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Sadie_Bea

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  • Gender
    Not Telling
  • Location
    MN
  • Interests
    Literature
  • Application Season
    2013 Fall
  • Program
    Ph.D.

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  1. Glad I'm not the only one in this boat! Panic eventually set in as the motivating factor, and I'm finally down to one paper!!! It's almost worse now, though, because there's just one thing standing between me and glorious sleep-filled Christmas break, and most of my cohort is already done for the semester. Anyway, good luck to everyone else still working on final papers/projects - we can do this!
  2. If 15 pages is required, I definitely would not submit any less than that without asking the professor first. I had a professor this semester who assigned a 14 page paper, and I emailed to ask if more of fewer pages would be acceptable. The response was that anywhere between 13-16 pages would be fine. I do know, however, that the papers that were favored were 15.5 - 16 pages long. You just can't cover the same ground in 10 page paper that you can in a 15 page paper. It's like doing only 2/3 of the assignment. Even if the 2/3 is fabulous, I feel like it would come across to the professor as if the student were trying to get away with doing less work (even if that's not the case). However, I'm sure this varies by instructor and field, and some people just write more concisely than others. EDIT: For what it's worth, I'm in an English PhD program.
  3. Just posting to try to summon up the motivation to make it through the finish line that (for me) is 3 weeks, 3 presentations, and 3 papers away. I'm a first-year PhD finally getting over the "imposter syndrome," but, as always, the last couple weeks are practically paralyzing me. I have 2 out of 3 presentations ready, and 1 out of 3 papers mostly completed, but I'm still only halfway there with waning energy and an even worse level of motivation. Thanksgiving break hasn't helped at all because I just did nothing all week and I feel like I've lost some momentum. That, and I suddenly feel the panic of realizing its too late to change my paper topics even if they are irreconcilably dumb (which I realize they are not, in rare moments of sanity). AND I'm ridiculously distracted. I can sit for hours designing the website of my imaginary future business, but stapling my butt to the chair for serious paper-writing is just not happening very successfully. I feel like I get up every 5 minutes for a snack or to do dishes or check the mail or take out the garbage...and the list goes on. Is anyone else experiencing this? What are you doing to motivate yourself in the last stretch of the semester? Best, Sadie Bea
  4. I recently had a meeting with an advisor as well. Some course-related questions I asked: - How do I fulfill the language requirement? Can I test out or do I have to take a class at a certain level? - Are there any classes 1st years students are discouraged from taking? - What is the typical amount of time alotted to coursework (how many before comps and dissertation)? - How many credits should I take in the first two semesters? Also, ask if there is a degree planning worksheet that you can look at, that will show you what types of classes are required. Most departments should have these in their graduate studies office.
  5. I think it is best to talk to the dept head of your program, or your advisor if you've been assigned one. My school/program have basically the same requirement for the supporting program. I had questions about it as well, which I brought up in an in-person mtg with the dept head. One thing I do know is that there is usually a lot of flexibility with the supporting program, although generally it is a formal minor (the specific requirements for these should be available on the university website). I have several ideas for my supporting program, all of which apparently would be viable. It can really be anything that complements your primary program. However, it seems unlikely to me that a school would just count the previous MA as the whole supporting program, but I'm sure many of the credits will transfer if you declare a supporting program in a field that is closely related to your MA. Did you receive your MA from the same school where you will be doing your PhD? That might make a difference. Transferring from a different school is always complicated, but if you're just switching into a new dept, you might be able to negotiate a little more.
  6. I am pumped about Adobe's education discounts on software. http://www.adobe.com/education/students.edu.html?showEduReq=no I've had my eye on Adobe Acrobat XI for a while now... Also, I heard Sam's Club has a student discount membership. I will definitely be researching that.
  7. I'm not sure how different Canadian programs are from US programs, but based on my understanding of how the grad system works, most first years are focused much more on coursework than their dissertation topic and comps. From what I've gathered, the theory is that you gain background and focus BEFORE you jump headlong into your research. It sounds like your profs might just be sensing that you're rushing the research process (i.e. submitting a bibliography before really getting a chance to define a compelling question you want answered through your research). Were you required to submit a proposal/bibliography this early in your program? Granted, I don't know whether you have an MA already or even what specific area of humanities you are in. However, in my field (English), every program I researched places comps in the third year (which I assume means that the second year is used to seriously prepare for it / decide on a focus). Unless your program requirements clearly indicate that you are expected to have a clear focus by now, I wouldn't call anything you described a "red flag." I would just say that you probably need to have a little more faith in the research process. Just relax and let your curiosities define your interests, then the biibliography and proposals will organically flow from that. As a note: I've not yet started my program, but I have decent research experience in my field, so much of what you describe resonates with my own experience. In undergrad, I thought my professors hated my thesis because they didn't like the organization (but were very encouraging about the content/writing). It turned out that they were actually very pleased with my work, but were just pushing me to the next level with their critique. It sounds like yours may be a similar situation.
