Dissertation question
What happens when, after having your dissertation topic approved and deciding on which direction to take, theoretical and otherwise, you find something very similar recently published (in the humanities, English in particular). In this very similar, recently published piece, there are a bunch of your arguments, some of your theoretical applications, and, in general, a lot of what you had going on and what you thought was pretty original just minutes before.
Is there a protocol for this? Do I have to revamp my entire dissertation? Can I continue going ahead with my diss, but just cite and node and footnote the very similar recently published piece? Can I use this material but alter it with my own arguments, in order to show that, yes, it's there and it's useful and it's damned good, but there's different applications and ways of looking at the same thing, even the same argument and terminology?
I feel like someone hit me with a sledgehammer over this, like everything I've come up with and researched has suddenly become moot.
Comments?
Is there a protocol for this? Do I have to revamp my entire dissertation? Can I continue going ahead with my diss, but just cite and node and footnote the very similar recently published piece? Can I use this material but alter it with my own arguments, in order to show that, yes, it's there and it's useful and it's damned good, but there's different applications and ways of looking at the same thing, even the same argument and terminology?
I feel like someone hit me with a sledgehammer over this, like everything I've come up with and researched has suddenly become moot.
Comments?