Faculty Spotlight on Dr. Darci J. Harland
This month on the blog, we're highlighting various members of the Walden community. This post is our last in this month's spotlight series; if you missed them, be sure to check out our WriteCast episode featuring student questions, our staff and alumna interviews, and our services spotlight.
This
week, we’re featuring Dr. Darci J. Harland, contributing faculty in the
Learning, Instruction, and Innovation (LII) Ph.D. program in the Richard W.
Reilly College of Education and Leadership, and writer of one of our favorite
blogs for dissertation writers. An Illinois native, Dr. Harland teaches
advanced LII courses, mentors dissertation writers, and writes courses in the
Educational Technology PhD program.What are the most common writing challenges for your students?
Early
in the program I find that students try to write like someone else. It’s as if
they believe that because they are in a PhD program, their writing should have
lots of big words and sound “hoity-toity.” They are often relieved when I tell
them to stop using the thesaurus, and remind them that while the ideas they
communicate need to be complex, their language does not. With dissertation students, the
literature review seems to be the biggest challenge. There’s so much reading
and organizing that has to happen before the writing begins. That frustrates
students when they think that the dissertation is all about writing, and in
actuality, it’s about organizing ideas for writing.
What have you done to help your students master those skills?
I’ve
started a blog to address common issues my mentees have with the dissertation
process. I started No ABD for me to help me organize my ideas around
certain issues common among my students. When working with future students, I
can refer them there and be assured that they are each receiving consistent
advice.
I
also use the dissertation forum discussions to get students to talk about the
process of writing; once they discover how others brainstorm, organize their
ideas, take notes on their reading, and schedule writing time, it not only
helps frame their own practices, but provides camaraderie within my mentee
group. In these forums, I’ve posted prompts on anthropomorphism--asking them to
review Writing Center information on the topic and explore how their own writing is
affected by it--and the WU Writing Center blog, asking them to find a post,
share it, and describe why it helps them at this phase of their journey.
For
the literature review, I've developed note-taking tips that focus students on the questions
they need to answer in order to have a complete review of their topic. We often
brainstorm these together. I provide a sample matrix and note taking sheets I
use for writing, organized by these sub-questions. If established properly, it
helps students identify when an article informs the topic and when it doesn’t. This
technique helps students take notes efficiently and by topic, rather than by
article, since one article will most likely help answer more than one sub-question.
Taking this approach helps when it comes time to write because the paraphrased
ideas and quotes are already organized by sub-questions, which easily become
the paper’s subheadings. I certainly do not force my students to use my note-taking
method, but I do require that they watch a video I made about how to use the
system, as it will better inform their own methods and give them a bigger
picture of what needs to be accomplished in the literature review stage.
How does your own experience as a writer inform your work with student writers?
I
thrive on feedback. Anytime I write, I give the piece to a colleague and ask him
or her to be ruthless. I love getting another perspective, finding ways to make
my ideas more clear and improving my writing by rewriting. I try to instill
this same mentality with my PhD students. I want them to see writing as a PROCESS
and that the time and energy I pour into their feedback is done in love and in
an effort to help them improve.
What advice do you have for students who want to improve their writing?
Find a writing buddy. Find someone with whom you can
schedule writing times for accountability and then exchange papers for editing.
Writing can be lonely. When everyone else you know is outside enjoying life and
you’re at a computer typing away, worried about comma splices, you’ll be less
likely to be resentful if you know someone else is writing too!
What advice do you have for faculty who want to help their student writers?
Before
writing lengthy feedback about writing, quickly scour the Walden Writing Center website and blog. Most of the student issues
I see are covered somewhere on their website. Refer students to a specific URL
and then hold them accountable in the next paper to address that specific
writing issue.
How is a student’s ability to write related to success in your field?
LII
isn’t one field; I have nursing students, military service members,
kindergarten teachers, college deans, industry educators, and high school
principals. As in any field in academia, if you can’t clearly communicate your
ideas, you won’t be able to contribute to the field.
What’s something about you that would surprise your students?
I have a “big”
online personality, so students are often surprised that I’m only five feet
tall.
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As the Writing Center's manager of program outreach and faculty support, Amber Cook's main focus is supporting faculty in their work with student writers.
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Spotlight on New and Improved Writing Center Services
This month on the blog, we're spotlighting Walden students, staff, alumni, Writing Center services, and faculty.
At the Writing Center, we're continuously evaluating and creating services to better meet student needs. Read on for some of our exciting new offerings!
Writing Groups
For undergraduate students; master's students; and doctoral students working on coursework, the premise, or the prospectusWe're kicking off another round of Google+ writing groups with some changes based on your suggestions. March writing groups will take place in Google+ and will be small, private spaces for you to peer review and/or discuss your writing challenges and strategies with fellow students. If you're a current Walden student, sign up for a March writing group here.
For doctoral students working on or beyond the proposal
Doctoral students who have started or finished their capstone proposals have the chance to join the Walden Capstone Writing Community and sign up to be part of a small, private writing group with other doctoral students. Visit this page to learn more about joining the community, and then stay tuned for more information about the writing groups.
Live document review
For members of the Walden Capstone Writing Community
Members of the Walden Capstone Writing Community are invited to attend a live document review on Thursday, February 26. An editor will review a volunteer doctoral capstone student's draft, and other members of the community are invited to watch. Visit the community for more information about these types of meet-ups. If you're a doctoral student interested in joining the community, start here.
For undergraduate students; master's students; and doctoral students working on coursework, the premise, or the prospectus Members of the Walden Capstone Writing Community are invited to attend a live document review on Thursday, February 26. An editor will review a volunteer doctoral capstone student's draft, and other members of the community are invited to watch. Visit the community for more information about these types of meet-ups. If you're a doctoral student interested in joining the community, start here.
