Shadowing Practice: Dissertation Logistics - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Welcome to the Dissertation Logistics Crash Course.
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Welcome to the Dissertation Logistics Crash Course.
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Today we're going to cover some key items such as the dissertation backward map.
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How do we start with the end in mind and then go step by step to your successful defense of your dissertation.
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Also, how to build a dissertation committee, how to get one, what are the roles and functions.
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Credit hours and how to dose those across your coursework, across your semesters, so that they time at the end just right.
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And then also timelines for graduation target dates such as December, something like that.
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We'll have a mapping and a sampling for that for you too in this video.
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So let's dig in.
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The ALSI backward map for dissertations.
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We start with the end in mind.
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So how do we get there?
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The first thing then would be to take this very class, this intro to research seminar.
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Then we'll pick us a topic for our dissertation.
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What is worthy of pursuit?
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Then we'll plan a pilot study, which lets us make all the mistakes that we want to make before we go live for real.
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The next step is to test that pilot, of course.
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Lean into all the errors and mistakes and mishaps we refine and reflect so that we have an even better, faster, stronger project to launch when we go for real.
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Those are our first steps.
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We're going to revisit this backward map and add some steps just in a few moments.
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Those are our first four steps to success.
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The pilot is crucial to your success.
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That's something we've integrated in the last few years, and it's been very successful in inviting errors as opportunities for a better dissertation when we go for real.
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So what does a chair and a reader team look like when you build a committee?
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So you are being surrounded by a lot of support in the ALSI program.
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Your chair is typically your topic and content expert.
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They have a background, a reservoir of knowledge in that area.
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They can help you find ammunition, gather ammunition, make sense of it.
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But we also want readers who are support team members to play specific roles as well.
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Ideally, you'd have a reader who would play the writing role to help you get those chapters smooth, have them be symphonic, have them be robust.
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But then you also want another reader to play the role of game maker.
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What that is is a method man, somebody who can help build the rules to your game, such as, I want to do a mixed method study, or I'd like to do ex post facto data analysis, I'd like to do focus groups.
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So a game maker can make sure that methodologically it is sound, it is doable, it is realistic, it is accurate.
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All of these experts are the confluence onto your own project that make you successful along the way.
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So building a committee is very, very important.
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Let's take a deeper look into committees.
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So we have some Q&A here that usually comes up from new ALSI students.
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So how do you get a committee?
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We are responsible for helping you build a committee, not only recruiting chairs who align with your topic and expertise, but also recruiting readers who can play those roles we mentioned just before.
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So it's not your job to build a committee alone.
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We have the infrastructure in place to help you do that.
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Committee decorum.
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There's certain ways that we do business here in terms of a committee and how it works.
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So everything goes through the chair.
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That is sort of the hierarchy, right?
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So all questions, all concerns, straight through the chair, and the chair can then ask the program director if they need any clarification and things like that.
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So everything goes to the chair first, all rough drafts, all what-ifs, and then that filtering system then gets down to the readers who help in different ways.
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So what is a reader's responsibility?
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They're usually on the side, sort of these ancillary folks who can play those roles that we mentioned, such as writer or game maker, and they dabble here and there, but you and the chair really are the core of the team.
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So we do have, in certain cases, a matching quality that really, really works and helps each other thrive.
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It's our job to help you match with a committee chair and also committee members that are all on board for you.
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They're sold out to you, but there are times when there are conflict, And again, any of that conflict would go straight through the chair.
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We have done, over the last few years, so many dissertation projects without any conflict whatsoever because we have such a supportive team here in the College of Education.
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But it does happen, but there are protocols in place.
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So let's take a look at dissertation credit hours.
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So you have 12 hours built into your ALSI hourly coursework, and dissertation research is focused on 12 of those hours.
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So you want to space those hours according to your desired timeline.
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A lot of folks take one or two at a time after their first or second semester is completed,
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and they dose those and space those out across their time so they can ease the monetary load, but also they could save and bank some hours for the future too, just in case.
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So we backward map our dissertation credits from our desired graduation date and we hold a few of those hours just in case and we take the final remainder of those in that last semester whatever semester that may be whether it's spring summer or fall.
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So those hours are dosed and spaced all the way throughout your program and your chair can help you and guide you as to how many to take when.
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So let's go revisit our backward map for dissertations.
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We took a look at our first four steps.
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Now we're going to add the rest to show you the ten-step path to victory.
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So step five, with your chair's guidance, after you've had a pilot and you've made some reflections and you've refined some things, you've rebuilt some things, with your chair's guidance you're going to go ahead and write chapter two.
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A lot of this may have been structured already because you've built the pilot, but here we're going to go full out and write a 25, 30, 35 page deep dive lit review.
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Notice we don't start with chapter one.
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We actually start with chapter two.
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All we really need is a problem, purpose, and research question.
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Then we are able to jump into chapter two.
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We want to let that chapter two guide and tinker with our problem, purpose, and research statement as we read, as we encounter new research, conflicting data.
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So So chapter two is really the foundation of everything.
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And with your chair, you'll next write chapter three, which is the rules to your game.
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For instance, you'd like to do a focus group with middle school teachers.
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Or perhaps you'd like to run a t-test of some kind, pre and post.
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So your chair and your committee members can help you design that game.
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And then you'll write chapter one.
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Chapter one is where we really narrate fully our final notion of our problem, purpose, and research question or questions.
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Step 6, we propose or present a revised chapter 1 through 3 to your full committee.
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Some universities call this a prospectus, chapters 1 through 3.
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Really what this is is a pregame where we present in a very specific way.
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Notice we've got a time-stamped guide on how to present the overview of the three chapters so that your committee can help rebuild it, revise it.
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It's a full stop check before we go out and do the actual study.
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So the proposal is very important because we get crucial feedback on what to do before we go live.
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Step seven, once you get clearance from your proposal from your committee, you can submit your IRB, meaning the university has sanctioned and sponsored and greenlit your research out in the field.
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Step eight, you actually go conduct your experiment, whether it's those focus groups I mentioned or those pre-post tests with third graders for some sort of literacy-related topic.
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Step nine, you gather data and you write those final two chapters, chapters four and five.
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Finally, the big victory, you defend your dissertation.
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That is the 10 steps to success from very beginning in this class here in this research seminar all the way to the end.
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And so let's do our final look at a timeline for this crash course here.
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So if you wanted to graduate in a December timeline, for example, we have some things that are very important to understand about how the timeline works.
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So really, if you want to graduate in December, you need to be completed and defended of your whole project, whole dissertation by mid-October.
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So we have to backward map some things to make sure you hit the timeline that you want.
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Because November 30th, typically, is the final day to submit a revised dissertation after the defense to the grad college.
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So here's the key area of time here.
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What time do you need to make sure you can get to mid-October and defend well and successfully?
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It really depends on the methodology you design.
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Some methodologies take a little longer.
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Some are a little more expedited.
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It really depends.
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Some designs you may need to conduct over the summer, and then you can revise and write your chapters 4 and 5 in August and September and be ready to defend.
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sometimes it's not as lengthy but you really have to consider the timeline before mid-October and what you would need to
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get done so that you can make it to December because once you defend there's a block of time between November October and November where you're
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going to revise based on your committee's feedback but then there's also what the grad college would like you to revise before you walk across the stage
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in December so being mindful of how this works up front way early in the program is really really helpful and we will help you design custom timelines for your own success this semester and beyond.
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So today we've taken a look at our backward map for success, how to get a committee, how to build a committee, how to dose out our credit hours, and then of course dissertation timelines for success.
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So if you have any questions regarding these logistics let's get together in our one-on-one conference and we'll answer those questions directly.
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Thank you.
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About This Lesson

