Today I worked on my paper at Barnes & Noble. My usual spot Jitterbug Cafe, a coffee house in my neighborhood was closed for the holiday and so was my backup the Lone Star College Library. It cost me about an hour to find a place to write but once I settled in it was a productive session. I was able to work until about 1pm as I had to get back in time to join the family for a New Years Eve trip down to Galveston to view the lights and have dinner. When I sat down to work I had 21 pages saved. I now have 25 but i am still rewriting and adding the citations. The first thing I did was to read through the paper and make an corrections to flow, grammar, spelling, citations etc. Once I completed that I started to add to the content. I finished the day with 25 polished pages. My plan is to work again on Sunday and send Margaret the new update on Sunday. She had emailed me on yesterday and reminded that she does not have pages so I will need to send her word copies. Also I need to make sure I use TurnItIn or at least double-check my citations against the original sources. I also reached out to Mike Swift who wrote the Silicon Valley article as well as Shellye Archambeau of MetricStream. Here are my Action items for next session.

1. Finish editing and add graphic from Silicon Valley story
1. Run against TurnItIn | Find instructions
2. Send to Margaret
3. Check prose above to see what I missed.
4. Use something from CNN special, look at APA on how to site.

Today I continued working on my chapter 2. I have about 19 pages. I still need to clean up 11 through 19 in terms of citations, flow etc. I will do that in the next session which should be sometime this week. I am finding it is too hard to wait and entire week to get back to writing. I will try to write during the week so that when I start again on Saturday I am not starting cold. I sent what I have to Margaret. During my next session I should clean up the 19 and get my citations done and try to write my next section as well as incorporate a couple of sources such as the Affirmative Action Myth, Blacks surging in technology, RAGS and A Nation at Risk. I have all of these. I need to critique, and decide where to to ask. I could easily have the entire thing down by this weekend. I am also waiting for Margaret to reply with her comments. Additionally, this week I will need to write up my plan. I have it written out on the inside cover of Whip's model, so I just need to put it in a document and upload to disscircles.

Today even though I had several distractions due to the holidays I still wrote. I really feel that I am building momentum. My dissertation comes first. Only family and something that at this point Cathy needs me to help with comes before writing. Today I finally submitted 12 pages to Margaret. It was well written and I had most of the citations there and I felt that I wrote with authority and added my analysis well. It was not perfect, but I now I will start to benefit from her reading it and guiding me. I still have not heard from the Microsoft contact so I will have to go in another direction. I will probably go back to qualitative interview idea. I have not seen that as of yet and I still like the idea. I plan to write this week during the week. But if not I will certainly write some on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. I am also off this Friday so I should probably get some writing done then as well. If I maintain my discipline I should be in good shape before January 1. If I have not heard back from Margaret as it will take her some time to read then I will start to figure out chapter 3. Below is the message I sent to Margaret today:

Here is my first draft of Chapter 1. I have not run it through TurnIntIn as of yet as I need to locate my instructions and I wanted you to see the work without delay. I know that it may take you some time to review and get back to me with your comments. During that time I will work on finding the instructions and run the paper through. This is about half of what I think my complete chapter 2 will look like when complete as I continue to go through my summaries. Also, I would like to talk with sometime this week about my plans or the term and where I would like to be as well as some of the obstacles I have run into with my plans for the study. I will continue working on the chapter 2 and merge what I do with your comments and be ready to submit my changes. My plan is to send you a document each week on Sunday as I am able to write on both days. I will have some extra time here during the holidays so I plan to make progress during that time as well. I also intend to start reading about what I need to start my chapter 3.

On Sunday I sent my plan, outline and my first 7 pages of my chapter 2 to Margaret. I am waiting to hear back, but certainly I am back on track. My next session will be about building on my work this weekend and really getting a flow and some density to my chapter 2 in terms of fleshing out the sections. My goals for my Sunday session were:

1. Finish outline. I did one but I was not feeling totally happy with it
2. Write m first 10+ pages based on outline
3. Send plan, outline, and draft to Margaret

The only thing I did not accomplish was the number of pages. I may not wait until Saturday to get back to writing. Hopefully, I can get something done earlier in the week.

