Graduate Research: Thinking

Never-Afraid-Sit-Awhile-Think-Lorraine-HansberryMake time to think.

No seriously, make time to think. Schedule this, too. (can you tell I like schedules)?

At the very least, accept that this is part of the writing, or pre-writing process. Great writing doesn’t just happen. Spontaneous brilliant thoughts don’t just happen either. We’ve got to make time to think. Yes, we’re constantly thinking about concerts, meet ups, a great date, vacation or our next Snap. If you have time to think about these things, you have time to think about your research. You may need to find a place that is good, grab a fidget or a comfy chair, go for a walk in the mountains or around Wash Park – but make time to mull over what you’ve been reading and analyzing. We’ve got to give our brains time to make new connections and see relationships between ideas and concepts that are new or at least new to us. This may sound a bit silly – it did to me at first – but it really is helpful. So, give it a try.

Stop what you’re doing and Think.

Read more in this series:

Graduate Research: Committing to a Thesis or Dissertation

Graduate Research: Organizing and Planning

Graduate Research: Writing and Editing

Graduate Research: Tools

maria headshot croppedMaria Kuntz is the Marketing and Events Manager at University Career Services at DU. She just defended her Master’s thesis, How the Greek Press Constructed the “Greek Economic Crisis,” and graduates in June 2016 with a master’s degree in International and Intercultural Communication from Media, Film & Journalism Studies and the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. She’s been working in marketing, communications, community relations and development for nearly 14 years and began working at University of Denver in August 2010.

By Maria Kuntz
Maria Kuntz Assistant Director, Advancement Marketing