Hatrack River Forum: Drafting Help, Please

This is topic Drafting Help, Please in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

I need to write the acknowledgment footnote for my Note. There are two people I want to thank:

1.) My professor/mentor. Besides the normal guidance a mentor on an independent study gives a student, she really pushed me to refine my ideas and defend them. She gave critiques that had me pulling my hair out, but, when I finally answered the questions she posed, the note was 10 times better. I'd like to get the challenging aspect into the thanks.

2.) Eve. She was an ever-willing sounding board. One of the reasons the note interconnects so well is that Eve would let me talk to her about it at almost any time. This let me explore the connections between the different areas of law and policy much more than I could on paper. She also ensured I was presenting real ideas, not just half-thoughts. And she asked the critical questions and gave the right insights to allow me to really develop my ideas.

I don't want to say all that. It should be one sentence for both, maybe one each, but these are the ideas I'd like to get across or hint at. Any ideas?

Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :

"For my mentor, who challenged me to be better than I thought I was, and for Eve who is better than I deserve."

And give Belle 10 points for extra cheesy!

Seriously dude, I don't know. I am terrible at these things. [Frown]

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

That's pretty good, actually.

I'm terrible at these things, too. Hence the post. [Smile]

Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :

I think the only way you could improve on Belle's suggestion is to add an in-joke.

But maybe lawyers don't have in-jokes...not being human, you know...

[Smile]

Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :

"For my mentor, who showed me my weaknesses, and for Eve, who helps me overcome them."

Or

"For my mentor, who set impossible challenges, and for Eve, who helps me do the impossible."

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

Oooo.. I like that last one, KarlEd!

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

That's my favorite as well. [Smile]

And for future reference, Dags, this is NOT what I thought you mean by "drafting help"!

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

"Drafting" -- isn't that what they do in NASCAR races??? [Wink]

Posted by Morydd (Member # 5004) on :

quote:
And for future reference, Dags, this is NOT what I thought you mean by "drafting help"!

I was thinking architectural drawings. [Smile]

I might suggest "what seemed to be impossible challenges". The mentor should (And I'm guessing from the fact that you're thankful for them, they did) know that the challenges were obtainable.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Morydd:

quote:
And for future reference, Dags, this is NOT what I thought you mean by "drafting help"!
I was thinking architectural drawings.

Precisely.

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

quote:
And for future reference, Dags, this is NOT what I thought you mean by "drafting help"!

I knew I should have asked rather than attempted to draft helpers. Rats!

I might whimp out and go traditional on the thank yous. But I might try some combination of Belle's and Karl's (w/ Morydd's edit). Thanks for the suggestions so far, everyone.

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

OK, here's my current version:

"I would like to thank Professor Firstname Lastname for her seemingly impossible challenges to my ideas, and my wife, Eve, for her constant insight and support as I worked to meet those challenges."

Posted by Artemisia Tridentata (Member # 8746) on :

I was caught in a draft once, and was sick for four years. Actually, I thought the draft was in abeyance right now. The last one only included MD's. Lawyers are probably off the hook.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Dagonee:
OK, here's my current version:

"I would like to thank Professor Firstname Lastname for her seemingly impossible challenges to my ideas, and my wife, Eve, for her constant insight and support as I worked to meet those challenges."

Me likey.

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

OK, I've submitted the footnote. Thanks for all your help everyone.

Too often I don't say stuff like this because I can't think of the "right" way to say it. I'm glad I took the time and sought the help to say it this time.

Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Dagonee:

"I would like to thank Professor Firstname Lastname for her seemingly impossible challenges to my ideas, and my wife, Eve, for her constant insight and support as I worked to meet those challenges." [/QB]

Well perhaps I'm too late here, but this type of acknowledgement would be considered inappropriate in a professional publication in my field. An acknowledgement in a professional publication is not equivalent to the dedication in a book. It is intended to acknowledge contributions to the scholarship which were important but not of a sufficient import to justify coauthorship. As such, acknowledging your wife except to the extent that she contributed to the scholarship itself (as opposed to your general happiness and contentment in life) would be inappropriate in any of professional publications in my field. Law may be different, if so then I'm in the wrong.

I would suggest something more like

"I would like to thank Professor Firstname Lastname and Eve (lastname) for their critiques, insight and support in the development of this work."

If Eve made important contributions to your scholarship, its completely appropriate to acknowledge that, but it seems unprofessional to mention that she is your wife. It implies that you are thanking her for loving you and doing generally wifely stuff rather than making a scholarly contribution.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

I'm fairly certain my dad has put similar comments in the acknowledgements of some of his papers. [Dont Know]

Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :

In psychology it would have been slightly odd for a normal research paper to have a personal note (unless there was a particular reason for it)...BUT, it would be normal for a thesis or dissertation to have such a note.

But every field has its quirks. My guess is Dag knows the quirks of the legal field.