The Art of Outlining

After many hours and cups of tea, I have finished the final outline of my Ramonat project (with only minor distress)!!

The task of compiling all my primary, secondary, and original ideas into one comprehensive and well-organized document served as a very daunting task. With many other midterms and tests to study for, I was concerned that I would not be able to put the appropriate amount of time and energy into the outline. However, as I began to outline my research, I realized that I actually have a wealth of working knowledge on my topic and its historiography. In sum, I am very proud of my completed outline–I think the ideas that I have fleshed out have a lot of potential to convey important concepts in my final paper.

“Paper”?? Amanda, I thought you were doing a digital project?

That is true. For several months now, I was pretty set on the idea of having my research coalesce into a digital project. However, I have decided instead to make the main focus of my project be a paper, leaning on already-developed skills. This way, I can spend a good amount of time fleshing out the ideas of my research instead of focusing on website design. However, I still want my project to have a digital component to make my research readily and publicly accessible. I will still be making a website (especially to show to my family and friends who would not be too keen on reading a 30-page paper). This website will be less of a digital project and more of a place where I can display highlights from my paper–the artwork in particular of course!

I know that I have a long and tedious process of writing ahead of me, but with my outline in hand, I am ready to push forward and seriously begin the writing process. Although my spring break will be filled with many coffee shops visits and self-imposed writing boot camps, I have become extremely passionate about my research subject and I am looking forward to the time I get to spend with it.