I realized today that I haven't explained the new 'countdown' under the Final Tally, or said anything about what I'm doing now that I've finished the database. Way back in June when I started this blog I said that this is for my senior Honors thesis. Now that I'm back at school, the next step is to start writing. I sat down with my adviser a few weeks ago and came up with a schedule--one chapter (in rough draft form) every three weeks. With any lucky, I'll be done with the entire rough draft just before Christmas. After that, we'll go over it, refine it, figure out if I need to do more research in certain areas, etc. The 'Days Till Final Submission' countdown is the number of days until I have to submit my final draft: April 14. Once that's in, it'll go to my examining committee, who will read it and decide whether or not it's acceptable. If it is, I'll go through an oral examination, and they'll decide whether to award me Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors.
But, like I said, that's in April. There's plenty of time between now and then to work on this project (I keep telling myself this...self has yet to believe me). The rough draft for my intro is due next week, so I'll be spending the weekend in the library pounding that out. Trying to drag myself out of the details and look at the big picture again so I can write this introduction is probably the hardest thing I've had to do so far with this project. If you couldn't tell, I love my rabbit holes. I want to find out as much about each woman as possible, both for the thrill of the hunt, but also because I want to do these women justice, and the best way to do that is to have as much information as possible. But since this is not a dissertation (as I am constantly reminded), I have to focus. And, as a historian, looking at the big picture, and answering the bigger, over-arching questions is my job. So, it's not going to be easy, but that is why this is a rough draft: so I can check myself when I start to slip.
I should probably go invest in some red pens...lots of 'em...
Wish me luck!
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