Category Archives: Dissertation

Spring 2013 – Weeks 12 + 13

What I did this week:

Entered book data for 12 books. (DONE!)
Updated project.
Eliminated 3 lit review books.
Returned all VPL books. (woot!)
Read + took notes on 6 lit review books.
Updated lists.

Spring 2013 – Week 11

What I did this week:

Returned 4 books (read) to SFU.
Got 3 more books for my list from VPL + a couple for research reading.
Updated Goodreads + WorldCat lists.
Requested remainder of books (!!!); 5 from SFU; 2 from VPL.
Updated read in 2013 list.
Updated Scrivener project.
Filled in biographical data for 18 authors. (DONE!)
Backed up project.
Picked up SFU requests.
Picked up VPL requests.
Updated Goodreads + WorldCat dissertation text lists. (DONE!)
Scanned + printed 12 chapters. (DONE!)
Updated spreadsheet.

Spring 2013 – Weeks 9 + 10

What I did this week:

Filled in book data for 10 books (total: 100! the end approaches…).
Returned books to VPL + got 2 more (only ones available of those left on my list).
Read + took notes on 7 chapters (research/background reading).

Spring 2013 – Weeks 7 + 8

What I did this week:

Read + took notes on 4 chapters (+ eliminated one).
Scanned + printed 10 chapters (total: 100!).
Returned 6 (read) books to SFU library.
Updated Goodreads, WorldCat + blog reading lists.

Spring 2013 – Week 6

What I did this week:

Entered book data for 12 books.
Updated plan for next few months.
Worked on outline (mapping out projected lengths of chapters).
Entered biographical info for 5 authors.
Library – returned books; took out 10 more.
Updated Goodreads + Worldcat lists.
Updated spreadsheet + Scrivener project – reconciled everything.
Backed up project.

telegrams were kind of idiotic, too

This is why I don’t really buy this argument [that the internet is causing a decline in literacy]. I think this argument comes from people saying, “Oh, texting is so idiotic, and tweeting is so idiotic.” Well, go look at telegrams. They were kind of idiotic, too. And some of them were really good, because the person sending the telegram was taking time and care to be kind of witty. Some people take time and care in their tweets and their texts to be kind of witty. But it’s like a telegram: we can’t confuse those with literature.

—Constance Hale

Spring 2013 – Week 5

What I did this week:

Updated WorldCat lists.
Skimmed + took notes on Dehaene.
Skimmed Complete Your Dissertation Once and For All!
Returned some books + picked up the last book I’d requested.
Worked on some tables and inserted them into the appropriate sections of project.
Scanned + printed 12 chapters.

Finish Your Dissertation Once and for All!

Finish Your Dissertation Once and for All!: How to Overcome Psychological Barriers, Get Results, and Move on with Your Life by Alison B. Miller

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

One-sentence synopsis: “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, I’m going to finish this dissertation!” Yes, all I kept thinking about whilst skimming this were Stuart Smalley‘s daily affirmations. From the title I was hoping for something directed at people who are already in the midst of working on their dissertations—more concrete ideas about speeding up the process. Essentially I’m already doing everything suggested in this book. So while it was an affirmation (ha) that I’m on the right track, sadly it offered no magic bullets. Will continue to plod. (Have started to think Evelyn Hunt Ogden‘s suggestion to hire someone to help with monotonous tasks wasn’t such a crazy idea after all.) Recommended for anyone floundering at the “I don’t know where to start” stage.

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