Working with Feedback

This chapter deals with the emotional rollercoaster of the project’s late stages. It’s helpful to remind yourself that the difference between good work and great work is often the willingness to act on outside input. “Writing is rewriting” has nearly achieved the status of a proverb. It is possible to approach revision in a spirit of gratitude, as the moment when your paper becomes most fully and successfully itself. This is true of your title as well; although many rough drafts have a title, your best and most informed thinking about the title and abstract will come at the end of the process. The chapter concludes with some guidance about what to expect at a defense, strategies to prepare yourself, and what to think about before, during, and after the event.