First draft of my Ph.D is done!

Originally published on eve.gd on 27 January 2012, last updated 6 September 2026.

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Friday, 27th January 2012: 4pm. 2 years and four months into my efforts. The first draft of my Ph.D is now done! I have 81,000 words excluding introduction and conclusion, so some cutting needs to be done. Editing this is going to take at least a couple of months (some parts need beefing up, others paring down), by my estimates, but my last AHRC funding installment arrives in June, so I'm feeling confident. I will, of course, continue to read, amend, nuance and generally polish the work!

As with my halfway point post, I'm going to do some own trumpet blowing as I find this motivational and a positive influence for the, no doubt, protracted editing that still lies ahead.

halfway point post

Things I have achieved:

• I have written a first my thesis consisting of three chapters.
• I have had one journal article published.
• I have a further two journal articles accepted and set for publication this year.
• I have another journal article under consideration.
• I have three book chapters accepted and set for publication this year.
• I have had three book reviews published.
• I have a further two book reviews accepted and set for publication this year.
• I am working upon a scholarly monograph application.
• I have been involved, or am involved, in the organization of four conferences.
• I have spoken at five conferences.
• I am due to speak as an opening keynote at the UKSG conference in March.
• I have two conference applications under consideration.
• I have established a UK-based network for Pynchon scholars.
• I have taught/am teaching three undergraduate course.
• I have given undergraduate lectures.
• I have achieved the status of Associate of the Higher Education Academy.
• I have taught workshops on the use of Open Access journal software for faculty and postgrads.
• I am about to teach a workshop on the use of Twitter in research for faculty and postgrads.
• I have established, and edited, alongside my peers, an Open Access postgraduate journal at my university.
• I have established and am chief editor of an Open Access journal of Pynchon scholarship, with an internationally acclaimed editorial board.
• I have undertaken peer review for several prominent journals in my field.
• I have been accepted as a regular contributor to the Guardian Higher Education network.

postgraduate journal
journal of Pynchon scholarship

Write your own affirmative list and send me the link; a bit of self-congratulation can certainly ease the Ph.D pain!

Featured image by SqueakyMarmot under a CC-BY license.

SqueakyMarmot

References

This reference list has been generated, in many cases, through an automated process and may therefore contain errors or incomplete metadata. It is provided purely as assistance for finding the items mentioned within this post.

1. Excursions: An interdisciplinary journal <http://www.excursions-journal.org.uk>

2. W., Mike, Mike W., Flickr <http://www.flickr.com/photos/squeakymarmot/>

http://www.excursions-journal.org.uk
http://www.flickr.com/photos/squeakymarmot/