Hi all!

I am just putting finishing touches to the thesis to submit hopefully within the next week or so. Supervisors have read it and made suggestions and a friend has proof read for typos. I am really struggling to leave it alone now and just submit it! I really want it to be done with but I just keep reading over and over and over looking for things to change. The more I read it the more unhappy I feel with it. So do I just trust my supervisors (I am pretty sure they have read most, if not all, of it) and get it submitted and out of my life or should I use every last second to make edits and read the thing? Anyone else struggled to let go of the final thing?

Jen

Let it go!

Why not self-impose a date for submission and between then and now, dip into it - open it up at any random section and proof for errors, typos etc. I would also scan your references and ToC for mistakes. I would also re-read your intro and conclusion chapter as this is often the first things that are read [wish I had done this myself!!]. After that, I would submit the darn thing!

Best of luck(up)

It can be difficult to let go as we have put so much work into it and we want to succeed! Saying that, at this stage, it is unlikely that any changes you make will have a huge impact on the thesis and it sounds like it's bringing you down and even making you doubt your own abilities. Let's be honest, your supervisors wouldn't let you submit unless they thought it was good enough! So it may be more helpful if, like Ady suggested, you make a list of things you want to do before submitting and self-impose a date. Sticking to doing only the work that's on the list will help you to focus on the task as well.

Go ahead and submit, there is no end to correction if you keep on staring at your chapters. Examiners are not looking for a perfect thesis. Take it easy on yourself and submit. All the best and good luck on your viva.

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I understand how you feel. It's important, but remember that the thesis isn't your magnum opus. Most likely, it will be one of many writing projects over the course of your career.

Congrats on getting your thesis ready! Its normal to want to fiddle around with something as important as this (just beware of introducing new typos!)