The Role of Self-Regulation in Doctoral Students’ Status of “All But Dissertation” (ABD)

• In Event: Roundtable Session 45
  In Roundtable Session: Emergent Principles, Trends, and Issues in the Field of Self-Regulation

Abstract

Researchers estimate that up to 60% of doctoral candidates do not finish their dissertations and are thus, classified as “all but dissertation” (ABD) (Bair & Hayworth, 1999; Berger, 2007; Ehrenberg, Zuckerman, Groen & Brucker, 2009; Johnson, Green & Kleuver, 2000). One variable previously demonstrated to be critical to successful academic learning and achievement is self-regulated learning (Pintrich & De Groot, 1990; Van Zile-Tamsen, 1996; Zimmerman & Martinez-Pons, 1986, 1990). However, there is little inquiry regarding the synthesis of these two disparate bodies of research. In this study, self-regulated learning strategies were found to predict time elapsed since the comprehensive examinations. Further, intrinsic task value contributed to levels of self-regulated learning with the two variables demonstrating a fairly high correlation.

Authors

• Martha Joan Kelley, Auburn University

• Jill D. Salisbury-Glennon, Auburn University