Methodology

Here's how I go about writing a 4,000 word paper.

1. I read 40 pages of notes taken on readings from more than two dozen academics.
2. I filter the 40 pages down to 13 as I select for what is relevant to my topic (the U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights).
3. I do additional research to support my own views. A lot of time spent reading Oxfam reports (I think Oxfam is awesome--when I bought my gown yesterday, I told the guy in the store what a great job Oxfam does on human rights research).
4. I make an index to the readings, with a few phrases to sum up the points made by each writer.
5. I come up with a key and assign a letter to each of the 100 or so items on my index.
6. I begin entering info into RefWorks, which will spit out a bibliography. Nine academic articles so far. It'll probably end up with three times that many.
   I've been working on this paper on and off for a week and that's as far as I've gotten. I haven't actually written anything.
   Sigh.
   I have another long paper like this and four short papers all due in January. Dubious I'll have three done before I leave for Christmas. One of the things the young folk have on me is young eyes. My eyes give out after about five hours. So staying late at the library isn't an option.
   To anyone reading this, I apologize for how boring this blog has become but being a "mature student" isn't particularly exciting. In yesterday's newspaper there was an article about George Clooney being on the set of Downton Abbey. He'll be in an episode that's a fundraiser. Not sure how that works. He kissed Maggie Smith and she fainted (her character did). There. Something exciting.
   12-4