Progress Update: Turning a Doctoral Dissertation into Scholarly Contributions (22 July 2025)

1956 Erika Model 10 typewriter - my writing muse

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In my last blog entry (2 July), I shared a roadmap for my post-doctorate phase, paying particular attention to harvesting value from my recently published dissertation. The envisioned activities were:

• adapting and sharing the results of the research with the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) [this is currently not started];

• exploring peer reviewed publications and deciding what parts of the manuscript ought to be developed into journal articles [this has been partially completed]; and

• deciding on the direction for the first series of blog entries [I'll be generous and say this is also partially completed].

This blog will update on my progress and share some of my thoughts on developing a journal article for publication.

Finding time to write and role of the blog

I value and am energised by the exchange of ideas, but fitting everything in requires a disciplined approach.

My general observation is that people often find the time to do the things that they deem truly important (e.g. completing graduate studies while working a busy, full-time job). I can affirm to the reader that ‘thinking and writing’ is something I value, but this aspiration requires specificity to get to the production factory of ink and the keys of the vintage manual typewriter.

I consider this blog as an inducement to complete more formal writing projects. Specifically, I have begun to reorient my lens from dissertation writing to the production of a manuscript for journal publication. In other words, I am in the process of making the transition from 'practitioner-researcher' to 'scholarly-contributor'. I hope that you'll remain with me for the journey.

From dissertation to journal article

I believe a journal article is more than a shrunken version of dissertation content, as these academic documents reflect different purposes, voice, and audiences. The purpose of a dissertation is to demonstrate skills, knowledge and rigour to fulfill very specific academic criteria as provided by one’s university. The resultant document tends to be more formal and expansive. The core audience for a dissertation is definitely your Committee and External Examiner, the university, and perhaps other emergent scholars in your field.

On the other hand, a journal article is a more focused contribution to scholarly dialogue. The tone will often be more assertive but also reflective and balanced. The author makes a claim and joins a larger conversation with other researchers and practitioners in their field of knowledge [or the Action Research community, in my case]. Scholars want to add to theoretical knowledge and/or improve professional practice. Depending on the expectations of the chosen journal, the scope of the article might be very selective and narrow in scope. In my case, I have reviewed several journals and currently intend to provide a manuscript to Action Research Journal (SAGE) for review, and with some good fortune, eventual publication. There is no guarantee that I will be picked up by this publication, but I’m satisfied that what I would like to share fits the scope of this journal. According to their guidance to authors:

Articles should be between 5,000 and 7,000 words inclusive.

The journal publishes quality articles on accounts of action research projects, explorations in the philosophy and methodology of action research, and considerations of the nature of quality in action research practice.

All papers submitted ought to link theory and practice, in whatever way the author deems appropriate. It is assumed that the author, in seeking to share their work more broadly will consider the issue of how their contribution builds upon and advances the theory and practice of action research. In most cases we prefer to see theoretical and practical insights intertwined.

Sage Journals (2025)

The journal article: Initial thoughts and framework

Here is a sketch of my initial thoughts for the article and its structure:

Provisional title

Challenged Collaboration: Reflections on an Action Research Project in the Canadian Military

Article Proposal

This article will offer a reflective analysis of an Action Research (AR) project conducted at National Defence Headquarters of the Canadian military. The author advances the term “hindered collaboration” to describe the stalled research resulting from the conflation of structural, cultural and epistemological tensions within the hierarchical environment of the study. The author’s military-insider status provides insights to advance AR theory and its application in the relatively understudied milieu of the military.

Utilising one of Ivankova’s (2015) Mixed Methods AR (MMAR) designs, the study employed both Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) and the Evaluative Study of AR (ESAR) as the basis to examine critically the evolving inquiry process (Piggot-Irvine et al., 2021a, 2021b). This article contributes to the AR discourse related to projects where the transformative aspirations of the researcher were challenged by “… ambiguities, mistakes, frustrations, tensions, conflicts and disappointments” (Bartels & Friedman, 2022, p. 99). As a career military officer, the author is an insider-researcher offering insights into the challenges of conducting AR in the mostly closed culture of the military. Emphasis is given to issues concerning power, positionality, and institutional structural bias.

This work is intended to support other scholar practitioners working in similar hierarchical environments such as defence, policing, or public service institutions.

1. I have developed a detailed structural breakdown with three to five bullets under each heading. The higher-level structure with associated word estimates are:

2. Introduction (600 - 800 words);

3. Framing the Literature (900 - 1100 words);

4. Methodological and Organisational Contexts (800 - 1000 words);

5. Stalling and its Consequences (1200 - 1400 words);

6. Reframing the Outcomes of the Research (900 - 1100 words);

7. Implications for AR in Hierarchical Contexts (900 - 1100 words);

8. Conclusion (300 - 400 words)

Conclusion

To conclude, I want to end with a public thank you to all who have signed up for this blog after my initial announcement of being awarded the DSocSci degree in a LinkedIn announcement on 2 July 2025 (LinkedIn post). The outpouring of public and private messages of congratulations and encouragement have been both motivating and humbling. Thank you everyone!

