From Dr. Wendy Carter of TA-DA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished

Make it Work for You: Another Perspective on Graduate School

2009-06-12T10:42:00.003-04:00

Graduate school is typically viewed as a three-stage process, comprising:

1) Coursework;
2) Qualifying exams; and
3) Dissertation/thesis writing

Most grad students don't have any difficulty with the coursework, as they're well accustomed to taking classes and receiving a grade. After the coursework is done, however, many students falter in the unfamiliar territory of the next two stages, particularly when it comes to writing their dissertation or thesis. Students can take months and even years to complete these final stages.

In my opinion, the key to avoiding this pitfall is to view these three stages not as isolated segments but, rather, as tightly inter-woven processes that connect and complement one another. For example, before you even begin the first stage of taking courses, it is highly beneficial to have at least a general idea of what you would ultimately like to research for your thesis or dissertation. If you wait to make this decision, all of the work you complete in your coursework will be simply to fulfill university course requirements. But if you've already pinpointed a general subject area, you can use every single course as a vehicle to explore your interest and, consequently, contribute to your end-stage document.

For more about Making Graduate School Work for You, click here.

'I Need Answers!' ... The Quest of the Research Problem

2009-05-22T15:56:00.002-04:00

What problem do you wish to solve? What questions do you hope to answer? What pertinent knowledge do you want to uncover? What do you aspire to prove?

These are among the questions you will need to answer before you can write a "problem statement" for a proposal or research paper ... and certainly before you can begin writing the paper itself.

When most graduate students begin their journey, they have only a general idea in mind for their topic, e.g., "women's poverty in Senegal." The far more difficult task is to specifically define what they wish to discover about "women's poverty in Senegal." The purpose of a research paper or thesis is to answer a research question (or questions). Read the entire article on research problems...

TADA! Summer Dissertation Writing Group

2009-04-24T14:28:00.006-04:00

Are you tired of writing alone? Do you think no one cares if you finish your dissertation? Are you almost, but not quite, finished with your thesis or dissertation? Even if you are working on your Quals or prelims you can post your progress here.

Many of the students who participated in TADA! Thesis and Dissertation Challenges previous have already graduated. Who's next? Is it your turn to graduate and get those letters after your name? M.A., M.S., Ph.D.?

Don't wait until the summer gets here to start post, you can begin today.

Post can your daily, weekly, or monthly progress here. Posting to a daily or weekly blog keeps you honest and accountable to the group.

This Blog is created for those who have previously participated in the Dissertation House and or TADA Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished Challenges or for those who want the public/weekly accountability. If you post, I will publish.

Here's How to begin

1. Setting up your FREE Google account at www.gmail.com
2. Logging in to the blog
3. Clicking on "Comments" below and posting the answers to these questions:

What will you work on?
How much time will you spend daily working on it?
Tell us how much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

Want to Finish Your Thesis or Dissertation in 30 Days?

2009-04-13T12:35:00.001-04:00

You Really Can Do It!

Many people would say it’s absurd to think that anyone could complete their dissertation in just 30 days. But with the proper motivation, people can accomplish almost anything … even completing a thesis or dissertation in such a short timeframe.

I’ve heard of a professor who did exactly that. She was working on her dissertation when a close family member was diagnosed with cancer and scheduled to begin chemotherapy in 30 days. The professor wanted to support her loved one during the treatments in every possible way, yet knew she couldn’t accomplish that and work on her dissertation at the same time. So she went into “Ph.D. Completion Mode,” dedicating herself completely to finishing her dissertation within the next 30 days so that, afterward, her family member could be her one and only priority.

Instead of waiting for a family crisis or other 30-day deadline to call you into action, what can you do right now to complete your project in a more timely fashion? Is it possible to delay some less critical tasks so that you can focus completely on your dissertation? What can you put off so that your dissertation can come first?

Here are some tips to help you finish your thesis or dissertation in 30 days...

Do You Really Want To Finish? Here’s How!

2009-03-17T07:39:00.006-04:00

Welcome to all our new subscribers!

I am starting my Spring Break here in Maryland. Generally to a graduate student, Spring Break does not have the same meaning it once did. You still have to keep working. If you are writing your thesis or dissertation and or planning to graduate this May, you definitely cannot take a break.

