Thoughts on Being Productive During a Graduate Program: The Process and Benefits of a Peer Working Group

Abstract

A large number of popular press and academic text books are devoted to successfully navigating the graduate school process, including thesis writing and strategies for completing a graduate program (Bolker, 1998; Brause, 2000; Swetnam, 1997), establishing a relationship with mentors (Johnson & Huwe, 2002), as well as developing and mastering clear writing styles (Williams, 2003), and manuscript writing (Booth, Colomb, & Williams, 2003; Pyrczak & Bruce, 2005). Yet neither popular nor scholarly writings appear to examine how to be productive in a graduate program, above and beyond thesis and dissertation writing. Students usually spend considerable time in graduate programs before they seriously begin the thesis or dissertation work. Examining ways in which these years can be made more productive and help one prepare for completing the thesis or dissertation is important. To be successful as a graduate student and beyond, one’s curriculum vitae must demonstrate scholarly productivity and professional involvement above and beyond departmental degree requirements. This improves marketability for academic and nonacademic positions, as well as continued education and training, including postdoctoral opportunities. To enter a career in academia, a newly minted PhD is expected to have an assortment of peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, scientific conference presentations, teaching experience, accolades and awards, involvement in professional organizations, and successful grant writing experience. Given these expectations set by the academic, research, and practice communities, indepth discussions regarding professional development and productivity in graduate programs are needed.