In this lesson, learners will explore the intricacies of organizing a dissertation. The video emphasizes the importance of backward mapping, outlining the steps necessary to achieve a successful dissertation defense. Key areas covered include selecting a topic, creating a pilot study, building a supportive dissertation committee, and understanding the roles of various committee members. By engaging with this material, learners will practice key academic vocabulary and enhance their speaking confidence, which is crucial for academic presentations.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Backward map - A method of planning by starting with the final goal in mind.
  • Committee - A group of individuals who support and guide you through your dissertation process.
  • Pilot study - A preliminary study to test ideas and methods before the final dissertation.
  • Chair - The primary advisor who oversees your dissertation project.
  • Reader - A committee member who provides support and feedback on your writing and methodologies.
  • Methodologically sound - Ensuring that the research methods used are valid and reliable.
  • Game maker - A committee member who helps design the research framework and methodologies.

Practice Tips

To enhance your English speaking skills, particularly in an academic context, try the following shadowspeak exercises based on the video's content. Begin by listening to segments of the transcript at a comfortable pace. Repeat the phrases you hear, focusing on mimicking the intonation and rhythm of the speaker.

Due to the structured nature of the speech, it’s beneficial to use shadow speech techniques by isolating key phrases like "backward map" or "pilot study." Repeat them several times until you feel confident in your pronunciation. This approach not only helps in improving English pronunciation but also reinforces understanding of their context within the academic framework.

Moreover, consider recording your attempts. Listening back allows you to self-assess, ensuring that you maintain clarity and precision in your speech. Practicing in this way helps you adapt to the flow and speed of academic discussions, leading to improved oral presentation skills.

Finally, try to engage in conversations or discussions about dissertation logistics with peers, incorporating the vocabulary and phrases you've practiced. This interactive method will significantly boost your confidence and fluency in academic settings.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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