Saturday, March 24, 2007
Little time, little projects:
Working with the Reference list
Because work occupies most of my time these days, I decided to work with the references of my dissertation. This is a job that takes time, but if done little by little it adds up quickly. Besides, you don’t need big periods of time at once, half an hour or a little more can provide enough time to complete five to ten (who knows if more) references.
The following steps illustrate how I've been working with the references of the first three chapters of my dissertation.
First, make a list of citations by chapter and identify them as so. In this way, you’ll be able to make a memory check of the topics discussed and, if necessary, go back to the specific paragraphs where the citations appeared by using the Edit-Find option of the word processor.
Second, combine each chapter’s reference lists into one big list. Then organize it in alphabetical order. Word processors have this option embeded in the Table or Format menu.
Third, work with what you have at hand first and cross-out from the list. Little by little you’ll see how you are progressing in this task. Don’t get discourage if something is missing, look for your old courses syllabi and papers too. You'll find more references there.
Fourth, you might need to go back to the library to find a few missing references. Still, there will be enough time to do that and no need to rush at the very end of your dissertation!
You'll see that when you finish adding the bibliographical information of each entry, your dissertation’s Reference list will be almost done!!! Remember that you might need to add a few more while you are working with the last chapter.
Happy referencing! :-)
The following steps illustrate how I've been working with the references of the first three chapters of my dissertation.
First, make a list of citations by chapter and identify them as so. In this way, you’ll be able to make a memory check of the topics discussed and, if necessary, go back to the specific paragraphs where the citations appeared by using the Edit-Find option of the word processor.
Second, combine each chapter’s reference lists into one big list. Then organize it in alphabetical order. Word processors have this option embeded in the Table or Format menu.
Third, work with what you have at hand first and cross-out from the list. Little by little you’ll see how you are progressing in this task. Don’t get discourage if something is missing, look for your old courses syllabi and papers too. You'll find more references there.
Fourth, you might need to go back to the library to find a few missing references. Still, there will be enough time to do that and no need to rush at the very end of your dissertation!
You'll see that when you finish adding the bibliographical information of each entry, your dissertation’s Reference list will be almost done!!! Remember that you might need to add a few more while you are working with the last chapter.
Happy referencing! :-)
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Saying ‘No’ is also important!
As I continue working on my dissertation, I find myself restraining from other intellectual activities. I need to suppress myself and not get involved in other activities that could take much of my time left after work.
So, if I feel like doing something new I ask myself – “Do you really want to engage in this new project? How much time are you willing to dedicate to it?”
And I answer to myself – “Prioritize, you need to finish your most important academic project first, your dissertation. You will have time to do much more after you finish your degree.” And that is how I keep going, how I keep working, little by little, on my research project.
Chapter three has been approved and will be divided into two chapters. Feels good! But this is not the time to celebrate. More than anything else, it is the time to regroup and keep working!!!
Saying ‘No’ is also important, not only to others but most of all to myself.
So, if I feel like doing something new I ask myself – “Do you really want to engage in this new project? How much time are you willing to dedicate to it?”
And I answer to myself – “Prioritize, you need to finish your most important academic project first, your dissertation. You will have time to do much more after you finish your degree.” And that is how I keep going, how I keep working, little by little, on my research project.
Chapter three has been approved and will be divided into two chapters. Feels good! But this is not the time to celebrate. More than anything else, it is the time to regroup and keep working!!!
Saying ‘No’ is also important, not only to others but most of all to myself.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
A change of pace
With the New Year came a change of pace: I went back to work at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico and joined a gym. Besides that, I keep working on my dissertation. The dissertation process seems to slow down a little and at present I can’t see the end of it. Still, I keep working a few hours every week. “Little by little it will add up,” I tell myself.
