Halloween is the one time of year when wearing a mask is socially encouraged.
But what if you’ve been wearing one throughout your doctoral journey without even realizing it? I’m talking about the ubiquitous academic mask that I see all too frequently.
As a dissertation coach, I know how much pressure doctoral students can feel to look and sound like accomplished scholars.
But here’s something worth considering:
Are you writing the dissertation you genuinely want to write…or the one you think you’re supposed to write?
The “I Have It All Figured Out” Mask
Let’s start with a little secret: You don’t have to know everything to earn a doctorate. Yet many Ph.D. students feel they should.
They worry about simply asking questions or admitting confusion.
And I promise you, this isn’t just anecdotal.
A 2023 review of 30 studies examined impostor feelings among doctoral students explored how self-doubt, feelings of intellectual inadequacy and low confidence can affect the doctoral experience.
In layman’s terms, even highly capable students can feel as though they’re somehow wearing the “costume” of an academic.
Here’s my advice: Yank off that mask. You’re a researcher, not an encyclopedia. Asking questions and reconsidering ideas are a natural (and expected) part of the process.
The “This Is What a Scholar Sounds Like” Mask
Have you ever reread something you’ve written and thought, “Who the heck talks like this?”
Yes, academic writing has its conventions. But sometimes students become so focused on sounding scholarly that their actual ideas get buried beneath the murky density of academia.
There’s a real-world difference between writing academically and writing to impress.
A 2021 study explored the relationship between this impostor phenomenon, academic expectations and doctoral writing, highlighting how feelings of inadequacy can complicate the writing process.
I encourage my students to ask themselves a basic question: Am I making my argument clearer or am I making it sound more complicated?
Your dissertation should demonstrate your expertise, not mask your ideas.
The “I Love My Research Topic” Mask
Now we’re getting somewhere interesting. Maybe you started your dissertation several years ago. Since then, you’ve changed jobs a few times and gained new professional experience. Maybe you married or had children. Perhaps the topic that once fascinated you now feels more like a painful obligation. It’s also possible that you’ve spent so much time trying to satisfy your committee that you’ve practically lost sight of what drew you to the research in the first place.
A 2024 study examining Ph.D. students’ motivation through the lens of self-determination theory delved into the importance of autonomous motivation, including personal interest and a sense of purpose, in the doctoral experience.
That doesn’t mean you should toss your approved proposal into the Halloween bonfire. But it might mean taking another look at your research questions, reconnecting with your initial curiosity or finding ways to make your existing topic feel meaningful again.
So Who’s Behind the Mask?
Here’s a little exercise I suggest trying before your next writing session.
Ask yourself:
What first excited me about this research?
Am I writing clearly and succinctly or trying too hard to sound academic?
In what areas am I pretending to feel confident when I actually need guidance?
What would make me feel more personally connected to this dissertation?
You don’t have to reinvent your research or suddenly become an academic mastermind.
Sometimes, you simply need permission to be a work in progress.
And if you’re struggling to reconnect with your dissertation, I can help. At Dissertation Complete Coaching, I work directly with doctoral students to navigate uncertainty, strengthen their writing and find a realistic path toward completion.
This Halloween, save the costumes for the party. Your dissertation doesn’t need a disguise. It needs the fabulous you behind the mask.