More dissertation stuff

As it happens, most dissertations have three chapters. Each chapter is a self contained scientific paper (it’s different in humanities), containing all the usual suspects (introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion). Each chapter gets worked through the advisor on average, four times.

Sum up:

1 Chapter one: finish writing give to advisor.

2 get back chapter one, revise, give chapter one draft two to advisor

3 get back chapter one, revise, give chapter one draft three to advisor

4 get back chapter one, revise, give chapter one draft four to advisor: he stamps with approval

Now for those of you good at counting (which I’m not), you’ll notice there are twelve steps. Twelve. As in a twelve step program. 

Of course, me being the annoying overachiever that I am, I have four chapters. So I guess I’m on the sixteen step program. And of those sixteen steps, I just finished step 13. 

Whew, now I only have three more drafts to finish. This is sort of a forever process.

I’m off to California for the week, so I’ll have sparse internet access. Have fun while I’m away (and not to worry, there are people staying in my house while I’m out).