Implementing a dissertation boot camp This presentation traces the development and implementation of a Dissertation Boot Camp for the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. Inspired by a session at the 2012 NAGAP annual conference, four graduate program coordinators wrote a proposal for a similar program and worked together with administrators from the college Dean’s office to plan and administer a pilot program this summer. A panel of graduate program coordinators and Dean's office staff presented on the planning phase of our pilot Boot Camp at this year’s NAGAP annual conference. This presentation will follow up on this earlier panel by addressing three topics: 1) the advantages and disadvantages of our chosen boot camp format, 2) the value of the program to participants, and 3) formal assessment and future planning. Presenter(s): Marilyn Lehman, Chaz Nailor, Melanie Morgan The University of Texas at Austin

1. Implementing a
Dissertation Boot Camp
University of Texas at Austin—Summer 2013

2. 1 Organization: What worked, and what didn’t?
Chaz Nailor, Graduate Coordinator
Department of French & Italian
2 Experience: What did participants take away?
Marilyn Lehman, Graduate Coordinator
Department of History of History
3 Evaluation: Where do we go from here?
Melanie Morgan, Foundations Specialist
Office of Research & Graduate Studies
College of Liberal Arts
Presentation Agenda:

3. Part 1 - Organization
What worked, and what didn’t?

4. Boot camp organizers: Graduate Coordinators from Anthropology,
French & Italian, Psychology, and History, and Dean’s Office staff

8. Students at work, Writing Space

9. Writing mentor presentation, Activity Space
Ferlin McGaskey, Center for Teacher and Learning

10. Part 2 - Experience
What did participants take away?

13. "I am quite frankly astounded by how much
work I managed to get done during the last
two weeks and hope to keep up the pace,
even though the boot camp is now ending.”
--Graduate Student, History

14. "In addition to the writing, I have learned several
valuable techniques to maximize my productivity as I
complete the dissertation. Some of these strategies
include: establishing a daily writing block, using visual
mapping techniques to brainstorm sections of the
chapter that remain unclear, identifying and clarifying
the purpose, rationale, background, and theoretical
support for the two newest chapters, and soliciting
more feedback from my peers (several of us have
already started a writing group)."
--Graduate Student, American Studies

15. Faculty presentation, Activity Space
Prof. Marjorie Curry Woods, English

16. Faculty presentation, Activity Space
Prof. Marjorie Curry Woods, English, with a Psychology graduate student

17. One-on-one faculty mentoring, Activity Space
Prof. Randy Lewis, American Studies with a History graduate student

18. Peer discussion, Activity Space
Graduate students in History and Geography

19. Boot campers at our wrap-up dinner

20. Part 3 - Evaluation
Where do we go from here?

21. blogs.utexas.edu/
dissertationbootcamp/

22. Daily Writing Log
1 What did you learn today?
2 What do you need to do tomorrow?
3 How are we doing?

23. Formal Survey
• Online Survey Tool
• Quantitative & Qualitative
• Students, Presenters, & Organizers

24. Student workspace, Julius Glickman Conference Center,
College of Liberal Arts Building

25. Thank you!
…Any questions?