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My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time.
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Would love some advice from those of you who have written masters theses or dissertations.

My thesis defense date is in early December. I have to give a draft to my committee by November 21. That leaves me roughly a month to finish it, and I'm just plain scared that I won't.

Three weeks ago, I discussed this fear with my advisor. She suggested I make a grand master outline so I could see what I have done and what I have left to do. I did that, emailed it to her, and she said she'd read/comment on it over this past weekend. I haven't heard back from her, though I suspect it will be in my inbox tomorrow evening. One of the things I could use this for is to write myself a schedule of when I'm going to do what, I guess.

Setting deadlines for myself in the past has worked ok but I'm not good about estimating the time it will take to finish something. I've missed all of my own set deadlines (except for the one for the outline) so far because it always takes longer than I think. And if I set a deadline for, say, "by the end of Monday" and it gets to be Monday night and I'm not done, I'm not going to stay up super late to finish something that's a deadline I've set. I think it's healthier to get some sleep and just give myself an "extension." I've been working on my thesis on the weekends, I worked on it over fall break, but I have gone from super OCD in high school about doing homework constantly to a more balanced homeworking state of "okay, I am tired of this, I am going to read for a bit." Like today I ran, worked on my thesis, taught yoga, took a nap because I was exhausted, and now I'm working on it again.

I tend to write best in the morning, so maybe I need to get up and run, go into my office, and then if I have a time for a second workout later, go back and do it? I've been doing 2 sports just about every morning.

While I'm whining, I do have a good idea of what I have to do and write, but I wish I got a little bit more attention from my advisor. I know she is really busy, but it's frustrating to hand something in and not get comments for two weeks or more. When it comes back, I've generally forgotten what I've written.

My anxiety is to the point that it's interfering with sleep; it's an omnipresent anxiety that makes me stressed during the day; sometimes to the point I can't focus when I do sit down to write. I have meds to help with sleep at least but I'd rather not become dependent on them, defend my thesis, and then have to wean myself off them. I can discuss that with my doctor/therapist I guess.

Ideas from anyone about how to manage finishing it, or the fear?

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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tigerchik wrote:
Would love some advice from those of you who have written masters theses or dissertations.

My thesis defense date is in early December. I have to give a draft to my committee by November 21. That leaves me roughly a month to finish it, and I'm just plain scared that I won't.

Three weeks ago, I discussed this fear with my advisor. She suggested I make a grand master outline so I could see what I have done and what I have left to do. I did that, emailed it to her, and she said she'd read/comment on it over this past weekend. I haven't heard back from her, though I suspect it will be in my inbox tomorrow evening. One of the things I could use this for is to write myself a schedule of when I'm going to do what, I guess.

Setting deadlines for myself in the past has worked ok but I'm not good about estimating the time it will take to finish something. I've missed all of my own set deadlines (except for the one for the outline) so far because it always takes longer than I think. And if I set a deadline for, say, "by the end of Monday" and it gets to be Monday night and I'm not done, I'm not going to stay up super late to finish something that's a deadline I've set. I think it's healthier to get some sleep and just give myself an "extension." I've been working on my thesis on the weekends, I worked on it over fall break, but I have gone from super OCD in high school about doing homework constantly to a more balanced homeworking state of "okay, I am tired of this, I am going to read for a bit." Like today I ran, worked on my thesis, taught yoga, took a nap because I was exhausted, and now I'm working on it again.

I tend to write best in the morning, so maybe I need to get up and run, go into my office, and then if I have a time for a second workout later, go back and do it? I've been doing 2 sports just about every morning.

While I'm whining, I do have a good idea of what I have to do and write, but I wish I got a little bit more attention from my advisor. I know she is really busy, but it's frustrating to hand something in and not get comments for two weeks or more. When it comes back, I've generally forgotten what I've written.

My anxiety is to the point that it's interfering with sleep; it's an omnipresent anxiety that makes me stressed during the day; sometimes to the point I can't focus when I do sit down to write. I have meds to help with sleep at least but I'd rather not become dependent on them, defend my thesis, and then have to wean myself off them. I can discuss that with my doctor/therapist I guess.

Ideas from anyone about how to manage finishing it, or the fear?

Everyone is different, but here are some ides.

I don't think I would wait any longer for your advisor and would continue working on the paper. The beauty of workprocessors is you can easily move things around. So start writting now and then later decide if the parts you have written should be in a different section. So if you have this outline, i guess i would decide if it was detailed enough to start writing sections, or do you need add more layers to it. Either refine it or start writting.