  8. I experienced this in undergrad. The person was very difficult to deal with because at first they acted desperate to be my friend, but when they found out I was doing much better than them in classes and getting more attention from the profs, they completely changed and started trying to undermine me. I wish I had brilliant advice about how to deal with people like that. Thankfully I never have to talk to or see this person anymore since we graduated. But I do have ways of knowing how this person is doing, and in all honesty people like that don't often get very far in life. You will reap the rewards of being an honest, intelligent person that doesn't have to stoop to a low level to feel validated. You will succeed, and they will probably struggle unless they clean up their act. My only regret in dealing with this person is that for a while I let this person's actions get to me and make me insecure in my own abilities. I guess my best advice is just to try hard not to be bitter about it (this is hard advice for me to take from myself!). Your deision to ignore the situation is definitely a good idea. It is very likely others will notice and end up saying something anyway. I hope the situation improves for you!
  9. I did an undergrad honors thesis with a similar degree of intensity (although the length was more in the 25+ page range), but the committee set-up and evaluation was effectively the same as what you have described. I used my thesis as my writing sample, and described the research process in my SOP (explaining how I felt the experience prepared me for more advanced research in the field). I think this was one of the strongest points of my application, because--as you know--few undergrads have the opportunity to do that level of research, defend before a commitee, and make use of an outside reader. As another poster mentioned, the research will speak for itself. Doing something like that in undergrad is unusual and it will stand out positively. Just use your thesis (or an excerpt of it) as your writing sample and/or mention the process in your SOP. I'll chime in with the other posters here in saying that you should not compare it to an MA thesis, as that may come across presumptuous. Keep the tone of your SOP humble but confident--articulating what you have done to prepare for graduate school while recognizing what you have left to learn/accomplish in the field.
  10. I've always kept it pretty simple with a basic Excel spreadsheet to keep my projects organized and prioritized. I just use basic color coding system: red = 1st priority, yellow = 2nd priority, green = done. In undergrad, I relied heavily on Microsoft OneNote, and I plan to use it again when I start my PhD program in the fall. It's great for organizing coursework and projects because everything is always easy to find and access, and you can see all your folders and subfolders at all times (unless you choose to hide them). I also used it for taking notes because the entire thing is searchable. It's a lot more flexible and there are more options than just using Microsoft Word. Also, there is a way you can sync your folders to multiple computers and mobile devices. I've played around with other systems, but I don't like anything too fancy or complicated because it ends up being counterproductive for me.
  11. I'll be entering the English PhD program! So excited, I can hardly wait for fall.
  12. Listservs, and also many universities will post them on their webpages. A google search of your field + call for papers should turn something up, although it may vary by field (mine is English).
  13. I got my BA in 2011 and have been working a 9-5 job in something I never wanted to do, so needless to say, I'm glad to be getting back to my field after 2 years! Here are a few things I've been doing: 1. Re-reading my notes and annotations from undergrad, to refresh my memory. 2. Revising old papers. (This may seem weird, but it helps me see what I've learned in my time "away" and what I've forgotten. I was surprised how much I have retained and how quickly things I'd forgotten came back.) 3. Researching the resources available to me as a new student (e.g. academic databases, other library resources, student reading/research groups, etc.) It's nice to know where to find and how to use each of these resources before even starting up coursework again, and I'm sure it will mitigate the feeling of disorientation common to the incoming student experience. 4. Re-aquainting myself with RefWorks (my favorite bibliography-making tool). They've made some updates since I last used it, so I'm learning my way around it again and organizing the info I already have in there. 5. Researching the kinds of discounts and "perks" that are now available to me thanks to my new status as a card-carrying student, and deciding what to get with the discounts (Adobe, for example, has great deals for students). 6. Recycling old school supplies (I'm a pack rat, so I had plenty of excellent binders and notebooks leftover from undergrad.) 7. Writing in my new school at the top of my CV. For some reason, this just makes it feel so official and has helped me mentally prepare. Things I plan to do this summer: 1. Brush up on my foreign language skills (this is important in my field) 2. Sign up for an Amazon Student account so I can get free shipping on books . 3. As others have mentioned, read up on some current research in my field. 4. Browse through calls for papers, and then draft a paper (probably not submit it, just do it as a warming up exercise) Hope those ideas help!
  14. This seems pretty accurate based on what I was told as well. There was something about TA positions not being guarrenteed, but perhaps that is--as most funding is--just dependent on your performance and satisfactory progress towards the degree. Or maybe just a disclaimer? In response to living on 17k in Minneapolis, it shouldn't be too difficult (I've lived here a while, and even with commuting by car 70+ miles per day, my expenses are generally below 1.5k per month).
  15. I applied to 1 PhD program because I had visited the school before and knew immediately that it was "where I was supposed to be" if I got in (which I did!). Of course, it's always risky to put your eggs in one basket so to speak, but thankfully II was able to keep options open in case grad school fell through this time around.
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