This newsletter is dedicated those of you who are within 6 months of graduation.
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Are you almost, but not quite, finished with your thesis or dissertation? This is a very critical time. Now that most of the work is done, it’s easy to begin slacking off … I’ve seen far too many students fail because of complacency at this point in the process. Now it’s more important than ever to buckle down, keep working hard, and finish strong.

Even during this final phase of your project, TA-DA! can help you stay motivated and on track. Following are some key ways you can keep from stalling the completion of your dissertation or thesis, and finally feel the excitement of finishing that degree! Read More . . .

ABD to PHD

2009-02-20T07:38:00.003-05:00

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Jerry D. Bryan, who just earned his Ph.D. in management and organizational leadership at the ripe young age of 60. Though his age does make his situation a bit unusual, the issues and challenges he faced during the almost six years he spent pursuing his degree are pretty typical of all graduate students.

I wanted to share our conversation, because I felt that many of you could benefit from Dr. Bryan’s personal journey, and what he learned along the way. I’ve added my own helpful advice in italics, as well!!!

Read and learn …

Dissertation House

2009-02-17T12:06:00.005-05:00

Our TADA Winter Challenge is over but if you have not gotten into the habit of posting your goals and accomplishments please continue to post them here.

Use this blog to help you finish your degree.

This Blog is created for those who have previously participated in the Dissertation House and or TADA Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished Challenges or for those who want the public/weekly accountability. If you post, I will publish.

Here's How to begin

1. Setting up your FREE Google account at www.gmail.com
2. Logging in to the blog
3. Clicking on "Comments" below and posting the answers to these questions:

* What are you working on?

Your proposal? Your Prelims?/Qualifying Exam? Dissertation Methodology? Problem statement? literature review?...
* How much time will you spend daily working on it?
* Tell us how much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
* At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

I am still working on getting a separate blog for just for Dissertation House but in the meantime, keep working and finish your degree.

Don't forget to sign-up for our FREE Monthly Newsletter TA-DA!FinishLine

Dr. Carter

www.tadafinallyfinished.com

Finishing Your Degree: So Close But Still a Ways to Go

2009-01-13T15:12:00.011-05:00

10 Techniques to Help You Finish Your Degree

Happy Holidays to all of you
from all of us at TA-DA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished.
We wish you all the best in the New Year.

The Dream Needs To Be Stronger than the Struggle
- Author unknown

Dr. Carter

Last month I got an email from a 60-year-old graduate student who had just finished his degree after six years of work. News of his success uplifted my spirits and reminded me that it is never too late to start — or finish — anything. If your goal this year is to complete your degree, the following steps can help!

Read the entire article 10 Techniques to Help You Finish Your Degree.

Get The Knowledge You Need to Avoid Grad School Pitfalls

2008-12-24T09:32:00.008-05:00

The end of the calendar year is often a time of reflection. During these tough economic times, for many the focus of that reflection is how furthering their education might possibly also further their professional success. If you’re one of these folks, and are currently struggling with whether or not you should apply to graduate school and/or complete your degree, this newsletter is for you!

Should you or shouldn’t you?

Read the entire article about avoiding grad school pitfalls.

TADA Winter Break Challenge is Coming : Dissertation House Jan 21-23, 2009

2008-12-17T22:20:00.017-05:00

Stop with the excuses . . . it's a brand new year, new president, new era. . . new you.

Join Us in the 'On-line Dissertation House'

Happy New Year! What was your New Year's resolution? Have you renewed your efforts to finish your thesis or dissertation? No more excuses. The inauguration is over! Join us in the Dissertation House for the next 3 days. It doesn't sound like a lot of time but in the past 3 days what have to done to move your thesis or dissertation forward?

At TADA we believe that it is important to do something everyday to move the document forward. Do you have 15 minutes to spare?

A group of students in the University of Maryland System (UMBC) will be participating in "Dissertation House on Campus" for three days. Some will be participating on-line and others will meet daily from 9:00am-5:00 pm. Join us, as we work on our proposals, theses, or dissertations.

Many people use the TA-DA! Winter Break Challenge to take a step on getting one thing accomplished and setting a schedule to get that one thing done. They get that one thing done and then are able to enjoy their break without the sense of guilt looming in the background. Other people set out to see how much they can accomplish in 3 days.

Many of you already work with deadlines. If you're joining this challenge, your deadline is January 23, 2008. Let's see how much can you get done in 3 days! Are you ready?

Don't wait until January 21, 2009 to sign up for your gmail account. Get it now and be prepared on the first day.

