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.
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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 like to have frequent Zoom calls, but others prefer to exchange documents back and forth.
- A Weekly, Short Check-In on Zoom: Many students are returning to their studies after a break -- they've had a baby, they have been ill for a while, they've experienced a bereavement or they've been feeling discouraged and depressed. Short, weekly meetings work very well to get these students back on track. The regular accountability and the sense that someone is interested in their work does wonders to build confidence and determination to continue. We spend about 15 minutes on the same day every week,reviewing plans, discussing progress and slaying dragons. The routine does wonders and soon those students are ready to take control and advance with their work.
- Longer Focused Zoom Calls to Discuss a Chapter or a Thorny Problem: Longer Zoom calls become part of the coaching as we move forward to build the content of the thesis. Very often, a student wants to know how to write a Literature Review, and I have a guideline we can talk through. Another favourite topic of discussion is Theoretical Frameworks... what are they, how to find one, how to use them in a study. I have a lot of success explaining these particular elements of a thesis or dissertation, and I'm particularly happy when students ask me early on in their graduate journey because I can save them a lot of time and heartache.
- Zoom Calls for Mock Oral Defences or Vivas: When the long-awaited day is in the calendar, and students are getting ready to defend their work, it's a good idea to have a mock session with me to prepare for the event. Because I've served on doctoral committees and been an examiner myself, I ask great questions! I have lots of tips for the presentation and can give feedback on the slide deck, if one is used. Above all, I can offer reassurance that the best kind of defences become conversations between the examiners and the candidate because of their shared interest in the field of study. Students who know their discipline well and have worked hard at preparing the thesis or dissertation will be astonished to find that the final steps in the long journey can be very enjoyable.