In sharing these reflections, I hope to provide insights into my journey as an Action Researcher and a practitioner-scholar. My current focus is on preparing contributions for academic journals, as well as contemplating collaboration more deeply as it relates to AR in hierarchical settings. I plan to share my next progress update sometime in August.

For those in the northern hemisphere, have a great summer!

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. I look forward to your comments via the web form below [scroll down to the bottom of this page]. You can sign up to receive future news and blog posts, if you wish.

- John

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References

Bartels, K. P. R., & Friedman, V. J. (2022). Shining light on the dark side of action research: Power, relationality and transformation [Editorial]. Action Research, 20(2), 99-104. https://doi.org/10.1177/14767503221098033

Ivankova, N. V. (2015). Mixed methods applications in action research: From methods to community action. SAGE.

Piggot-Irvine, E., Ferkins, L., & Cady, P. (2021a). Goal Attainment Scaling in action research: Enhancing a systems thinking orientation. In E. Piggot-Irvine, L. Ferkins, W. Rowe, & S. Sankaran (Eds.), The Evaluative Study of Action Research: Rigorous findings on process and impact from around the world (pp. 89-106). Routledge.

Piggot-Irvine, E., Ferkins, L., Rowe, W., & Sankaran, S. (Eds.). (2022). The Evaluative Study of Action Research: Rigorous findings on process and impact from around the world. Routledge.

Piggot-Irvine, E., Rowe, W., & Ferkins, L. (2018). Monograph Series No. 7: Thumbs up for action research in case studies from the Evaluative Study of Action Research. Greenslopes, QLD, Australia: Action Learning, Action Research Association Ltd. https://www.alarassociation.org/sites/default/files/ALtd_Docs/Pubs/monographs/ALARA_Monograph7_Piggot-Irvine.pdf

Piggot-Irvine, E., Rowe, W., & Ferkins, L. (2021b). Thumbs up for action research in case studies from the Evaluative Study of Action Research. In E. Piggot-Irvine, L. Ferkins, W. Rowe, & S. Sankaran (Eds.), The Evaluative Study of Action Research: Rigorous findings on process and impact from around the world (pp. 129-154). Routledge.

Sage Journals - Action Research. (2025). Submission guidelines. Retrieved July 22, 2025, from https://journals.sagepub.com/author-instructions/ARJ

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The 12-year journey of balancing military life, family, and a ‘part-time’ doctorate (2 July 2025)

Publication

Pumphrey, J. V. (2025). Action Research in the Military: Experiences, Outcomes and Learning (Order No. 31840525). Available from Dissertations & Theses @ Royal Roads University; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (3165676615).

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Prelude to prologue

On 20 January 2025, I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation. I expect a degree in applied social sciences (DSocSci) to be conferred in May, and there will be a convocation ceremony in June. My wife--and self-proclaimed "PhD widow"--is excited to have me back in the kitchen and carrying a more significant load around the house. Over the years, I have tried to balance work, family and academic requirements during this scholarly journey. Still, the fact that a part-time degree took twelve years to complete suggests that I am no master juggler of my various lifeworlds.

Friends and acquaintances have encouraged me to share my unique story. This blog entry will cover the background of my story, with future blogs offering insights into my thinking and writing and focusing on what’s next after completing the doctorate. I must find ways to continue harvesting value from the doctoral experience.

Everyone's value proposition differs, and I have benefitted from the experience. But I need to do more and seek a creative outlet to share, co-create, and explore ideas. Ultimately, I hope to make a small difference in this world, and I am ruminating on how I might do this. This blog is a way to iterate and explore how to do that. Join me as I walk this new pathway [new for me, anyway].

Why I may have a unique perspective

Canadian census data from 2021 indicated that 1.1% of the national population possessed an earned doctorate, with most degrees in the social sciences completed while students were in their early/mid-30s. I started my degree at age 45 with our young son trying to colour within the lines in grade 2. When I walk across the stage, our 19-year-old will complete his first year of university.

Where has the time gone?

Creating this blog and web presence are part of exploring what one might consider doing after obtaining a doctorate as a middle-aged professional who has never been employed in the education sector.

Summary of the path followed

Coursework and residency phases

The doctorate began in 2013 with an intensive residence phase of three weeks. We all learned to speed-read 350-400 pages/night to be ready to engage in learned discussion for classes while preparing for our presentations and facilitated discussions. It was intense. Thank God there was coffee available in abundant supply.

