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supervisor: ... and don't worry about the writing.
me: I'm not really so much worried about the writing as such -- I mean, I know I can write, the style will be fine, it's not the quality I'm concerned about as much as the quantity, really. I've never been in danger of going over a word limit in my life.
supervisor: Well, you're not allowed to go over the word limit.
me: No, I know, and I don't think I will -- I'm concerned I won't even reach the minimum.
supervisor: There is no minimum.
me: ... Really?
him: No. The word limit is imposed to cut down on pointless rambling, because so many students don't know when to shut up.
me: But I thought it was plus or minus ten percent.
supervisor: Nah. Now of course if it's significantly shorter, there's going to have to be a good reason for that in terms of content and style, but some of the best dissertations have been well under.
This was after he'd told me that while the MPhil thesis doesn't require an original contribution, but merely evidence of scholarly ability, the presence of an original contribution such as I might be in a position to make is the sort of thing that can push a paper up into the Distinction kind of area. So I'm just a little bit over the moon. :-D (Now I just have to write the damn thing.)
me: I'm not really so much worried about the writing as such -- I mean, I know I can write, the style will be fine, it's not the quality I'm concerned about as much as the quantity, really. I've never been in danger of going over a word limit in my life.
supervisor: Well, you're not allowed to go over the word limit.
me: No, I know, and I don't think I will -- I'm concerned I won't even reach the minimum.
supervisor: There is no minimum.
me: ... Really?
him: No. The word limit is imposed to cut down on pointless rambling, because so many students don't know when to shut up.
me: But I thought it was plus or minus ten percent.
supervisor: Nah. Now of course if it's significantly shorter, there's going to have to be a good reason for that in terms of content and style, but some of the best dissertations have been well under.
This was after he'd told me that while the MPhil thesis doesn't require an original contribution, but merely evidence of scholarly ability, the presence of an original contribution such as I might be in a position to make is the sort of thing that can push a paper up into the Distinction kind of area. So I'm just a little bit over the moon. :-D (Now I just have to write the damn thing.)
