Dissertation writing
I'm in the last throes of my dissertation in terms of time, but I have miles to go before I'm done. The plan is seven chapters, three of which are drafted, though I will have to revise them. I'm part of the way done with a fourth chapter, two of the remaining are intro and conclusion, which don't have to be long, and the final chapter is a lit review which no one will read. Therefore, in the scheme of life, I'm almost done, but it seems like such a daunting endeavor. I hate writing because I'm a perfectionist, and that's all I have left to do. All the quantitative models are run, and I just have to write. It sucks.
I'm trying to finish a chapter this week, and if I do, it will be a miracle. Still, I have to do this, so I will. I wish I could live my entire life just working out, reading, watching movies and cross-stitching. I'm sure that I would eventually get bored, but right now if I contemplate a life of research and constant writing, it makes me a little sad. Not because I'm not intellectually curious, but because I don't think I'm very good. I love the prospect of mentoring students and teaching classes (though I'm a little nervous about the grad class next spring), but I'm worried that I won't be a good enough researcher (or a motivated enough one) to meet my tenure requirements.
Isn't it funny, though, that I'm worried about tenure 6-7 years from now instead of focusing on the dissertation. I think that's because people in my department say that since I have a job for next year, as far as they are concerned, I've already passed my dissertation. Of course, they're not going to fail me now, but I still have to finish writing it, and if it's the first draft of my eventual book, I'd like for it to be as good as it can be. At some point, I know I'm going to have to give up my perfectionist ways, but that's hard to do.
Well, enough procrastinating. On to the work of the day.
posted by Praecipua @ 9:57 AM
1 Comments
1 Comments:
just happened to fly past here and caught this post.
the time you spend running, cross stitching etc. is key. don't feel like it is hurting the work your getting done. its either that...or drink yourself into oblivion (i been both places...).
my point is... this is such an intensive process...when your job is to think, its hard to turn it off. down time is key and a saving grace. i don't even think its bad when down time (other time) outweighs writing time....if the writing time is quality.
i very often sit down for a half hour. i go in early or use planning time. that half hour or twenty minutes (because it isn't as daunting as 'finish stoopid revisions in methodology section') is often more fruitful than entire day...and if i get 20 minutes here and there...maybe twice a day, 6 days a week... that's a substantial amount of work. and the amount of work it is higher quality and perhaps equal to several days of sitting being frustrated 'making myself work.'
I hope this is helpful and not more dissertation advice that you don't need (there's a lot of that too...).
:D
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