Bummed graduate student...

[Writer]

so I wrote a paper for a class (a first draft) that involves utilizing various strains of rhetorical and social theory to explain the relationship between a particular emotive cable news host and specific members of his audience. (I'll let you guess who this might be.) I really like what I assembled, but as is always the case with graduate papers, the student dances a fine line between innovative thinking and looking a bit crazy.

I've "checked in" with my professor over the semester as a I prepared this paper, using as much from his class as well as my own background to construct an argument for why I think this is a good way to understand this relationship, but now I'm a bit tense about it: For some reason, this has become a test to myself as to whether I can construct a firm theoretically-based analysis that is both believable by those more learned than I am and publishable. Social sciences are always tricky for this reason.

Anyway, it's not that I doubt my intelligence, it's that I doubt whether my application of theory is sound and whether I'm "thinking" correctly. ANXIETY! As usual. :eyes:

Have any of you scholarly types endured a similar anxiety about your work? I suppose it accompanies any paper one submits to a conference or journal... but how crazy is "crazy?"

[david13]

1. I think it is common. But you have to understand that no matter

what you write, someone, somewhere will disagree with you, declare you ignorant, and insane.
Just part of the heat you have to accept working in the kitchen (anywhere in the world).
But on the other hand, if you try in a field of work, and you have many, continuous, serious setbacks, you need to reassess (after some years) as to the possibility of a change of career.
Your self confidence has to be based on your knowledge of your ability, and your assessment that you did the best you could.
Give it time. All intelligent people make a regular self assessment.
dc