Scissors as Research Tool

In the ethnographic literature, several people have commented on the need to find themes in the data. One of the common techniques for doing so is by taking the notes and identifying the themes. After that is done then each paper is cut with scissors so that you can make a different pile for theme.

Today I am using this technique to move my dissertation chapter along. I have a number of themes I want to discuss in this chapter, but they seem to be spread all over the chapter -- perhaps a result of making myself write something without worrying about what I write until later. So today I am chopping up this chapter and rearranging it on the floor in more useful piles. Then I can take the real cutting work and go back to the word processor and paste the virtual words in the right places in the document.

Isn't dissertation writing fun?