Eastern Michigan University
College of Technology
Ph.D. Student Orientation
September 2015
Introductions
• Dean Mohamad Qatu
• John Dugger
• Tracy Rush-Byers
Challenges You Face
• Demonstrate a high level of
commitment
• Ensure financial support is available
• Find an advisor/partner
• Consider work/life balance
• Recognize and address writing
weaknesses
Forms of Scholarship (Boyer, 1989)
• Boyer’s Idea of Scholarship Reconsidered
– Discovery - Knowledge for its own sake
– Integration - Looking around
– Application - Identifying human needs
– Teaching - Improving pedagogy
• EMU COT doctoral program’s strength is
in fulfilling the needs of society by focusing
on types of research beyond discovery
•
Base on: https://depts.washington.edu/gs630/Spring/Boyer.pdf
2015 Student Handbook
• Review all sections
• Study progress chart
• Draft your plan for completion of the
program
Doctoral Student Advisory Board
• Mission: The mission of the Doctoral Student Advisory
Board (DSAB) is to provide assistance to those who
administer the Ph.D. in Technology program in order to
continuously improve the program
• Goals: The Doctoral Student Advisory Board is guided by
the following goals when addressing its mission:
– To provide advice and recommendations to the Ph.D. program
leadership regarding the program in the spirit of continuous
improvement
– Provide support in ensuring that all important communications reach
all Ph.D. students
– Promote and support a respectful and rigorous intellectual climate for
Ph.D. students
– Sponsor an annual meeting for all Ph.D. in Technology Ph.D.
students within one month after the election of new Board Members.
Doctoral Student Advisory Board
Student Members:
• Zachary Jones
(Chair)
• Celeste Stachurski
(Scribe)
• Mahshid Nicknahad
• Sheri Clarke
• Nadia Arafah
• Lester St. Clair
COT Administrative
Members:
• Dean Mohamad
Qatu
• John Dugger
Student Advisor:
• Odai Khasawneh
DSAB web site: http://www.emich.edu/cot/phd/main/students.html
Doctoral Student Advisory Board
• Provide sources of useful information
• Learn from your peers in the trenches
• Channels your suggestions to improve
the Ph.D. program
• Annual COT Ph.D. meeting
COT Ph.D. Program Associate
• Tracy Rush-Byers
• (734) 487-2338
trushbye@emich.edu
• College of Technology
159C Sill Hall
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
• Tracy is your first contact when you have a
question about the Ph. D. program
– She is there to help.
Academic Integrity
• Five fundamental values
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Honesty
Trust
Fairness
Respect
Responsibility
–
http://www.academicintegrity.org/fundamental_values_project/pdf/FVProject.pdf
• Example: In 2006 a Korean pioneer scientist in
stem cells research became infamous for false
claims published in two high-profile journals
• Academic Integrity
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Easily lost
Impossible to recover
Hardest thing that you will ever earn
Can end your academic aspirations
RefWorks and Zotero
• RefWorks – Free
• Zotero – Free, good review
• Learn to use one of these tools soon!
• As you continue to write papers on your topic
of interest you will collect many document
needed for your dissertation
• Zotero vs. EndNote
–
http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/zotero-vs-endnote/33157
Plagiarism Checking Site
• www.turnitin.com
– Used by some EMU professors
• www.plagium.com
– Suggested by a Ph.D. student
• If you are concerned, then have your
paper checked
Grammar Checking Site
• www.grammarly.com
– Grammarly's online grammar checker
is the most accurate tool for grammar
correction on the market (from web site)
Project Management Software
• Gantt Project
– http://www.ganttproject.biz/download
• Not the best project management
software…
– Good enough for most classes
Office Automation Tools
• Microsoft Office or Open Office
– Word processors will be your primary tool
for most classes!
– Also, PowerPoint and Excel
• You should know how to use these
tools well
• Skill will make your work look
professional
Microsoft Word
• Things to know…
– Paragraph
– Styles – Heading 1,
Heading 2, Heading
3, Normal
– Insert Table of
Contents
– Page Breaks and
Section Breaks
– Paste -> Special ->
Bitmap
– Copy/Cut and Paste
– References and
Citations
– Setting Left and right
margins
– Track Changes
– Comments
– Tables
– Use of tabs and tab
stops
Proofreading
• You write, therefore you proofread
• Difficult to proofread you own writing
• University writing clinics will advising you
about your writing, but will not proofread
• Hire someone? Possibly
• If English is not your primary language…
– Hire someone? Yes, definitely!
