DOCTORAL STUDIES PROGRAM

1. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM SCHOOL OFCOMMUNICATIONAND THE ARTS Preparing for Qualifying Examinations Dr. William J. Brown

2. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations Begin preparation by reviewing the Ph.D. handbook Read the relevant sections on “Qualifying Examination” from the handbook, sections 5.0 - 5.4, pp. 20 – 22. What is it? The qualifying examination is a stage in doctoral studies at which the doctoral student has completed all coursework for the Ph.D. degree and is now required to demonstrate mastery in both written form and oral defense form of the content of both mandatory courses In the program and courses in their major interest area.

3. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations What is the content of the exam? • The qualifying examinations contain four periods of four-hour writing units over two days, the Thursday and Friday of the examination periods followed by an oral defense on the written portion for a minimum of two hours. Then what? • Passing all units of the examination together with a vote of the doctoral faculty and School faculty constitutes the candidacy stage for the Ph.D. degree and the dissertation stage of the degree may begin.

4. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations Who writes the questions? • Day 1: Your professors for your core courses or professors who teach those courses, including adjunct professors • Day 2: Your professor for your primary methods course and the other professors on your qualifying examination committee How do they create the questions? Out of the materials used in your classes and targeted toward your areas of interest on Day 2

5. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations When are the exams available? • The exams are offered twice each fall and spring semesters; dates are available at www/regent.edu/acad/schcom/schedule/ deadlines.shtml Breakdown of the exams: written portion • Oral portion: Anytime after one-week-minimum faculty-reading-period; a minimum of two-hours oral defense (usually 2-3 weeks).

6. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations What is the required paperwork needed? • Run your grades transcript from Genisys • Make sure that all your coursework in completed and correct grades appear on your transcript • Choose two additional doctoral faculty members to join your advisor to form your examination committee • Check the available School calendar dates for your preferred semester and choice of two sets of dates offered • Complete the application form for taking qualifying examinations (see appendix, Ph.D. Handbook) and turn in to Amy Harden (amyhard@regent.edu)

7. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations How do I plan for the exam? • Plan on taking your qualifying examination as close to the completion of coursework as possible • Clear the time before and during your writing period from daily requirements: take vacation time from work; send the family to relatives; take leaves from other commitments that might interfere with you concentration • Remember that for at least a week (between written and the earliest date for orals), you will know what your exam questions are, so plan study time after the written portion before the oral defense

8. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations How do I prepare a study plan? • Review the “Competencies” section of both mandatory and major interest area course syllabi • E-mail committee members with the courses you have taken, the title/content of papers, dissertation interest topic,etc.; this helps them to write integrating questions • Review course textbooks for highlighted areas, notes taken, discussion boards in Blackboard sites, etc. • Consider forming/joining study groups of other colleagues taking qualifying examinations with you – groups provide encouragement & insight

9. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations Who should I talk to as I plan? • Talk with those who preceded you on their experience and what they would do differently • Ask them about their questions, remembering that questions are written for individuals but the tenor, content and format remain the same for all • Talk with colleagues about outlining notes and texts to form a good review format for everyone; a study group will make this easier and faster • Talk with each professor writing a question for you about how to best prepare for his or her question

10. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations What are some effective study techniques? • Everyone is unique: Find out how you learn best hearing, seeing, writing, speaking, etc. • Outlining appears to be a good study technique for many; notes on file cards is another good option • Discussing course content together, on-line, face-to-face, and even out-of-town works for many • Review major works and authors in communication in general and major interest area in particular: dates are not as important as titles and authors • Integrate the content of your courses: think beyond individual classes; questions will be written to make you integrate your knowledge

11. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations How do I prepare for 8 hours of writing? • Take a mock exam with sample questions that your colleagues make up or that have been used in past exams. • Get good sleep the night before each day of the exam (7-8 hours). • Eat light and get some exercise each day before each exam day • Stay out of emotional conflict or concerns before you take your exam

12. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations How do I prepare for the oral defense? • Critique your work: In the time between your written and oral exams, study your written answers and write each answer again as an “open book” question, correcting your errors – write one a day • You may only bring a copy of your written answers into the oral defense with you--no notes, no texts, etc. • Write out corrections to each answer, being careful to add missing and correct erroneous content • Practice making oral explanations of your corrections

13. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations Sample Prep – History of Communication • Check the “Course Competencies” of the syllabus for the course • Review the textbooks and your notes for the course • Talk with the professor who taught the course • Review previous exam questions about the history of communication • Learn the names and key ideas and contributions of five or six major writers/scholars that you studied in your class • Answer a mock 2-hour question in this area of study

14. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations Examination question formats: • Course syllabus format • Scholarly publication format • Scholarly presentation format • Research grant proposal format

15. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations Course syllabus format – sample question You are a faculty member in a department of communication at the undergraduate level. You have been assigned to the upper-level student major population. Because you are the resident rhetorician, you are being assigned to write and teach a sequence of two courses at the junior and senior levels. These courses are expected to “funnel” undergraduate majors into the graduate division of your department. Develop two sequential syllabi that address rhetorical communication. Title the courses and create brief course descriptions for each of the two courses you propose to be taught. As with any syllabus, these syllabi must contain all necessary elements of a quality syllabus at the upper undergraduate level of education. The sequence of the two courses and rationale for the sequence should be explicated in light of the subject matter. The choice of textbooks and authors should be made and annotated explaining to students why they were chosen. A fifteen-week calendar distributing content topics throughout the semester for each syllabus should be noted.

16. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations Scholarly publication format – sample question: Imagine that you have been asked to write a book chapter on “Diffusion of Buddhist Ideology through Mass Media in the United States.” The editor of the book has asked you for an outline of your chapter, a thorough introduction to the chapter, and a conclusion. The chapter is 25-30 pages, double-spaced 12-point font. Next, provide a detailed description of the scholarly work you will draw upon for this chapter, citing relevant communication theorists and scholars who have studied the diffusion of religious ideas through mass media.

17. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations Scholarly presentation format – sample question: Imagine that you have been asked to prepare a formal two day presentation on An Introduction to Qualitative Communication Research Methods for the study of an entertainment education play to promote drug abuse prevention. The committee in charge of the two-day seminar wants you to provide them with a careful and detailed outline of the presentation, and to write an extensive introduction to the presentation identifying your approach to the topic and mentioning the major strengths and weaknesses of the qualitative approach with reference to the area of entertainment education. The introduction should include a discussion of the various approaches to data collection, different problems with analysis and the varied ways one can write up the research findings. Draw our attention to the issues being discussed by scholars working with this research methodology. Please reference your work where appropriate.

18. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations Research grant proposal format – sample question: The U.S. government has published a call for research proposals for a grant for research in the fields of communication and media as they apply to civil servants in bureaucratic Washington, DC. They have left the problem statement for the proposed research to the researchers writing the proposal. The grant award is substantial--$250,000-$500,000. You are to write a proposal for that grant money using all the relevant elements of a proposal. You are to suggest a topic to study that meets the requirement of the grant “research in the fields of communication and media.” In proposing a quantitative research project, you are to cover thoroughly all elements of the statistical requirements for good research from research problem statement, research questions and/or hypotheses to the population to be studied, drawing a sample and naming the sample, data collection method, etc. The variables to be researched should be defined and the measurement scales to be used should be included. A draft of a data collection instrument should be included. From the type of data measurement you propose, indicate the statistical tests you propose to use. Also indicate what limitations you anticipate to your proposed research and its anticipated generalizability.

19. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations Sample Day 1 Question – Philosophy of Communication It would be incumbent on doctoral students to know their own minds, whether one calls it one’s worldview or one’s philosophy. On each of the following great questions in philosophy—how do we know, what is truth, what is the nature of physical reality, what is the relationship between faith and reason, which argument for the existence of God is moist cogent, what is the strongest argument for the immortality of the soul, how does the mind and body interrelate, and what ethical theory most serves the Christian seeking a terminal degree—state your philosophical position from the content of our course in Philosophy and Communication. At this level of your doctoral education, one is expected to be able to state: (1) “As my position on a theory of knowledge (or truth, reality, etc.), I hold a theory of (e.g., objectivism) and I am a (e.g., Neo-Thomist).”

20. DOCTORALSTUDIESPROGRAM Qualifying Examinations Sample Day 2 Question - 4 hrs on Entertainment-Education & Quantitative Methods During the past ten years a number of corporate scandals such as the Enron debacle have landed dozens of top executives in jail and have resulted in the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars. President Bush has spoken out publicly on numerous occasions of the need to teach ethical decision-making to corporate leaders. Some business schools of Ivy League universities have actually decreased their teaching of ethics over the past several years. You have been hired as a consultant by Harvard University to change this trend in the Harvard Business School. However, you are going to propose to Harvard a new and innovative way to teach business ethics – through the use of entertainment-education. Based on your knowledge of the entertainment-education communication strategy, design a required ethics course for all MBA students and design a social scientific study to measure the effects of your course on the ethics beliefs and practices of the students who complete the course. Write as if you were actually going to present your new proposed course to the dean and faculty of the business school. Cite relevant theorists and studies of entertainment-education media and arts to support your proposal. Be very specific in outlining your research design, including a list of specific research questions and/or hypotheses, an explanation of the sample design and procedure, a discussion of the research method(s) to be used, a discussion of any research instruments that will be used, a description of the type of data your study will produce, and an explanation of how you plan to analyze your data and use it to assess the effectiveness of your proposed course.

21. Questions?