Category Archives: dissertation related

Defending My Dissertation Proposal with Prezi

March 4, 2014dissertation related, review, Toolsconferences, presentations, Prezi, san francisco, technologykreniske

In late December I successfully defended my dissertation proposal, titled Writing as Development and the Implications of Blogging. Despite my cautious review of Prezi, I decided to use it for the defense for a few key reasons.

1. Powerpoint is soporific

Powerpoint is soporific – it makes people in the room tired. This isn’t always the case – some people are great with PowerPoint, I’m just not one of them. Prezi designs are sleek, so compared to PowerPoint, it takes a lot less work to make your presentation look good.

2. Reinstated Privacy Function

Second, Prezi has reinstated the private function. When I wrote the previous review, Prezi had temporarily removed the feature that allowed users to create private presentations. This was problematic. For example, consider my my proposal presentation. After presenting I hoped to get feedback from my committee (of three professors) and then make revisions before proceeding with the final paper and subsequent data collection. I wanted to be able to decide after the presentation what was public and private and what would be changed.

Luckily Prezi reinstated the locked or private presentation function. As you might notice I made the presentation private and have kept it that way. My committee gave me critical feedback that changed the research method and some of the final directions. I’d like my presentation to reflect these changes before I make it public. In addition, I have yet to do the research. I know it is unlikely, but what if someone were to see my presentation and be able carry out my design before I do!

3. Familiar Turf

Finally, Prezi needs the latest Flash player to run, so if you are using an unfamiliar computer this could be a problem. However, my defense was at the Graduate Center – where I spend a lot of time so I was able to test out the computer well in advance. Looking ahead this may be an issue.

And how was my proposal defense you might ask?

I’d rather not write too much about that…at least the Prezi worked! Overall, it went well. The basic format was as follows, I talked for about 20 -25 minutes, then each of the three committee members offered some excellent feedback. I later incorporated their comments into a revised copy of my proposal, which I submitted to The Graduate Center. If you’re interested in the content of the proposal you can check out a brief description on my New Media Lab page.

And the future?

I’m slated to present the initial results of my research in late May at the Jean Piaget Society Conference in San Francisco. I will not be able to test out the computers beforehand. If I choose Prezi I must accept the possibility that it may not work. But no matter what presentation software I choose – there’s a risk of technical failure, and based on my experiences Prezi only slightly increases this risk. Downloading the Prezi as a PDF is a good backup, it won’t look as good but at least if Prezi does not work I will still be able to scroll through the PDF as I talk. Even if I know there won’t be any tech issues, I’ve found printing out the PDF’s is useful as it helps keep me on track during a talk and I can always check the printout for what’s next before moving what’s projected on the screen. I’ll be sure to post an update on how Prezi worked after the conference!

Words from Writing Restructures Consciousness by Walter J Ong

September 4, 2013dissertation related, for fun, Recent ReadingsOng, wordsd, Writingkreniske

I’m writing a piece of my dissertation proposal where I theoretically explain how writing leads to cognitive and emotional development, and what better place to reference than Walter J. Ong’s essay Writing Restructures Consciousness, in Orality and Literacy (1982/2002).

About every other page there is a word that I don’t know, or at least can’t define off hand.

Below are some of the fun words I’m finding. Also, it seems Google has picked up on this digital humanities trend popularized by Moretti and started sharing graphs of word use over time, some of which I’ve included below.

Here’s a good one, Ong writes: “Texts are inherently contumacious”.

contumacious

“/ˌkänt(y)əˈmāSHəs/ stubbornly or willfully disobedient to authority”.

What’s interesting about this point is the contrast to oral language, once a text is printed it can’t be refuted, at least not in the immediate moment. Interestingly, in a text like a blog there is often a space for comments where people can immediately refute or support a text.

a fortiori

(thanks Merriam)

“\ˌā-ˌfȯr-shē-ˈȯr-ˌī, ˌä-ˌfȯr-shē-ˈȯr-ē, -ˌfȯr-tē-\ : with greater reason or more convincing force”

“A fortiori, print is vulnerable to these same changes” (p. 79).

quiescent

“/kwēˈesnt,kwī-/ in a state or period of inactivity or dormancy” (p. 90).

“All script represents words as in some way things, quiescent objects, immobile marks for assimilation by vision”.

In contrast to script, or written word, which is quiescent, oral language is evanescent, or fleeting.

Ong goes on to detail how writing has specific effects on noetic processes (103).

“/nōˈetik/ of or relating to mental processes”.

I remember an interview with Walt Clyde Frasier where he said that he picks out words from the Times each day to try out on his Knicks broadcast. Try using some of these words from Writing Restructures Consciousness in your daily life and you are sure to sound magniloquent (p.102).

