Ah, Wordiness

[jackofallgeeks]

Councilor: Now, what seems to be the problem?
Patient: Well, Doc, I have trouble with taking too many words to say things.
Councilor: (Nodding) Ah, wordiness.
Patient: (Distressed) See!?

This week my thesis adviser asked me to give her an explanation of how data fusion works. Again. I should have just printed off the same report that I gave her last time, but it occurred to me that (1) my work ethic wouldn't be satisfied with such a half-fast job, (2) if she didn't understand it the first time she wouldn't understand it a second, and (3) assuming she hadn't just forgotten that we've been through this she might be upset with me for being pretentious.

So this time I tried to step through it a bit more clearly and, on top of that, I decided to give an "executive summary" at the top, so she could see from the start what my main points were. I am aware, as are many of you I presume, that I have a way of going on and on (and on and on) when I write.

In the end I had my summary to four lines, but I kept having to restart my summary as my previous attempt spiraled off into a full-blown report!  O.o

*sigh* I hope she's satisfied with this. I don't know how else to explain it. I'm not an academic.

Comments

[otakulk.livejournal.com]

Something I have discovered about advisers is that sometimes they need to spend as much time reading as you have, which they don't have enough time to do, so they may never understand it as much as you do.

Do tell what is data fusion?