Also consider if there is anyone else who could help review it. Not sure if you could ask another professor or post doc, but if that is not considered inappropriate, you might ask. I had my wife read mine mainly from reability and structure point of view. Be sure to save your work as you type, saving new copies to multiple disk, thumbdrives etc. You don't want to loose this for a hard disk crash.

I think your idea of putting time limits on sections is good, but if you know that you are late to finsih things in the past, you might want make them more aggressive than needed. Generally in project management you schedule extra time at the end. If you put it throughout it will get used and you won't have any extra at the end if you need it.

If you are having difficulty getting to sleep, plus you like writing in the morning, try to do the work early so you are not up late working on it. It can be hard to quiet the mind if you have been working hard. Also, late exercise can also make it hard to fall asleep for some.

Good Luck.
Last edited by: patf: Oct 15, 11 14:06
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [patf] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
I don't think I would wait any longer for your advisor and would continue working on the paper. The beauty of workprocessors is you can easily move things around. So start writting now and then later decide if the parts you have written should be in a different section. So if you have this outline, i guess i would decide if it was detailed enough to start writing sections, or do you need add more layers to it. Either refine it or start writting.
I have been writing other sections. Fortunately, you're right that I don't need her to write back before I can do something else.


In Reply To:
Also consider if there is anyone else who could help review it.

I can get my mom to read sections probably... she's not in academia so I don't know if that would be helpful. I'll ask my advisor if it's ok to ask other postdocs or whomever to read it.


Thanks for the reply. I just finished one little thing today - finished transcribing my interviews (data collection). At least I can check off that box :P

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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The other thing to recognize is that thesis deadlines are flexible. People miss them all the time. Usually you can make an arrangement to finish it, and either walk at a later date, or pay some small late fee for processing or whatever. If it helps reduce your anxiety level just remember that if you miss it, it will be ok. You'll still graduate.

I would say that about half of my friends with PhDs missed their original thesis deadline. And 50% of those still graduated at their intended date (the other half had hardass advisors or missed by a LOT).
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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Just for the sake of your confidence, a month is a ridiculously long time to write a masters thesis (atleast in the physical and life sciences).

I think you will be fine, just work consistently and enjoy it. Writing up should be fun.
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [jpb] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
The other thing to recognize is that thesis deadlines are flexible. People miss them all the time. Usually you can make an arrangement to finish it, and either walk at a later date, or pay some small late fee for processing or whatever. If it helps reduce your anxiety level just remember that if you miss it, it will be ok. You'll still graduate.

I would say that about half of my friends with PhDs missed their original thesis deadline. And 50% of those still graduated at their intended date (the other half had hardass advisors or missed by a LOT).


I'm getting a masters of science in teaching math, and I student teach next semester. I am trying to finish/defend this semester. I suppose it would be possible to push it to later in December, or very early next semester, but I reeeeallly don't want to do that. Later in December, maybe. Early next semester no.


Good point though... the last sentence is helpful.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [Sully] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
Just for the sake of your confidence, a month is a ridiculously long time to write a masters thesis (atleast in the physical and life sciences).


Really? How long does it usually take you guys? How long do the theses tend to be?

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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My PhD dissertation was 380 pages - double spaced with book margins. It took 3 solid weeks (6 days a week, 8 hours).
It had 10 chapters - 9th for materials and methods and a 10th for references.
Five of those chapter were already published so they were simple cut and pastes with some reformatting.
The first chapter was a 100 page comprehensive review of my field and that took 1.5-2 weeks starting from scratch.
The other two chapters were unpublished work that required writing papers for. Once I was finished, I submitted them for publication as well.


I generally hate typing double spaced with wide margins. It is required formatting for page cutting and binding at my University. I started out writing font size 10, 1 inch margins, single spaced, with the intent of reformatting at the end. I ended up typing it straight up in the correct formatting. It was a bigger confidence booster to see the pages add up quicker.
Last edited by: Sully: Oct 15, 11 17:40
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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tigerchik wrote:
In Reply To:
Just for the sake of your confidence, a month is a ridiculously long time to write a masters thesis (atleast in the physical and life sciences).



Really? How long does it usually take you guys? How long do the theses tend to be?

