Week 3

Emily's dissertation is not finished yet.

Pages: .5. Yes, that's one half. Officially decided to consider what I have so far as annotated bibliography and signposts to a new outline, and use what I'm producing in my data analysis class as the basis for starting over. This will include having to decide whether/how to incorporate my newfound focus on overage students. But the good news is...

Pages goal: 200... I read a couple of much shorter dissertations this morning by people who really know their shit, and they were real short. And this poster presentation based on my interviews so far that I threw together a draft of sailed trough conference committee review with no changes requested (after having been immediately praised by the conference chair who I also am going to ask to be on my committee). AND someone I met when I was in Goma says he has 15 people lined up for me to interview, which will pacify my advisor and make for some welcome forward momentum - and a much needed reconnection with the fundamentals and reality of the actual topic. So having to start completely over and write a new thing doesn't feel too unmanageable. 

First full draft goal: January 18th

I sat down with my advisor this week and now I have an actual defense date: April 5th. HOLY CRAP Y'ALL.