Emperor Morphetine
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2008/09- A Dissertation Odyssey...It begins! After a summer spent researching for my dissertation ( a star study of Elvis Presley, examining links between his music and film careers), I've actually got round to putting something on paper (trying to plan an outline of the thing) and it's hit me just how difficult it is...
So far I've managed to outline an introduction looking at his breakthrough in music in the late Fifties but now I'm really struggling with a title/outline for a second chapter on his move into cinema. I thought I'd be able to bash out a plan fairly easily but its difficult for me to get ideas from my head down onto paper and it's starting to annoy/frustrate me. Hopefully writing the actual essay will be easier but I shan't be holding my breath- I'm bracing myself for a laborious slog in the name of a decent degree!
I shall keep you all posted as to how I get on as I go along, and if you've got any ideas for good chapter headings, research resources etc feel free to share them- it'll be much appreciated....
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Catnapper
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I had a look at Elvis's filmography...... his first film was Love Me Tender and his last was Change of Habit. Can you somehow use those in the chapter heading? Maybe in a jokey or pun like way?
I'm sure you'll think of something Morphy!
Have a look on Wikipedia......they'll probably have external links on there to help you 
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Emperor Morphetine
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I did look at a few links and have tried to see how I can use what they tell me but its quite difficult to judge them all. The summary part seems easy but I find it difficult knowing what to say even though I have ideas in my head.
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Lucifer_666
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How about ...."The King's Career Hole and King Creole"  
Well King Creole was Elvis's favourite film of the ones he made and its no secret that he hated many of the other ones I can't believe I'm explaining my slightly embarrassing title now
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Catnapper
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Good effort Luc 
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Emperor Morphetine
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Yeh, not bad! I've outlined a possible first three chapters but then hit a sort of writers block which is a tad frustrating. At least I know the time period I'm dealing with- from around 1956 to the mid Seventies, which helps a lot.
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Lucifer_666
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Thanks
Yoyu'll get there bud
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Emperor Morphetine
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I intend to try to anyway, I'm still working on the damn outline and it's proving rather difficult...looks like it's going to be a long, hard final year.... 
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roddglenn
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Start writing it without heading or structure if necessary - you may find that it starts to form a natural structure which you can amend and hone in the second draft. Also you may find that titles for chapter headings reveal themselves as you go along.
Good luck with it. If you find yourself getting frustrated take a break and go back to it later.
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Emperor Morphetine
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It's certainly frustrating- turns out I needed to be a lot more specific with it anyway so that means a rewrite will be forced onto the cards over the weekend...along with several other assignments. 
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Lucifer_666
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Crikey mate that sounds really maddening ....what do they mean by specific anyway?....a certain period of The King's life rather than the over all thing? 
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Emperor Morphetine
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No, apparently I needed to bring in more film/performance related theory to help illustrate the points I was trying to make which is harder than it sounds. I've got books to help me but I'm just finding it difficult to see where things fit in...is it a bad thing that I already wish all this was over with?
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Lucifer_666
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Its not a good sign thats for sure bud .... Nevermind mate you'll get there in the end I'm sure 
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Emperor Morphetine
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I really hope I do to be honest, everything just seems to be spiralling out of reach at the minute- I'm trying to keep up with so many different assignments at the minute it's unbelievable!
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Lucifer_666
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It sounds really tough bud..but all you can do is your best though Rodd is right too mate grab those breaks if your feeling yourself getting frustrated
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Emperor Morphetine
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It is quite tough but it should all be worth it in the end hopefully, I just want to do the best I can and go out into the world of work feeling good about what I've done but it just seems a bit too much at the moment and there's only so many tutorials I can have.....its not quite crisis point yet thank God!
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Lucifer_666
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You won't know yourself when its all done bud.....looking at the bigger picture at times when things seem hard now is a good way of motivating yourself I find and I can see your doing that already anyway 
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Catnapper
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You'll have a greater sense of achievement when you get your degree Morphy cause you'll have been tested to your limits and succeeded
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Emperor Morphetine
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Yeah, I guess. It'll be nice to have the degree and not think about it any more- it just seems so much hassle and I don't want to reach a point where I spend every second out of class time working as that'd drive me insane!
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K
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Have you tried drawing mind maps and things so you can link it all together? You know how I like those, but I can't remember if you like them or not. Good luck
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Emperor Morphetine
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Haven't done yet but thanks for the tip, it might help me greatly!
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