Why Not?
Are you brave and bold? I figured that you were.
Writing a dissertation, no matter what comes before or what comes after, is an intellectual adventure that very few people have the good fortune to embark upon and complete.
Will it be tough? You betcha.
Will there be moments when you want to tear your heart out and throttle your teddy? You better believe there will be.
A Fun Adventure!
But despite the pitfalls you will encounter, you can have a really good time doing your dissertation. Think of it like an extended once in a lifetime adventure.
And that’s really what it is.
It’s a trip, in every sense of the word (including the illegal sense).
For a year or two (and probably two) you get to roam in an area of interest. It’s yours. You own it. It’s your turf, baby.
Work it and work it good!.
What is a dissertation?
A dissertation is an entry-level professional intervention in a field of scholarly or scientific interest. Depending on the field, the dissertation could be anywhere between fifty and about two hundred pages. We’ll talk more about how you should write in a few minutes.
But for now…..
When should you start thinking about your dissertation?
Ideally, after you pass fourth grade!
However, most people aren’t that goal driven. So, when do you think about it.? You should begin thinking about what your dissertation will look like and be about when you apply to grad school.
If you’re doing your homework (and I just know you are), you’ve picked programs based on who is there and what you’re interested in doing!
When you arrive that first week on your Ph.D. campus, you can listen to the bells tolling on Old Main for about ten minutes.
Then , after you’ve had your hotdog at the new student orientation, it’s time to get to work.
And I do mean work, man. A lot of it.