ORCID iDFriday, 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.
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.
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.