On January 21-23, 2009, Join us On-Line by:

Setting up your FREE Google account at www.gmail.com
Logging in to the blog
Clicking on "Comments" below and posting the answers to these questions:
What will you work on?
How much time will you spend daily working on it?
Tell us how much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

Here are some helpful tips:

Take the first step. Make a commitment to yourself using our TADA!™ Certificate online. Print it out and use it as a daily reminder of your commitment to yourself.
Breakdown your tasks into bite-size manageable chunks and make a list and post that list in a public space.
Make a daily commitment to work on your thesis or dissertation. Set aside a reasonable amount of time each day to work on your thesis or dissertation. You can get a lot done in 15 minutes a day.
Work within your limitations . . . if you are a morning person by all means make yourself some coffee and spend 15 minutes with your dissertation before everyone else rises . . . if you are a night owl . . . turn the TV off 15 minutes earlier and write for 15 minutes.
Celebrate small victories when you accomplish your tasks for the day. Spend the rest of the day guilt-free enjoying your Summer Break knowing that you have done something (no matter how small) on your dissertation.
Whatever you do, don't spend the week constantly worrying and saying to yourself 'I really should be working'. Above all, enjoy your Winter Break

I Have an Academic Advisor but…..should I get an academic coach or therapist/counselor?

2008-11-13T14:46:00.003-05:00

Writing a dissertation is a huge project, and one that you will not be able to do alone. Seeking help with the massive amount of work you will need to complete is not a sign of weakness; rather, drawing on the wide variety of resources available to you is a prudent way to work smarter, not harder … and, as such, is one of the most important steps you can take towards earning your degree.

Of course, one of the most helpful resources you can draw upon is the TADA! CD, designed to guide you step-by-step through the entire process of finishing your thesis or dissertation. This amazing resource includes tips and guidelines that will make your journey much easier, show you how to organize and plan your time and actions, ensure that you make progress every day, and overcome any obstacles that you may face.

Another resource to strongly consider is the use of a dissertation “coach.” I recently sat down with Gina Hiatt, Ph.D., who outlined the benefits that this helpful support person can provide to graduate students. Read the interview with Dr. Gina Hiatt...

How to Complete a Dissertation With the Help of Family and Friends

2008-10-07T16:54:00.002-04:00

No man is an island … and no one writes a thesis or dissertation alone, regardless of how isolated and alone some of us may feel while completing this laborious project. Even if it’s just listening to you talk or complain about your thesis or dissertation month after month -- or, in some cases, year after year! – your friends and family are definitely involved in the process. So why not let them play a more productive role? Click here to read the entire article, How to Complete a Dissertation With the Help of Family and Friends

How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Using Academic Language

2008-09-08T09:06:00.003-04:00

Unless you have written many formal documents before, you might be surprised how difficult it can be to write a thesis or dissertation. When writing a thesis or dissertation, your style should be formal and similar to what you find in the scholarly journals of your discipline.

Review journal articles in your discipline to get a sense of what is expected in terms of structure, style and language. Thorough reading of current journals will also help give you a sense of the “hot” topics in your field along with the most common key words and phrases. Click here to read the entire article of tips for writing a thesis or dissertation using academic language.

Scientific Writing: The Six Burner Stove

2008-08-18T12:20:00.004-04:00

Are you apprehensive at the thought of having to write a scientific paper? Don’t be; it’s not rocket science!

What’s most important to keep in mind is that the purpose of a scientific paper is not just to present information or ideas; rather, it’s meant to document and create excitement among other scientists about new, original research. Read the entire Scientific Writing article

Dispelling the Myths About Writing a Thesis or Dissertation

2008-07-15T10:23:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to those of you who took advantage of our offer. Last week, I was facilitating the TADA On-line Summer Break Challenge along with the activities in Dissertation House at the University of Maryland. It’s still not too late to join in.

What is it you want to cross off your to-do list this summer instead of rolling over to the new academic year? Perhaps you are looking forward to making significant progress on your thesis or dissertation before the end of the summer. Be specific. How many pages/chapters would you have to finish for you to feel like you have made significant progress? At TADA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished™ we believe that a good thesis or dissertation is a DONE thesis or dissertation. TA-DA!™ provides you with the tools to make that happen.

How many excuses have you come up to explain why you can’t begin to work on your thesis or dissertation today? Most of these excuses are simply “myths.” Here are “mythbusters” to common writing “cop outs”. . .