Proofreading
• If you choose to use an editor or
technical writer you must be careful
– The ideas and content of the writing must be
yours
• You may be challenged if your normal
class writing style looks too different from
your submitted paper – it has happened
• In case you are challenged
– Keep emails/files submitted to an editor
– Keep emails/files returned from an editor to
show what they suggested changing
– Keep intermediate document versions to show
the work was your own work
University Writing Center
• Focused strategies for development
and revision
• http://writing.emuenglish.org/uwc/
• Please remember that consultants will
not edit your paper, but they will
respond with concrete, helpful, and
timely guidance
Working in Groups
• Group projects are used frequently in
graduate school
– You learn from others
– You learn to teach
• You get out what you put in
– If a group member does not contribute their
share
• It will catch up with them later on
– The grade isn’t everything – its what you have
learned
Peer Reviews
• Peer reviews helps you develop critical thinking
• “Good job, well written.”
– Not an acceptable peer review
– Borders on an insult; they really did not do a review
• Obligations
– You are obligated to give your classmate’s document
a thorough review
– There is always something to comment about, to
make a suggestion, or to challenge them to dig deeper
– Not performing a thorough review is cheating your
friends
– Not receiving a thorough review is a learning
opportunity lost!
• Opportunity to glean information and writing styles from
other students
Peer Reviews
• Risks…
– Receiving a harsh review could hurt your feelings
• You must grow thick skin
• Scholarly documents receive critiques before being
published to challenge the ideas presented – they can
be harsh
• An insightful harsh review is a gift from a friend
– Writing a harsh review
• Writing a harsh review can be painful and difficult for
the person doing the critique – it is uncomfortable to
hurt others
• Always consider the writers capacity to accept criticism
when making you comments
• If in doubt consult with your instructor
APA
• American Psychological Association
Publications Manual, Sixth Edition
– Citations and references are a way of life
– Give credit where credit is due
– Get used to it! Get over it!
– “Scholastic integrity” is a serious topic
• Did someone say the “P” word?
– When in doubt, cite the source!
Information Sources
• Wikipedia is NOT an acceptable primary
source of information
– Content is not critically reviewed as are
research journals (i.e., Anyone can add content)
– DO NOT cite or reference in your writings!
– May lead you to primary sources
• Primary vs. Secondary source
– http://www.lib.umd.edu/guides/primary-sources.html
• Always use primary sources when
possible!
PhDs in Progress
• Student organized Google group
– http://groups.google.com/group/phdsinprogress
– phdsinprogress@googlegroups.com
– http://phdsinprogress.blogspot.com/
• Contact joebauer@gmail.com to sign up
• COT Ph.D. students can share
information…
– Like when we are going to meet for intellectual
discourse and libations
• Meet other students and learn from their
experiences
Halle Library
• Get to know the library resources
• Get to know librarian Julia Nims,
Science and Technology Specialist
– 734-487-0020 + 1 + 2139
– This is a useful relationship to nurture
• Learn to search databases,
publications, dissertations
• Can’t find what you need, ask Julia
Conferences
• Attending conferences show how
committed you are in your area of study
• Presenting a paper at a conference
shows that you at the cutting edge
• Conferences are a way to interact with
your peers from other institutions
• You can apply to the COT for $200 once
a year for you to present your paper at a
conference
Scholarships
• Office of Financial Aid
– Fran Yates & Cindy Harwood
– (734) 487-1048
– http://www.emich.edu/finaid/scholarships.php
• College of Technology
– http://www.emich.edu/cot/scholarships.htm
Financial Aid
• Office of Financial Aid
– (734) 487-1048
– http://www.emich.edu/finaid/
Graduate Assistantships
• Graduate Assistantships/fellowships
– Apply with the Grad School
– Must be full time graduate student
carrying 8 credits
– 20 hours per week assisting with research
and teaching activities
– assist with class preparations,
presentations, and grading, as well as
with data collection, preparation, and
analysis
Graduate Fellowships
• For highly qualified students who have full
admission to the doctoral program and have
served as graduate assistants at EMU
• 12-month appointments and students must be
enrolled in courses every semester during the
year, Fall-Winter-Summer
• Must have a minimum 3.6 cumulative doctoral
GPA
• Stipends and related benefits
•
http://catalog.emich.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=5&poid=3531&returnto=304
Independent Studies
• Independent studies are useful for tailoring your
Program of Study
– Get approval from your dissertation chair that
the independent study will meet requirements for
your degree
– Work out the class with an individual instructor
– Application can be found on website:
www.emich.edu/cot/phd/ (forms tab)
– Can be 1 to 3 credits hour or more
Parking Information
• Permit (Sill lot, after 5:30)
• By the hour (Pease lot)
• Best time is around 4:00 pm to get a
parking space
• Consider the bus from Hewitt Street
(football stadium)
• http://www.emich.edu/parking/
EMU COT Ph.D.
• This is a very special Ph.D. program
• This program allows students to pursue
their passion within the framework of
their concentration
This is the Beginning of Your
Scholastic Life at
Eastern Michigan University
College of Technology