Research: Where have I been?

In the previous post where I submitted the thoughts of the Venerable Mind on my graduate school chances an important point regarding methodology was raised. Though I am being snarky I will say that he was absolutely correct on all points and I am very grateful that he took the time to respond to me. I think in my years at CMC, and earlier at the Drucker School I allowed an inflated ego and sheer impulsivity to take the advice and time of other Venerable Minds for granted. I am now more careful when enlisting their advice or recommendation and count myself as very lucky for this access.

I will begin by confessing I haven't read any good research methodology books. Both of my parents should role their eyes at this point and mention the scores of them on our shelves at home but as there are hundreds and hundreds of books on those shelves and I am not sure how I was supposed to find them. My understanding from high school is that you should read books, compare them, and then craft 5 paragraph essays with one main point that involve lots of block quotes to take up space. You should state many unique, original, thoughts making sure that everyone knows how brilliant you are for thinking them and rest-assured that no one else has ever thought such brilliant thoughts.

Unfortunately this system did not work so well in college, where my verbosity and hyperbole was scorned rather than appreciated. Research papers always frustrated me because I was sure I had better things to do than repeat back other people's brilliant thoughts--I had much more important things to say! And then there was Professor Jack Pitney, promoting the antithesis of my style. His papers were always short (1-3 pages), they must adhere strictly to to the Elements of Style, and he really didn't think my thoughts were so brilliant. Professor Ward Elliott, as well, would frequently bring up what I thought were obscure references until I realized these were quite important people who had made an actual impact (as opposed to my own imagined one) that I should probably read.

Each course, paper, and professor altered my thinking on this. The final moment when understanding came occured in my last weeks of college. In writing my senior thesis on the Evangelical vote in Oregon during the 2004 election I realized that the literature review, both as process and product, was far better than any of the "brilliant" observations I laid forth in later chapters.

Now I feel a little bit like I am starting from scratch. This blogging is my attempt to structure this new period in my studies. I feel like something large is looming over my head and I must learn all of the ends and outs of it, en masse and in particular, and then I can hoist it down and engage in chiseling my own little niche into it.

As Reepicheap says in The Last Battle, "Further Up! and Further In!"