Thesis Outline

Chapter 1—Introduction (approx. 15 pages)
This has research question, contextualizing the research question, and explaining why this question is important.
The effects of water policy in Bell County, TX, on small farmers (1 page)
- Why Bell County?
- What is your definition of small farmers.

Why is this question relevant (3 pages)
- Price of inputs crucial to those who are small farmers.
- Policies and market changes affect small farmers to a far deeper level than they do affect owners with large holdings (some lit review? Can you quote/ cite about two-three articles)?

Why water? (4-5 pages)
- Overall importance of water as an input in agriculture
- The scarcity of water (around the globe—cite a couple of articles)
- Scarcity of water in Texas (give figures on recent droughts). Also, look for a couple of studies (or even articles) perhaps on how drought affects farmers in Texas.

How is water management done in Texas? (5 pages approx.)

Chapter 2—Methodology (5 pages)
Questionnaire and interviews with key informants.

- Met up with Clearwater Conservation Dist (who are they? Why were they the primary contact?)
- Sent survey to 100 small farmers; Argilife gave you the list (who are they?). Include survey in appendix.
- Fourteen returned after about 3 weeks (you realize that you’re not going to get any more replies back).
- Explain survey a little bit (how questions are repeated in different ways to solicit answers; give examples of how people have answered your survey)
- Email correspondence

Chapter 3—Data (10 pages)
This chapter lays out how the story proceeds.

Discuss your data, that is your survey responses.
- Make a table of descriptive information to help lay out the picture for yourself, and for the reader (1 table, and narrative— two pages long)
- Explain answers from survey data (provide narratives—two pages long)
- Explain answers from survey data on water usage (provide narratives, or explain in your own words what you read in your survey—three pages long)
- It seems that most of these survey respondents are not really affected by water policies on price because most respondents are not purchasing water (with the exception of that one individual—one page)

Your correspondence with various other persons (explain who these are) also seems to bear out that small farmers use very little irrigation, and are really dependent upon rainwater. It also seems there are very few wells (becos of permits—two pages)

But the table on water usage suggests something else. Explain out (one table + one page explanation)
- How many farms are below 100 acres of land
- How many farms below 100 acres of land use irrigation (and how much land is irrigated)
- How many farms are 500 and above acres of land
- How many irrigate, and how much land is irrigated
- gated

So far to go...but at least I kind of know which direction? I typed up 6 pages tonight, so I'm almost half way done with the first chapter. I'm happy with my progress tonight, I'm just trying not to get overwhelmed when I think about the big picture. :)

Like, giving a powerpoint presentation in front of the Sociology Department faculty in about 1 month. I want to vomit when I think about it....soooo, I won't hehe.

<3
-n