EDitorial ± 11-Feb-2004

Dissertation Row

Not seen too much of the outside world this past seven days. Not been to bed before midnight for a while. Entered the next phase of sleep deprivation today, a not unpleasant mild euphoric feeling. Though that could have been the blueberry muffin kicking in mid-morning.

Been helping wifey with her 10,000+ word dissertation, acting as, if you will, the EDitor. I've questioned whole paragraphs, rejigged umpteen sentences and sometimes (but not always) had the final word.

By their subheadings shall ye know them

Mandatory sections:

  • abstract: Pollock, de Kooning, and Rothko did as New Order suggested and expressed themselves, though only one of these inspired a song by the Manic Street Preachers, now playing on iTunes (4:17 length).
  • title page: they call me Mister Broom. This is page (i), doncha know, but you're not allowed to put the page number. Oh no.
  • preface: suppose that the organisation which used to be called MAFF named a new breed of cow after Francis, the Everton to Arsenal and back to Everton again striker, and that you had to write a report on these animals. You'd need a preface for DEFRA's Jeffers heifers.
  • table of contents: Just what is Toc H with its building on Fonnereau Road and with a track named after them on that Pink Floyd album?
  • body of the text: I lose track - who's The Body these days?
  • appendices: one of those great plurals, like vertices and mices.
  • bibliography:
    • Coupland D, Shampoo Planet (1992)
    • Keillor G, Lake Wobegon Days (1985)
    • Stephenson N, Snow Crash (1992)
    • Vonnegut, K, Slaughterhouse-Five (1969)

Now. Need. Sleep.

Be seeing you!

Ed