Pursuit of Excellence Academic Tutoring and Dissertation Mentoring
Dr. Amy McCroy
In Ancient Greece, the Greeks considered excellence (arete) to be the preeminent virtue in life. It implies “a vital life of the intellect, a developed capacity for critical thought, a love of truth wherever it's found, [and] a desire to explore and understand the world” (Szterszky, n.d.).
Why work with an Academic Tutor or Dissertation Mentor?
There are multiple reasons for collaborating with a trained professional who can guide you through some of the frequent challenges of preparing for or attaining your academic degrees, whether associate, undergraduate, Master's or PhD degrees or postdoctoral applications. It is a powerful option for high school students, college students and new researchers who are trying to achieve something difficult and wish to succeed; mentors can help turn challenges into achievable goals, help you discover your own capabilities, and point you towards an aspirational version of yourself. Working with a tutor/mentor is also the most effective way of learning. If you start strong, you are more likely to finish strong.
For example, academic writing is one of the most crucial skills a student needs to succeed in higher education; but for many students, especially international students, this is the most challenging and stressful aspect of pursuing a degree. With ongoing and tailored feedback from an academic tutor or dissertation mentor, students learn how to write with confidence.
Additionally, many Master's and PhD students are assigned supervisors who have limited time to give you the feedback and guidance you require to really succeed. This is one of the reasons why nearly 50% of PhD students never finish their programs. An academic tutor or dissertation mentor can help ensure you are well-equipped to succeed.
Many students are also now opting for online degree programs because they offer more flexibity (and increasingly, more credibility); but these programs require students to work more independently, which can cause students to feel isolated, anxious and overwhelmed. An academic tutor or dissertation mentor can offer cognitive apprenticeship, encourage you, and help you to find ways of staying on track.
About Me
I have a PhD in communication, cultural, and media studies (2021) from Ulster University, Northern Ireland (UK) and I am a UK Associate Fellow of Higher Education (AFHE), which provides official recognition of my teaching qualifications in higher education—a qualification that is recognised and valued by a growing number of international institutions. I also have a BA and MA (with distinction) from the University of British Columbia, Canada, my home country. Before my PhD research, I was a museum curator who developed and delivered history classes (based on provincial curriculum requirements) to K-6 students, and designed and installed hand-crafted, couture museum exhibitions, including history-art exhibitions.
My tutoring philosophy is to turn my experience, pedagogical understanding and professional skills into strategies that will impassion my students and assist them in attaining a high level of academic excellence—particularly in relation to academic writing. I am committed to maintaining an online mentoring approach that is Socratic, wholly individualised and fine-tuned to address specific needs.
I have a large global client base and considerable experience working with students from around the world, including those who are homeschooled or in their final years of high school, those who are exceptionally academic-minded, those who need to improve their English proficiency regarding academic language, and those who are neurodivergent (i.e., ADHD, Dyslexia, Reading and/or Auditory Processing Disorder, and other learning disabilities).
Over the last five years, I have taught hundreds of undergraduate students (virtually and in-class) at all levels on a variety of Arts and Humanities subjects, such as English, International Relations, Political Science, Economics, Media and Communications, Gender Studies, Cultural Studies, Sociology, History, Environmental Sciences, Mental Health Counselling, or Nursing.
As a (remote) dissertation supersvisor at Ulster University (UK), I supervise numerous undergraduate honours theses that involve qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods methodology. Students who work with me typically receive top marks on their work. I have also worked as a research assistant in the Communication, Cultural, and Media Studies department at Ulster University (UK) to prepare research articles for academic journal publication.
I am a published researcher in the areas of visual communication and non-state resistance, and I have conducted field research in Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Ireland and Turkey for many years. I am currently based in western Canada (Pacific Time Zone). For classical academic insights follow me on Instagram at @pursuitofexcellenceacademics.
I can be contacted at mccroy-a@ulster.ac.uk or Whatsapp. Response time is typically within 12-24hrs. Most academic writing and mentoring sessions are 1:1 and conducted via Google Meet (w/o camera to ensure your privacy and comfort, and to minimise visual distractions) as well as Google Docs (if necessary, please adjust privacy and editorial permissions before sending the link). Google Meet links will be sent out shortly before each session begins. It is not necessary to have a Google account.
“Students progress more rapidly when a coach frequently reviews and encourages them to refine their work” (The Lost Tools of Writing).
What to Expect
Sessions are by appointment only (Monday to Friday) and they might include: Identifying your challenges and your goals, learning how to manage your time, submitting a draft of your paper and receiving timely and substantive feedback and/or editing on writing, research proposals, research topics, research design (i.e., methodology), research questions, and structure, and assisting with the writing (within standard ethical guidelines) and/or research process as well as the 'getting ready for publication' process.
Fees
1 hour consultation: $80.00 USD
Package of 5 consultations: $320.00 USD
Package of 10 consultations: $640.00 USD
Payments are made via PayPal. All consultation fees are paid in advance of consultation sessions.
