Five sentence summary Projects requiring a narrow focus and a lot of depth, whether these are final class projects, or PhD dissertations, can be a serious source of struggle for ADHD brains. We are likely to get bored over time, we have trouble sorting our thoughts and organizing which is no small problem when the project requires depth. How you coach and adapt for your ADHD learners can make the process much easier. By questioning the learning goals for the work, allowing for increased creativity, and supporting your ADHD learners with check-ins and guidance on prioritizing, you stand a chance at some really successful work. Working on a singular project for an extended period of time often does not go well for ADHD folks. A narrow focus can exacerbate ADHD issues. Whether it's a master's thesis or an undergraduate independent research study, forcing and expecting ADHD folks to focus on one narrow topic often backfires. Our minds jump from idea to idea, we make creative connections, and how our brain focuses is different from those without ADHD. If you're really interested in making things more accessible for ADHD folks, you might have to check your ableism. Question your assumptions Yes, graduate school or a final term paper is supposed to be hard. I am not suggesting we remove rigor. Before we go any further, park those assumptions about rigor someplace else. Ask yourself, what ultimately is the point of this assignment? What is the learning objective? Will my student be any less prepared for the career they envision if they do a master's thesis with two sections that are related but maybe a little less closely than I would like? It might seem like giving your student some breathing room and flexibility is a recipe for disaster, but why? If they've expressed the need for something more general, something that allows them to follow their passion, there is likely a middle ground and you only have to find it.
Is a ten to twenty page literature review on one narrow topic my only option for preparing this student to begin lab work, field work, analysis? If I know my student will get bored easily, will get frustrated quickly, and will find the level of detail needed tedious and overbearing (and their brain is structured in a way that makes these outcomes more likely), how can I help them? What options exist that will ensure my student is prepared to start research and yet also works with their brain and their needs? Am I asking my student to adhere to these standards because I think it will make them a better researcher or am I asking them because this is what the department expects?
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