Building Confidence in the Dissertation Process and Conference Circuit in Parallel Form
Location
DeSantis Room 2060
Format Type
Plenary
Format Type
Paper
Start Date
16-1-2020 4:30 PM
End Date
16-1-2020 4:50 PM
Abstract
The dissertation process is a daunting time and without structure and guidance is insurmountable. This autoethnographic study commences with using the conference circuit to build the proposal, develop and conduct the study, and relay the findings, while building confidence as researcher and scholar. In this study I ask, In what ways did my journey as a conference presenter guide my dissertation process and build confidence? and What defines a researcher and a scholar?
I chose autoethnography for this study because it is a personalized account that draws on my experiences as a doctoral candidate and expands the sociological understandings of this process (Sparks, 2000). Moreover, Cahnmann-Taylor (2008) add autoethnography highlights the researcher and reflexivity of their own reflections as viable data. As a result, this study is a reflection over a two year period of the dissertation process through my experiences on the conference circuit.
The theoretical framework guiding this study is social identity theory. As I moved through the stages of the dissertation process I presented on the conference circuit. As I went through this process my persona evolved from doctoral student, to doctoral candidate, to a doctor in philosophy. All these personas were built in parallel form while I established myself as a conference presenter, researcher and scholar.
This presentation will discuss how I embedded the dissertation process into the conference circuit and how it provided mentorship and confidence building to complete my degree. Additionally, I will provide guidance for other doctoral students who may need similar support.
Keywords
ethnography, identity, doctoral path
Building Confidence in the Dissertation Process and Conference Circuit in Parallel Form
DeSantis Room 2060
The dissertation process is a daunting time and without structure and guidance is insurmountable. This autoethnographic study commences with using the conference circuit to build the proposal, develop and conduct the study, and relay the findings, while building confidence as researcher and scholar. In this study I ask, In what ways did my journey as a conference presenter guide my dissertation process and build confidence? and What defines a researcher and a scholar?
I chose autoethnography for this study because it is a personalized account that draws on my experiences as a doctoral candidate and expands the sociological understandings of this process (Sparks, 2000). Moreover, Cahnmann-Taylor (2008) add autoethnography highlights the researcher and reflexivity of their own reflections as viable data. As a result, this study is a reflection over a two year period of the dissertation process through my experiences on the conference circuit.
The theoretical framework guiding this study is social identity theory. As I moved through the stages of the dissertation process I presented on the conference circuit. As I went through this process my persona evolved from doctoral student, to doctoral candidate, to a doctor in philosophy. All these personas were built in parallel form while I established myself as a conference presenter, researcher and scholar.
This presentation will discuss how I embedded the dissertation process into the conference circuit and how it provided mentorship and confidence building to complete my degree. Additionally, I will provide guidance for other doctoral students who may need similar support.