Comments for DPhil-stuff http://lizit.me.uk Journeying towards a goal Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:50:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 Comment on Slash and burn! by ailsa http://lizit.me.uk/2011/11/26/slash-and-burn/#comment-10122 ailsa Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:31:01 +0000 http://lizit.me.uk/2011/11/26/slash-and-burn/#comment-10122 oh it all sounds so familiar! oh it all sounds so familiar!

]]> Comment on Slash and burn! by Phil Greaney http://lizit.me.uk/2011/11/26/slash-and-burn/#comment-10121 Phil Greaney Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:52:04 +0000 http://lizit.me.uk/2011/11/26/slash-and-burn/#comment-10121 Hi Liz. My acid test - which might not be applicable for you or your readers - was how easily and quickly I could describe what I was doing to someone with no knowledge in my subject matter. Being able to do was an unforgettable moment (it happened to me in an art gallery in London, for some reason). I think that's when I got both to the gist of my work and what it meant in the wider community. This happened to me in the final year. I agree wholeheartedly with the principle of writing to word limits. We become, sometimes irrationally, attached to things we've worked hard to write; sometimes they just don't fit and we should break clean from our emotional attachment and nurture an emotional attachment to the stuff that works. I wrote to word count and deadline throughout (sorry if this seems a little nerdy or self-aggrandising - my PhD path was far from that, despite my best efforts). I wish you luck with the pruning - I think it can be an invaluable exercise and it sounds timely, too. Bonne chance Phil Hi Liz.
My acid test - which might not be applicable for you or your readers - was how easily and quickly I could describe what I was doing to someone with no knowledge in my subject matter. Being able to do was an unforgettable moment (it happened to me in an art gallery in London, for some reason). I think that’s when I got both to the gist of my work and what it meant in the wider community. This happened to me in the final year.
I agree wholeheartedly with the principle of writing to word limits. We become, sometimes irrationally, attached to things we’ve worked hard to write; sometimes they just don’t fit and we should break clean from our emotional attachment and nurture an emotional attachment to the stuff that works. I wrote to word count and deadline throughout (sorry if this seems a little nerdy or self-aggrandising - my PhD path was far from that, despite my best efforts).
I wish you luck with the pruning - I think it can be an invaluable exercise and it sounds timely, too.
Bonne chance
Phil

]]> Comment on Progress - but not thanks to technology! by lizit http://lizit.me.uk/2011/10/23/progress-but-not-thanks-to-technology/#comment-9564 lizit Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:43:51 +0000 http://lizit.me.uk/2011/10/23/progress-but-not-thanks-to-technology/#comment-9564 Strangely there is something perversely reassuring about knowing I am not the only person experiencing these issues. Like you, I have broken the document up into sections for safety! And I've switched off all automatic features in the EN application. It's such a pain having to spend time making software work when surely we are doing exactly the kind of work it is meant to be designed to do! I suspect that the fault actually lies in the cite as you write plug in and I'm not sure if that is actually an EN product. Got lots of backups and copies of everything - just have to keep sane! And yes, I'll be checking out the options post thesis too. Strangely there is something perversely reassuring about knowing I am not the only person experiencing these issues. Like you, I have broken the document up into sections for safety! And I’ve switched off all automatic features in the EN application. It’s such a pain having to spend time making software work when surely we are doing exactly the kind of work it is meant to be designed to do! I suspect that the fault actually lies in the cite as you write plug in and I’m not sure if that is actually an EN product.

Got lots of backups and copies of everything - just have to keep sane!

And yes, I’ll be checking out the options post thesis too.