Kai

I spent the entire day working on my paper. I did not reach all of the goals outlined in my last session but I do feel good about the work I got done today. During the week I reached out to my chair and she threatened to give me a no-credit for the term so I was extra motivated to get something done and submitted to her by Sunday of this week. The plan from last session was to:

Read section on lit review in dj as a refresher
Find example diss
Study model diss chapter 2
Develop Outline
Write draft based on outline and model, start new doc, pull content from old one
Send to Margaret

I have not sent anything to Margaret yet but I was able to get my mind around exactly what it is I am to do. I had struggled with this for a minute. So, I studies a couple of sections in my book by Carol Roberts and took notes. That was helpful. I did find an example but not the one I wanted but I think I will be fine with the one I located. I worked hard on the outline and I could use what I have but I think it needs work and I will do that as the first goal of the next session which is tomorrow. On Sunday there will be nothing but writing. It may not be great but I will leave the library on Sunday with 10+ pages, my outline and a plan that I will send to Margaret before leaving the library. Those are my 2 goals for the next session:

1. Finish outline. I did one but I was not feeling totally happy with it
2. Write m first 10+ pages based on outline
3. Send plan, outline, and draft to Margaret

This weekend I made it through the editing process of the document. My goal for this week, that is by Sunday is to have my first draft written and sent to Margaret. My plan is to work on this chapter Monday thru Sunday. If I don't have the draft done it won't be for a lack of effort. This week I my plan is to talk to Margaret about where I am and ask her about the importance of a title. Also, I reached out to Microsoft yet again. If I do not get a response this week I will have to go back to my original plan of interviewing subjects. Here is the plan for this week as prepare my draft. Monday after work I will actually start a new document that will be the draft of my chapter 2.

Read section on lit review in dj as a refresher
Find example diss
Study model diss chapter 2
Develop Outline
Write draft based on outline and model, start new doc, pull content from old one
Send to Margaret

Well I am back. Obviously the plan I had in mind since my last post did not work out. Oh well. You keep plugging away. I have been very busy the last few months with a new career opportunity. The family has to eat, thus earning an income is pretty important. But I also have every attention of graduating in 2012 so I simply must find time to devote to my dissertation.

I am STILL working on my chapter 2. The time is hard to come buy, but this is something that I must solve. Understanding that my current work schedule is very demanding and realizing that my family time is very important to me, I have to figure out a way to get this time in. The weekdays are not an option as I keep myself pretty busy with work.

That only leaves me Saturday and Sunday. Since I have taken this 3 month break it seems now I will need to get a few hours in on both days if I am complete my mission of graduating in May. I found some time today to get some work done. Today I spent 3 hours back to editing the 90 pages (double-spaced) for my chapter 2).

I made it to page 31. Over the next couple of sessions I need to continue to edit this before I actually try to cull it into a meaningful document. My goal is to have between 25 and 30 pages organized and coherent for Margaret by November 30th. I am back focused. Soon I will also need to review the docs sent by Margaret in terms of evaluation of programs and determine if I am going to study the Microsoft program or not.

Today I started the brutal process of actually editing my first draft of my chapter 2. I wrote an introduction describing the sections of the literature review. Then I started going over the text for the first section to determine if I wanted to keep it or not, wording it properly and making sure I had the citation. I probably finished about half of the first section. I am certain this will take me the rest of the week to complete. At that point I will still want to read and edit and make sure I have good content and all of my citations are there and it flows properly. I have 4 sections to edit. Today I put in 3 hours of good work. If I can do that on Friday I will really make some progress. I am pushing to have the first pass through of the entire documented, read formatted and cited by Sunday night.

Today I have finally added the last of my content to my chapter 2 work. On Thursday I will start the editing process. I will be doing this work for the rest of the week. My plan is to have it down by Sunday and send it through TurnItIn before sending a copy of Margaret for feedback.

Today I continued to compile my chapter 2. I have 2 more reports to include and then I will start editing and cutting it down. I should get those 2 report summaries incorporated on Thursday. By the weekend I should have all of my editing done and I intend to submit the first draft to Margaret.

Today I officially started to put together my chapter 2. I went through most of my materials and categorized them and placed them in a document. I still a few more to add to the document which I will do in my next session. Then I will begin to cut it down and wordsmith and weave what I have and write the introduction. As of now, the document is 93 pages single spaced. I am looking forward to starting the next part of the process. I am hoping to get the first draft to Margaret by Thursday morning.

Today I organized all of my reports and summarizes. I still have some that I have yet to summarize but before i read them and decide if I am going to use them, I am going to start to put together my chapter 2. My next work will be to take all of the documents and organize them into my zero draft of chapter 1.

