Academic Coaching Blog

A new academic semester is starting, and students are getting ready to resume their normal study routines.  It's quite common to have a more relaxed rhythm over the summer months, although some students use the time to do field research. But once the university staff and faculty are back from their own vacations, it's time to resume the formal steps on the pathway to a PhD or Master's  So is this the time to make a plan?  Students often spend time preparing Gantt charts or spreadsheets that layout various parts of their research schedule.  I always admire the effort and...

Each call to discuss a thesis or dissertation is different, because each student has unique needs. But there are patterns in the calls that usually break down into four different types. A Free Introductory Zoom Call:  I always like to meet a student who has enquired about my services, because it's the best way to find out whether we're able to work together to solve problems and complete documents.  My Zoom calls are always conversations, but this first one is used to exchange information, surface problems and discuss how we might build our relationship.  After this initial call, some students...

My previous blog post talked about why you need to please your supervisor.  I said it was a practical thing, because it's your supervisor who controls your progress in your academic journey.  Take a look at what I said: WHY your need to please your supervisor In this post I want to talk about the HOW of pleasing your supervisor.  And let's be clear, I'm not talking about being subservient or obsequious.  I'm talking about building a satisfactory relationship that is pleasing to both of you, so that your academic work progresses in a positive way.  Here are four key...

If you're writing a thesis or dissertation, your supervisor is the most important person in your life.  And that goes on for several years.  Many graduate programs follow processes that badly need revising.  But until universities are willing to provide additional time and resources to work with graduate students, then you have to make sure you are pleasing your supervisor as part of the process.  So why? Why do so many doctoral and Master's students have to follow the wishes of supervisors, rather than being able to work alongside them as equals, in the pursuit of scholarship?  The short answer...

I see requests for thesis/dissertation help every day.  For the most part, people are looking for quick help to solve a particular problem that is causing them delays in competing their dissertations. I always regret (and so do they) that they didn't seek coaching help earlier, before a crisis occurred. Coaching assumes that a writer or student or client of any kind is willing to engage in the process for a while.  Some of my preferred clients have been with me for years, not always  continuously, but as they need me.  A long-term working relationship is useful when issues pop ...