Two paper review appointments per week
Paper reviews are not a new service, but we want to shine a spotlight on a feature new this year: Students can schedule two appointments per week. You can make appointments for two different assignments, or you can make an appointment for a draft of your paper and then submit your revision for your second appointment. Just remember to apply feedback you've received between appointments, whether you have one or two appointments in a week.
Grammar modules
For everyone!
Our self-paced grammar modules are now up on our new website! Check them out here. The diagnostic quiz is a great way for you to identify areas of English grammar that you can improve, and then the modules can help you work on strengthening those particular grammar skills.
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Anne Shiell is a writing instructor and the coordinator of social media resources at the Walden Writing Center. Anne also produces WriteCast, the Writing Center's podcast.
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Alumni Spotlight on Rosemarie Dawkins, MS in Education Graduate
This month on the blog, we're spotlighting Walden students, staff, alumni, Writing Center services, and faculty.
Staff Spotlight on Dissertation Editor Jenny Martel
The Walden Writing Center welcomed Jenny Martel as
an editor in October of last year. Jenny was kind enough to share a
little about her teaching, writing, and editing experiences and philosophies
with us on the blog.
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| Jenny enjoys creative writing. |
What were you doing professionally before you started at Walden?
For the past several years I’ve focused on my
graduate work, writing fiction, and my family. To accommodate those priorities,
I worked as a freelance writer and editor (as well as an occasional art curator).
Prior to that, I spent eight years in New York City in organizational
development/management consulting where I first became involved with writing,
editing, and publishing books and articles.
I know you enjoy writing science fiction and fantasy. How does your own writing process inform how you work with students at Walden?
In many ways, writing a novel is a lot like writing
a dissertation. The task seems
insurmountable at first; simply committing to the project requires vision,
experience, and education (either classroom or life experience—in the case of
both the dissertator and the novelist). Then the project outline must be
conceptualized through alternatively creative and linear developmental phases. There
is also the shared propensity to procrastinate the actual writing part of
writing! I empathize with these challenges and make experience-based suggestions
to students in the developmental phases of their work that I hope are
encouraging and useful.
From an editorial perspective, I try to bring an awareness
of the possible angst and anxiety a student might have about having their work
critiqued after a long, challenging journey. Having had my personal work
critiqued and edited has been daunting at times (Believe me—if you don’t feel
vulnerable when an intelligent colleague critiques a romantic scene in your
fantasy novel, you’re not alive!).
What is the best writing advice you were ever given?
“It doesn’t need to be perfect; it needs to be
done.” I’ve found these words of wisdom to be useful in the case of a
large-scale project. Unless you’re J.R.R. Tolkien or George R.R. Martin, each
detail of the grandest concentrated effort of your professional life will not
be rendered flawlessly. To achieve your goal requires a constant but
intermittent refocusing on completion.
Tweetable tip: It doesn't need to be perfect; it needs to be done.
Another piece of writing advice I use
when I get stuck is to start with what is easy. I’m amazed at how often I
forget this golden nugget, only to remember it in my darkest writing hours.
Starting (and finishing) something that isn’t overwhelming can grant confidence,
reacquaint you with your project, and create inertial force in the right
direction.
Tweetable tip: When you get stuck with your #writing, start with what is easy.Could you talk about a particular writing challenge you have faced (with a project or a part of writing) and how you overcame that challenge?
I’ve found that rewriting and editing my own work is
extremely challenging both from a motivational as well as a technical
perspective. When I’m really overwhelmed, I seek out my academic and creative
colleagues. We trade manuscript critiques and create deadlines. Writing can be
isolating. Structure, forced accountability, and outside objectivity can really
help.
What do you find enjoyable about teaching or editing writing?
On a personal level I feel incredibly lucky to be
able to work with students in an area I love.
What is one writing accessory you cannot live without?
Unlined paper. It helps me to conceptualize freely
with bubbles, lines, or (really bad) drawings while creating dedicated boxes
for more linear expression.
Describe your approach to writing in three words:
Precise
Simple
Clear
If you are a Walden doctoral student, you may work with Jenny at a residency or in the Form & Style review. We're glad to have her part of our team!
This month on the blog, we're spotlighting Walden students, staff, faculty, and alumni. Listen to our latest WriteCast episode to hear featured student questions.
This month on the blog, we're spotlighting Walden students, staff, faculty, and alumni. Listen to our latest WriteCast episode to hear featured student questions.
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Ellen Zamarripa, a writing instructor in the Walden Writing Center, conducted this interview.
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WriteCast Episode 18 Featuring Your Questions and a New Co-Host
This month, you'll hear a new voice on WriteCast: Beth Nastachowski has joined us as a co-host, filling in for Nik, who has taken an opportunity outside of Walden. Nik envisioned a podcast for Walden students long before WriteCast was born, and we already miss his quirky stories and examples. We're excited for him as he embarks on his new career adventure, though, and we're so pleased to welcome Beth to the podcast team!
.png "Beth Nastachowski") |
Beth Nastachowski is a writing instructor and the coordinator of webinar writing instruction at the Walden Writing Center. She is excited to join Brittany as a WriteCast co-host.
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Stream or download this month's episode below, and as always, feel free to share your thoughts via the blog comments. Visit the Writing Center's WriteCast page for our episode archive and transcripts. Happy listening!
WriteCast: A Casual Conversation for Serious Writers is a monthly podcast written, produced, and published by staff in the Walden University Writing Center. Join us each month for a dialogue between two experienced and trained writing instructors. Possible episode topics will always be considered from listeners--share your questions and suggestions in the comments.
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