Most students with dyslexia, attention deficit disorders (ADD), hyperactivity (ADHD), or other learning difficulties have been diagnosed well before their senior year and have learned strategies to cope. That’s how they made it this far, and that’s how they will make it through their thesis, too. Students with learning problems can complete a thesis. They just need to approach it with self-understanding and a thoughtful plan.
Thesis writing is challenging because it requires students with ADD, ADHD, and learning disabilities (LD) to do what they find especially difficult: long-term planning, sustained work, lots of writing, and even more reading. These are challenges, not permanent roadblocks. They can be overcome or worked around.
#thesis #students #ADD #ADHD #Learningdisabilities #senioryear
If you face learning disabilities, my advice is to do the following: ● Assess how your strengths and weaknesses will affect the thesis project. ● Plan ahead to offset any difficulties. ● Visit your college learning skills center, which has experience with ADD, ADHD, and LD and can provide help tailored to your needs. ● Consider what information you should share with your thesis adviser to enhance your working relationship. The first two points are essential. You need to evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses and plan your thesis project in ways that accommodate them. The last two points are optional but helpful for many students. #learningdisabilities #thesisproject #thesisadviser #help #students
Step back and ask what impact your learning difficulties might have on your thesis project. Knowing that will allow you to plan ahead, get the support you need, and use the compensatory skills you have already developed. You should identify areas where, based on experience, you expect some difficulties. Then decide how best to approach them.
If you have reading problems, for instance, it may be important to settle on the general topic late in your junior year so you can do some background reading over the summer. The aim is to think about your own learning style and how, given your strengths and weaknesses, you can handle a thesis project most effectively. #thesisproject #students #learningdifficulties
When it comes to working with your thesis adviser, you have to share specific information that will enhance your working relationship. The clearer your information, the more concrete your requests, the better. You might explain, for instance, that it is very important for you to set deadlines for each part of the thesis and that you would welcome assistance dividing the thesis into smaller, more manageable tasks. You might also ask for special help with the paper’s overall structure - something most students need anyway. Simply explain that, based on your experience and learning style, you know this kind of assistance would really make a difference. #thesisadviser #help #students
You should not try to transform your thesis adviser into a learning skills specialist. Your school already has them, and you should make full use of their services. In dealing with your thesis adviser, your aim should be more narrowly focused: to improve your working relationship on the thesis. Share information about yourself and your learning style that you think will improve this working relationship. You may need to remind your adviser occasionally about these issues, about what your learning style is and the specific help you need. #students #help #thesisadviser
A former client of mine needed some help when she enrolled in a master’s program. She has severe lifelong LD problems, mainly with spelling and grammar, and she knew they would show up in her draft papers. She explained the issue to me as her research adviser, made clear that the problem was not laziness, and said she would have friends check her final drafts to ensure the spelling and grammar were correct. She added that it would not be possible to have friends check every draft this thoroughly, so she needed a thesis adviser (me) to help her ensure that her final paper would be polished and correct. This clear, straightforward explanation minimized the chance for misunderstandings between us, contributed to a strong working relationship, and led to a fine thesis. #thesis #students #thesisadviser
I urge students (especially those working on their research projects, thesis or dissertations) to turn to their research adviser for academic guidance and feedback. Most advisers give it willingly, generously, and effectively. Most advisers are helpful and supportive. #researchadvisers
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