tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6648409483330236099.post6407082462600886554..comments2024-03-27T21:39:27.170-07:00Comments on The Adventures of Notorious Ph.D., Girl Scholar: How long is this research thing going to take?Notorious Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08700875559325201086noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6648409483330236099.post-19969752713938894372010-02-13T18:59:34.855-08:002010-02-13T18:59:34.855-08:00I had a full year, but I had a few small grants, a...I had a full year, but I had a few small grants, and I got work while I was away. If I recall, I had less than %5000 for 14 months. And I made it work. Not much traveling though. I think Historiann is right about the advantage of separate trips. I had an archive friend who would come for 6 weeks at a stretch, and then really work through her data. So she was much more focused, knew where things were going. I, on the other hand, spent lots of time collecting stuff I didn't use...Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716705206734059708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6648409483330236099.post-21299730701995664982010-02-13T09:16:31.130-08:002010-02-13T09:16:31.130-08:00Thanks for your comments. I do feel like the shor...Thanks for your comments. I do feel like the shorter trips did force me to be more efficient, and like Historiann, I profited from the time away. But I know my language skills would be much better by now if I'd had a full year. Ah, well. <br /><br />Really, I could have stayed for a full 7 months this time, if I'd wanted to mess with getting a visa -- another advantage of the short stay!Notorious Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08700875559325201086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6648409483330236099.post-72456413978173865192010-02-13T07:48:52.444-08:002010-02-13T07:48:52.444-08:00Notorious--there's really no clear answer. It...Notorious--there's really no clear answer. It all depends on how many of your sources are published or available digitally, how much archival material is available period, etc. I tend to think that more, shorter trips with time in-between for writing and presenting your project in progress are better than one long trip, because it's in the time you're OUT of the archives that you discover what you need to look for once you're back IN the archives. And no one, not even very senior scholars, can anticipate what they'll need to re-check or search for later. (Unless they're very dull and uncreative senior scholars, that is, and I know that's not you!)<br /><br />Anyway, I'm envying you intensely right now. I hope that helps to make your time there more enjoyable! I've never been to your research country, but I'm dying to visit someday soon. Soak it all in! And stay open to the mysteries of the archives. . .Historiannhttp://historiann.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6648409483330236099.post-33061590118497883042010-02-13T07:26:12.409-08:002010-02-13T07:26:12.409-08:00I also did the bulk of my research in a 3-month tr...I also did the bulk of my research in a 3-month trip. I had classmates who seemed to be off researching for years, and I couldn't quite figure out what they were doing. I do think having a short period of time forced me to work efficiently.clio's disciplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13640279322691564414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6648409483330236099.post-76685763838792915542010-02-13T05:58:27.734-08:002010-02-13T05:58:27.734-08:00Wow, this is an eye-opener. I spent years in my ar...Wow, this is an eye-opener. I spent years in my archives. Yes, I did other things (earning a living, for instance) but every spare minute was in the archives. Day after day after day when I could. I guess I did it differently... which is one of those 'duh' moments. I always do things the hard way.Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10849272391043604637noreply@blogger.com