Saturday, October 06, 2007
A dissertation day
Last Friday I had a perfect day: concentrating and working on the dissertation all day.
In preparation for this, I organized myself during the week, completed all my job tasks by Thursday and decided to continue with anything left on Monday. During the week I did minor tasks: looked at my notes, jot down ideas, organized my documents, and set my mind to have a dissertation day. Once I sat down to write I turned off the radio, so my mind would not wonder around the news, trying to reduce to the minimum any distractions. While in the process of writing I looked at my notes, reread sections of previous chapters to connect ideas and interpret the data set, paced a little to organize my ideas, and kept going back to my writing. I followed the outline I had prepared for the findings chapter closely.
I remembered my research professor saying many times how important it was for her to have a writing day and tried to follow her advice. I also remembered my advisor saying how important it is to write – once on paper, revisions are easier to make, and a draft is closer to its end.
Yesterday was another dissertation day. Although I was not able to do as much as I wanted, writing almost two pages – the introduction for a new section that I just started – I did move a step closer to the end. My mind is full of ideas that want to be on paper. I dream about it all the time.
So during this coming week I’ll try to find and take time to continue working on my dissertation, not only in preparation for next Friday, but also to add more to this section so that Friday becomes another perfect day.
P.D. My dog Canela is sick, so please send some positive energy on my way for her to get well soon.
In preparation for this, I organized myself during the week, completed all my job tasks by Thursday and decided to continue with anything left on Monday. During the week I did minor tasks: looked at my notes, jot down ideas, organized my documents, and set my mind to have a dissertation day. Once I sat down to write I turned off the radio, so my mind would not wonder around the news, trying to reduce to the minimum any distractions. While in the process of writing I looked at my notes, reread sections of previous chapters to connect ideas and interpret the data set, paced a little to organize my ideas, and kept going back to my writing. I followed the outline I had prepared for the findings chapter closely.
I remembered my research professor saying many times how important it was for her to have a writing day and tried to follow her advice. I also remembered my advisor saying how important it is to write – once on paper, revisions are easier to make, and a draft is closer to its end.
Yesterday was another dissertation day. Although I was not able to do as much as I wanted, writing almost two pages – the introduction for a new section that I just started – I did move a step closer to the end. My mind is full of ideas that want to be on paper. I dream about it all the time.
So during this coming week I’ll try to find and take time to continue working on my dissertation, not only in preparation for next Friday, but also to add more to this section so that Friday becomes another perfect day.
P.D. My dog Canela is sick, so please send some positive energy on my way for her to get well soon.
Labels: dissertation writing, findings chapter, outline
