Ten weeks of interning completed... many more to go!

I can't believe it has been ten weeks already since I started working with my supervisor on this project. It doesn't feel like that long at all!

I met with my supervisor again this morning to go over what I have already done and what is left to do. She explained it like we're working in a pyramid format, building and collating information and research to build our case, which will eventually be presented to government and other funding bodies. It's quite exciting to know that the work I'm doing will become the foundation for the museum. It is a lot of work though; I tend to think that I am going to need much stronger reading glasses at the end of this internship as I spend most of my time staring at my computer screen or reading piles of documents! As I am framing my research paper around aspects of my internship, I am saving myself a lot of time researching an unfamiliar topic. Two birds, one stone... it's working out alright for the time being at least!

Next thing I have to do is add to the massive literature review I have been working on for the past two months (!) - I need to add in extra sections that mention certain funding and government bodies, such as the Federal Government, the State Government, Arts NSW and M&G NSW. The way this was explained to me is basically when the museum plan is presented for funding purposes to these people, it helps to 'stroke the ego' of their organisations by mentioning them by name within the body of the plan. It makes sense and I guess will help in the case for building a new museum in the regional area we are working with.

I am more than happy to continue working on it, as I am learning so much and acquiring a lot of knowledge about this side of the museum sector, but part of me seriously thought I had bid adieu to the 7,000+ word lit review; with everything I have to add in, it will probably grow to be longer than my research paper!

We also have the final data from the survey, which was distributed online and amongst the community - around 550 people completed it, so there will be (hopefully) a wide spread of demographics and responses to the questions. Another job I have is to summarise the answers to the survey questions, which will then be compiled with the focus group responses to form one large sample to put forward in the museum plan.

At least with all of these jobs I will have no problem accruing hours for the course - 100 hours down, 140 to go and counting!