I have been truly rubbish these past two days. I kidded myself that once the lab work was done I'd be able to sit my bum down and write productively. So far, not a sausage (seriously, not even one of those little cocktail ones). So I am starting my own word count thread to name and shame myself when I don't progress.

The thesis currently stands at 13,916 words (those in the humanities, please try to stiffle your laughter) and I need some serious daily progress if I'm to stand even the faintest chance of submitting this summer. If anyone wishes to log their own progress here, you would be very welcome. To anyone who simply wants to drop by and mock me, that is also allowed.

Tally ho.

Good luck Teek! x

Hi Teek. I think it is admirable in the way you plan to hold yourself accountable, and hats off for that. As a word of warning though (from someone who is in the final weeks of writing up) - it is not only the word count that counts :p but also the quality of writing/composition/strength of your arguments etc. I know that is so obvious, but my point is that sometimes you might be working your a** off revising and editing existing text to get to the required standard, with no change in word count. So, the word count is not the be-all-and-end-all. I found after having done lab work or data analysis, it can take some time to get the head round about what's actually going on, what the data mean, what you can say and what not... Anyway, my point - dont beat yourself up for not writing all the time, but I guess, there are some things like experimental set up you can describe without too much thinking? Start with that, maybe?!
Good luck, may the words flow.. from brain to paper(sprout)

Excellent, I think I'll join your endeavours. I'm not writing just at the moment - but I will be doing soon. Poppy, btw, is wise beyond her doubtless young years, as my supervisors said something similar to me but it didn't sound as detailed or as good as what poppy said. My aims for today - print out forms for Glasgow-based research, make some question cards, read all about quantification and application of intuition and judgement, read thin book on how to do a meta-ethnographic synthesis.

Three, two, one...yawn...sigh...go

##NEWS FLASH## Progress temporarily interrupted...

I had to complain to Gabby Logan on Radio 5 Live by text. She keeps clicking her mouse non-stop while other people are talking on her show and it's very distracting.

Oh Wally, what would we do without you to keep the media in check?
I have been complaining too, but only to my husband who keeps taking VERY LOUD business calls.... two feet from where I'm writing :-s

You're quite right about the word count issue poppy, and I do take editing into account. I think in these relatively early stages though, just getting stuff down and seeing the count grow will hearten me. It's a crude measure but it'll do for now. Things were actually going well this morning, until Endnote decided to rebel and consumed my second tomato in bloody pulp of no progress. Grah, I hate technology!

Oh dear Wal, how can anyone get a PhD completed with that kind of distraction going on! I had to solve the riddle of a moving yukka plant leaf this morning. Eventually, after a few phone calls, inspections and text messages, I connected it to my urgent need for a jaeger coat I spotted in the sale yesterday, which is now less than a quarter of its original price - I captured it online. With all that urgent business cleared up, I can finally press on with PhD work... after lunch that is, all this talk of tomatoes is making me hungry.

Yay for the new coat Eska! But how did it relate to a moving plant? You'll have to explain, I'm having a dim day!

I have to finish early as the husband and I are off to dinner tonight, (and I have to go buy him a present beforehand) time to get out of my tracksuit and rejoin the civilised race I think.

Total words for today, a measly 358 :-( Miles off my intended total but with tech issues and a lot of deleting, it's all I'm getting. Still, any progress is better than none. Thanks for the pressure of a thread well joined!

======= Date Modified 12 Feb 2010 15:34:40 =======
Well Teek, it was elementary, as any of you psychology people will see. I was experiencing intense anxiety about the mysteriously mobile yukka leaf, flashbacks of its spontanious quivering wouldn't leave my mind, blocking any hope of progress with the PhD. After speaking to my personal, Freudian psychologist on the phone, I realised that it was, infact, the terror of MY coat quivering and wafting on a hanger in SOMEONE ELSES wardrobe that was plaguing me, I had been projecting my fears onto the innocent yukka leaf... So I bought the coat (it's a structured cape actually- 50% angora, the rest lambswool and cashmere, hmmmmmmm): Sorted, job done, and I have been applying for useful jobs and filling in expenses forms ever since. The PhD work will happen soon, very sooon...


Have a lovely, romantic evening out of your tracksuit!!

Tally Hi -Teek, Good luck with the word count, few months back I also started something like this but still here, need to push forward. My total count is about the same as you nearly 20,000 (humanities), -2-3 more chapters
better get on with it for a 'summer submission' (that sounds nice ;-)

Hi teek,

Can I join in?..I am in a similar situation. My word count is not really far from yours and in the humanities.. And I need to submit this summer. So I need to seriously write, write and write. If i mange to write between (700-1000) daily I think I can get on track.

Thanks for starting this thread......I will keep posting my progress......

Happy writing :)

Hi
I'm only just starting out but can I join - my boss at work (not my supervisor but my work uni are paying some of the costs of my part-time phd so obviously have a stake in my outputs) has set me a target of 10,000 word to be written this year - in light of what is said is this excessive - it is a humanities / management topic and I have got 5 years part-time funding contribution but compared to people who're submitting this year it seems a lot. When I have writing to do (conference papers etc) I put my word count on my facebook status which shames me into doing more.
Wordcount today 0

Hello all!

Ahem, yes, as we can see I did rather take the weekend off. But it's Monday now and I'm back at my desk.

Welcome to all my new writing buddies, Sally and Sheena, nice to know I'm not the only one in this rocky boat, let's go for it and get the summer we deserve :-) Jepson, of course you're welcome! And I think Bilbo is probably right, 10,000 when you're in humanities sounds not unreasonable (and while it's a pain now, you'll be delighted to have those words in the bank later on).

I'm actually in the office today, just in case samples come in and because I promised a fellow student I'd help her with some analysis. I'm usually terrible at concentrating on writing when I'm here but I must get over that. Chocks away.............

Right, word count now stands at 15,1216, a grand total of 942 words today. It does include references I'm afraid, but given only a few hours were spent specifically on the thesis I'm pretty happy.

Hehe, still giggling over Eska's Freudian pot plant. Think I might use a similar tale next time I have to justify the use of shoes :-)