From Dr. Wendy Carter of TA-DA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished: TADA! Do it Now: Join Us in the 'On-line Dissertation House'

2008-07-06T18:01:00.006-04:00

Thank you for joining in. Just click on "Comments" below,
add your thoughts and tell us:

What will you work on?
How much time will you spend daily working on it?
How much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

(For more about our Summer Challenge, see my previous post just below.)

TADA! Do it Now: Join Us in the 'On-line Dissertation House'

2008-06-27T11:00:00.012-04:00

It's That Time Again to Join the TA-DA! Summer Break Challenge (July 6-27, 2008)

Mark Victor Hansen, Ph.D. co-author to the Chicken Soup Series writes "It's not the size of the step that gets you there. It's the fact that you're taking the step."

What is it you want to cross off your to-do list this summer instead of rolling over to next summer's list? Perhaps you are looking forward to making significant progress on your thesis or dissertation before the end of the year. Be specific. How many pages/chapters would you have to finish for you to feel like you have made significant progress? At TADA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished™ we believe that a good thesis or dissertation is a DONE thesis or dissertation. TA-DA!™ provides you with the tools to make that happen.

A group of students in the University of Maryland System (UMBC, UMCP, UMB) will be participating in "Dissertation House on Campus" for three weeks. Some will be participating on-line and others will meet daily from 9:00am-5:00 pm. Join us, as we work on our proposals, theses, or dissertations.

Many people use the TA-DA! Summer Break Challenge to take a step on getting one thing accomplished and setting a schedule to get that one thing done. They get that one thing done and then are able to enjoy their break without the sense of guilt looming in the background. Other people set out to see how much they can accomplish in 21 days.

Many of you already work with deadlines. If you're joining this challenge, your deadline is July 27, 2008. Let's see how much can you get done in 3 weeks! Are you ready?

On July 6, 2008, Join us On-Line by:

Setting up your FREE Google account at www.gmail.com
Logging in to the blog
Clicking on "Comments" below and posting the answers to these questions:
What will you work on?
How much time will you spend daily working on it?
Tell us how much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

Here are some helpful tips:

Take the first step. Make a commitment to yourself using our TADA!™ Certificate online. Print it out and use it as a daily reminder of your commitment to yourself.
Breakdown your tasks into bite-size manageable chunks and make a list and post that list in a public space.
Make a daily commitment to work on your thesis or dissertation. Set aside a reasonable amount of time each day to work on your thesis or dissertation. You can get a lot done in 15 minutes a day.
Work within your limitations . . . if you are a morning person by all means make yourself some coffee and spend 15 minutes with your dissertation before everyone else rises . . . if you are a night owl . . . turn the TV off 15 minutes earlier and write for 15 minutes.
Celebrate small victories when you accomplish your tasks for the day. Spend the rest of the day guilt-free enjoying your Summer Break knowing that you have done something (no matter how small) on your dissertation.
Whatever you do, don't spend the week constantly worrying and saying to yourself 'I really should be working'. Above all, enjoy your Summer Break

Do It Now: Conquering Procrastination

2008-06-18T06:58:00.004-04:00

The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.
— Mary Heaton Vorse

How long have you been putting off writing your thesis or dissertation? A day? Two days? Two weeks? Two months? Many students suffer from procrastination because they hate writing ... or hate the fact that they're not good writers. Subsequently, they wait around hoping that divine inspiration will strike them and instill a newfound sense of eloquence and expression.

Stop waiting. So what if your writing skills aren't top notch? The TA-DA system works because it focuses on using the talents and resources you already have . . . not the ones you would like to have. It doesn't matter that you're not the best writer in the world. What matters is just that you write.

So how do you get started? The following tips should help . . . Read the entire article, Do It Now: Conquering Procrastination

10 Tips Help You Overcome Writer's Block

2008-05-21T11:31:00.004-04:00

You've got your workspace set up and your 12 minutes (or longer!) scheduled to work on your thesis, and you’re FINALLY feeling motivated to write. But when you actually sit down and stretch your hands to the keyboard … nothing. Not a word is coming to you; your mind is as blank as the screen in front of you. . . Read the Entire Article - Writer's Block and Your Dissertation or Thesis

Reading the Subtle Signs: Are You Being Encouraged to Throw in the Towel?

