Posts

That’s All Folks: My Defense and a Few Final Thoughts

Image
I defended my dissertation on Friday, and it went great. I was incredibly nervous leading up to it, but once the discussion started, I relaxed and actually had a really good time. I got a lot of kind words, especially for bringing together art history and video games in the way I did. Of course, there was also some critique, and rightly so. While I naturally have my own views on these points, I’ll share a few reflections here. Just a heads-up: these are based on my own memory, and I didn’t take notes during the defense, so others might remember things a bit differently. That said: I passed, and the examining committee was unanimous in their approval. That’s what matters most! 1. The theory chapter is weak Yes, fair enough. A lot of the theory I work with shows up later in the book, rather than being neatly presented in the introductory chapter, as the traditional dissertation format dictates. Typically, you’re expected to lay out the theory first and then “apply” it in the analysis. I ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Errata, and I'm as ready for my defence as I ever will get

Image
  In the last few days I have turned 59 and have spent some time slowly reading my dissertation in the printed version, sitting in my armchair with the book in my hand and a cup of coffee and some cookies nearby. It has been a very rewarding and enjoyable experience; I am very happy with my book and its contents, but I have yet to see how my defense goes and what others have understood from it. Today is Wednesday and I have just finished reading it, tomorrow I have a lot of work to do and on Friday I will see if I pass and become a Doctor of Art History.   There are a few passages I wish I had written more clearly, but not many. There are a few mistakes, especially ones that I should have noticed while proofreading. I have made a list of errors, which follows. Only one item in that list is a real error in my opinion, which is the lack of a proper page reference in a footnote. Most of the other errors I probably would have noticed if I had hired a proofreader. So I’m a little p...
Post a Comment
Read more

Here it is!

Image
 You can now download my dissertation through the Lund University research portal:  https://portal.research.lu.se/sv/publications/experiencing-gameworlds-understanding-zelda-and-mario-through-the I will defend it on May 16, 13.15 at LUX (Allhelgonavägen 3, Lund, Sweden) room C121.
Post a Comment
Read more

Done!

Image
This is not the actual book, but a dummy for a final check before the printers start production. There were no errors that needed to be corrected. So there will be typos (a heading slipped down a line, for example), and while that's annoying, it's not relevant enough to stop the process and delay everything. I'm sending out the invitations for the defense and the party and hope everyone gets them. I can't do anything more with the book, it will be frozen in time with ink on paper. My opponent and the committee have already received an advance PDF copy, a public one will be available in Lucris shortly and I'll post a link to it here. 3-4 years of work is now behind me, it's hard to say when it actually started, two years of actual writing. Not bad.
Post a Comment
Read more

The last days of proofreading

Image
I'm doing my own proofreading, it's a bit disconcerting but it seems to be working well. I do it in three steps: First I looked at the manuscript using InstaText (for spelling, grammar, and tone), then I slowly read a hard copy, and today I read a new, revised hard copy in a way that's new to me. I loaded it into a screen reader (I use Microsoft's Immersive Reader through Canvas because I'm so used to Canvas). It's amazingly effective at catching small errors in spelling and wording - and I notice inconsistencies in the use of some terms. I listen with headphones and follow the manuscript with a red pen in my hand. I highly recommend this method, though not as a main proofreading method, but as a comfort when the need to reread the damn manuscript feels like a burden. In less than a week the manuscript goes to the printers, I'm on track!
Post a Comment
Read more

No professional proofreading for me

Image
 It turned out that I was far too optimistic about finding a professional proofreader to work through my English. The first took three weeks to say no, the second stopped responding to emails, and both were supposed to be professional and familiar with reading dissertations. So two months went by and I realized I didn't have the time, so I had to go back to InstaText (a grammar and spelling program) and work through the entire manuscript, which is now done and I have a few weeks for a final proofread. I have a hard copy of the entire book in a binder and it looks like fun. Manuscript goes to the printer on March 31:st.
Post a Comment
Read more

Done

Image
 I have now completed the writing and editing of my dissertation; it was time to draw the line. In principle, one could continue working endlessly, but at some point, you must conclude. Now, the focus shifts to the administrative aspects of the defense process: organizing the language review, a final proofread, ensuring the dissertation is printed, and arranging the event itself. I have an opponent confirmed and two out of three members for the examination committee, so things are coming together!
Post a Comment
Read more

The end is near

Image
Editing and revising my manuscript has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding. This stage of writing is by far my favorite, it's where the text really comes to life, the ideas are refined, and the argument becomes clearer. With less than two weeks to go, I’m happy to be on schedule! Once I’ve completed this stage, the manuscript is sent to a professional proofreader to make sure the language, English is not my first language, is polished and accurate. Along the way, I’ve made some difficult decisions. I cut three short chapters based on critical feedback, but was able to integrate some of the key points elsewhere in the text.  I also picked up a few technical skills and mastered Word’s cross-referencing function! I also added more pictures and incorporated them into the text. The goal of 180 pages has now grown to over 200 pages. I think that’s the right length: substantial, but not unwieldy. It’s exciting to see it all come together, and I can’t wait for the next steps: mo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Today, I had my final seminar

