Anyone else's PhD to be completed October '12?

B

Good morning Purpleflower and everyone else out there!

Yep, I agree with all those feelings- daunted, overwhelmed, scared! At the moment, I'm trying not to think about the Autumn or the deadlines or the number of words I still have left to write - I'm trying to just take it one day at a time! (Although if I one more person says "how's the PhD? you're nearly done aren't you?!" I might kill them!!!!)

Today I'm revisiting my methodology chapter (just to have a break from reading results and trying to find something meaningful to say!). I left some quite big holes in my draft methodology about epistemological and ontological issues which I'm hoping to fill...I tried looking at it yesterday but my brain got a bit scrambled. Still, I'm camped out in the library and have a strong coffee...

Hope everyone has a productive day - will report back later too :-)

P

@ Busybee - haha, could not agree with you more on this! Or, 'what are you going to do after?' I hate that question!

Hope you all had a good day. I had a productive one, worked 8 - 4 and managed to write 600 words and seriously improve the structure of a chapter (which was aaaall over the place!). Am teaching tomorrow but am going to try get out of the mind frame of thinking that there's no point in starting writing tasks if I only have a couple hours to spare. Hopefully, doing it in some short bursts might actually be good for productivity!

P

Also, I've just been reading this and have found it very motivating. I think the saying, 'there is no such thing as writing, only rewriting' is really good because it reminds me not to be a perfectionist but rather just get it all out of my head, and work from there...

P

Oh apparently it helps if you attach the link? :$ Doh! http://thethesiswhisperer.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/how-to-write-1000-words-a-day-and-not-go-bat-shit-crazy/
And on that note, I'm retiring for the day! ;-)

D

I too am supposed to finish by end of September 12! I have written a very rough lit review, rough methods, rough first data chapter and partly written 2nd data chapter....I guess thats reasonable progress. Do people think i can get it finished in time for September?

B

Hello, how are you all doing? I've had a horrible bug for the last week so have been bed/sofa-ridden...finally feeling a bit more human though so am hoping to crack on with some decent writing over the rest of this week.

Hope everyone else is making some progress! :-)

C

How's everyone doing?

I've churned out a massive qual. analysis chapter (one i've been working on for the past year or so...) and a qual methods chapter.

I'm doing a mixed methods study, still need about 25 surveys, which I should be able to get within a week, but still have to analyse them all (I've put it off and now I'm worried something's going to go horribly wrong, argh!)

Currently working on my quant. methods chapter. Draft is due in on Friday...it's a mess at the moment! But I can do it. Just need more hobnobs and everything will be fine...

B

Hi Clementine,

Well done on finishing your qual analysis chapter. I've been struggling to get anything substantial written/finished of late although that autumn deadline is creeping up incredibly quickly so I really need to stop procrastinating and get a wriggle on. Am just trying to take it one day at a time and not think too much about the mountain that still needs climbing...

Hobnobs and tea helps everything, I may have to stock up myself! :-)

Keep us updated with your progress!

How's everyone else doing that has an autumn deadline?

M

Count me in. My deadline for resubmission is the end of February 2013, but I am aiming to hand in earlier if possible... October 2012 sounds good to me, but it will not guarantee my December graduation, if everything goes according to plan.

S

Hi all! great to see others in a similar boat to me!
i'm due to submit in July/August of this year with the intention to be viva'd and finished by October. i've written 7 of my thesis chapters (these have all undergone several rounds of feedback/amendments). just wrapping up my fourth and final study, so next few months will be spent writing that up, along with getting my Discussion chapter finished, and getting any further amendments dealt with.
one thing im worrying about is getting my thesis writing up to the standard that will be ready for examination. have awful thoughts about spending next two years continually amending my thesis due to supervisor not thinking its ready yet!
though i think it's possible to get a lot of work done in a short space of time, more than you would think.
good luck everyone who'll be submitting in next few months. it'll all be worth it in the end! :-):-)

L

I'm due to finish my labwork in October, but will probably still be writing up. Does that count??? I'm trying not to think about just how much I have to do because then my brain goes blank and starts screaming at me. Just got to tackle it one half-finished project at a time. :s

Z

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Z

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P

Wow, everyone seems to be doing very well! I'm doing okay I think, I just get frustrated that EVERYTHING takes so much longer than planned. I'm in the middle of data collection for my final study, and should be finished in a month with this... and I have *rough* drafts for most chapters. Are most people just writing at this stage, collecting data, or a mixture of both? Purpleflower x

C

======= Date Modified 20 Mar 2012 09:27:01 =======
Purpleflower, you're right...all targets seem to need a week of contingency time! No idea where all the time goes :(
I'm writing up but still need to analyse my quantitative data...really hope it all goes to plan. If not, I'll need to collect more data.
I've had a few days off and I'm back today, and have spent the past hour or so basically crippled with fear (or something less dramatic), aargrh.
*deep breath* WE CAN DO IT!

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