Writing Thesis = Evil

[Wolf]

Argh.

I've spent the last few weeks conjuring thesis topics, only to have them rejected by either myself, my advisor, or reality.

Reality rejects a lot of my ideas because I only have access to very low level students, and I do not have full control over the classes as I am just an "assistant" (the only "assistant" working for the BOE with a grad degree where it counts, but let's not split hares.)

I reject a lot of ideas because, well, they're boring, they suck or a combination of the two.

And my advisor seems to want me to have done tons and tons of reading before he'd okay a topic.

Um. I'm not buying $300 US worth of books unless I KNOW I can use them.

But lately I fooled him. By submitting a vague proposal in a field I wanted to address (curriculum development; my thesis on the idea strips down to "there is none in Japan but there REALLY ought to be".) I tricked him into revealing that a thesis devoted to analyzing curricula/textbooks would be just fine.

Which is great for me; as I don't have to worry about conjuring classes to out of thin air for research purposes. I just have to pop down to Ikebukuro and load up on textbooks to analyze.

So with my sort-of-approved-but-not-yet topic, and a list of books that I was supposed to casually check out on the way (but which I had to buy and pay currier delivery prices in order to get promptly ) all I have to do now is 100s of pages of reading in order to have my topic finally approved.

Bliss. Have I metioned that I haven't even started yet? At least I was about a month ahead of shedule, and in that time I realized the whole "we're not taking into account that you're in Japan where even the Tokyo Prefectural Library would have a pitiful selection of Applied Linguistics textbooks" angle, as well as the whole "we're going to pretend that the EFL industry of East Asia is as professional and above board as a relatively high tear British university, and ignore you when you say you'd have research problems with monitoring teaching classes" thing.

GRRR.

May 31 2006. It'll all be over May 31 2006.

As a sidenote, Distance Learning is great, but may I suggest doing your thesis in an Engish speaking country that spends money on wierd stuff like well stocked academic libraries.

I started this stupid degree two years ago this month. Two very long years. When I finish, I am so cutting loose.

[Ruth]

I've said it before but it bears repeating: I admire you and your perseverance. Hang in there. Just a few more months, albeit months of hard work on your part, until you reach your goal. Then you have every right to cut loose for awhile.

[con's fly is open]

What Ruth said. In the meantime, if the going gets tough, start making stuff up. What are they gonna do, come over to Japan and check?

[Mr Nobody]

Not sure Con's idea is good. Yeah, Mr Wolf, respect. Hang in there, finish the bloody thing, then go wild.

Cheers mate.

[Wolf]

daoding said:

Not sure Con's idea is good. Yeah, Mr Wolf, respect. Hang in there, finish the bloody thing, then go wild.

Cheers mate.

Thanks for the votes of confidence. ;D

In a way, I wish they WOULD come over to Japan and check. If they knew how hard it is to wring anything academically worthwhile out of my "career" thus far, they might be a bit more sympathetic.

But, I'll be "researching" the contents of textbooks mostly, meaning I won't have to worry too much over trying to set up experiments/classes that I'd never be albe to find in time.

That "research methods" book ought to be in in a day or two; hopefully curricular developmental research at the MA level can be pulled within my current limits.

[Mr Nobody]

After lengthy discussions last night about future life plans with Mrs N, it looks like I am going to have to do a master's too. At least, maybe I can do a coursework masters not a real one.

Mrs N has to do a Masters soon to complete her quals - she has already paid for the first year, we have the cash for the second, but she just found out that the Uni she was going to do it through now doesn't have the course she needs to qualify for Uni teaching in English. Her own college doesn't want her to do it in Chinese, which is what she wants, and would likely set her up for teaching in Aus, or at least in a position to go for it. So now she has to find a new uni and a new course.

So we are going to be here longer than planned. So I may as well do a master's, I guess, if it gives me more leverage in China as well as Oz.

So, any thoughts, guys?

[con's fly is open]

All boils down to what you want to do in the future. What DO you want to do in the future?

[Mr Nobody]

drink nice booze. have lots of sex. eat marvelous food. sleep a lot in a nice bed that is in a nice house that is in a nice place.

Don't think that helps much in this context, though.

