Methods is supposed to be like your proto-thesis. It shows you, in a painstaking and retarded way, how to write a long paper. Please ignore the whole how did I make it more than halfway through college without knowing how to write a freaking paper aspect of it all.
Our problems began with with the topic. I had to pick a 20th century US history topic. One that could possible have academic primary sources related to it. So we're talking more "the NASA missions particularly regarding the impact of Cold War foreign policy and ensuing detente" and less "Johnny Depp's early work and it's physiological impact on teenage girls."
I don't like modern US history. I tend to think that if my mom could be considered a primary source because she was functioning and autonomous when it happened, it's not history. I finally settled on Watergate, and so this morning I ventured into the bowels of the library looking for the microform/fiche room, where I was planning on throwing my citation at the librarian and then curling up in the corner and possible crying because I don't feel like looking through US Senate documents at 8:00 in the morning I just really want to go get a muffin before class.
Turns out the Nixon papers aren't kept in the same way the others are. So the librarian drags out this huge drawer thing and goes, "We need more information."
I don't have any more information, lady. I just need a primary source to get me through this week so that I can go back to my online database work next week. Give me something that says "Watergate". That's all I need.
Finally I just grabbed some slides of the Senate hearing on wiretapping and scanned them into the computer. They're sitting in my inbox right now, and I'll probably deal with them later. When I get the stench of old library that really is overdue for a renovation out of my nose.
Why isn't everything online? WHY? It would make my life so much easier.
1 comment:
Remember, dear, some of us actually went to college and wrote long papers before "online" was a word...hard to believe we learned anything, isn't it??? Although, I will give you the fact that the library probably has not been cleaned too often since those days...
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