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- Jan 11, 2011
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My goal is to propose my dissertation this semester. However, things are not going so well since I can't make up my mind what topic to choose. I initially was going to look at some longitudinal data we have at our lab. However, the stats professor already advised a student who already graduated not to use that data because in his opinion it did not make theoretical sense. My advisor, however, initially agreed to the idea. But then I went to her and said that since the stats professor advised against it for the other student, then why would I do it? So, I gave up on it.
Then I was asked if I had any other idea and I do. I described the idea and my adviser said it is good and publishable. However, now I have second thoughts as another student is doing something that is quite similar (just using different outcome variables). So, I again feel that this idea is no good.
There is a student who went to my advisor for months asking for a topic until she got it. I, sometimes, wish that my advisor would give me a topic, too. In all fairness, she suggested 2 topics but both require additional data collection which could take some time. I don't want to wait another year or two until this data is collected.
Even if I were to go with the idea I came up with, I still o stel I need guidance. At this point I have so many doubts. I don't even know where to start mainly because I'm undecided on the topic. I don't kmow if choosing one topic over the otrher would benefit me more in the future. Or perhaps I should just do something without thinking so much ahead. I really don't know, but if anyone has any thoughts about what I wrote, I would really appreciate it.
Also, what kind of guidance and support is reasonable to expect from my adviser in the process. For my thesis I pretty much did everything on my own. Many times I felt I was alone. I don't want this to happen again, but I also don't want to be a burden.
Then I was asked if I had any other idea and I do. I described the idea and my adviser said it is good and publishable. However, now I have second thoughts as another student is doing something that is quite similar (just using different outcome variables). So, I again feel that this idea is no good.
There is a student who went to my advisor for months asking for a topic until she got it. I, sometimes, wish that my advisor would give me a topic, too. In all fairness, she suggested 2 topics but both require additional data collection which could take some time. I don't want to wait another year or two until this data is collected.
Even if I were to go with the idea I came up with, I still o stel I need guidance. At this point I have so many doubts. I don't even know where to start mainly because I'm undecided on the topic. I don't kmow if choosing one topic over the otrher would benefit me more in the future. Or perhaps I should just do something without thinking so much ahead. I really don't know, but if anyone has any thoughts about what I wrote, I would really appreciate it.
Also, what kind of guidance and support is reasonable to expect from my adviser in the process. For my thesis I pretty much did everything on my own. Many times I felt I was alone. I don't want this to happen again, but I also don't want to be a burden.
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