2008-04-27T12:06:00.003-04:00

One of my graduate students came to me the other day seeking advice. Her advisor had written a seminal piece of work about how to be a good advisor, yet her protegee was still seeking my help. I found this ironic in a strange kind of way. Graduate Students - Read the entire article.

TA-DA! Online Launched to Help Grad Students Write Their Thesis or Dissertation as Quickly and Easily as Possible

2008-03-19T19:18:00.004-04:00

Attention Anyone with a Thesis or Dissertation to Write:

I am excited to announce the launch of a new version of TA-DA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished™ today. What's new? Now graduate students can access TA-DA!™ from any web-enabled PC — without a cd, 24/7.

Introducing TA-DA! Online, providing the same great guidance, information, tactics, and tools that have helped hundreds of graduate students successfully finish their thesis or dissertation.

Be sure to go to www.tadafinallyfinished.com to learn more about this innovative thesis and dissertation completion system. And tell your friends about TA-DA!

Dr. Wendy Carter

Finish Your Thesis or Dissertation by Working Your Way Backwards

2008-03-12T10:59:00.003-04:00

To accomplish any long-term goal, you must have desire and faith in the process and you must be able to visualize yourself accomplishing the goal. In other words, you must believe it, affirm it, and visualize it before you can actually achieve it.

The TA-DA! CD resource tools help you do exactly that. This incredible toolkit leads you step-by-step through the process of writing your thesis and dissertation, providing direction and strategies every step of the way. As a result, you can clearly visualize exactly what needs to happen, how you can accomplish it, and by when. Now that’s a process you can believe in!

To tackle a big writing project, the TA-DA! method uses a strategy of clearly defining the goal and then working your way backward, step by step, until you arrive at a step (or several!) that you can complete right now. For example, if your goal is to submit an article to an academic journal for publication, your “backwards” journey might break down like this:

Clearly Defined Goal:

Submit my article to an academic journal
Before that:Complete final edits
Before that: Format the article according to the journal’s requirements
Before that: Decide which journal would be appropriate for my article, and find out their average turnaround time from submission to publication
Before that: Write the paper
Before that: Write the introduction, literature review, methods, results/discussion and conclusion
Before that: Conduct research
Before that: Determine what I need to know and what I am going to write about

In reality, your “backward” list would have many more details, as every one of these steps would have to be further broken down into several small, easily manageable tasks. Don’t be fooled into thinking that easy tasks don’t need to be included on your list! Everything should be taken into account and mapped out, including something as simple as creating a title for the article.

Regardless of whether you’re looking at a process backwards or forward, you don’t have to complete the tasks in order. In fact, if you’re in a bit of a slump and the next “to do” item on your list is one you just don’t feel up to accomplishing today, simply choose one of the other tasks on your list.

The most important thing is to JUST DO SOMETHING!

The single most important TA-DA strategy is to make a commitment to work on your project every single day. And the minimum amount you should dedicate each day is 12 -15 minutes. That’s where your detailed task list will come in handy. Many of these items are what we call “12-minute tasks,” such as creating the cover page, dedication, acknowledgement pages or table of contents, or sequencing figure numbers, table and appendices, formatting your document, or checking your bibliography against the citations in your document.

On those days when you’re feeling a little less ambitious, work down your list until you reach one (or more!) of your tasks that can be completed in 12 minutes or less. No task is too small, and no item is too insignificant. Every action you take will move you closer to getting accomplishing your goal. What can you cross of your list today?

Following is a good example of a series of questions you might ask yourself to start creating a list of “to-do” tasks:

Q: What needs to happen before I can finish my thesis/dissertation?
A: I need to write chapters X, Y and Z.

Q: Can I get those chapters finished by tomorrow?
A: No. First I have to clearly define what information and conclusions will be included in those chapters.

Q: Can I come up with a clearly defined list of what will be included in those chapters by tomorrow?
A: Of course. I already wrote and defended a proposal, so the information is right under my nose!

Q: Can I finish writing all of the chapters tomorrow?
A: No, but I can get a good start on the chapter I know the most about, and most certainly finish a section within that chapter that contains the information with which I am most familiar.
Q: Do I really think I can finish a section by tomorrow?

A: Yes, because I can write based on the outline I already created a few days ago.
Q: Can I finish the chapter outline by tomorrow?
A: Yes, because I have already created the Table of Contents.

Q: Do I have an outline for my thesis/dissertation?
A: Yes, because I completed that step when I was preparing my proposal … and now it can serve as my first step towards completing my thesis/dissertation! So my real first step is finding my proposal and starting with that.

