POSTER PRESENTATION AND ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: LESSONS LEARNED & STRATEGIES FOR SUCCEEDING IN DOCTORAL PROGRAM

I was invited by the Argosy University Alumni to present my research at the Post Doctoral Symposium held in conjunction with the doctoral residency in Dallas Texas.

POSTER PRESENTATION

During the poster session held on Thursday, December 7, 2017, residency 1 and residency 2 Argosy students and faculty, circulated among the poster presentations to hear about the research and ask questions about the background, design, result, and the conclusions from the research. They also asked questions about the doctoral journey.

I presented my research on “The effects of country risks on inflow of foreign direct investment to West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ)” during the poster session. It was a delightful opportunity to share my research process from problem identification to the research results and implications.

LESSONS LEARNED

As a symposium presenter, I facilitated a roundtable discussion between residency 1 and residency 2 students held on Friday, December 8, 2017. The topic for the roundtable discussion was: “Lessons Learned: Strategies for Success”. During this round table discussion, we shared strategies and best practices for succeeding in the doctoral program and research study. I shared some strategies that personally helped me successfully complete my dissertation in a very short time.

Among many other strategies shared, here are some key highlights:

Identify the topic area you want to study for your dissertation and use it for any research assignment on all your academic writing and research courses.

This strategy works best for the residency 1 students. As you take your academic writing / research courses, use your identified research interest for all the research assignments in these courses. You will learn how to modify your research topic or questions to suit the requirements for each of the courses. As you do this, you will see your understanding of the topic area will deepen, and you will gain clarity on what it is you are trying to study, even before the dissertation proper.

Another benefit of this strategy is that for each time you research on the topic area, you are gathering, annotating, and saving the articles and other resources you used. These will make your literature review easier when the time comes for your dissertation.

I shared how I used this strategy from my first year till the last research course I took which required a Mini Research Paper as a culmination project for the course. Because I have been working on the same topic area, I had all the resources I needed for the paper. This mini research paper formed the basis for the chapters 1, 2, and 3 of my dissertation. By the time I passed the comprehensive examination, these first three chapters of my dissertation were ready; I only just developed them further.

Keep an open mind

As Dr. Brian McAulay, The president, Argosy University, Dallas Campus, said in his keynote address, the ideas that you came into the program with, might not be the ideas you leave with. Be open to change. This is applicable to the strategy above. Even as you work on this chosen topic area of yours, do not restrict your self. You will get new information as you research, and you may find that your chosen design may not be the best to answer your research question. You will constantly be refining and narrowing down your ideas to a manageable point.

Manage your time properly

Time management is one major thing doctoral students struggle with. Given the demands of the program, students are constantly struggling with managing class, family, and work demands. Time management is what every participant echoed in the discussion.

Dr. Brian McAulay recommended “Getting Things Done”, a time management book by David Allen, as a book to read to get started on time management. He also recommended a productivity tool called “Toodledo” which helps you put into practice, the principles explained in the book “Getting Things Done”. According to Dr. McAulay, if you are going to bed thinking about some tasks undone, or if your mailboxes are not cleared, then you need time management.

Dr. William Nowlin, Associate Dean, Graduate School of Business and Management, recommended having a contingency plan as you work on time management. It is not enough to say you will accomplish a task; add a timeline to it and build a contingency plan around it just in case you miss your target timeline.

Collaborate with fellow students and work with a mentor

Collaboration is one strategy that works with just about everything. Get some of your classmates contact information and form a cohort. Check on and support each other. I shared a story about how a friend of mine Njideka, who lives in United Kingdom, called and told me to download an application called “Trello”.

Inquisitively, I did, and she used that as an opportunity to get me to manage my time and get things done. She will casually ask what I was working on and when I think I could get it finished. The next thing I will see is a notification of task added for me on “Trello”, with constant reminders to get it done before the time. She is one of my strong support systems. Find and utilize support systems that work for you and share the same values as you do.

Summary / other strategies

There are many other strategies that you can apply to be successful. One of the roundtable groups suggested you OWN your education. Own whatever you are doing and commit to giving your best. Do not forget to read the rubrics for any assigned tasks. Back up your files. Nothing can be as stressful as loosing an already completed work.

I will conclude with a statement from the Dr. Brian McAulay – find a leadership system that resonates with you and build on it. Your doctorate degree and your research put you in a leadership position in your chosen field. Build on it and lead change. Don’t forget to give back, just like the poster presenters have come to give back.