When they begin graduate school, some folks already know what their dissertation will be about. When you ask them that common question that we are all regularly asked – “What is your research about?” – they can spew out a fine and sophisticated response. For others of us, the dissertation topic is a gradual process– even a slow discovery. Either route is fine. Some are clear from the start and others find a topic along the way. However, once you get close to the prospectus, it's good to have an idea of the direction in which you might want to sail.

[Image Description: A ship sailing out in the big blue sea]
[Caption: Find the right topic and set your course in that direction] 

Two friends of mine once shared with me how some PhD students discovered their dissertation topic. The first person shared with me the following: at times, one can read and study abundant material. However, after much reading, note-taking, and consideration, connections and insights are made at a particular moment. All of a sudden the topic becomes clear and you see it. We may not see the topic at first glance, but if you keep moving forward, you will have your “aha” moment and know what to write about. Another friend, who took more of a historical route for his PhD, shared with me something very similar. He said that initially, he did not know what he was going to write about, but he explored various topics during his coursework and expanded his interest. After finishing his qualification exams in his third year, it became clear to him what he should write about. He said the topic just came. 

Still, others told me they would not be able to wait that long to choose a topic and would just feel the need to choose one and get going. Maybe some of you can relate. Well, despite what route you may take, having a topic at hand when you enter the writing stages of your program is important. From my limited perspective, I will offer a few points: (1) how I chose my topic, (2) my initial plan to work on it, (3) the value of accountability, and (4) some final thoughts.    

Choosing the Topic
It is interesting. Why do we gravitate to certain topics? And why do we ask the questions that we ask? One of my advisors once told me that the dissertation is autobiographical. I wondered if this could be true. Can someone see something of their life in archives that date thousands of years ago? Well, in a very real sense, the answer is yes. There are reasons why we gravitate toward certain ideas and topics. Sometimes, these topics even trace back to questions we had as teens, our life experiences, or many unanswered questions. While there are practical points to remember when choosing a topic – one being having our committee’s support – finding something you can write 200 to 300 pages about is very important. The motivation and energy to do so stems from a very important question: do I find something about this topic that constantly draws me to it? My topic came to me during the summer after my third year. It is ethnographic and exploratory, yet nonetheless, some of my initial questions developed, and I could grasp an initial topic to some degree. As a side note, during this process, I was looking through paintings I worked on during high school and realized the very things I was painting could be seen in the questions my dissertation prospectus was asking. I think our past can speak to our present, but I do not think this is the only path to what guides someone to ask certain questions. It could be the other way around. Some may be asking: what does the future need and how might my research contribute to future issues?

[Image Description: Sylvester the Cat standing on top of a table and drawing up plans.]
[Caption: Have a game plan :)]

Initial Plan
As time moves forward, you may have the thought and vision of what your dissertation looks like. It is good to run some initial thoughts and ideas through your advisors to see what they offer. Some may suggest how you break down your chapters, and others may make other practical suggestions as you move into years 4 and 5 of your program. In our school calendar, we work with the quarter system, so that means you have 3 (or 4 quarters if you include the summer) quarters to write out 3 to 4 pieces of writing (in the humanities and social science fields this may be a more practical route. For my folks in the STEMs, you may have a different game plan, which is perfectly fine. As long as you make adequate progress). Practically, the next one to two years is mainly to produce a skeleton of work that can serve as an initial draft and outline for my dissertation. A skeleton is something sturdy, yet which can still substantially develop. To expand on the metaphor, more meat-like vital organs and much-needed tissue can be added to this skeleton — and sometimes cut or amputated — to further develop and shape this enormous piece of writing. In a simple way – having a game plan is key. Try to break down your dissertation by chapters and at least write a chapter (or more) each quarter. In two years, you will potentially have 6 solid chapters or more. 

Accountability & Feedback
A lot of success depends on deadlines, so making sure you have an advisor to report to weekly, monthly, or quarterly can help you with making steady progress. This sort of accountability will ensure that you will not show up empty-handed by the end of the quarter. Plus, advisors appreciate it when one of their students actively asks for assistance and thus demonstrates some progress. Additionally, your advisors are a wealth of knowledge. You can always run ideas past them, or ask them for some of their own insights. The articles, books, or authors they recommend may save you from wasting time and may lead you to the very idea (or ideas) you need to push forward your work.

Dedication, Diligence, and Determination   
As a final point, I will leave you with these three words. In my experience, the dissertation requires a high level of dedication. This means a great portion of your time will be dedicated to the task, so give it the time that it needs. Stay dedicated and you will slowly but surely reap the fruits of your labor. Furthermore, if you are like me – and the learning process is an upward hill – that is okay. Sometimes we get exhausted on the PhD track. Sometimes, we try to juggle the things of human life and make progress on our work simultaneously. In the midst of all of this, stay diligent and make progress, no matter the cost. As you can see, this attitude is one of determination. Set your goal, and by all means, work towards it. 

All that being said, I raise my coffee mug toward you as a fellow PhD traveler and make a toast: “Here’s to a happy dissertation experience. Enjoy the process.”   

[Image Description: Two cups of coffee hitting each other to make a toast]
[Caption: Cheers!]