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The Grad Coach Podcast

How to Get Your Research Unstuck

A practical guide to dealing with dissertation paralysis

By Ethar Al-Saraf (PhD) and Amy Murdock (PhD)

Updated

Cite this article

Pick the style your department uses.

  • APA Social sciences

    Al-Saraf, E. & Murdock, A. (2024). How to Get Your Research Unstuck. Grad Coach. https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/

  • MLA Humanities

    Al-Saraf, Ethar, and Amy Murdock. "How to Get Your Research Unstuck." Grad Coach, July 30, 2024, https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

  • Chicago History and arts

    Al-Saraf, Ethar, and Amy Murdock. "How to Get Your Research Unstuck." Grad Coach. July 30, 2024. https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/.

  • Harvard Author–date, general use

    Al-Saraf, E. & Murdock, A. (2024) 'How to Get Your Research Unstuck', Grad Coach. Available at: https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/ (Accessed: 18 August 2026).

  • Vancouver Medicine and science

    Al-Saraf E, Murdock A. How to Get Your Research Unstuck [Internet]. Grad Coach; 2024 [cited 2026 Aug 18]. Available from: https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/

  • IEEE Engineering and tech

    E. Al-Saraf and A. Murdock, "How to Get Your Research Unstuck," Grad Coach, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/. [Accessed: Aug. 18, 2026].

Hit a sticking point in your dissertation or thesis? That’s okay.

In this episode of the Grad Coach Podcast, Dr. Ethar and Dr. Amy Murdock dive into how to get unstuck during the dissertation process, especially if you’ve taken a long break and are struggling to get back on track.

Overview:

00:00 Introduction
00:57 Getting Unstuck in the Dissertation Process
02:03 Rediscovering Your WHY
06:12 Be The Squeaky Wheel
18:42 Break Down the Pieces of the Puzzle
29:32 Recap + FREE Resources

Key resources:

FREE TEMPLATES ONE-ON-ONE COACHING THE GRAD COACH BLOG

Cite this article

Pick the style your department uses.

  • APA Social sciences

    Al-Saraf, E. & Murdock, A. (2024). How to Get Your Research Unstuck. Grad Coach. https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/

  • MLA Humanities

    Al-Saraf, Ethar, and Amy Murdock. "How to Get Your Research Unstuck." Grad Coach, July 30, 2024, https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

  • Chicago History and arts

    Al-Saraf, Ethar, and Amy Murdock. "How to Get Your Research Unstuck." Grad Coach. July 30, 2024. https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/.

  • Harvard Author–date, general use

    Al-Saraf, E. & Murdock, A. (2024) 'How to Get Your Research Unstuck', Grad Coach. Available at: https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/ (Accessed: 18 August 2026).

  • Vancouver Medicine and science

    Al-Saraf E, Murdock A. How to Get Your Research Unstuck [Internet]. Grad Coach; 2024 [cited 2026 Aug 18]. Available from: https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/

  • IEEE Engineering and tech

    E. Al-Saraf and A. Murdock, "How to Get Your Research Unstuck," Grad Coach, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://gradcoach.com/dissertation-paralysis/. [Accessed: Aug. 18, 2026].

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