Motivation Quotation......

Aku meminta kepada Tuhan setangkai bunga, segar, Ia beri kaktus berduri. Aku minta kupu-kupu diberinya-Nya ulat berbulu. Aku sedih dan kecewa. Namun kemudian, kaktus itu berbunga indah sekali dan ulat itupun menjadi kupu-kupu yang sangat cantik. Itulah jalan Tuhan, indah pada masaNYA! Tuhan tidak memberi apa yang kita harapkan. Tapi Dia memberi apa yang kita perlukan. Kadang kala kita sedih, kecewa dan terluka. Tapi jauh di atas segalanya Dia sedang mengatur yang terbaik dalam kehidupan kita.............................................

Friday, March 13, 2009

Writing Always not Writing Up

'writing related issues often play a significant role in preventing or delaying completion of Phds"
(Torrance & Thomas, 1994)


Facilitating Student Writing: Issues and strategies
Dont get it right, get it well written - write early, write often

strategies for student:
- review other theses in the discipline
-talk to other students/graduates
-research and write simultaneously
-do a thesis plan (T.O.C.) early and keep it growing as the research proceeds
-work flexibly with your thesis plan
-set clear writing goals and milestones
-talk what you want to say into a tape
-break big tasks down into manageable chunks
-reward yourself for progress, mark achievements
-build safeguard into timeline
-re-frame: view writing as a series of hoops to jump through (achieveable tasks) rather than a test of intelligence or endurance
-dont stall or get bogged down in detail; if this happens take a short break

Problems with writing

-fear of supervisor's feedback or of supervisor in general
-fatigue: too many 'binges', binge-only writing, more 'snacks' needed, more rest? binges can be aversive, leaving you feeling drained
-lack of momentum: redefine this not as lack of progress, but as limited relationship between writing session.
-not writing often enough
-lack of rewards
-signalling problems: you cannot find your way in your own writing
-not achieving high enough standard in writing

Strategies for unblocking

-free writing
-generative writing
-mind mapping
verbal rehearsal
-write down all you know about X
-write down all your ideas abot X
-construct a sense of ending: visualize the completed thesis

becoming a serial writer
-write regurlarly
-measure your actual output:count/calculate the number of words/pages you write per hour/week
-plan and give a work-in- progress presentation
-plan and write chapters pf your thesis
-submit conference abstract
-set yourself writing tasks:define form, content, length of time, number of words before you start
-continue freewriting to develop your ideas and build confidence

workshop by Dr. Catherine Manathunga and Dr Wendy Green (UQ/TEDI)
12 March 2009, Conference Room Duhid Bldg

courtesy of my UUM friend at Brisbane; Fatimah Zaily Ahmad

2 comments:

LiLa said...

Sis,
Good notes!

xoxo

Unknown said...

tq...sharing is caring...