After Year 1 of coursework, I had to take a leave of absence from university work to complete a one-year language course to prepare for a job promotion. By the end of 2015, academics were back on track after completing coursework for Year 2. Additionally, I discovered an approach to academic inquiry that resonated with me. I selected Action Research (AR) as the preferred way to address my emergent research topic related to Canadian national security implications of deploying the military to areas of conflict in the world.

A change of topic = +/- 1 year delay

After several months, I finally had a make-or-break meeting with the interdepartmental coordinating entity in the Government of Canada, the Privy Council Office (PCO). Ultimately, there were insurmountable concerns about the sensitivity of the information I would have to access. I was advised that other Government Departments and Agencies would not participate in the research. The outcome of this meeting was sub-optimal and represented a significant setback. After a few months, I reoriented and reattacked with a new topic that was important to me personally. This time, I didn't depend on external stakeholder government departments and agencies for support.

New beginning / new challenges

My previous experiences and reflections on wartime Afghanistan from 2008 motivated me to contemplate how we, as the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Department of National Defence (DND), might improve our decision-making. The research inquiry was designed to address an apparent lack of a robust process for developing options to pre-emptively deploy military resources to fragile nation-states to reduce the risk of future conflict.

Next, I completed my comprehensive examinations phase of the doctorate and defended my proposal at the university. As a piece of internal research at DND/CAF, I also found a sponsoring organisation and received approval to conduct research at DND/CAF after another rigorous review process. By this time, I was back in Afghanistan for a one-year tour of duty (2018-19) at the Embassy of Canada in Kabul.

I used my two trips home to Canada to recruit different organisations for my research effort. Additionally, the scope of organisational engagement was narrowed to accommodate the one volunteer entity interested in the research, the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command (CFINTCOM). For a host of reasons that are well described in the dissertation, the original research stalled, and the focus of the inquiry changed significantly, as implied by the new title:

The research & what comes next...

My research evolved from its ambitious beginnings to lessons learned about conducting AR in the Canadian DND and CAF. Insights presented in my work ought to be useful for researchers embarking on similar research in hierarchical organisations like DND/CAF. The abstract of the work is found at the end of this blog entry.

While the dissertation has been completed [defended, edited, and published], I have realised that I am at a new start-point after achieving this terminal point of education qualification. Onwards and upwards as the saying goes, but where exactly is the destination? As an action researcher, I am predisposed to get moving, reflect, and make course adjustments in an iterative planning cycle that gradually gets me on target.

Next steps - defined

The creation of this blog is the imagined primary, public-facing modality for my reflections. These reflections will initially be focused on the follow-up activities related to the dissertation.

Specifically, I will contemplate operationalising [a good military term] the results of the research beginning by:

• Adapting and sharing the dissertation work with DND/CAF;

• Exploring peer-reviewed publications and deciding what parts of the dissertation ought to be developed into journal articles; and

• Decide on the direction for the initial blog entries.

I will explore these topics on this blog in the coming months.

If you want to join me, please share your email address. I will notify you when a new blog is available. I promise not to spam or share your information with third parties.

Check back mid-July for a deeper look at how I plan to translate dissertation findings into a user-friendly format for DND/CAF.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. I look forward to your comments via the web form below [scroll down to the bottom of this page]. You can sign up to receive future news and blog posts, if you wish.

-- John

Action Research in the Military: Experience, Outcomes and Learning

Abstract

This study is an examination of Action Research (AR) conducted in Canada's Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). It details the experiences, outcomes and learning related to the AR conducted. It will highlight the potential challenges in conducting voluntary research in hierarchical organisations such as the military and emphasise the importance of maintaining consistent stakeholder engagement to support planned research activities. Using a Mixed Methods Action Research (MMAR) approach, this study set out overall to collaboratively develop a statistical tool aimed at improving decision-making processes within Canada's Department of National Defence (DND) for the deployment of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) on conflict prevention missions. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) of conflict data was introduced in a workshop with DND/CAF personnel to collaboratively review and enhance decision-making processes. Next, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (SEM-CFA) was used to assess a proof-of-concept model derived from observed conflict data and theoretical concepts. Despite some initial success, the study became stalled, which ultimately encouraged a refocus of learning to better understand this AR at DND/CAF. Consideration is given to the reasons for the stall including the positionality of the researcher, himself a senior officer in the military. Perhaps somewhat uniquely, the researcher's positionality allowed for specific reflections to improve future implementations of AR in DND/CAF to meet organisational and operational needs.

Pumphrey, J. V. (2025). Action Research in the Military: Experiences, Outcomes and Learning (Order No. 31840525). Available from Dissertations & Theses @ Royal Roads University; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (3165676615). https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/action-research-military-experiences-outcomes/docview/3165676615/se-2

Royal Roads University (free download): https://doi.org/10.25316/ir-20303

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If something in this post resonated with you, or you would like to be notified when I publish new blog entries, please get in touch with me through the form below. I promise to never spam or share your personal information with anyone. — John