I have about 4-6 weeks to write my entire thesis. Firstly AAAARRRRRRRGGGH!

Secondly - and breathe.

So far I have

Introduction: 3/4 done, but with old statistics which now need updating
Lit review: I have chunks of writing that all need to be pulled together, dramatically edited and made into something coherent.
Methodology: not yet written
Study 1: written (in publication format so needs extending)
Study 2: written (in publication format so needs extending)
Study 3: written - well kind of, doing the results and discussion erm....now. (in publication format so needs extending)
Discussion: not written

So I'm going to use this and my one goal thread to keep me on target over the next few weeks.

Good luck Sneaks! I don't check into this forum often, but am also trying to write-up & it's due 4 weeks from now (6 if I ask nicely). The state of my thesis is:

- Intro: done
- Lit review: (to be) integrated into all main chapters, hazily
- Methodology: non-existent
- Study 1: written but needs improving
- Study 2: written but needs improving
- Study 3: a mess! Such a mess in fact, that I may scrap it
- Discussion: not written
- Conclusions and recommendations: currently bulletpoints

It must be possible to do this, or I'm in trouble. Good luck!

Now this is where I'm confused. Sup originally got me to write up the literature in each study - because originally they were written for publication, each have a lit review in the intro.

She will not give me a clear answer as to whether the lit should now be moved - I think I will, because its more common-place to have it, or at least the literature for the first study.

I'm quite confused with it all.

I'm spending today drawing a huge diagram of the thesis so I can decide which 'threads' to pull through i.e. how the studies link etc and what the key points are that I'm trying to make from the thesis.

So far I've erm procrastinated, not good!

You can do it Sneaks!! Sounds like you've got a good chunk done, just try not to panic and the rest will flow! Apart from my lit review and one tiny chapter I started writing mine 2 months ago and should be ok for finishing. You will have to accept that any semblance of a life willb e gone, you are allowed the occasional afternoon off if *absolutely* necessary otherwise it's thesis. And by thesis, I mean no procrastination. Turn off internet if you need to. There have been days on end I haven't left the house. Not good, in now way an ideal way to write up, but to submit on time I've had to. But you can do it!

Re: lit review, I guess you should take advice from your sup. Mine was quite easygoing about whether to integrate it in the main chapters. The strands of my research are quite varied, so it would have been tough to merge all the literature into one stand-alone chapter.

Hi everyone, I am in a similar position. I have six weeks to write up and get it bound etc, and I am away on holiday for 10 days from Sunday too (booked 18 months ago, not realising.....
I have got
Intro and lit review - I would say 80% done - awaiting feedback
Method - done and approved - just formatting etc
Results section 1 - 70% done
Results section 2 - 90% done
Results section 3 - not started, but intend to write while on holiday
Discussion - not yet started, but have detailed plan

I guess it doesnt look too bad, but on top of my holiday, I am working full time! I am aiming to pull a few all nighters before I fly out on Sunday (I am off work Thursday and Friday) and having the results section 1 and two boxed off, plus the intro feedback I will get this week a good way done. If I can get the section 3 results done while on hols, that gives me 4 weeks to complete my discussion chapter, which is a biggie, but at least once your head is in it you can get on with it.

Good luck everyone

Good luck Sneaks ... you will get there - you have a LOT of it done and will get there. I suppose when ya heard it must have been a Will E. Coyote in ACME product mishap moment :-)

http://www.awn.com/files/imagepicker/1/potamkin01_Coyote-Chart.jpg


I see that you haven't got your methodoloy done ... if you are using either Case Study, Survey or Action Research, seriously get "Research Methods in Education" by Cohen ... it is a one stop shop as to why you would use specific methodologies and there is a great table explaining the essential differences between them. If you need some stuff on Case Studies, let me know - why should ya spend a week looking up stuff that is the same in similar PhDs?

wow, I seriously thought it was an impossible task - but not I'm thinking not so much, so thanks all!

methodology - I'm using 'mixed methods' (apparently) and using interviews with qualitative analysis and a quantiative questionnaire.

The main bit in the methodology that will take time is the whole positivist/constructavist thing, so confusing, I actually have no idea which one I used and/or why. My sup just said pick one and argue it! But whenever I read a book about them I just zone out - I need 'positivism for dummies' 3 year old children'

Sneaks, why not look at pragmatism for mixed methods? It works really well and you can get around the whole quan/qual compatibility debate by arguing that it is the research questions that should drive the methods used, not non-constructive debates about how and if qualitative and quantitative research can be combined together.

I'm submitting (apparently) full first draft 31st October, with 5 trips in between. Dont ask.

This is absolutely achievable. Knuckle down. Rest and treat yourself often (but not too often) and head for that golden light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck sneaks!!

It can be done! Just have faith in yourself. At the worst (or maybe the best?) times I managed over 1,000 words a day, and it may be possible to write more. Sounds like you're all 75% there with your theses so just keep going! It'll be the hardest thing you've ever done, but you *can* do it (up)

Hey good luck Sneaks, I'm sure you'll do it...

I hope this doesn't mean you are going to be leaving us soon. I would miss you!

good luck!!! what is currently my thesis was written between march 2010 and june 2010. it's at this point i decided to sit down and finish this thesis. nothing i wrote before is in my thesis. you can do it since you have all the material!

just keep focussed and aim to work on it daily. set mini-deadlines, they help getting the work done even when you don't meet them.

you can do it. if i can, anybody can.

Ok.....actually rather numb at the moment.

I have just received an email from my sup saying that this Friday is my last submission date, not next Wednesday like he told me before. So, I still have a discussion chapter and overall abstract to write, appendices to do, references, and proofing. And I've just lost 5 days. I think I may be sick.