1. ACADEMIC WRITING--SUGGESTIONS, ALG, 7-28-16, 1:05 PM, CDT
1. Purpose Exercises--Two:
Some key questions centered around motivation come to mind:
1. What is your core purpose stated in a concise fashion?
2. What definite, focused goals reflect the purpose statement?
3. What specific, written plan is in place to accomplish the state goals, for example, as reflected
in a flow chart and mind map, timeline, and research map.
4. What are the specific statements that I repeat to myself, the self-talk, that promotes a positive
mind set?
5. Who are the key persons with whom I may practice collaboration in my work tasks?
6. What mechanisms and practices and attitudes are key to me for participating in mutual support
for completing stated plans?
7. How much time is required and how is it budgeted for the successful completion of outlined
plans?
Summary:
Provide the answers to items 1-7 in a written document that can be reviewed and updated on a
regular basis as an aid to consistent, continuing motivation and persistence in the
accomplishment of the work being undertaken, both at the specific project level and at the
lifelong planning level. It is useful to complete the above 7 items for your lifelong purpose--
Purpose Exercise One--and then a repeat of the process for a specific task or project--Purpose
Exercise Two, for example. Reflect and revise on how the two are related and support one
another.
Background Preparation for the Completion of the Purpose Exercise:
Complete the style inventory located at styleasmetaphor.com; reflect on the implications and
include insights, cues, and epiphanies as part of both versions of the Purpose .
2. SUGGESTIONS--Annotated BIB-References:
1. Visit your local physical libraries and talk to the library specialists; also access your state
librarian via phone or net, plus use TCSPP librarians to help refine searches. These are

2. specialists here to aid y our work... ALWAYS ask the librarians for help.
2. Use the references in articles that speak well to your topic to trace and track extensions.
3. Work with Google Scholar plus search youtube.com and BING...
4. Expect to work on each item at least 15 minutes; collect 10-15 items per week on an ongoing,
continuing basis until your dissertation is finalized. See my other notes on specifics.
5. Expect to review and collect many, many items--its part of the process. I collected 50-150
references for each class paper in 20+ classes for the PhD.
6. STYLE SKILLS--Walk into the room in your MIND that is the Space for dealing with data,
facts, reality; this is the ADULT EGO STATE in transactgional analysis, Engage this voice,
"The pencil is yellow and has an eraser," and enter the room in your head and in your office
decorated as a research place and collect references. Go out later to let your feelings have a
space. Look up ADULT EGO STATE for more specifics...
7. Provide a PURPOSE statement with goals and written plans in a TASK NOTEBOOK you use
daily it to set out the daily TO DO list--like my wife and I just did this morning--and check off
the items as they are done throughout the day. Put is on a 5-8 clipboard and take it with you.
ALSO, post the PURPOSE as a poster above your desk. Please see and do the PURPOSE
exercise I posted earlier...
3. SUGGESTION--OUTLINING:
From my own experiences, I have found it useful to isolate key insights and then play with
arranging and re-arranging them to foster a logical presentation of the topic to which the items
are a facet. One way that has proved useful is to intentionally choose key quotes from an article.
Put one quote each on a 3x5, 4x6, or 5x8 card--choose the size that best fists and use that size for
all the items. Post a number that reflects the source of the quote from your numbered reference
list on the card in the same place for each card. Re-state the quote in your own words on the
card; use this later in chapter two, for example. Play with arranging the cards in different
groupings to form an outline that aligns with other parts of the proposal--chapters one and three,
for example. Once things seem logically balanced, compose an outline and write the draft of the
chapter--chapter two for example. Use paragraphs of three to five sentences and headings and
sub-headings that reflect correct APA stye; see a sample paper in the APA manual. Recycle this
process as needed. Additionally, you may collect insights and cues from items and phrases posed
on any mind maps you have constructed.

3. 4. Progressive Reasoning:
In Chapter Two, for instance, each three to five sentence paragraph needs to be your own
progressive reasoning based on your reference list readings that demonstrate the need for your
topic and question. The lead sentence in each paragraph needs to be supported by sentences that
are your re-phrasing of the quotes you gather; the rephrasing is done in your own words and each
such item is best substantiated by two or three references at the end of the sentences--usually not
quotations--that can come from different references. Use quotations very sparingly. Also,
Chapter two is not simple a presentation of summaries of your references strung together; please
see recent dissertations in TCSPP library for examples.
END.
ALG, 7-28-16, 1:05 PM, CDT