I have been continuing to read and summarize reports. I have also been continuing my efforts with BiTWiSE as well as interviewing people on my topic to find out as much as I can. I have also continued to reach out to folks. Today I sent a note to Dr. Reagan Flowers. She lives in Houston so we will have a conference call soon. I am also meeting with a representative from Microsoft to discuss possibly studying The Student Minority Program that is done by Blacks @ Microsoft to see if there is an association between students participating in the program and increased interest in computing careers.

So far this week I have completed reading The Digital Elite by John T. Barber and I have begun to summarize what I will use for chapter 2. I also started reading my book on Grounded Theory which I think is the design I wish to use, but I wanted to read more about it before I committed. But is is based on Comparative Analysis which I think is important for what I wish to do. I also reached out to someone at The Blacks @ Microsoft Employee Resource Group about the possibility of studying their program called Student Minority Day as my study. I should finish the book on Thursday and then I can get to the remaining sources I have yet to read and my discovery on AERA.net for anything new. I should complete this by the end of the week. The hope is to start to put together the chapter and send it to Margaret before the end of the month.

Today I finished reading The Black Digital Elite by John T. Barber. This is an excellent book and will fit in well with my chapter 2. It is a profile of African Americans who have played a role in the evolution of the computing industry from different sectors of the society. Each profile reveals the thoughts of these "digital elite" on what needs to be done to close the technology gap in America. This week I also reached out to Detra Newhouse of Blacks @ Microsoft to discuss the feasibility of studying their Student Minority Day Initiative for my study.

I got back in the library today. I still have articles to summarize, but I wanted to use a book I have called The Black Digital Elite. I spent a few hours today in the library and I should finish it on Wednesday. I am glad that I did because I definitely found some good stuff. I will summarize it on Wednesday. I still did not get my chapter 2 written this week. But I want to have certain sources summarized before I start to synthesize and integrate.

talk to students who have come through the bdpa program who have majored in stem. What effect did it have (ask margaret)

how does events such as career days influence the choice of career.
keep my eyes and ears open during my talk in Waco.

saw this:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007PhDT.......130W

http://gradworks.umi.com/3341359.pdf, found on google need to do a google scholar search + pro quest can still be building even though I submit to Margaret.

The study that looked at robotics used a tool to measure before and after.

1. Continue conversations and interviews (may get an idea of what to ask or design)
2. Continue summarizing what I have (for chapter 2 construction)
3. AERA (for chapter 2 construction)
4. Other dissertations for ideas for my chapter 3 (further research)
5. BiTWiSE (ideas for design, participant source)

Today I spent a few hours in the library reading and summarizing proposals. I did not get as much done in terms of how many or how much I wrote but my understanding of the problem and what I am doing is growing immensely. I read one article that was full of information and gave me several ideas.

I also finally summarized the Dividing Lines article which also had an interesting nugget or 2. My goal is to complete 10 more summaries before attempting the construction of my first draft. My goal was to get the draft to Margaret today. I spoke with her today and told her that I would get her a draft next Wednesday.

That is seven days from now and I fully intend to do that. She also made it clear to me today that I don't actually have a research design yet, although I keep thinking that I do. I guess I do unless something better comes along. My plan is to interview black technology professionals and ask them about their experiences being an information technology professional and let the themes emerge as to why so few black males pursue careers in information technology.


She was also very encouraging regarding my BiTWiSE activities. Which was very reassuring because I struggled with taking the time on the project as I was worried about it taking away from my dissertation. She convinced me that they are one and the same. She even said that I may find a way to use BiTWiSE as part of my study.

She reminded that I should look for other dissertations and check their chapter 5's for ideas for study designs. I had been doing that but I will do more more of it. She also mentioned that I could interview the IT professionals to get their take and use that information to create a survey to interview college students.

To see if what is perceived by the professionals holds water with the aspirants. I need to continue to write and keep my eyes and ears open for the idea that really clicks for me.

Today I pretty much worked on my paper the entire day. It was more about quality that quantity but I will be back at it on Saturday (tomorrow). I was able to finally transpose my notes from my last 2 interviews with Professor Moore of UT and Andrea Barefield of Lone Star College in Houston. Both were full of insights and spawned connections that I reached out to today to setup interviews. Saturday I will visit the dissertation circle and input my plans for this semester which will include conducting my proposal. The rest of the day I will get back to reading and summarizing.