My master's thesis was 106 pages double spaced. I can't remember how long it took me. I know i had taken my good ole time starting and then I found out I was relocating for work in 3 months. That spurrred me on to finish before we moved. I was also working ful time so that limited hours that could be worked on it. So I think about 3 months part time.
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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Three weeks ago....

The first thing is stop waiting for the response. It is only a master outline and you will end up spending the next 2 weeks writing a schedule, and since you said you are not good at estimating times, it will likely not be of a lot of value anyway.

This reminds me of people who spend 10 hours per week planning and scheduling workouts and they actually only get out there about 8 hours, they spend more time planning than doing. There are times to plan and times to write, and you are definitely at the stage where you have to stop planning so far in advance.

I would sit down on Sunday night and give yourself a half hour to plan your week and 15 minutes to plan your day on Monday. Then on Monday, get up early, and do it. Forget the working out until you are done, you have to make this a priority. When you are done, go for your one workout that day, have a good dinner and on Monday night, spend another 15 minutes planning for Tuesday.

Do this every single day and next Sunday, spend an hour reviewing how you did and then realistically set another plan for Week 2.


You have lots of time but you have to make your plans more short term in nature. If you get down to work, exercise very moderately, eat well, get good sleeps and are consistent, you will get it done. If you try to plan an entire month now, you will just wander and tend to want to get back to planning instead of working. You can easily do this 7 days/week and just make it the overriding priority. You have the rest of your life to do other things (like exercising 2x per day).
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [Sully] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
Five of those chapter were already published so they were simple cut and pastes with some reformatting.


I had some stuff written already and can copy/paste.


In Reply To:
The first chapter was a 100 page comprehensive review of my field and that took 1.5-2 weeks starting from scratch.

I have about half of that part of mine done.


In Reply To:
My PhD dissertation was 380 pages - double spaced with book margins. It took 3 solid weeks (6 days a week, 8 hours).

I guess this is comforting...

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [FJB] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
The first thing is stop waiting for the response. It is only a master outline and you will end up spending the next 2 weeks writing a schedule, and since you said you are not good at estimating times, it will likely not be of a lot of value anyway.
Not waiting and haven't been - just kind of annoyed because I wanted it back.


In Reply To:
If you try to plan an entire month now, you will just wander and tend to want to get back to planning instead of working.

This is helpful. Thanks.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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but I wish I got a little bit more attention from my advisor.

So now it's you advisor's fault that you're late in getting started? If only she could answer your questions you'll make it on time?
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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My ms thesis (engineering) was 80 pages, double spaced and 10 font. Granted, I wrote over a much longer period of time, but I was also doing a ton of experiments during that time as well and I only wrote on my non-experiment days. My thesis was done in latex, but it'll probably take you too long to learn the markup language in time, but it's a big time saver once you know how it works. Papers were published after the thesis.

Excluding editing, my metric was a hair over a page per hour. Figures are what kill you.

Like Sully said, forget balance when writing a thesis; just go for it. I found my best writing came when I let it consume me: 10+ hour days of writing. If not writing, then reading and summarizing papers. Then maybe eat, then write, throw a run in there every once in a while. Other sports take too long. Sometimes you just have to sit down and just give'r hell, not worrying about how much progress, etc. you're making. Just write. I never set a schedule of what I was going to do in a certain time period, other than every 3rd day I'd give my advisor what I had written, and pick up his edits. Some blocks came faster, some slower, but keep moving forward. When you're brain fried, that's the best time to go through the edits.

I should also mention I was pretty manic during this period of my life working for ~3-4 months at over 80 hours per week, and have been in a low-to-moderate depression for the last couple years largely as result. So maybe my recommendation isn't so good--but dang if I wasn't productive over the last couple months of my MS.

The question of who is right and who is wrong has seemed to me always too small to be worth a moment's thought, while the question of what is right and what is wrong has seemed all-important.

-Albert J. Nock
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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Maybe get off ST and get to work on it?

(I'm sure you'll be fine, but don't fart around. Make lists and check things off. You're and Aries; lists work well for us.)
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [YaHey] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
but I wish I got a little bit more attention from my advisor.

So now it's you advisor's fault that you're late in getting started? If only she could answer your questions you'll make it on time?


