Saturday, September 20, 2008

growing a thesis (PhD)

A thesis at Deakin requires 100,000 words.
I have 25000 & despite 2 weeks of study this has not grown alot and so was feeling despondent. So rather than wallowing, I am writing up what i have been doing:
Despite my best intentions, the lit review grew, weeding it is difficult, killing off the unruly that I previously nurtured is a struggle. And given the subject area, emergent technologies and change, its the stuff of sci fi mightmares; the stuff expands when your not watching it!
Growing a thesis takes more than inserting words into the page, it also involves taking them out.
And it involves peripheral juggling.
Progress also involves keeping it keeping on; relationships sustained, plans made that will make things in the future easier...and ways found through difficult patches. Sometimes the thoughts are clearer, sometimes it is more words.
Today I emailed my pro vice chancellor about study leave, emailed a student colleague who seemed less attached, ICQed another student colleague as well as my supervisor to share some thoughts from Mol that got me out of a writing block, read more of Mol, checked a dse forum on writing that I had contributed to the night before with what i think was an insight for me(the first task set connected to the second task, Checked in a connectivism course I am in- but connecting this to my methodology, confirmed appointments for interviewing research participants...
Looking at it this way, its not so hopeless :)

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