In response to the call for further qualitative research on doctoral students, my dissertation study focused on the fledging area of research related to the motivation of doctoral students by focusing on intrinsic and extrinsic motivating factors that impact their progress towards degree completion. Additionally, understanding of the factors affecting doctoral students’ motivation in doctoral programs may provide additional insight into doctoral student persistence and attrition.
Julio Cardona, Ph.D. Student, Higher Education
The purpose of this multiple case study is to study doctoral students’ motivation by interviewing a diverse sample of students in Social Science doctoral programs. The overarching question guiding this study is: How do aspects of self-determination theory explain doctoral student motivation towards degree completion? Four academic departments from the Social Sciences (Anthropology, Economics, Political Science, and Psychology) were selected for the purpose of uncovering comparisons amongst academic disciplines, and to provide a diverse sample of current students of doctoral programs the opportunity to reflect and expound on the doctoral degree experience in a semi-structured interview setting.
I successfully passed my dissertation proposal defense to conduct the study and completed data collection this past summer. I am currently in the data analysis stage of the study, and hope to defend my dissertation by May 2013. Much gratitude and appreciation go to the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School for supporting my dissertation research efforts this past summer! Lastly, I leave these words of encouragement to all doctoral students at the University of Michigan along their journey in attaining a doctoral degree:
"Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.”
- Lou Holtz
Julio Cardona, Ph.D. Student, Higher Education
Published in: Student Voices