Nancy
Monday, February 23, 2004
Okay so here is a little "lingo" that is used by people who are working on their doctorate:
1) Dissertation - A lengthy, formal treatise, especially one written by a candidate for the doctoral degree at a university; a thesis.
2) Thesis - A hypothetical proposition, especially one put forth without proof.
3) Defend - Standing in front of a group of professionals, while they question your dissertation. They ask you questions in effort to find any weaknesses in your thesis or data.
4) Proposal - a submitted article stating what you will be doing your dissertation on.
5) Plan of Study Committee - a group of people who will decide what courses you need to take. Before you reach 27 hours of your course work.
6) Chair - The head of the committee that approves your dissertation.
7) Course Work - the total amount of time (hours) required for the official knowledge of your subject.
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
i'm not even going to pretend like i understood that story...honestly, b/c i didn't at all!!! What's 18 and 23? What is that woman's problem? I couldn't even get past the wording enough to get what was going on...i skimmed it a second time, probably understanding it less this time...can someone inform me what happened? I just don't know...
Monday, February 02, 2004
Research Questions
1) Could you briefly explain the process for getting your PhD?
2) How many hours/day do you spend on work for your doctorate?
3) How many hours/day do you spend teaching, grading, etc for ECU?
4) What is difficult about teaching while getting your doctorate?
5) If you teach an intro class, do you consider teaching just a stepping stone for your career, or is this what you plan on doing?
6) What are the advantages of teaching and studying for your PhD?
7) What are the advantages your students have because their teacher is getting their PhD?
8) What are the disadvantages you have from teaching and studying your PhD?
9) What are the disadvantages your students have because their teacher is getting their PhD?
10) How do you balance your time?
11) Have you received academic surveys that complain about this conflict?
12) Do you feel you have a better understanding of college students and their work because you are getting your doctorate?
13) What is the real tension between your classroom and your doctorate?
So guys, if you could make suggestions about the order, the wording, or ANYTHING else, just lemme know. I'm not trying to offend professors at all, and while this is just a rough outline for my questions, I don't want to get on anyone's shit list b/c I said the wrong things..ya know? Thanks a bunch guys! 
Monday, January 26, 2004
Okay, i changed my mind. I think i'm going to go another route, and explore a group that i've had questions for ever since i came to ECU. i always wonder about the professors who are getting their doctorate at the same time they teach students. i think this would be a great "study" because every student at one time have had a teacher who's on the road to be a Professor. also, so many college teachers have had to get their doctorate, and keep a job.
If anyone has anything that would add to my study, anything that would improve the idea that i have - please let me know! 
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
So I was thinking, you know...about groups that I'd like to know more about, but not like to be a part of - yea. Well I think it would be MEN. Not that I would EVER in my life want to take on the anatomical features, and the emotional (or lack thereof 
) issues - I think it'd be cool to get into the minds of guys.
So that seems like a broad group. Not like old men, because I mean you can sum them up (wrinkly parts and plaid shirts with glasses) - but guys my age.
Here is what I would like to know: Why do lots of them talk in "mumblese"? I mean, you can be like "Hey! How are you?" and you get something back like, "uh..yea good, whatever." I'd LOVE to know why guys have to take their tone down 50 decibles to sound cool.
I love hearing guys conversations about anything deep whatsoever. Most of these pseudo - conversations seemed to be carried out while in the process of x-box playing, greasy food eating and lude jokes along with the frequent filler cuss words. How can you concentrate? It's just very funny to me.
But in all honesty, I'd looove to know all about what guys think. Especially b/c I've been in a relationship for 2 and a half years, and sometimes I still cannot figure out what he's really thinking. So why do they like certain things? (i.e. boobs? i mean what is up with the fixation?, James Bond movies - beyond sean connery i cannot see what is so fascinating...mechanical shit - really, i mean i understand wanting to fix what's broken, that's why us girls get with you 
)
So, in conclusion, I would LOVE to talk to some guys about certain fixations, habits, hobbies, trends, etc and the reasons behind them.
p.s.-as a "disclaimer", i am in no way saying that girls are easy to figure out. that's on a completely different level alltogether. 
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
So i read Zollo's "Friday Night at Iowa 18", and i found that it helped me get an idea of what fieldworking really is. If I would write a fieldworking piece, I would use the same techniques that Zollo used. You saw the way he was an outsider, how he was treated like one; but he also showed you the knowledge he had of trucking, therefore partly becoming an insider.
Say i wanted to an ethnographic study of sociologists. I have taken sociology courses, and I'm so interested in this study. I know the basic terms, but not the "jargon". That's where my sociologists would come in. I could interview them, in a way that they would feel comforable using this jargon. I could educate myself afterwards on what those words meant, putting me at a more inside advantage. Of course, I might find myself in over my head, because while I understand the basic concepts of sociology, going beyond that - I'd be completely lost, and definitely an outsider.
One thing I've discovered about sociology is that it's sort of common-sense stuff wrapped up in a complicated way. I'd have to get myself beyond that in order to do this study.
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Groups I have been in:
1) ECU Pirate - I am a student at ECU, therefore, besides only being a college student, I know more about the people, places, Greenville, etc. In this group, I know that the food at Mendenhall is awful. I know where "downtown" is, and I have a OneCard. Petey is our Pirate's name. Don't ever put any money down for our football team.
2) Italian - I am italian. I can lay out in the burning sun for hours, and only get more brown. The atkins diet would never work for me, becuase pasta is to italians as rice is to asians. You grandmother is guaranteed to be short, probably hairy and definitely talkative beyond belief.
3) Brand Rep - I work for Abercrombie and Fitch. I am a brand rep. In order to be in this group you have to wear the latest, most update "cami's, tanks, or tee's". Closing is the worst time to work, and when you hear the phrase, "time to straighten" it makes you cringe. You will develope a new hatred for kids between the ages of 10-15. Brown is the new black.
4) Sex and the City Addict - You hate Big, but you love him too. You will never forgive Carrie for breaking up with Aiden. No matter how weird some of Carrie's outfits are, you like them - b/c she rocks. Need to be familiar with all the right designer brands. You've tried to make a cosmopolitan, just to see what they taste like, and maybe even do some strutting around with one like they do.
5) Virginia Beach kid - if you belong to this group, you are at the beach from sun-up to sun-down. You know that 1st St. - 40th is where the tourists go, and you should avoid at all costs (except for the Lighthouse frozen lemonade stand on 1st). Park on the North End. The Ramada 57 will never know you aren't staying there to be able to swim in their pool/hot tub. NEVER wear anything that has the words "Virginia Beach" on it, you will recieve glares and rolling eyes from the "locals". We all own Extreme Gulps, and luckily they will always be full, because you can be standing at one 7-11 and see the next within close view.
