Dissertation Writing 11th - 15th Feb 2013

I have been working on my Dissertation this week and it has been hard work. My topic is The Role of Vision in Traditional and Contemporary Painting and Photography.

I am looking at the theories of Descartes' Meditations on Linear Perspective, Martin Jay's essay on "Scopic Regimes of Modernity,"  Liz Wells "Land Matters", WJ Mitchell "Power and Landscape" and Peter Osborne's "Travelling Light."

Writing an 8000 word dissertation is probably the hardest task I have ever tried to complete. It has taken weeks, months even, of reading and researching, and then trying to write a coherent piece of work that is structured and that flows. I have a tutorial with my lecturer on Wednesday 20th Feb to discuss how my three chapters are working, or not, as the case may be. I know that my third chapter has more work to be done on it before it is near finishing; but I am hoping that my first and second chapters are at least heading in the right direction and are making sense to him.

A dissertation is meant to have introductions and conclusions to every paragraph, which have to include a quote or a reference to a theory. I haven't been able to do this consistently. It is very difficult. I am also finding it difficult to find the right quotes to add in the appropriate places.

Since I emailed my three chapters to my lecturer last Friday, I haven't thought about it. I needed to clear my head of the mish mash of information I have been trying to digest. But after my tutorial tomorrow, I will have to put my mind to it again. The final deadline is less than three weeks away. I for one, will be very happy when all 8000 words are completed and handed in to reception. But I have a way to go yet.