Continue “working backward” in this manner until you have a long list of “first steps” you can take … so many that you won’t possibly be able to complete them all in one day. Then schedule all of those steps in your TA-DA! calendar. You will find it truly inspirational and invigorating to see your dream broken down into easily accomplishable tasks and written down in black and white. This process will help you to clearly visualize achieving your dream and, even more importantly, to actually begin tackling the tasks necessary to doing so.

So what are you waiting for? Start “working your way backward” today … and you’ll soon find yourself back at the Finish Line!!!

Tick Tock, Tick Tock: Keeping Up With Your Cohort

2008-02-21T07:25:00.001-05:00

The pressures of graduate school vary greatly from those of undergraduate school. Your time is more valuable, even if you’re not paying for graduate school yourself; there are tough decisions to be made about not only how you would like to spend your time, but also how much time you have to give for each activity. You are older, wiser, more mature. . . Read the entire article

No More Excuses: Resources to Help You Reach Your Goal

2008-02-21T07:19:00.004-05:00

If you’re like most people, you’ve already made several New Year’s resolutions. We at TA-DA! (Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished) hope that one of them is to finish your thesis or dissertation by the end of 2008!

Of course, to make sure that resolution comes to fruition, it must be supported by an action plan and deadline. Otherwise, it’s too easy to slack off and slide back into old habits once the shine of the new year begins to fade, winter break ends, and you fall back into the same old routine. Read the entire Article.

No More Excuses — TA-DA! Winter Break Challenge Jan 14-18, 2008

2007-12-31T11:22:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year. Our theme in 2008 is "No More Excuses." Even if you did very little on your thesis or dissertation last year or never joined any of the TA-DA challenges before, it's a new year and it's a new you.

Our Winter Break Challenge starts on Monday and ends on Friday (January 14 -18).

We created TA-DA! for busy people; working moms, working dads, single-parents, part-time students, full-time, unorganized, frustrated, isolated, lonely graduate students. It's time to stop wallowing and start writing; if you have time for self-pity, your schedule is not tight enough. Organize your time better, schedule every 15 minutes of your day if you have to. Remember it doesn't have to be perfect it just has to be done.

Our motto is: A Good Dissertation is a Done Dissertation.

Start the New Year off right by setting deadline for when you want to complete writing your thesis or dissertation. Fill in, printout, and post in a public space the TA-DA! Online Certificate to help you remember your contract with yourself.

http://www.tadafinallyfinished.com/ready/index.html

We are building on our summer success of the "Dissertation House on Campus." Another group of doctoral students at the University of Maryland will be participating in "Dissertation House on Campus" for one week. Some will be participating on-line and others will meet daily from 9:00am-5:00 pm. Join us again, as we work on our proposals, theses, or dissertations.

Many graduate students use the TA-DA! Winter Break Challenge to take a step on getting one thing accomplished and setting a schedule to get that one thing done. They get that one thing done and then are able to enjoy their break without the sense of guilt looming in the background.

Other people set out to see how much they can accomplish in 5 days. Many of you already work with deadlines. If you're joining this challenge, your deadline is January 18, 2008.

Let's see how much can you get done in one week! Are you ready?

Steps to participate

Set up your FREE Google account at http://www.gmail.com/

Post the answers to these questions

What will you work on? What is your one thing?
How much time will you spend daily working on it?
Tell us how much progress you are making, or problems you are having.
At the end of everyday plan what you want to accomplish the following day

Here are some helpful tips:

Breakdown your tasks into bite-size manageable chunks and make a list and post that list in a public space.

Make a daily commitment to work on your thesis or dissertation. Set aside a reasonable amount of time each day to work on your thesis or dissertation. You can get a lot done in 15 minutes a day.

Work within your limitations . . . if you are a morning person by all means make yourself some coffee and spend 15 minutes with your dissertation before everyone else rises . . . if you are a night owl . . . turn the TV off 15 minutes earlier and write for 15 minutes.

Celebrate small victories when you accomplish your tasks for the day. Spend the rest of the day guilt-free enjoying your Winter Break knowing that you have done something (no matter how small) on your dissertation.

Whatever you do, don't spend the week constantly worrying and saying to yourself 'I really should be working'. Above all, enjoy your Winter Break.

At TA-DA! we wish you all the best in the New Year and hope that you can experience joy, laughter and peace during the Winter Break and in the coming year.