Special Workshop on Dissertation Writing for PhD Students
Dr. Sarah Alamri conducted a training workshop titled "Special Workshop on Dissertation Writing for PhD Students” at a webinar organized by the Scientific Research, Innovation, and Graduate Studies Unit of the College of Languages and Translation at King Khalid University on November 6, 2024. The workshop provided guidance on navigating the complex process of writing a dissertation by discussing strategies and tools to help PhD students manage their time effectively, set realistic goals, and maintain productivity throughout their journey.
Dr. Sarah began the workshop with a brief introduction, emphasizing that successfully completing a dissertation requires more than just research. It also involves learning and practicing strategic planning, effective time management, strong writing skills, and the ability to navigate the challenges of long-term academic projects. She then outlined the main components of the workshop, which included: planning and structuring the dissertation, developing academic writing skills, implementing time management strategies, utilizing online resources, overcoming common writing challenges and mistakes, and prioritizing mental health and well-being.
In the first two components of the workshop, Dr. Sarah discussed two crucial aspects of successfully completing a dissertation. The first significant step for PhD students is to plan and structure their dissertation. To achieve this, a student should have clear answers to the following questions: 1) What are you talking about? (research questions), 2) Why are you talking about it? (research significance), and 3) How are you answering the research question? (methodology). Proper planning of the dissertation helps improve academic writing skills. Furthermore, Dr. Sarah shared valuable tips to enhance the writing process, such as creating a detailed outline, writing regularly, organizing ideas logically, revising and editing work, and seeking feedback.
Dr. Sarah also emphasized that effective academic writing requires strong time management strategies and the use of online resources. She highlighted the importance of creating a timeline by breaking the dissertation into manageable tasks, such as conducting a literature review, designing the methodology, collecting data, writing individual chapters, and making revisions. This approach helps PhD students manage their time effectively and maintain productivity. She also discussed setting deadlines, using weekly schedules, eliminating distractions, and allowing buffer time to account for unexpected delays. Additionally, Dr. Sarah shared effective online resources for various purposes throughout the PhD journey, including online learning platforms (Coursera and Udemy), apps to minimize phone distractions (Freedom, Forest, and Stay Focused), and tools for tracking time (Timeular), among others.
The final two components of the workshop focused on overcoming common PhD mistakes and prioritizing self-care and well-being. Dr. Sarah highlighted the importance of several key practices, including taking detailed notes while reading (using a Literature Review Matrix), creating an outline, writing clear and concise topic sentences for each paragraph, using linking sentences to connect different parts of the writing, and summarizing the main points of each chapter and section. Additionally, Dr. Sarah stressed the importance of maintaining mental health and well-being to successfully complete the dissertation. She encouraged students to practice mindfulness or meditation, get sufficient sleep, take regular breaks, and eat healthy food.
Dr. Sarah concluded the workshop by summarizing the key points covered throughout the session, ensuring that all the main ideas were clearly emphasized. She then allocated time for questions and discussion, allowing participants to seek clarification and share their thoughts.