3 Points of Contention with Paul J. Silvia’s Book ‘How to Write a Lot’

July 2, 20132nd doctoral exam, dissertation related, for fun, Recent Readingskreniske

As you will know if you check out my previous post I think Paul J. Silvia’s book ‘How to Write a Lot’ is an excellent resource. However, there are at least three points (perhaps minor) on which Silvia and I disagree.

1. Making and sticking to writing times is very important. That said, I think that graduate students need to be flexible. I schedule meetings with professors around my writing time when I can, but if a professor only has a certain slot available I think it is important to be able to move my writing time to an hour later.

On a related point, in the name of terseness I said in my last post that my writing times were M, W, F from 1-3pm. In truth, I had to accommodate my teaching schedule. On Mondays I taught at Hunter College from 10:10 – 1pm. After class I needed to get food, and then there was not really a good place for me to work at Hunter – so I commuted home, and then I usually had to walk Boomer. My writing time on Mondays had to be moved to 3-5pm. What is most important, and Silvia stresses this, is that the writing time is a consistent time that you can work well and focus on your research.

Two of these next points concern the physical surroundings that Silvia maintains are necessary for writing.

2. Silvia makes light of working in his living room, bedroom, guest bedroom and “briefly in a bathroom” (p. 21). He then concedes that he wrote ‘How to Write a Lot” in the guest bedroom in his house. I agree with Silvia’s larger point – you don’t need a home office to write a lot; but I think that a guest bedroom is a nice luxury not afforded to many grad students, especially those of us in NYC. I would amend Sivlia’s point. You don’t need a home office, but it is useful to have a place where you consistently write. For example, I write at my kitchen table. I stack up a bunch of Developmental Psychology issues so the laptop is eye level, and I don’t strain my neck (yes it’s happened), and then I plug in a USB mouse and keyboard. I call this space my ‘office’, and when my writing time is up – I put my office away (Or my wife gently reminds me to do so when she gets home). I think having this regular space is important, it adds to my routine and cuts out the ten or more minutes I might waste trying to settle down elsewhere. Of course some days I am at school – so I just use the desktops there and that works fine too.

3. Finally, Silvia claims you do not need a comfortable chair. I disagree. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a chair, but your chair should be comfortable and supportive. Silvia says he worked on a metal folding chair and an Eames fiberglass chair. Perhaps that worked for him but I could not sit on one of those chairs for 6- 10 hours a week. As Chuck Close says, “How’s the back?”.

Eames Chair similar to Paul J. Silvia's in 'How to Write a Lot' — A Lonely Eames Chair at the Graduate Center (CUNY)

I Passed My Second Qualifying Exam; Thanks Paul J. Silvia!

June 26, 20132nd doctoral exam, dissertation related, Recent Readings2nd docs, readingskreniske

repost from google book review:

A couple weeks ago I passed my second qualifying exam, also known as the second doctoral exam. In my Ph.D. program, these consist of a 20 page literature review presenting an in depth critique of at least 10 research articles. Aside from the support of my advisor, Colette Daiute, and my second reader, Joe Glick, the most important person in this process was someone I have never met, Paul J. Silvia author of How to Write a Lot.

Three critical recommendations from Silvia were as follows:

Make a writing schedule and stick to it.

For me the schedule was M, W, Fri from 1-3pm. Silvia says his schedule is M – Fri 8-10am. I called this time my ‘meeting time’ and reserved it for writing and reading related literature. Silvia suggests turning off your phone and even the Internet (gasp!) during this time. Furthermore, plan appointments and extracurricular activities around this time, as you would if you were actually meeting someone.

Write out specific goals.

For example, early on my goal for one writing time would be to read an article and write a rough draft of a critique. Later in the process the goal for a writing time might have been to revise the method section.

Reward yourself!

This was my favorite piece of advice from Silvia. For my reward on completing the exam I bought a fun used bike (check out my next post for details!).

How to Write a Lot is about 150 pages, but I think I gleaned the most valuable information after about the first 50. I still refer back to this book even though I’m done with the exam and there’s likely more great insights to gain.

I think many academics and certainly anyone working on the qualifying exams would be wise to read Silvia’s book. Even if you don’t read it – at least take these three pieces of advice: Make a writing schedule, write specific goals each week, and reward yourself!

Finally, thanks to my fellow ITP’ers Ashley and Michelle who recommended this resource!

how to write a lot — How to Write a Lot
By Paul J. Silvia

1. Powerpoint is soporific

2. Reinstated Privacy Function

3. Familiar Turf

And the future?

Previously

Today

Percolating ideas (thank you Walt Clyde):

Other ideas: