Next time, find something to count

My supervision today highlighted how much work remains to be done on the thesis. Also highlighted were some of the things I have learned over the course of the project about the issue area, and about the nature of such investigations. When you are studying something that thousands of people have studied, and you don’t have any new empirical data to contribute, it can be hard to believe that you are making a substantial contribution to the discourse. It is hard to be both well-researched and original in your thinking.

If I ever undertake another academic research project of this magnitude, I will be sure to include at least some empirical investigation. That way, even if you are treading in familiar territory, you are at least placing some newfound objects within that territory. As such, it is always possible to point to a discrete addition you’ve made to the landscape: a series of interviews, an archive examined, some methodologically rigorous meta-study concluded.

I have until Friday to bludgeon my three substantive chapters (problems, consensus, remedies) into some semblence of order.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here.

6 thoughts on “Next time, find something to count”

  1. My flatmate bought one of those. I have been meaning to give it aq whirl in some low light circumstances. He uses it exclusively to photograph documents in archives.

  2. Just 12 industrial operations account for nearly three-quarters of the greenhouse gas-emissions recorded for major emitters in British Columbia, 2005.

    Plant – Company Location – Emissions (tonnes)

    12 Kitimat Methanol Plant Methanex Corp. Kitimat 367,181
    11 Burnaby Refinery Chevron Canada Ltd. Burnaby 428,790
    10 Fording River Operations Elk Valley Coal Corp. Elkford 450,713
    9 McMahon Cogen Plant Spectra Energy Transmission Taylor 516,544
    8 McMahon Gas Plant Spectra Energy Transmission Taylor 518,935
    7 Calpine Canada – Island Cogeneration Calpine Canada Campbell River 767,749
    6 Richmond Cement Lafarge Canada Inc. Richmond 863,390
    5 Delta Cement Plant Lehigh Northwest Cement Ltd. Delta 1,012,815
    4 Pipeline Transmission Spectra Energy Transmission Prince George 1,063,606
    3 Pine River Gas Plant Spectra Energy Transmission Chetwynd 1,124,146
    2 Alcan Inc., Kitimat Works Alcan Inc. Kitimat 1,457,641
    1 Fort Nelson Gas Plant Spectra Energy Transmission Fort Nelson 1,623,028

  3. An English Professor

    “I am returning this otherwise good typing paper to you because someone has printed gibberish all over it and put your name at the top.”

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