]]> Comment on Progress - but not thanks to technology! by ailsa http://lizit.me.uk/2011/10/23/progress-but-not-thanks-to-technology/#comment-9562 ailsa Sun, 23 Oct 2011 19:13:57 +0000 http://lizit.me.uk/2011/10/23/progress-but-not-thanks-to-technology/#comment-9562 You have my heartfelt sympathy. I hae been here too. Never really got to the bottom of it. I blamed a long document (the entire thesis) so i split it into chapters. I also heard that having comments turned on caused this, so i no longer use comments on docs, my supervisor now writes in the document in a coloured font. I wondered if i had hit the wrong button in EN when inserting refs... there's a pattern here. I blame myself for techy failure. I posted on the software website. None of this left me more knowledgeable about the cause. I blogged on this http://amusingspace.blogspot.com/2010/08/lived-exerience-of-actor-network-in-phd.html I am wiser now. Keep backups of the thesis. The EN library requires meticulous attention to the propriety software instructions regarding zipping before duplicating. And when i finish I will start checking out alternatives. You have my heartfelt sympathy. I hae been here too.
Never really got to the bottom of it.
I blamed a long document (the entire thesis) so i split it into chapters.
I also heard that having comments turned on caused this, so i no longer use comments on docs, my supervisor now writes in the document in a coloured font.
I wondered if i had hit the wrong button in EN when inserting refs…
there’s a pattern here. I blame myself for techy failure.
I posted on the software website.
None of this left me more knowledgeable about the cause.

I blogged on this http://amusingspace.blogspot.com/2010/08/lived-exerience-of-actor-network-in-phd.html

I am wiser now. Keep backups of the thesis.
The EN library requires meticulous attention to the propriety software instructions regarding zipping before duplicating.

And when i finish I will start checking out alternatives.

]]> Comment on Getting excited about my thesis by M-H http://lizit.me.uk/2011/10/09/getting-excited-about-my-thesis/#comment-9229 M-H Sun, 09 Oct 2011 08:13:09 +0000 http://lizit.me.uk/2011/10/09/getting-excited-about-my-thesis/#comment-9229 I went through this about six months ago - then I found my 'overarching metaphor' and figured out how I was going to follow it through - breaking it down then putting it back together. Then I was able to put all the 'buckets' into their right places. It's a good feeling, but I too am aware of how much more work I have to do. I went through this about six months ago - then I found my ‘overarching metaphor’ and figured out how I was going to follow it through - breaking it down then putting it back together. Then I was able to put all the ‘buckets’ into their right places. It’s a good feeling, but I too am aware of how much more work I have to do.

]]> Comment on Reflections on Med Soc 2011 by Carly Tetley http://lizit.me.uk/2011/09/17/reflections-on-med-soc-2011/#comment-8877 Carly Tetley Sun, 18 Sep 2011 10:39:20 +0000 http://lizit.me.uk/2011/09/17/reflections-on-med-soc-2011/#comment-8877 Hi Liz, It sounds like you enjoyed yourself as well as learning a lot from this conference! I've only presented posters at conferences so far and, whilst I'm eager to speak about my research, the anxieties you mention about your presentation are also on my mind. It's good to know that others feel the same way! I've also learned a lot about presentation style from the conferences I've attended. Would you change your presentation at all based on what you learned at Med Soc? Hi Liz,
It sounds like you enjoyed yourself as well as learning a lot from this conference! I’ve only presented posters at conferences so far and, whilst I’m eager to speak about my research, the anxieties you mention about your presentation are also on my mind. It’s good to know that others feel the same way!

I’ve also learned a lot about presentation style from the conferences I’ve attended. Would you change your presentation at all based on what you learned at Med Soc?

]]> Comment on Do I own my DPhil, or has it a life of its own… by Jess http://lizit.me.uk/2011/06/28/do-i-own-my-dphil-or-has-it-a-life-of-its-own/#comment-7752 Jess Tue, 28 Jun 2011 07:28:51 +0000 http://lizit.me.uk/2011/06/28/do-i-own-my-dphil-or-has-it-a-life-of-its-own/#comment-7752 Love love love the post! It captures exactly how I have been feeling for the last month, and particularly including today! I am shearing and sheading ideas, concepts, stuff! And everything seems to be getting tighter, more neat and more constructive. Is it possible that this is what happens as we get closer to the end (of the thesis)? Is it a sign of the end to come? Love love love the post!

It captures exactly how I have been feeling for the last month, and particularly including today!

