Ok so as I have mentioned in my last post I have been writing my these paper since the beginning of the semester. But now I have a question for you: is there a limit to taking someone's advice on a paper? Let me explain...
As I have been writing my thesis paper I have been meeting with my professor, and in each of these meetings he asks me numerous questions and makes suggestions of ideas I should research or themes I should look into in my paper. Now some of this advice has been very helpful and I think has developed my paper into a more mature academic writing, but it has now gotten to the point that I am confused where my paper is heading and if I should include everything my professor has suggested. Where is the point when you say enough to the advice and just continue on? Or is it that you must keep exploring new possibilities for your paper to make it better?
I want to be respectful to my professor and research all the questions he hopes for me to answer in my thesis but it has become overwhelming and exhausting to look in-depth to so many different perspectives. What would you do if this situation happened to you while writing a paper with a consultant? Would you try and make all the consultants suggestions or say enough is enough and forget them?
I think it is not good to implement all of a consultant's advice into one paper. We want to create an environment that inspires critical and independent thinking and if a writer simply took every piece of advice that someone gave him or her about a paper that would defeat the purpose. The picking and choosing of which things you want to change and which you think should stay the same is part of the intellectual process of writing and consulting with another person. The last thing a writer should do is mindlessly accept corrections to their paper that they don't agree with.
ReplyDeleteI think in our consultations with students should focus on just a few key things that need to be addressed. We don't want to the students to feel overwhelmed the way you are right not. I think it is important that they leave feeling inspired to make changes, not intimidated and overwhelmed.
ReplyDeleteGood luck finishing your thesis!
I think you raise a great question that largely applied to consultation and composition theory. My advice for you is to take all the advice you can from your professor, but once you feel that taking a certain avenue causes you to lose interest in your work it's time to reconsider and perhaps go against what your professor may be recommending.
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