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Final year support thread

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Quote From Pjlu:


Currently going back through masses of data to ensure every last tiny illustrative quote embedded in the chapter sections between frequency tables and text discussion is attributed to the specific student from the entire sample of 178. Somewhat stupidly, I have done everything the old fashioned way-coloured texts, post its, crafted tables and simple excel frequency tables and data (chief supervisor is happy with this process) but I really wish now that I hadn't. I'm posting I think as a warning...or just because...needless to say my timeline for chapter edits is a week or two overdue. Sometimes you can push through and sometimes I think you just have to go with the flow.


Blimey, Pjlu, that's some sample size! Good luck with that. I know what you mean about setting a timeline and then finding it doesn't work when real life comes along - can't remember the last time I actually looked at my completion timeline!

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Quote From Kikima:

I used to run, but since December I am sitting and trying just to finish this thing but finally this week I began to walk again for long distances to gain back my fitness. I think walking is going to make me feel better. I now have the first three chapters with my supervisor's comment's on it, and a few days to finish it. I began to dig into editing again. It feels like he put the same immense amount of comments, but for a reason this time I can do more of it less time, which makes me feel good. Only interesting thing I am making spelling mistakes in both my native language and in English since last week, which I never did to this extent before. I think it is tiredness. But well grammar checkers are for this, right? Well, I better go back to work because my final ever deadline (if I want to graduate this June) is Wednesday, and my supervisor is going to give the rest of it tomorrow, I better be done with the part I have today. Will let you know how that goes. I hope it will go well for you too.


Good luck with your edits, Kikima! I am making mistakes too, and English is my only language - I do think you get to the stage where you are so tired you stop noticing things.

I was hoping to graduate in summer too, but my university has made a bureaucratic decision which means I am likely to be delayed now. I don't want to say too much here about what exactly happened, but my thesis is nearly ready yet the university decision means I cannot now make the deadlines - very frustrating!

Thanks Kikima and Chickpea. I have almost completed my Ch 5 revisions and anticipate one day next weekend will see an end to this chapter. I think the mistakes come from overload. Although they can be mortifying and frustrating. I had to check up on a date for work which I had overlooked and one of the secretaries implied I was getting more forgetful as getting older. I wanted to scream "I have just moved states, jobs, roles, houses, lives, am supporting someone I care about deeply through a horrible crisis from a distance, learned every new system, name, person's back story and routine and am currently trying to remember data and other stuff for my final edits-and I am just checking up on a date! You try it and see how you go!" Of course I didn't. I smiled...sorry guys, dummy spit. Over now. Thanks for your terrific support and Kikima, writing a PhD in another language is really impressive-wonderful stuff.

P

Last day of writing today - tomorrow it's off to the printer's. Wish me luck! The edits seem to be taking forever...

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Good luck, PracticalMouse - nearly there!

Well done Practical Mouse-great effort. Wishing you all the very best as you enter the submission and examination stage!

Chapter 5 revision and edits done. Every sample qualitative quote correctly attributed. Chapter 5 Frequency tables sorted, formatted and aligned and looking good.

Next week Chapter 6 revision and edits (With Chapter 7 looming ahead like a mountain summit) Still on track for notice of intention to submit in May and submission in the middle of the year-huzzah!

Hope everyone else is going really well. It's great reading about everyone submitting or completing...really helps with motivation! Well done to all of you who have!

P

I submitted - on time! Thank you everyone for your kind comments, it really helped in those stressful last few days. Now to wait for the Viva....

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Congratulations on submitting, PracticalMouse! My thesis should be done in the next week or so, but uni is busy doing bureaucratic things so I haven't been given the go-ahead to submit, ho ho. At least it will be done though!

P

Thank you Chickpea! Hope the bureaucracy gets sorted out soon - some bits and pieces are holding up my viva date as well. It's the best feeling to finish though!

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Yes, it will feel good to submit and have some time away from editing! Hope you are celebrating this stage!

Z

How is everything going guys?

Happy to say I am nearing the finish line. I have booked two days off of work to get the thesis sorted. I paid for a proof reader and I am currently going through their suggestions, but finding that a lot of their suggestions just make the writing seem more confusing, that they have missed quite a few errors, and they have not checked some things that I expected them to check :(

Kind of defeats the purpose of paying a proof reader when you are having to proof read their proof reading eh?

Wow, thanks for the feedback on the proof reading and copy editing Zutterfly. Definitely will rethink this pathway given your comments on the mistakes introduced...:even for my poxy word tables which need to fit on the page properly ( Good luck though with your days off and the final submission !!! so exciting for you!!)

I've just finished Chapter 6 revisions and now just have Chapter 7. Then for fine tuning items over Easter before giving a polished draft to both supervisors and hoping they will allow me to give notice to submit.

Z

Sounds like progress is steady and good Pjlu :) glad to hear.

I am printing the thesis this week and dropping it off to be bound. I am waiting on my sup to sign some forms so I can submit and they have confirmed they are happy with me to submit, they keep replying to emails without the signed forms. I know this is not the case, but it feels like it is being stalled intentionally. I am desperate to submit and get it over with now!

it's funny how the desperation to submit and be done with it all seems to increase exponentially towards the end lol. I think we are all feeling it right now. Good luck Z-hope the sups attach the right forms and you can submit and relax!

This week I looked at Chapter 7 and suddenly realised the bleeding obvious with regard to the organisation of my discussion. Thus, I completely reorganised my headings, created yet another word table to help the reader, and started the big job of moving stuff around in this chapter and rewriting the signposting. This requires some further fairly minor revision to data chapters and introduction but, now I can properly reorganise and rework 7. Very few copy edit mistakes in these chapters but quite a bit of clarification and simplification needed. The writer's phrase 'kill your darlings' keeps coming to mind. The plus side though is I don't think it is as confusing and the logic is more rigorous. Back to work work for the week now, with hopefully the rest of the rewriting for 7-and some minor stuff for final chapter 8 to be complete by next Sunday evening. Good luck and best wishes to everyone else on the final year thread.

I am counting down 16 weeks now. Around 3 of these will be full weeks of holiday and the remaining are weekends. Can't wait for it to be done.

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