This semester I had two big research papers. The first was my historiography paper, regarding the historical interpretations of Samuel Adams. I turned that paper in on Tuesday and I feel like I pretty much rocked it out. I really enjoyed writing that paper and acquainting myself with over 200 years of Adams scholarship. My second project, which is due next Tuesday, is about Thomas Jefferson's reasons for joining the Revolutionary movement. All semester I have been reading Jefferson's papers and reporting weekly on what he was up to during the week's given years. I then gave a presentation on my argument. My professor and the class gave me some pointers on my argument and then I could begin going through secondary sources (which I had been banned from for over half of the semester) and put all of it into a paper. I know what I think and I know what I want to argue, but I have spent hours in front of my computer and have seven pages! That is all! Something just isn't happening and I'm not sure what. I have decided to skip ahead and begin working on his post-Declaration life and then come back to the first third, because maybe in writing the rest I will be able to better set it up and put forward his actual call for independence.
It's so incredibly frustrating to have all of the information before but to be unable to express your argument coherently. Even when I try explaining it to people I end up jumping all over. All of the pieces go together, but they are all slightly different. After so long I just want to push my computer off the table, or rip up my notes, or quit. I feel like a sixteen year old could have expressed my thoughts more eloquently. It's ridiculous! This is all I have to work on until Tuesday at 6:30, so it will get done and in the end I will probably be happy with it all, but right now I'm at my wits end! Geesh!
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Dude. Three steps (which may be obvious, but here goes anyway):
ReplyDelete1. Breathe. Take a walk, and continue breathing.
2. Outline (if you haven't already) -- and make it complete sentences, rather than fragments & bullet points.
3. (and this is the most important one): ONE PARAGRAPH AT A TIME. For real. Worry about threading the ideas later. One paragraph at a time, each with its own argument.
You can do this.
First, Notorious, PHD is right. That is great advice.
ReplyDeleteSecond, outlines are a thing of beauty, become familiar with them. But remember they are not set in stone, you can rearrange them.
Third, no psyching yourself out. I have an awful case of fraud syndrome in graduate school. But you have to push past it, your writing is good. They wouldn't have let you into the program if it wasn't.
Good luck!
Hey, thanks guys. I've been pressed before, but I don't feel that I've ever felt so lost when everything I need is right before me.
ReplyDelete