[Lotus Eater]

Yes it does - all of those things cost money. You need a really well paid job for that. Get that study done, boy!!

However if you're happy to live in dodgy places, with strange toilets, unreliable water (especially hot), eat some of the best food in the world, drink lethal alcohol and navigate strange currents in looking for good sex - don't finish the studies- come back to China and teach!

[Wolf]

I want all that stuff too.

An MA is always a good thing to have. Even long after all the stuff you learned is obsolete, you've still got that nifty picece of paper.

I knew a guy who had gone to priest school, and his undergrad degree was in theology. Then he left Christianity altogether, and that school closed. But he still gets jobs that require a degree.

Do your MA, Nobody; it's one of those great character building experiences. ;D Seriously, it will stand you in good stead if you ever try after one of those 20 000 kuai a month jobs that pop up from time to time. The only thing is that doing a distance learning degree in China will guarantee you no support, and the need to buy tons of books (my Applied Linguistics library now boasts about 80 books, all of which I bought myself; many new.) Even getting books delivered was a hassle. There's only one Jaingxi Nongwen Dashue in all of China, and the delivery guy took two weeks to find it. The post office guy was never a problem, but currier service sucked.

I just got a research methods book in the mail last night, and I might end up doing some sort of diary project. This academic year, I will do two more three week stints at elementary schools. I might keep a diary of materials development vs class teaching; with the hypothesis of "my job sucks and is impossible to do properly."

The academic version of that being that materials development for the elementary school EFL lessons has not been done sufficiently, ALT input is ignored, and education goals have been arbitrarily set with no needs analysis for the students, or any thought for practicing any sort of reading/writing skills, or discoursive oral/listening skills.

I'll read a bit more on that diary thing later. As long as I don't have to do any controlled experiments with classes, I'll be fine. And "observation" seems to count as research. Yay.

[Ruth]

I want a Masters degree, and the wisdom that one acquires while pursuing it. I'm just afraid of all the work it will take. Not like I don't have the time to do the work, what with my 6 hour a week teaching schedule. Money is an issue, too, but Wolf, honestly, you inspire me. Dr. G gave great encouragement this past summer too.

[Mr Nobody]

I just discovered I don't want to pay the money. Maybe I will just buy one online.

[Crippler]

I no longer use my Doctorate of Psychology directly. However, I am glad I did the work and had the professional experience. It has been very useful indirectly when working with young folks. Many of my teaching strategies have been improved by the learning I completed during my studies. Being able to develop testing is useful and of course the piece of paper is pretty as well. Will I ever pursue a high paid job with it? Not likely, but who knows for sure.....

[Mr Nobody]

I agree with all of you said. My BSc has never given me work, neither has any other qualification. Well, not directly, until I came here.

But the degree gave my brain the required framework for other stuff.

However, Master's degree doesn't seem to be practical with the wages given here. I think it worked out to be 35,000 rmb per year. To get that back as wages will take a long time.

Still, I haven't ruled it out. There are always ways and means, and opportunities. I was just taken aback.

I mean, 500 US for a PhD and no work, or maybe 12,000 for a real degree with lots of work.

My nasty baijiu pickled brain was doing the maths.

[Wolf]

Well, I started my reading. A few of the recommendations are a bit belated but I think I'll have everything up and running in a week or two. I'll do some diary/questionaire studies regarding teaching materials used in the elementary schools, and my Japanese collegues' response to the disasterousEFL programme initiated four years back.

The only snag being that I can't count on anyone's help Heck I could get fired for "harassing the clients" or whatever. Not to mention that I'd have to make a Japanese language questionaire look all academic and spiffy without a native Japanese speaker as a proofreader (as I don't know anyone who could help me.)

Ah, well, I own a Japanese - sized recording device. I can just record a couple of classes as a suppliament. And then there's analyses of potential textbooks as alternate material I could do.

Grr. Still unripe. The thing is my prof seems to want my whole bloody Literature Review plus a detailed outline of the rest before he'll okay the stupid thing. That's a good 1/3rd of the work. Fortunately, I can probably have that done by next week.

[Ruth]

Hang in there, Wolf. This too shall pass.