dissertating
Composing doctoral paper
Dissertating is the act of working on a doctoral dissertation—researching, writing, or otherwise grinding through the long process of completing one.
The word is informal academic slang, used mostly by graduate students themselves: I can't come out tonight, I'm dissertating.
It captures both the activity and the all-consuming nature of the undertaking.
Academic argument requiring defense
- defenseProtection against harm
- committeeAppointed group for duties
- advisorOne who gives guidance
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
doctorate · PhD · scholarship · bibliography · citations · chapters · proposal · methodology
Creating technical blueprints
- revisingAltering to improve
- editingRefining content for clarity
- writingRecorded language on surface
- outliningTracing outer contours
structuring · analyzing · synthesizing · procrastinating · struggling · persevering · rewriting · organizing
Complete separation from others
- coffeeBrewed bean beverage
- libraryBook collection or building
- deadlinesSubmission cutoff times
- stressPressure, mental or vocal
burnout · imposter syndrome · late nights · solitude · anxiety · perseverance · sacrifice · exhaustion
thesis
Academic argument requiring defense
research · doctorate · PhD · scholarship · bibliography · citations · chapters · proposal · methodology · literature review
drafting
Creating technical blueprints
outlining · structuring · analyzing · synthesizing · procrastinating · struggling · persevering · rewriting · organizing · formatting
isolation
Complete separation from others
stress · burnout · imposter syndrome · late nights · solitude · anxiety · perseverance · sacrifice · exhaustion · motivation
dissertatingdefended
Shielded from harm
graduated · hooded · completed · dropped out · dropping out
dissertatingprocrastinating
Postponing what needs doing
vacationing · working · relaxing · idle · idling
- dissertation defenseOral examination of thesis
- doctoral dissertationExtended scholarly work for doctorate
- dissertation advisorProfessor guiding doctoral research
- dissertation committeePanel supervising doctoral research