{"id":48413,"date":"2019-06-25T12:19:37","date_gmt":"2019-06-25T19:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/world.edu\/?p=48413"},"modified":"2019-06-25T12:19:37","modified_gmt":"2019-06-25T19:19:37","slug":"learning-from-eminem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/learning-from-eminem\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning from Eminem?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
\nWhen seeking potential sources of inspiration for crafting the limitations section in your discussion chapter, the rapper Eminem is unlikely to come to mind. But after a guest speaker at RMIT University\u2019s Professional Writing and Editing course recommended watching Eminem\u2019s film\u00a08 Mile<\/em><\/a>\u00a0for its insights into waxing lyrical about your work, I\u2019m inclined to think that this controversial 2000s pop icon has some wise words to offer scholarly writers.<\/p>\n

In the final scene of the film, Eminem stands on stage, ready to demonstrate his linguistically-savvy swordsmanship in a battle-rap.\u00a0He is fronted by a crowd of adversaries, all of whom are ready to take him down, because he represents a member of an out-group, not yet worthy of respect. He hasn\u2019t paid his dues. As a PhD student seeking to join the ranks of faculty\u2026 does this sound familiar?<\/p>\n

Eminen\u2019s epiphany: he won\u2019t rise up to take the crown (or in the case of PhD graduation: a velvet chapeau ala Harry Potter\u2019s sorting hat) through intimidating his opponent, or from degrading his competition. He\u2019ll win-over his audience from acknowledging his failings. All of them.<\/p>\n

As revealed in his lyrics from\u00a0Lose Yourself<\/a>, the theme song from the movie (bolded and italicised below)\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted, in one moment, would you capture it, or just let it slip?\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Your discussion chapter is your \u2018one shot\u2019, your \u2018one opportunity\u2019 to convince your reader that you\u2019ve made a significant contribution to academic scholarship \u2013 the cornerstone of a PhD.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the surface [you] look calm and ready\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hardly! By the time I got to the discussion chapter I was less assured of my academic abilities than when I first enrolled. The PhD journey can be a shortcut to insecurity, in part, because you realise the limitations of your knowledge. This can result in feeling paralysed to write even a single sentence for fear of a scholar waiting in the wings demanding that you justify your position, or questioning the credibility of your cited literature. I\u2019ve met plumbers with more conviction than professors!<\/p>\n

\u201c[You] open [your] mouth, but the words won\u2019t come out\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

What I didn\u2019t understand about my discussion chapter was that there\u00a0is\u00a0<\/em>a formula. Of sorts. Not the \u2018paint by numbers\u2019 rigidity that\u2019s commonly seen in a methods chapter, but a structure nonetheless.\u00a0One option is to restate each research question, then answer that question in reference to what you found in your data, and then link your findings back to the literature you cited at the beginning of your thesis. Did what you find support or refute what was said in the literature? Why? A response is required for each research question.<\/p>\n

Following this, do an \u20188 Mile\u2019. Offer up all the reasons why your findings are not as strong as you might have hoped.\u00a0In his battle-rap, Eminem tells his adversary all the reasons why he\u2019s not perfect.\u00a0Didn\u2019t like my sampling technique? No problem. I\u2019ve told you everything that was wrong with it. Disarmed.\u00a0Didn\u2019t like that I interviewed 22 people once rather than 10 people twice? No problem. I\u2019ve told you why I took that approach (backed up with examples from published studies where the approach I took was also used). Disarmed.<\/p>\n

Pre-emptively disarm your audience and they will react like Eminem\u2019s competitor: they\u2019ll walk off stage without a comeback.<\/p>\n

\u201c[You\u2019re] choking, how?\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The discussion chapter is wrapped in the weight of needing to justify why you\u2019ve spent the last few years of your life sitting in that PhD office, potentially drawing a stipend and sacrificing alternative income streams in the pursuit of two letters before your name and three letters after.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe clock\u2019s run out, time\u2019s up, over \u2013 blaow!\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The discussion chapter is most often the last chapter you write. Your candidature clock is ticking and you\u2019re most likely \u2018slightly over\u2019 being a PhD student.<\/p>\n

I remember begging my (very patient) supervisor\u2026 \u201cjust tell me what changes you want and I will make them\u201d. She calmly reassured me I would get there. After several re-writes (and her very helpful guidance) I did. But during the process I was stretched beyond any elasticity coefficient I thought possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cBack to the lab again\u2026 And these times are so hard, and it\u2019s gettin\u2019 even harder\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Expect that your supervisor will send your discussion chapter back to you for revisions. Multiple times. Don\u2019t lose heart. You\u2019ll get there. It\u2019s part of the process of learning how to be an academic.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe beat goes on: da-da-dom, da-dom, dah-dah, dah-dah\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

What tips or fears do you have in relation to the discussion chapter? Leave your comments below.<\/p>\n

Check out Eminem\u2019s battle-rap here<\/a>, noting\u00a0extreme\u00a0<\/u>language warning!<\/p>\n

Author Bio:<\/strong> Dr Bronwyn Eager spent nearly a decade running her own creative business before completing a PhD in entrepreneurship and joining the ranks of academia. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When seeking potential sources of inspiration for crafting the limitations section in your discussion chapter, the rapper Eminem is unlikely to come to mind. But after a guest speaker at RMIT University\u2019s Professional Writing and Editing course recommended watching Eminem\u2019s film\u00a08 Mile\u00a0for its insights into waxing lyrical about your work, I\u2019m inclined to think that […]\n… learn more→<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":48414,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[32476],"coauthors":[11733],"class_list":["post-48413","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-higher-education","tag-discussion-chapter"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nLearning from Eminem? - World leading higher education information and services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/world.edu\/learning-from-eminem\/\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Learning from Eminem? - World leading higher education information and services\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When seeking potential sources of inspiration for crafting the limitations section in your discussion chapter, the rapper Eminem is unlikely to come to mind. 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