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Single, P. B. (2010). Demystifying Dissertation Writing: A Streamlined Process from Choice of Topic to Final Text. Sterling, VA: Sterling Publishing.

Single, P. B. (2010). Demystifying Dissertation Writing: A Streamlined Process from Choice of Topic to Final Text. Sterling, VA: Sterling Publishing.

DeMystifying Dissertation Writing

June 29, 2014

Before I decided to ask Dr. Major to be my dissertation chair, I started reading this text and taking notes. This is an excellent guide to start with, because I was able to look at the big picture by looking at the author's streamlined process of finishing the dissertation. Some of the key advice Dr. Single gives include writing groups and keeping a dissertation writing time log.

From what I am taking from this is how to do interactive reading and note-taking. She suggests that I jot down the main idea, main points, theory or concept, good quote, and my thoughts on the article. Similar to the annotated bibliography I had to do for the AHE 601: Professional Seminar.

I would recommend this book to be read well before starting the dissertation process.

← The most crucial dissertation text to have and live by...Going with Pragmatism as my philosophical lens... →

Sharing Post-thoughts about my dissertation journey

SEE the Writing -- has multiple meanings.

SEE are the initials of my former married name (Sarah Elizabeth Eiland), and even though the marriage chapter in my life has ended, I still carry "See the writing" perspective lens into what I believe about writing and its effectiveness for my teaching style.

It is during my marriage that I taught Orientation 101 at Gadsden State Community College (2008-2015). Thus, I conducted research with the intent to see what students thought of my writing pedagogy, the writing prompts, as an all-encompassing tool to succeed both in the classroom and in life.

On a side but very important note, I am hearing impaired. Subsequently, I share how writing helps with my reaching out to the students sitting in my classroom.

Autoethnography is the research approach used to explore how writing over time has helped with the development of my pedagogical content knowledge.

Lee S. Shulman's (1986, 1987) pedagogical content knowledge is the theoretical framework for my autoethnographic research. Not only do I refer to PCK, I also touch on several other theories including Dee Fink's (2013) taxonomy of significant learning, Schlossberg's (1989) theory on mattering vs. marginality, Mikhail Bahktin's theory of addressivity, and Jacque Lacan's theory of interconnectedness.

I concluded my autoethnographic research with five findings:

1) individualism within diversity

2) variability

3) persistence

4) competence

5) responsiveness.