Image
 The final seminar is an opportunity for an external reader to review as much of the dissertation text as possible. I had a more or less complete manuscript, although a few of the later sections are still unfinished but at least there’s a clear direction for where they’re headed. It turned out to be a very productive seminar. Robert Willim, who reviewed my text, was a highly insightful reader and gave me plenty of constructive feedback on how to improve it. Several other colleagues also contributed valuable comments. Overall, this final seminar was extremely helpful in guiding me toward the finishing touches of my dissertation. I’m hoping for a defense in the spring, but for that to happen, I need to revise and write quite a bit over the next two months. I’ll have to carve out the time amidst my other responsibilities. Although having a final seminar can be stressful, this one was very rewarding. I’m grateful to all my colleagues who attended, and to those who couldn’t make it but ...
Post a Comment
Read more

At the Threshold

Image
I am approaching an important milestone on the way to my defense and completing my dissertation. In six days, I will hold my final seminar, where a competent reviewer will go through my text and provide a public critique. This serves as a kind of dress rehearsal for the actual defense. I have a reliable reader, so I feel relatively confident. However, the goal of the seminar is to identify issues that can be addressed before everything is finalized. In addition to my main reader, I also have a professional philosopher reviewing the sections of my dissertation that deal with phenomenology, ensuring I receive solid criticism from that perspective as well. These past few days, I’ve been reading through my manuscript from beginning to end. I’m finding numerous errors—typos, changes that weren’t made correctly, missing images and illustrations—small things that can be fixed. But larger concerns about the overall structure and my reasoning trouble me more. For instance, I discuss a specific ...
Post a Comment
Read more

A complete draft of my thesis is done!

Image
 I just sent off a complete 1:st version of my thesis for my final seminar on October 2. I have written at least a first draft of each chapter and I have all the screenshots of the games I need. That's actually only 4 days after my intended deadline (and I did send out a version without the discussion , conclusion and usability parts in time!). To get the images, I played for 8 hours straight yesterday. It was not as easy to play for that long as it used to be, but I had fun. I am not going to post this draft here, it's just for the seminar.
Post a Comment
Read more

The summerpush!

Image
 The vacations have begun, and that means I have to get back into full swing with my dissertation. It's not easy, because I'm still hesitating to produce a final version. I think this has to do with two things: firstly, the need to stop expanding and instead link all the pieces together, and secondly, self-doubt, which leads to procrastination. I am consciously working against both. So my main goal this week is to reread some parts of the key texts I've been using and start revising and rewriting by Friday. I've also made a final backup copy of my text so that I have a copy to look through for things I may have deleted too quickly. These strategies are aimed at med confidence and a good restart on full-time writing.
Post a Comment
Read more

Now I have all the time in the world to edit, rewrite and write

Image
 The editing has begun, I have spent most of the day getting started. My work consists of five parts, the first is the obligatory preamble (method and theory and stuff), the second is about images, the third about experience and the fourth about time and space in games, the last is end stuff (conclusion, bibliography etc). Today I've revised the introductions to parts two and three (part four is next) to remove a lot of superfluous stuff that just makes everything more confusing. So not only have I revised a few pages and finished two introductions, I've also clearly delineated what will be cut from the rest of the manuscript over the next few weeks. Great start. I've seen that Riven is getting a remake. If it comes to the Nintendo Switch, I'll play it again, because I really liked it the first time.
Post a Comment
Read more

100 days of editing

Image
Now there is a date for my final seminar, October 2, and a reader. So I just set a day to send him my manuscript and it gives me 100 days to finish writing and editing my book. I think that's doable.
Post a Comment
Read more

Talking about my work with my supervisor today

Image
 Today it was time to report to my doctoral supervisor Max. He asked me to summarize the three main parts of my text, and we talked about them and some more specific problems in some chapters, as well as writing techniques. All in all, it was a very good conversation. I wish I'd had more time to revise now, especially since I'd taken the whole Easter week off to do it, but unfortunately I was tired for a few days so I didn't really rewrite much. But I did have time to read my text and think about its structure and how to get a better flow in the argument. And this check-in was a continuation of that, so I'm hoping to get back on track with rewriting. We're also planning the date and opponent for my final seminar in the fall, so the goal is getting a little closer. I'm pretty sure I'll have to spend a lot of the summer rewriting, but that's to be expected.
Post a Comment
Read more