Right. I am BUSY today!
My lit review sucks. It is a ;ile of shitty shit. I can't believe I honestly thought it was ok, I really was a mess ;0)
I have read someone else's lit review in their PhD thesis. It is marvellous; that guy really knows his stuff, he has references coming out of everywhere - about every point he makes. Everything he says is in reference to *his argument*, and his ideas. he is happy to debunk an idea he thinks is shit, with good reasons to back it up. It shows how people talk about his topic. And it is *focused* onto his topic, which is small, tight and discussed in detail. It is not a comment on the whole of peace and conflict studies, but simply focuses on his particular niche.
I think finding this niche is a skill in itself. It is part of getting your thesis to a point where you really can describe it in one sentence. That my thesis 'sentence' keeps changing I think shows how I don't yet really know what I am writing about ;0)
My lit review will shape the rest of the thesis. So sorting out what my thesis is ON would be a good start to filtering the literature I want to use. Getting the Sentence would be grand. I think this will be ok. Then I need to sort out the literature into the different ways people talk about/have talked about my topic. I need to show how my work derives from/contributes to/debunks these ideas. Then the lit review will lead into my research chapters.
I do not want to read around my topic too much. I want to be focused and rigorous. Stuff 'around' the topic can be addressed in the VIVA.
ok. I feel so busy and thinky and capable :) AND I am actually enjoying myself! Hurray :)
x J
My lit review sucks. It is a ;ile of shitty shit. I can't believe I honestly thought it was ok, I really was a mess ;0)
I have read someone else's lit review in their PhD thesis. It is marvellous; that guy really knows his stuff, he has references coming out of everywhere - about every point he makes. Everything he says is in reference to *his argument*, and his ideas. he is happy to debunk an idea he thinks is shit, with good reasons to back it up. It shows how people talk about his topic. And it is *focused* onto his topic, which is small, tight and discussed in detail. It is not a comment on the whole of peace and conflict studies, but simply focuses on his particular niche.
I think finding this niche is a skill in itself. It is part of getting your thesis to a point where you really can describe it in one sentence. That my thesis 'sentence' keeps changing I think shows how I don't yet really know what I am writing about ;0)
My lit review will shape the rest of the thesis. So sorting out what my thesis is ON would be a good start to filtering the literature I want to use. Getting the Sentence would be grand. I think this will be ok. Then I need to sort out the literature into the different ways people talk about/have talked about my topic. I need to show how my work derives from/contributes to/debunks these ideas. Then the lit review will lead into my research chapters.
I do not want to read around my topic too much. I want to be focused and rigorous. Stuff 'around' the topic can be addressed in the VIVA.
ok. I feel so busy and thinky and capable :) AND I am actually enjoying myself! Hurray :)
x J
2 comments:
Oh it sounds good that you are actually enjoying this process! That is very exciting. I am writing my analysis chapters. Now I see that all my lit review stuff will have to be rewritten after this in exactly the way you've mentioned. And my methodology is boring but I can retrospectively tailor it in light of these analysis chapters. I think this is progress, to know what you need to do in order to make this as good as possible. I love your word 'thinky', it is brilliant! Happy day, Clare.
enjoying, yes, crying a bit, yes, enjoying a new breakthrough yes, crying again a bit, yes... ;0)
Analysis chapters are the best bits I think! The rest is pretty dull?! All writing is fantastic though, keep going!
x J
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