Balloons

As I continue to work on myy dissertation, I find it amazing how easily one study can balloon. As I am revisiting my data and my results, I find ways that I should reanalyze my data. I was sitting in one of my favorite local coffee houses (no not a Starbucks, thank you) trying to outline my results section when I found that I should be doind some other within-subjects analysis on some of my variables. I do the appropriate analyses, find significant results in a mixed model ANOVA and now must learn (or re-learn) how to conduct the appropriate post-hoc tests. I thought I had learned how, but I do not think that I have ever conducted a post hoc test with a mixed model ANOVA (significant three way results with two of my within subject and my between subjects effects).

In addition to new statistics needing to be done, as I revisit my literature I am finding subtle items in the literature that I did not fully grasp or had not known to pay attention to the first time I was reading these articles. Unfortunately I had decided to look into a field of theories where there are several different theorietical viewpoints on the same basic idea. In attempting to find past results to compare my present results to, I am finding it difficult to be able to directly compare some of the old results with my own. Mostly this is because my dissertation is testing a newer version of this theory, and another because of the differences in interpretation of what each of the different constructs are grounded in.

Needless to say I have more than enough work to keep me busy this summer. And to try to motivate myself to really get some stuff done, I am actaully going to publish some goals for myself, right here right now.

1. By the end of July I will have a rough draft of my results on the measures that I have used includeing the factor analysis and replication of past results predicting motivation and self-reported study behaviors, and all results from the database comparing my two experimental groups.
2. Beginning in August I will begin analyses on the Mastery group and the unique variables associated with that experimental group.
3. By October, revamp the Introduction to better reflect new literature and my findings
4. By October have a draft of the Disussion Section completed.
5. October will be spent revising and hopefully sending out to committee members
6. Hopefully defend in time for December graduation.

Now that I have at least made this somewhat public, maybe these goals will come to fruition.