Here are some wise words from a postgraduate student who has successfully completed her MA:
There’s a common understanding in research degrees that there is a time for reading, a time for writing, and never the two shall meet. Throughout my Masters I constantly asked myself “have I done too much reading?” and “is it too late in the process to be reading now?” I could never quite dispel the feeling that, once I’d progressed in my writing up, that I couldn’t incorporate new ideas or readings into what I’d already planned. However, through my experience I wholeheartedly found that dividing reading and writing time rigidly was not the most productive, inspiring or flexible means to produce research. When producing a thesis or dissertation, you’re placing yourself in a community of research that is constantly changing and shifting. You never know when certain articles or books might resonate with you, or how your developing knowledge will recontextualise a piece that you’ve read previously. You could even strike gold with something you read when planning your outline, but now have the critical capacity to use in ways you couldn’t have imagined at the start of your research. Furthermore, reading the work of others as you’re producing your own can be both motivating and soothing; a reflection of the quality and style you want for your finished product. So don’t be afraid of discovering new ideas late into the writing process, or of revisiting earlier work – the research isn’t over until you’ve handed the finished thesis in.
Author: Chloe Green
