MA Thesis woes

[Apogeee]

After I got told to remove all of the things I thought would be useful have in my MA thesis, the defense question I can't really answer: what good is this thesis. (My answer: not much). The solution, of course, is not going to be to put back what I think belongs there. No. I will have to add small sections of summary and text boxes explaining little things throughout the text. Instead of the useful material, so that the product will turn out to look like some other book the committee admires. The problem is, I don't think such books are useful or good, but apparently that is what the committee has agreed on.

And then in the fall I have been asked to take another course and re-address the topic of my thesis, (as I work toward my PhD) because it has potential. Did I mention that I was specifically told to save all the things I had to take out of the thesis? Because I am going to use most of them for this thing in the fall. But I have to make that new product look like some other book series they all admire. A book series that I hate and don't want any part of because I don't think it's good or helpful.

My advisor very much wants me to do all this, and wants to do something good for me. My advisor thinks this is the good thing to do. This advisor is usually right, but I just can't see it here. I guess this is my ego getting in the way. And my advisor taught me so much, which is a debt I can't ever repay. So I will probably do all of this and it's eating me alive with the futility of it and the anger. I believe what I am going to produce is utterly bad and crappy. And they are going to love it. But I feel like I am just going to be wasting everyone's time.

I need to pull my ego out of this.

Any ideas how?

[Sigaba]

If your thesis either supports or refutes an established interpretation in your field, I recommend that you augment/supplement text that underscores how.

If your thesis establishes a new interpretation, I recommend that you augment your text with diplomatically-phrased passages that underscores how.

IRT the guidance you're receiving from your advisor, trust it. As one told me "sometimes less is more." Save the version you like (without the trimming) in another folder.

 

[fuzzylogician]

I don't know about anyone else, but I am very confused. Your post assumes so much background knowledge that we don't have. What field are you in? I understand that the MA is en route to a PhD in that same field? What is the book series thing and how is it relevant? Your thesis is not going to be in the series, right? Are we just talking about cosmetics, or something more? You have a main advisor and a committee? Who gets to decide/approve your topic? This sounds like a late stage where the thesis is already written based on something you've agreed upon, and maybe now you don't like it anymore? Did you talk to anyone about that - now or earlier? And why should we think your committee doesn't know what it's doing, given that you only have good things to say about your advisor? The advice to do less and keep stuff for later is usually good and worth taking, even if it's hard for you to see it now. Same for how to phrase arguments and what directions to take. I just wonder why you are posting here instead of talking to your committee about their advice to clarify why you're telling you to do the things that they are telling you to do. 

[Nightly]

Do what you have to do here to get to the next step. It's painful to compromise sometimes. But if you have to make these changes, do it and hold your head high. You have accomplished so much already. Accepting this reality doesn't diminish your accomplishments. It's the price we pay to keep going.

[Sigaba]

51 minutes ago, fuzzylogician said:

 What field are you in? 

IRC, The OP is a classicist, currently at UK.

[Apogeee]

I know that I am not giving enough background information. Sorry about that. I appreciate all the help and advice. Really I am just venting the same vent that I have heard before with other people about their own thesis. I didn't think I would put myself in the same situation.

[Apogeee]

1 hour ago, fuzzylogician said:

What field are you in? 

Thank you so much for your response. I am in Teacher Preparation. And I am mostly venting about this. Maybe I should take up drinking instead! I am sure when I get over myself, I will remember that none of this matters. My advisors and committee surely know what they are doing, and they know much more than I do.

[Nightly]

You are allowed to vent. Everyone has to sometimes. Take a step back and be objective. Your committee won't let you produce something "bad and crappy". It's going to be okay.