Okay, so it’s been an interesting couple of days. I am in a seminar that is supposed to help students prepare their dissertation prospectus after they take their qualifying exams. I’m just gearing up for my exams, so I’m behind the other students, but it’s been really great for helping me see what that stage should look like, what kind of dissertation I might write, etc. The downside to being in this class is that I have to submit, like the other students there, a prospectus draft. I barely know anything about my topic (unlike those who have passed an examination on theirs!), and I need to dream up a dissertation on it? At any rate, I was resistant to pouring forth infantile thoughts to be worked over by my professor and classmates, but it turned out to be a good experience. Although pushing the deadline, I finally worked up something that sounded almost intelligent, and I got some really useful feedback on the work that I presented and places I might take it. Now that’s done, I’ve commented on half of the students drafts I received on Monday, and I’m going to reward myself by settling in with a book of poetry for the rest of the evening. Ahhhh.
Erin
Alan Schmierer