Jojo's Writing Up Diary - The Race for the First Draft

A

congratulations clowning81!!

I was actually about to start a thread asking if all those people who should have handed in this week ended up doing so. I am very new in this forum, but it was really helpful for me last week when I was going through a self-doubt crisis. Thank you!

I have aaaalmost handed in. I have sent my thesis to my supervisors on Monday but I don't have their comments yet because and I quote "I am so busy right now with important proposals" or "I have friends visitng this week". Apparently their lives do not revolve around my project

But I still have tons to do because I need to finish a paper which will be part of my evaluation...so that is also due next week.

Anyway, good luck to sjo4 and to jouri with finishing up!

C

Thankyou.
Am off to the pub tonight. vodka for me!!! woop woop.
There is a life after ur thesis. xx

J

congratulations clowning!!! that's so encouraging. all the best sjo4 and to jouri.

today has been more of a productive day than the last few days. yesterday i did nothing. today, i managed to pluck some confidence from somewhere and started writing what i have been reading - as it is in a different area. i worked from about noon til now, which is about 5 and a half hours. i will be working throught the evening and weekend. I hope to hand in some work on Friday the 9th, then am rewarding myself with a weekend away to London!!!! something to look forward to.

hope everyone's work is going well.

J

enjoy your night out clowning!!

J

today - bank holiday monday i read two papers for my literature review for my upcoming submission on Friday. so far so good. am happy. never thought i'd ever say that about my work at this point.

J

hi everyone. i just got back from my weekend. i had a brilliant weekend away its been a while since i wrote in my diary. i have actually managed to do quite a significant amount of work. almost finished a literature review - about 4 papers to go. i've done around 12 so far. today i'll just get some rest - consequences of going on a megabus - i might as well have taken a 10 hour flight to an exotic destination!

hope everyones work is going well. am looking forward to starting the write up for my new chapter tomorrow.

J

hi. i've had a very productive day today. worked from 11.30am to around 8pm. if only every other day was like today. am happy!!!!! one task of my week's to do list.

J

May 14th and 15th: i managed to finish all the preparatory reading. am feeling a bit unwell today. not sure i should start writing... i suppose i'll just push myself and see how things go.

i can't wait to get this PhD behind me.

J

anyone else under the weather? today i've struggled to get my work done in this office without air conditioning. its so hot and crowded! i hate it!!

that said, the writing has been going great... though a bit slow. i need to pick up my rhythm. yesterday i managed to write a bit. today not much done. and June the 9th is coming.. supposed to submit this month's work by the June the 4th. that will make it four first draft chapters, without a conclusion. could i write a conclusion in 5 days? maybe a draft. we will see.

i should go and work from home. at least i can control the temperatures over there.

L

What a great idea!!!
okay my thesis deadline is september 1st, after that i will not be eligible to submit my thesis eeek.

This is what i have to get done by then:
introduction chapter
general methods chapter.
results chapter 1
results chapter 2
results chapter 3
conclusion and future studies.

what i have done so far:
written 1 paper and it's been published, which will be results chapter 1
written a 2nd paper, which has been submitted, which will be results chapter 2.

this week, i am working on my 3rd section of my introduction chapter.

i am aiming to get a first draft of my entire thesis by 7th of july. (6 chapters - , 1 chapter per week).

then spend july- aug: writing my 2nd draft.
then august - sept, finishing it off and tidying it up, and sorting out loose ends.
---
today's aim:
read papers and make notes for 3rd section of my introduction.

L

Jojo you have inspired me! you're a star!!

I am also going to make a diary so that i can track my progress. thanks!!!

L

Hey Jojo, how's the writing coming along and the first draft?

J

thanks Lara. am glad someone finds my progress inspiring.

well, am ploughing on. right now am typing chapter 4 for my supervisor who wants it at the start of next month. my supervisor is pretty random, he keeps asking me to go back to stuff and this can be really demotivating. apart from the theoretical framework i have to redo, i've been doing other chapters.

slow but getting there. one step at a time.

hope you are making progress.

working patterns, lately i work from 11am to late, say 8pm. with lots and lots of breaks. in total say four hours of productive work a day.

i feel tired lately. right now my eyes ache looking at the screen.

maybe i should take a holiday. am considering moving to an exotic location for a couple of months, away for all things, esp demanding friends and family, to concentrate on writing up.

L

Jojo, I completely understand!

and yes knowing you're in the exact same situation as me, and are working away, is motivating me to do the same thing, i don't feel so alone.

ooh looks like we both have a deadline. i too have decided to give in a first draft of chapter 4 to my supervisor. my deadline is 2nd of june (self imposed deadline though lol)

yah exactly, one step at a time..

i have a stop watch on my desk. i may be in my study room all day, but "actual" productive time varies. anytime, i'm procrastinating or not doing thesis related work, i stop the clock. that way i know exactly how many hours i've done.

L

i'm trying to do the number of pages method Joan Bolker speaks of, right now, aiming for around 1000 words per day (most of it's junk words though or notes about papers)

i know what you mean about friends and family. because of my 3 month deadline. i've told all my friends and family. i'm in hibernation. and every sentence that comes out my mouth is.. I am writing my thesis. i can't do such and such.

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