My title is, "A LA-ICPMS Sr Isotope and Trace Element Study of Plagioclase and Clinopyroxene of the Higganum Dike, Connecticut: Determining the Magma Source of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province."
Now doesn't that make you feel sorry for my mom who has read my thesis FOUR times to help me edit? Thanks mom. And thanks Dad. To my knowledge I am the only grad student in history who had both of their parents in the grad cubes helping them print out the required final copies. (An hour before those copies were due. And yes, it really took all three of us to get it turned in). And thanks to my hubby who has cooked all of the meals and done all of the cleaning for 3 weeks.
If my calculations are correct, and occasionally they are, I have spent 141 hours on my thesis in the last week and a half. That time was spent making corrections for 1 member of my committee. The other two members passed it through with flying colors, making a few comma placement suggestions. So now that you have some background, I would like to share the version of my defense that keeps haunting my dreams.
Dr X.: "It looks like all of your conclusions are invalid when you properly calculate error." Me: "I'm pretty sure I checked those numbers a few times, and if you thought that they were a problem why didn't you bring them up in your corrections?" Dr. X.: "I wanted you to figure out that they were incorrect by yourself. But you didn't. You fail. Without Spirit, Honor, or Tradition. You are a shame to the academic community. Etc. Etc. Etc. (There is also some maniacal laughter).
Don't worry, there has to be a tough guy in every thesis advisers! You will pass with flying colors and then you get to relax and enjoy yourself for a couple of months!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your thesis (it was more than 4 times) since I can now spell plagiocase. Seriously, I couldn't be prouder. If Dr. C. gives you a hard time, I will have to be careful not to punch him in the nose.
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