Study Break #2

Study break #2.

Last week was very busy, probably one of my busiest this year. I did end up going to that seminar on Nietzsche and Schopenhauer, which I really enjoyed. Getting to see UWA campus, bumping into old Philosophy classmate, getting some good ideas for my thesis. I'm glad I went, even though I lost 5 hours work on my Ethics essay.

Thursday in Meaning and Interpretation we studied the first part of Wittgenstein, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The tutorial seemed to go smoother than others, and I enjoyed it. Afterwards we received our essays back.... I couldn't bring myself to look at it until I was out of the classroom... went to look - no mark! No grade~! Confused... I asked some of the guys I caught from class if they had a grade, and they said "yeah"... so... I am the only one it seems without a final mark. I am guessing Anita just forgot to write it down. I emailed her, but she is on holiday until the 2nd of October. *sob* ... was so keen to know how I did!

Friday - awful day. Woke up early and went in with Frode to campus. I had a lot of work to do left on my essay and so I worked on it for a good 4 1/2 solid hours editing, finishing and concluding it. I handed it in on time, and I am pleased. I hope I did well... that essay is worth 35%!

After the chaos that was last week, I've permitted myself to take a few days off. But that ends today sadly. I enjoyed relaxing and celebrating my friends birthdays. Now I only have 2 assessments left:

1) Tutorial presentation - Davidson on Metaphor. - 15%
2) M&I Essay - Davidson and Nietzsche on Metaphor. - 30%

Will be hard... but I'm ready. :)

Mid-Semester stress.

Usually I am just lazy... but, honestly, I have simply been too busy to update on progress lately. With the police issues, graduation, news about my Dad, money woes and University I have been left spent and exhausted. But, no rest for the wicked, as they say.

1:16am - working on Ethics essay due this Friday. 2180 words down (~90% absolutely essential and set in stone), I am doing well. Limit is 3000 words, I hope I can fit everything in. A break through of a most obvious kind has presented itself, meaning I had to re-evaluate the main issues I was to be discussing... but now that I have done so, I feel better about how this essay is going. I'd like to hope so... it's worth 35%!

I had my presentation for Ethics on Monday before last. I am -still- an awful public speaker, I guess I have to accept this fact. But, I hope that my write-up was enough to secure a good score %.

Meaning and Interpretation - trying to find the time to dedicate to Wittgenstein, a very smart man with lots of interesting analyses on language and meaning. My presentation is on the second part of this study of him, so I hope to get a lot out of my tutorial and lecture this Thursday.

At UWA tomorrow for post-grad/Hons seminars there is a presentation on Nietzsche and Schopenhauer that I want to attend... I ust simply don't know if I can wake up in time for it. Sigh. Sleeping habits are so bad, for all of us.

FindIt@Murdoch

I came across a really neat feature of Google Scholar a short while ago, it's going to save a lot of time and annoyance in the future. Normally when doing search of a broad topic I either went through the library journal database and through google searches etc. The problem with this method is that often you find a really great and useful article, but are for some reason unable to access it. This is for one of two reasons: Murdoch does not have access to it, or even when it says it does, it's either not subscribed to before a certain year... or for some unknown reason just doesn't want to work.

So, after many years of this, I've now found this great option. Basically, under google scholar select Murdoch University under Uni preference, doing this will allow your search to come up with only articles that are available through FindIt@Murdoch. Brilliant! I have a feeling this save me a lot of cursing and time. :)

First Essay Done!

Well, after a week and a half of stress and endless revising, my essay is done. I handed it in a few hours ago.



There it is, my first Honours assessment about to be dropped into the assignment box... awaiting criticism and red marks. I got that reply this morning from my tutor, and she said I was on the right track, so this is great news.

Let us see how well I was able to articulate and explore the main ideas. :)

Now...

To work on Ethics presentation. I'm going to take tonight off, still giving me 3 days to work on it. Hurray for being on schedule.

Emails

Sigh... why don't tutors email back faster?

Waiting on a crucial email I sent about 24 hours ago. Deadlines, man!

Study Break

Today we went back to class after a week off. Unfortunately, it was not much of a week off, as I've had this M&I essay. I want it to be perfect, and I am stressing over EVERYTHING! Every word, every sentence, every definition. It's coming together though, I really hope I am on the right track. The only thing is the word limit - 1200 words. It's the text analysis, so I have to justify everything that is written from the original text itself.

This is due on Thursday, and I still have readings to do for the tute itself that day. Thankfully, I have 3 days then to work on presentation in Ethics next Monday. How nerve-wracking!

But, all should go okay. Hopefully I have some good marks to report to Paul when I let him know how I am doing next.