thesis prep: a stumbling/fumbling beginning to a nine-month journey...

And here it begins. Thesis. That six-letter word that we all knew loomed in our futures....but it almost seems inconceivable that the process has begun.

The amazing thing about the thesis journey at NCSU is that not only is there a tried-and-true system and method for us to follow, but we are being guided by Meredith Davis as we travel along the path. We met with her, back in May, directly following our final review (the day after)—and she attempted to prepare us to make the best use of our summer.

We were to read and skim through books that interested us. Make sure to look to the left and right of the books that interested us. To follow threads and make note of what caught our eye. We were to poke our heads up out of the design landscape and scan other disciplines and subjects for connections and ideas.

We were to make lists as well. A list of these topics and interests. A list of the ways we like to work. And a list of where we want to be after all of this is finished, degree in hand. I was impressed and excited to hear that all three of these lists would be taken into consideration when we crafted our researchable question in the fall.

So, here we are, a month into the semester, and these lists have evolved into questions. Big questions, sub-questions, partial-questions, awkward questions, redundant questions, and questions about the questions. My head is swirling with all these queries, and still foggy about exactly what it is I want to ask.

Here is what I do know:
• I am firstly interested in information science and how it relates to graphic design
• I am interested in the state of information overload/anxiety many people feel
• I am also interested in a process called "information triage," which is how people sort, prioritize and make connections within the flood of information they encounter
• I know I want to work with digital/online material—this is certainly where I feel the most overwhelmed by information
• And I know I want the context of my thesis to be food—I believe this will afford a great deal of options and directions for possible "info-triage," and it's a topic I know something about and in which I would love to learn more

So, this is where I am...Meredith seems satisfied with my general direction. However, I'm still struggling to write that perfect researchable question, and find those relevant and pointed sub-questions to fall beneath it. I will keep you posted...