My dissertation study-buddy and I have adopted this protocol from our 2010 Fall Research Methods course (taught by Ellie Drago-Severson) that we call Checking In, Checking Out. It involves talking about where we are in the research and what our goals are for the session. At the end of the work session, we check out by reflecting on our progress and new questions. We usually also set goals for the time in between sessions.
I realized last night at my first graduate seminar in the International and Transcultural Studies Department when I talked about yesterday being my official Day for DP writing that I wanted to use my blog as a way to Check in and Check out during each writing session for my dissertation proposal.
CHECKING IN
Update: I’m feeling good about setting a regular writing schedule for weekdays and one session on the weekends, as suggested by Maria Torres-Guzman in seminar last night. I am also ready to integrate reading and writing tasks into my “writing” sessions.
My goals for today’s session:
- Reread three articles regarding context in urban schools for accountability, equity, school leadership, and teacher quality.
- Set up a progress-monitoring spreadsheet for my DP writing (thank you for the suggestion in seminar last night, Maria!)
- Draft five paragraphs of Context and Background Section of Chapter One
CHECKING OUT
Reflections: Arg. I feel tired and like I am only just beginning the work I set out to do this afternoon, even after 4 hours of time thrown at it. There will more to do tomorrow, but for now this is stopping point.
Progress report for today’s session:
- Reread three articles regarding context in urban schools for accountability, equity, school leadership, and teacher quality. I completed two articles while riding the train and made checkmarks in the margins where I wanted to add text to my own DP writing TODAY. The third I finished at my desk before writing. I then pulled seven more articles to supplement the writing I was doing today.
- Set up a progress-monitoring spreadsheet for my DP writing (thank you for the suggestion in seminar last night, Maria!) Created a Google Doc Spreadsheet for this progress-monitoring
- Draft five paragraphs of Context and Background Section of Chapter One I was able to draft two paragraphs of this section.
Potential goals for tomorrow’s session:
- Add to references section at end of DP (CGCS, 2010; Darling-Hammond, 2007; Molls, 2010; NAEP, 2010; NCES, 2008, 2010a, 2010b; Ready, 2010; Reardon, 2003; Resnick, 2010)
- Write those three paragraphs I did not have time to get to today.
