I am reading The Formation of Scholars--a book published about doctoral education in the 21st century. The authors quote from Olson and Drew (1998) about dissertation writing: "As an academic exercise, the dissertation became primarily the instrument by which students demonstrated to their professors that they had a thorough grasp of research in the field. It had become overburdened with exhaustive reviews of the scholarly literature. . . bogged down in a superfluity of discursive footnotes, and even the language changed to the defensive, obfuscatory, stilted prose now referred to as dissertationese" (p. 59).
William Germano also describes painful-to-read dissertation prose in his wonderful book From Dissertation to Book.
What is the solution? How can we help students to use the dissertation as a vehicle for finding their authorial voice?
Is finding an authorial voice really the intent of a dissertation? I guess I would primarily view a dissertation as a hurdle to jump before you can do things the way you want to.
ReplyDeleteBut that is what I see as part of the problem of lifeless diss writing! Finding authorial voice is important if you want to write a readable dissertation. Can't it be both a work of research to satisfy requirements AND a work that you are proud of in terms of quality of writing?
ReplyDeleteAt the research and chocolate meeting yesterday we had a great turnout of phd students and faculty. Interestingly the "Formation of Scholars" book was mentioned and a good debate about the need to change the landscape of graduate writing and dissertation presentation. We do think of the diss as a hurdle, perhaps a tome, that sits on the library shelf never to be read again. Why not make it more useful than a doorstop???
ReplyDeleteOne comment made yesterday....there are two kinds of writing- one for your supervisor & committee and another for yourself. I am thinking the latter has more potential interest but what a waste to have spent so much time and energy on the doorstop.
I say we need to be pioneers of a new way of doing things!
...chocolate meeting?...great way to get people to show up!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a PhD student...but doesn't the change have to be initiated at the faculty level? If you need to write in a certain way to be granted your degree then there is no point in a student being a pioneer.
hmm I see your point but I think there are faculty who are very forward thinking and willing to look at the process differently and stand up for students who want change. Like the eldest child in the family who paves the road for their siblings I think it is possible, though not easier, to shift academic traditions. By just bowing to the way things have always been done do we not stagnate in the infancy of our growing discipline?
ReplyDeleteI do not want to create a useless tome, but to bridge the gap between tome and creative, interesting book that makes the reader think, question, and react. There is enough boring stuff int eh world...no need to add to it!
ah yes chocolate......make it and they will come....
I am just finishing up small revisions to my book that started as my dissertation. In fact, the book is 90 percent the same as the dissertation - but was accepted by a University Press - so it's possible to write something that "bridges the gap," as Cathy says.
ReplyDeletePerhaps dissertations from some disciplines are more amenable to becoming book material than other disciplines?
ReplyDeleteYou may be right Colleen. For instance someone's research and write up of a math problem that has taken 3 years to figure out might not be a best seller even in the math world! But I do think any dissertation ought to be written so that it draws the committee readers in, keeps them interested and keen on what you are saying. My hope would be that the committee wants to read flowing prose; if we make it a wade through the mud they are more likely to make you wade through the mud at our defence.
ReplyDeletePerhaps when writing your thesis we all have to consider what we want to do with it. Is it single purpose-to get the degree- or multi purpose, to communicate knowledge you see as important to share with others in your discipline?
Great discussion! It is important to assist students to find their authorial voice for a number of reasons. First, if a PhD student is planning to make a career out of publishing their work, then finding their authorial voice sooner than later will make the writing part of their professional work more enjoyable and enable them to communicate more effectively. Second, imposing a rigid committee based prose upon a student inevitably will stifle and paralyze the dissertation process. Imposing such a rigid academic prose onto student’s work sucks out the very passion that fuels students to pursue doctorate degrees in the first place. To seize our authorial voice is to reclaim the dissertation process!
ReplyDeleteI agree in principle, Laura. And yet the committee rules. Perhaps a compromise can be found.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, I found that the bits that I put into my diss at the request of committee members were the bits I was asked to remove for the book because they sounded "strained"!
Anyone want to start a new topic? I am feeling a bit burnt out - but any of you can be an author on this blog - just let me know and I can sign you up.
I don't doubt that you are feeling a bit burnt out Madeline...all the past term I wondered when you ever took a break.
ReplyDeleteI can't think of a new topic right now, but then again I am probably trying to hang on to these last couple of weeks of summer without actually thinking!