Academic insecurity

[eveglass]

(Yes, I know I'm posting a lot today. Sue me.)

I've just finsihed spending an hour in the library. I feel no further along than I did an hour ago.

I'm sure I remember that I used to know how to use a library. When I was doing my undergrad, I used the library all the time. And used it well, I hope, because I managed to get fairly decent grades on my papers. I got into grad school, didn't I?

So why is it, now that I'm doing my Master's, I feel like a total idiot? I'm drowing in information. For any TINY subject, there are dozens or hudreds of books, and at least as many articles. I was browsing through the journals that the PIMS library gets, and there are at least a dozen on medieval monasticism. And these are quarterly or even monthly journals! There's an entire journal devoted to studies about Thomas More! And another one on early mysticism!

I have no idea what I'm going to write about for my final term paper for my Intro to Medieval Christianity class. Every topic I come up with is either too broad or has a hundred books written on it already (so any work I do would be completely superfluous). I need to have a proposal (with bibliography!) ready by Thursday. The prof is out of touch until Tuesday. This does not give me much time to get help.

Miri, Emily: do either of you feel the same way? Andrew: DID you, back when you started your MA? I'm completely overwhelmed and have no idea what I'm doing anymore. Tell me I'm not the only one.

Comments

[jasmine-koran.livejournal.com]

If it comes down to it, I'd choose the superfluous option. Easier to write, and saves you a massive headache down the road. Plus, maybe once you've started researching the superfluous opton, you can narrow it down to something a little more underexplored.

[eveglass.livejournal.com]

True, but I'm still left with the problem of there being SO MANY books on any particular topic. I feel like I CAN'T start with anything general, because I'll be swamped and won't know where to start. I wish the prof was available so that I could ask him. Serves me right for waiting so long.

[jasmine-koran.livejournal.com]

Could be worse. For my latest project (due in a week), I'm supposed to be researching the arctic char (a variety of fish) in the Truelove Lowland. On the plus side, the cladogram (a diagram showing the species and its relationships with related taxa) is easy to draw because there ARE no other dish in that particular area. So my graph is basically "Here char, here every other vertebrate. Tah-dah". On the other hand, there are NO papers about the ecological relationships of these fucking fish ANYWHERE. The best I can get is discussion about how stress affects the flavor of their meat. Wow.

[alethea-eastrid.livejournal.com]

yup. that's worse!