SWOT
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Section 1 – Key Result Areas: Identify Points of Research/Writing Development (1-2 pages)
Using your books and additional sources, create a bullet list of the knowledge, dispositions, and
skill, you will need to carry out the successful completion of the dissertation process. You may
briefly explain each point where needed, but lengthy descriptions are not required. Here is an
example of how you might approach this section of the assignment.
Research and Writing Knowledge Required:
1. Understanding of the five chapters of a dissertation
2. Being able to identify the critical elements of a literature review
3. Ability to identify an important research question or set of questions
4. Design a study to answer the question(s)
5. Identify primary sources or acquire relevant data
6. Conduct analyses appropriate to determining the answer(s) to the research questions
7. Understanding the proposal process
8. Wisely choosing committee members and an advisor
9. Understanding the ethical issues involved
Research and Writing Dispositions Required:
1. Possess a passionate interest in the topic including a belief in the value of the study
2. Foster a positive attitude toward learning about statistics
3. Have the courage to face fears and anxiety with openness and honesty
4. Cultivate, nurture and strategically access supportive relationships
Research and Writing Skills Required:
1. Develop skills in the use of is Zotero.
2. Gain skills in searching Jerry Falwell Library database resources
3. Develop strategies for writer’s block
4. Strategic planning
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5. Organization and using time management
6. Maintaining healthy balance
Section 2 – Conduct a Personal SWOT Assessment (2-4 pages)
Using the SWOT analysis approach, identify your strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats
with regard to your preparedness for the task of research and writing the dissertation. Carefully
consider each category and be realistic because you will use this analysis to create your plan for
scholar/researcher development. Feel free to elaborate where necessary.
Strengths:
1. I never stop searching for an answer once my mind is engaged
2. I am confident in my writing skills
3. I find it easy to write/ speak on topics of interests
4. Communication has been a strong suit of mines
5. Never backing down from a challenge
6. Confident in locating the resources needed to achieve the given task(s)
7. Establishing a support system
8. Multitasking
9. I enjoy reading when it interests me
10. Once I start something I see it through until the end
11. Organization skills
Weaknesses:
1. Time management
2. Doing too much at one time where it overwhelms me
3. Staying focused and on task while studying for any length of time
4. Reading for long periods of time on topics of no interest
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5. Getting started
6. Procrastination, utilizing too much free time and not balancing time wisely
7. Become inpatient at times when things do not go my way.
8. Writing too much information and not getting straight to the point
9. Fear of failure
Opportunities:
1. Having access to my professors for feedback
2. Access to research aids
3. Taking several research methods courses at a time to help build up the dissertation
process
4. Taking advantage of all previous course materials given
5. Career advancement opportunities
6. Preparation for starting my own education business, as well as applying to professor
positions
7. Developing research proposals
Threats:
1. Demands of work conflicting with the demands of competing the dissertation process
2. Financial demands
3. Outside distractions
4. Negative attitude development
5. Inadequate experience in the dissertation management project
6. Lack of confidence in completing each required task
7. Overwhelming myself with more than I can handle
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Part 3 – Plan for Scholar/Researcher Development (3-4 pages)
Now that you have identified the knowledge, dispositions, and skills you will need to do
research, and you have realistically assessed your strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats
with regards to your research and writing preparedness for doing dissertation quality research,
you need to develop a plan to create measurable gains in areas you lack. Your research courses
will certainly help you in the knowledge and skills areas, but this plan is your plan, and therefore,
it needs to reflect your awareness of where you need to be better prepared for the research task
that is ahead. This plan will help to take you to the finish line. You are to lay out a plan for
personal development. Include goals and action plans to achieve those goals. You can use the
chart below as a model or develop your own approach.
Key Result Area
Goal
Action Steps
Timeline or Deadline
Creating APA
Reference Lists for
Papers and
Dissertation
Become comfortably
proficient at using
Zotero by the end of
the current eight-
week term.
1. Download a copy
of Zotero
2. Watch Zotero
Videos
3. Use Zotero to
create my APA
style citations page
for an assignment.
1. By the end of week
four of this term
2. By the end of week
six of this term.
3. By the completion
of the final
assignment for one
of this term’s
courses.
Time management
Adhere to a set
schedule of events
and plan my time
wisely.
1. Prioritize tasks by
importance
2. Eliminate
distractions
3. Set goals for each
task
4. Create a schedule
1. At the beginning
of each
assignment/task
2. By the end of
week one.
3. By the start of the
assignment week
4. Prior to starting
Learn a new skill
Develop a lifelong
learner mindset
1. Take advantage
of the LU writing
workshops/lab
2. Attend
conferences of
workshops in area
of interest
3. Attend required
courses
1. Before the
submission of
each paper
2. On a continual
basis as needed
3. Register each
semester
Creating a support
system
Develop relationships
with academia and
1. Develop a team
1. By week 8 of
term
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enlist the support of
family/friends
2. Be ok with
constructive
criticism
3. Do not be afraid
to fail
Research like a pro
Develop the skills
needed in
qualitative/quantative
methods of research
1. Reflect on prior
course materials
2. Search the Jerry
Falwell Library
3. Utilize the LU
writing lab
1. During the
research
development
phrase
2. Continually as
needed
Find a topic to
research
Choose a topic of
interest
1. Research topics
of interest
2. Check LU
Library for
additional
materials related
3. Search out studies
conducted on
given topic
1. By week 8 of this
term
Discipline in
completing writing
assignments
Start tasks on the first
day assigned
1. Set a
schedule/agenda
in place to
complete each
part the
assignment
2. Complete 1 to 2
sections each day
3. Reserve days 4-5
for
review/revisions
4. Have another
scholarly person
proofread 2 days
prior submission
1. At start of each
week
2. By day 2 of week
3. By day 4 of week
4. By day 6 of
submitting
Community/
Research
Involvement
Seek ways for
volunteer or part time
work in areas of ed
leadership in my
local community
1. Seek out
volunteer
opportunities
1. Quarterly during
the year.
Work/Life/School
Balance
Create healthy
balance for mental,
emotional and
physical well-being
1. Maintain a
healthy diet
2. Exercise regularly
1. Weekly or bi-
weekly
2. 3-4 times a week
3. Twice a month
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3. Do not neglect
time with family
and friends
4. Structure work
hours efficiently
5. Take 1 to 2
courses each term
6. Take course
breaks if needed
4. Weekly
Leadership
Develop confidence
in the ability to guide,
inspire, and
communicate with
others
1. Enroll in
leadership
courses/
workshop
2. Look for, and
apply to,
opportunities to
lead
1. Each semester
2. Twice a year
Networking
Seek to build
relationships to aid in
the dissertation
research process
1. Connect with
other dissertation
researchers for
collabs
2. Attend
conferences/
workshop to
support topic
3. Learn about and
join Linkedin
1. By the end of
each 8-week
course
2. At least twice a
year
3. By the end of
2024.
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