PhD

Pomp and Circumstance-inspired Musings

May 13, 2017
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I am fresh off the annual academic tradition of the commencement ceremony. With its academic regalia, inspirational speeches, decorated caps, air horns, and (of course) music, this event marks a concrete moment in life when one transitions into a new role—student to professional, student back to (law/medical/grad) student, student scholar to professional academic. I enjoy […]

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Research and the Ph.D.: My Third “Child”

October 17, 2013
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I am beginning to understanding that my Ph.D. will be my third child. There’s a surprising amount of shared experiences involved in bringing a human being into this world and adding three little letters behind your name. There is the emotional, mental, and physical fatigue. Feelings of needing to push (which is biological when giving […]

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Behind the Research Cake

October 3, 2013
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I don’t have any data to support this, but I’d venture to guess that most people interact with research when they read a journal article or hear a news-worthy soundbite. In essence, most people are seeing the final product, a perfectly frosted cake sitting prettily in the middle of the table. What they don’t see […]

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When Academia and Social Media Collide

July 11, 2013

It’s not too often that my academic and social media worlds collide. But now they have. I had known that you could cite blog posts and emails in scholarly work, but apparently you can do that same for YouTube videos, tweets, and Facebook posts as well. And thanks to the folks at Teachbytes, there is […]

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Book Review: How to Write a Lot

June 21, 2012
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I’ve been on a bit of a reading kick lately. In truth, most of it is for various research projects for my doctorate degree, but I’ve managed to squeeze in more “fun” reading on the side. One such “fun” reading book is Dr. Paul Silva’s How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive […]

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Defining Emotion Regulation

June 7, 2012
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Last week, I wrote about the importance of clear writing and talking when making a concept easy to understand. This week, I will put it into practice. I am struggling with clearly defining, writing, and talking about my research interest: the effect of music on emotion regulation. The first hurdle is to define “emotion regulation” […]

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Accessible Ideas = Clear Thinking = Clear Writing + Clear Talking

May 31, 2012
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At this point in my career–more specifically my career in academia–it’s helpful to have a research idea or focus in mind. Though not vital since I’m still a year out from working on my dissertation proposal, it helps. Why? With a research intent in mind, you can gear all your coursework papers and projects around […]

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Top 21 Things I Learned Surviving My First Year as a Working Mama PhD Student

May 16, 2012
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It is done! As of last week, I have survived my first year as a working mama PhD student! There were growing pains, time management pains, lots to celebrate, and–of course–lots of learning both inside and outside the classroom. Beyond narrative research, biopsychology, systematic reviews, and music therapy supervision…what did I learn this year? Here’s […]

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Holiday PhD Gratitude – Top 5 Things I’m Grateful For

December 14, 2011
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Today I finish my first semester of my PhD!!!!!!!!!! I don’t know that I can adequately express in words how excited I am to have finished this first chapter in my doctorale career. I recognize that I still have a looooong way to go…but I also think it’s important to celebrate the baby steps along […]

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