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Show page 18 , Spring 2004 process. Edwards explains that during incubation our verbal selves must be left alone and ignored, leaving our non-verbal selves free to work with all the data entered during saturation. We will shift information around unconsciously until the concepts fit together, if only we stop talking about it. Incubation requires a great deal of time and there is initially very little to show for it, in terms of productivity. Incubation results in an inactive, non-productive and fairly uncommunicative student, generally unacceptable state of affairs to faculty, especially those who value outcome over process. I know of no graduate program that offers "Cogitation Units" towards a degree. Additionally, the person in incubation may never have been taught the value - the necessity - of the phase, and consequently suffers guilt and anxiety for "wasting time." One of the best ways to incubate successfully is by using physical activity that is repetitive or automatic, not requiring much conscious thought. Incubation should be devoid of verbal interruptions, including conversations, reading and writing. Hiking, swimming, showering, washing dishes, vacuuming, driving a familiar route, all are examples of great incubating activities. We are all vulnerable to criticism during this phase. As faculty, it is best to leave the student alone at this point and let his or her brain work, save for occasional murmurs of encouragement and your continued faith in his or her abilities. The fourth phase of the process of creativity is illumination. Edwards describes this as the "Ah-ha!" It usually lasts for a short, marvelous period of time and is described in visual terms. "I could see the answer so clearly!" "There it was, right before my eyes!" Your visual and kinetic self has come up with a solution that can be perfectly verbalized, resulting in a sense of Tightness and certainty. This phase is so wonderful and satisfying that we are willing to continue with the less delightful aspects of the research mission in order to achieve illumination once in a while. There is no way to hurry this phase, which, I believe, must be preceded by stages one through three in order to occur. This phase, like incubation, requires isolation. You can instruct the student to carry a pencil and paper with them during incubation (e.g., while jogging), so they can write down the inspiration that will come during illumination. You can also assure them that it is critical that they put some distance between themselves and the project, to allow this phase to occur. Forcing it never works. The fifth and final stage of the process is verification. This phase is characterized by a logical, conscious thought process. Unlike illumination, this phase is usually quite lengthy. It involves proving, for others' benefit, the Tightness of the "Ah-ha." In most disciplines, verification corresponds with writing. In fact, talking and writing about the project can speed this phase, as the isolation so important to incubation and illumination can now be damaging. You can schedule meetings with your student to check progress during this phase and to keep them on track. Steady and timely turn-arounds of drafts is crucial. Criticisms at this point should be constructive and move the project forward, as this is a time when the student is easily discouraged. Since it is also easy, during this practical and prosaic stage, to lose the magic and light experienced during illumination, your job here is to stay positive and encouraging. It can help to occasionally re-examine with the student the project's original uniqueness and value. We can use what we know about creativity to improve and enhance our own and the student's research process. Understanding how Edwards' five phases of creativity relate to our research efforts and how to promote each phase, can stimulate the production of scholarly work. Specifically, this type of understanding can lead to the construction of more realistic time frames for research, more focused support of students and peers, and proactive problem prevention. Applying the creative process can help us both perform and teach the mechanics of research. I wish you some luck and lots of illumination. stephanie.richardson@nurs.utah.edu Artwork: "Dam Builders" Herschel Levit (1937). Courtesy Mary Francey at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts GUIDELINE ACTION RATIONALE Use no words or commonly identifiable shapes. Use shapes that have meaning to you, but are not easily connected to a word. Labeling shapes with words, on paper or symbolically, opposes the shift of information from verbal to visual. Construct a series of models over time. Create a folder or clear a shelf for models, and date them. Occasionally review them. Serial construction fosters feelings of growth, progress, and hope, and can avert premature closure Eliminate or avoid verbal distractions during construction. Unplug the telephone, work in solitude, remove sticky notes from the margin of your computer screen, close curtains and drape signs. Most of us prefer or are most used to verbal descriptions and will revert to verbal whenever prompted by spoken or printed words. Besides, these actions will also remove distractions. FIGURE 2: Guidelines for Model Construction |
