I don't know where I heard this, but apparently it's a neatness/ psychological thing. Has anyone else ever heard this / knows where I got this idea from please?

thanks

sorry, but that's rubbish. It's a waste of time to even think about it.

if examiners are going to start worrying about the number of chapters then god help us all.

http://www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/c.clack/phd.html

well it says it here!

I'm sure the examiners don't care - but wondered if anyone else has heard it was all.

I can understand that actually, and I'm planning to have 5 chapters in my thesis - maybe it's a beginning-middle-end thing (although my middle chapter is not a climax at all, hmm).

How bizarre ? I have never heard that before.

Hmmm...it might vary from uni to uni. But to make it a big deal, in my opinion, is pointless!

How weird! I've got seven incl. intro and conclusion, so five main chapters (purely by accident)

Well I will have 6 chapters, so maybe I'll fail... will let you know

do the following count?

ToC, Bibliography, Appendices?

I had 10 if you include the above, or 7 if you dont.

heehee... sounds like a "classical" play/drama in five acts. i mean, "good" writing, be it poetic or belletristic, used to have these norms of how many acts/lines/whatever are appropriate, incuding in which act what is to happen.

I saw that silly rule the other day too. I wonder where though. It might be on this forum? Or maybe one of the thesis-writing books I have.

Weird...never heard of that! Mine had 7 but purely coincidental!

As I'm having 3 results chapters and following a set convention of lit review, M&M, results, conclusion it will have to be 6.

mine is five. purely accidental! actually, decided by my supervisor.