My plate is full this week. I actually made it through my readings relatively quickly. But I'm in the process of gathering the pieces for my PhD(Th) application. I have my reference letter lined up, my marks already in their system and my French competency tests are on file. What is left is to craft my proposed area of research carefully and fill out a basic application form - oh and hand over $60! Nothing too difficult, but it does take time.
This week I also found out about a writing project which I can be involved in, so 4000ish words by this time next week - no problem. It is about my ecclesial community so I don't have to do a tonne of research to write this up, just sit down and type. I have already outlined my chapter.
I also met with my research director for the Masters and we found a viable approach to my research that will be doable and will not require me going through an ethics board. Yikes. My target is to have a fully detailed work plan and outline by the end of my courses, that way when the exams are done I put my head down and write. I want to get it done as soon as possible to make sure there are readers for my work, also so I can start the PhD right away. In order to make that happen I have to go through all the books I have gathered on the Emerging Church and see what is actually going to be academically reliable. I was sad to see so few peer reviewed articles available on the movement, I am going to have to do some more digging. There are a fair number of articles out there, it is finding ones in academically respected journals that is the problem. In some ways I am breaking new ground here, but I am trying to do it in a way that is conservative enough to keep the readers happy. This isn't about the paper I want to write as much as the paper that will a) get me my Masters and b) open up the conversation for further work on my own.
I know last week I was really feeling that I needed to have more free time with my family. Sharon and I are going to play a game of Ticket to Ride tonight, that is a great train game BTW. It will be great to just relax. I got a fair bit of work done already today. I am also really looking forward to celebrating Ash Wednesday with my community, this year I'm going to give up potatoe chips for Lent.
2 comments:
Go well mate. My prayers are with you. Hopefully next year or 2010 I will be coming to you for advice on the process
The process is much easier when it is the same school you are already at. Maybe not the best move careerwise, but I'm too old to traipse all over the place to get my PhD. What will be the bigger challenge is getting funding for my research. At least my school is a smaller base of candidates for the big grants.
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