UNMC held its first dissertation boot camp in August, and both organizers and participants called it a success.
“It went very well,” said Pamela Carmines, Ph.D., assistant dean for graduate studies.
Nine Ph.D. candidates took part in the four-day camp, which was the first of its kind at UNMC.
“They were at every stage of writing their dissertations,” Dr. Carmines said. “Some just needed to get started, and one participant is defending in less than three weeks, so he was really polishing his final draft.”
Dr. Carmines led the event, which was styled like a discussion group and workshop, with four-to-six hours of dedicated writing time each day. Travis Adams, Ph.D., director of the Writing Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, also was actively involved in several aspects of the boot camp.
Topics included writing strategies and tips for being more productive, Dr. Carmines said. “If you write early in the morning, for example, you don’t spend the rest of the day trying to procrastinate or worrying about when you’re going to fit it into the rest of your day.”
The discussion grew around the attendees’ needs and the specific obstacles they were facing, she added.
Dr. Adams said the students were productive and asked good questions about the writing process. “We talked a lot about staying motivated beyond the boot camp, which is often a challenge,” he said.
A “Grammar Hammer” presentation by Myron Toews, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology & experimental neuroscience, helped participants recognize and avoid common errors in scientific writing.
Heather Brown, associate professor and head of collection services in the Library of Medicine, walked participants through the procedure for electronically submitting a dissertation. Other discussions centered on proper formatting and resources to access once boot camp was completed.
Based on the success of the first boot camp, Dr. Carmines plans to hold similar events each year in August and early January.
“For logistical reasons, it doesn’t work well to hold it during the semester,” Dr. Carmines said.
The next boot camp is set for Jan. 3-6, with registration available here.
Raheleh Miralami, who attended the inaugural boot camp, said she would return for the next one, as well. Miralami said she also would recommend the camp to other students.
Andresa De Souza agreed. Still in the process of collecting her research data, she said the sessions were helpful and she hoped UNMC would continue the boot camp events.