I am shearing and sheading ideas, concepts, stuff! And everything seems to be getting tighter, more neat and more constructive. Is it possible that this is what happens as we get closer to the end (of the thesis)? Is it a sign of the end to come?

]]> Comment on The journey so far by Jeffrey Keefer http://lizit.me.uk/2011/06/25/the-journey-so-far/#comment-7720 Jeffrey Keefer Sat, 25 Jun 2011 11:12:22 +0000 http://lizit.me.uk/2011/06/25/the-journey-so-far/#comment-7720 You know, Liz, in many ways this is just the opposite of my experience. I encountered this first from a theoretical perspective, and then spent time trying to see if this theory held water in practice! Glad your experience was a bit more organic. Jeffrey You know, Liz, in many ways this is just the opposite of my experience. I encountered this first from a theoretical perspective, and then spent time trying to see if this theory held water in practice! Glad your experience was a bit more organic.

Jeffrey

]]> Comment on The journey so far by lizit http://lizit.me.uk/2011/06/25/the-journey-so-far/#comment-7719 lizit Sat, 25 Jun 2011 10:56:58 +0000 http://lizit.me.uk/2011/06/25/the-journey-so-far/#comment-7719 I think I've always valued community of practice participation, but I haven't always been aware of the terminology :-) If I go right back to my youth, much of my learning was in a community of practice which happened to be called Girl Guides. As I look at my different life experiences, I can see how membership of CoPs has influenced me. As a beginning community development worker in the early 1970s, I learned from others who were also learning the trade - we had few experienced practitioners, but were effectively a group of apprentices learning from each other. In other professional areas collegial relationships have been essential. In my personal life, I learned more from other parents with children with SENs than I did from any professionals when seeking support for my son, and I facilitate a parent support group to enable others on that journey. What I have learned from study and reading is that there are theoretical explanations for what I had perceived as natural and essential. I think I’ve always valued community of practice participation, but I haven’t always been aware of the terminology :-)
If I go right back to my youth, much of my learning was in a community of practice which happened to be called Girl Guides. As I look at my different life experiences, I can see how membership of CoPs has influenced me. As a beginning community development worker in the early 1970s, I learned from others who were also learning the trade - we had few experienced practitioners, but were effectively a group of apprentices learning from each other. In other professional areas collegial relationships have been essential. In my personal life, I learned more from other parents with children with SENs than I did from any professionals when seeking support for my son, and I facilitate a parent support group to enable others on that journey.
What I have learned from study and reading is that there are theoretical explanations for what I had perceived as natural and essential.

]]> Comment on The journey so far by Jeffrey Keefer http://lizit.me.uk/2011/06/25/the-journey-so-far/#comment-7717 Jeffrey Keefer Sat, 25 Jun 2011 10:43:48 +0000 http://lizit.me.uk/2011/06/25/the-journey-so-far/#comment-7717 Liz, what a fascinating journey! I had not know some of these steps in your journey, and I find this helps me to fill in the gaps a bit more. I especially like that Twitter-sized statement near the end of your posting, "Communities of practice are central to my thinking, and being part of a community of practice supports my research, but I have somewhat reluctantly had to accept that communities of practice, at this point in time, are not central to my research interests." I think that looking at CoPs as something that encourages and supports your work is an interesting twist, as it uses that about which you were initially interested in studying. Did you expect this to happen, or did you sort of fall into valuing community of practice participation, rather than just study? Jeffrey Liz, what a fascinating journey! I had not know some of these steps in your journey, and I find this helps me to fill in the gaps a bit more.

I especially like that Twitter-sized statement near the end of your posting, “Communities of practice are central to my thinking, and being part of a community of practice supports my research, but I have somewhat reluctantly had to accept that communities of practice, at this point in time, are not central to my research interests.” I think that looking at CoPs as something that encourages and supports your work is an interesting twist, as it uses that about which you were initially interested in studying. Did you expect this to happen, or did you sort of fall into valuing community of practice participation, rather than just study?

Jeffrey

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