Wednesday, February 23, 2011

What does it take to write a dissertation?

Some of you may be wondering, just what does it take to write a dissertation anyway? Well, I decided to compile some facts and pictures to give you some insight (and probably discourage you from ever taking on such a monumental task)! My numbers are probably on the low side, because I didn't go through every single thing he's done for the past 8 months (or the years in preparation before that). Here's what it takes:

-5 Chapters, Intro and Conclusion
-199 pages typed (so far)
-at least 20 various word documents
-12 or more spreadsheets with data
-15 word documents with pages and pages of notes from primary sources
-several legal pads of notes
-4 3-inch binders with copies of primary sources
-more than 4000 scanned pictures of primary sources and other things
-11 documents open while writing one chapter
-111 books piled up around (there are many more than that he used, but that's what I counted last night)
-lots of music on itunes and good headphones
-a lamp
-aluminum foil over the arched window to keep the room from getting so hot
-tons of coffee, hot tea and chocolate
-hours and hours and hours of work!!!

See that red book in the middle of the table, that's some other guy's dissertation, good news: it only has typing on one side of each of those pages.


Sounds like fun, huh?

2 comments:

  1. Let me guess...that table was brought in just to hold the extra books??? (miss you guys)

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  2. I know you (and Justin) (and Alina) are glad to see the light at the end of the tunnel!!! How wonderful it will be when he is done!

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