No, and I never said it was her fault. Furthermore, I'm not late in starting it - I've been working on this for quite awhile. I'd simply like comments on what I've done emailed back to me sooner.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [Sully] [ In reply to ]
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Sully wrote:
I generally hate typing double spaced with wide margins. It is required formatting for page cutting and binding at my University. I started out writing font size 10, 1 inch margins, single spaced, with the intent of reformatting at the end. I ended up typing it straight up in the correct formatting. It was a bigger confidence booster to see the pages add up quicker.

That reminds me of a great moment with my own thesis (115 page history thesis on naval architecture and gunfounding in the Royal Navy). Three weeks out from the deadline I got so freaked out that I got massive writer's block. Couldn't write so much as a single word all week. What finally broke it was when I reformatted to the required font and margins, and suddenly I gained something like eight pages. Finally regained some momentum and was able to get through the push to the end.

Funny that I only just recently realized that I could have just said the hell with it and hitchhiked out west or something, rather than finishing the thesis. I've had a fantastic eighteen years since then, involving a bunch of traveling and lots of time working unusual jobs. The only real difference it would have made would be that I'd have had to take a few more classes when I eventually went to x-ray school.

-----
Over 4.5 years bike crash free.
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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hi TC -

did my MA (anthropology) in 2006 and am now wrapping up (!) my PhD thesis. i'm with you - it's hard to do, and unless you're one of the lucky ones, you can't count on much support from your supervisors. a few random thoughts:

-my fellow students have almost always been my best asset. lean on them and offer help in return.
-you have to own this. your supervisor might really like you, but doesn't have enough time to care that much about you. they want you out of their hair, though, so generally no news is good news and if you can produce a reasonable document they'll be more than happy to help you!
-i got a fair spurt of work done when i gave notice on my apartment and started planning to move.
-i got even more work done when i took on a couple of jobs. i worked 6-10 at one, and then 11-5 at the other. then i'd go to the library and write until about 8ish, then off to bed. i think having that structure was probably better than trying to write full-time, because i farted around less.
-i'm almost always mistrustful of people who describe thesis writing as easy or quick . . . i know things are different in the hard sciences, but i guess i just think there's an extent to which it's unavoidable that the thesis is a bit of a slog and you've really got to muscle through.
-in the end it was maybe one full month of pen on paper to write the thing, but it took me a year to get there first. i don't think i could've done that right away, because i had material that needed thinking through, and had to sort out my own headspace first. sounds like you're just about there too - time to shift into gear.
-my dad's a highschool english teacher. when my supervisor would take a month to get a chapter back, my dad would edited the entire thesis in a night. thanks, dad.
-ian flemming wrote (on average) 1 james bond novel per summer, every year, and then other articles etc. his schedule: up in the morning, breakfast, and then 2000 words. he never stopped to correct spelling or anything, just kept putting down words and words. then a swim, and a lunch, then edit in the afternoon. done and your first martini of the day before dinner!
-two big things: having a ROUTINE of some sort is key. and, never forget how empowering it is to get things done. the others have mentioned this too - progress begets progress!!
-in the end, i was a straight pass (no revisions!) and am still pretty proud of the document. i always knew how to write - as do you - it was just the doing of it that took some doing. you'll get there too, but as the others have said, you've got to hurt a bit.

best of luck. you'll get through it and be glad you did - it's an accomplishment.
-mike

____________________________________
https://lshtm.academia.edu/MikeCallaghan

http://howtobeswiss.blogspot.ch/
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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TC I wrote mine literally in 48 hrs without leaving my desk. The whole process took a quarter to come up with the ideas and research...from there I sat down refusing to leave the computer until it was done. I took one 2hr nap and one 5 mile run to clear my head. Pulled off the best writing piece ever as everything really flowed. Then I slept for 2 days. I can't remember if I got an a or b - and I didn't care, passing is all I was looking for.

Take one of your weekends and lock yourself down - don't waste time on the net - turn off your phone and get the thing written. You can always revise.
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [Eileen Steil] [ In reply to ]
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I would wake up and grade papers, drink a bunch of coffee and work on mine until teo. Then I would take a two hour break, little more caffeine then work on it to about eight. I would only schedule the days on the day of, anything else is a guess and waste of time.

Also, make sure you write about what you did do and completed, not what you didn't. Another tip is to have extra slides at the end that you don't plan on showing unless someone asks that may help explain stuff better.

Ride Scoozy Electric Bicycles
http://www.RideScoozy.com
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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When I was writing my PhD thesis I found it helpful to remind myself that no one would ever read it, including my examiners.
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [msuguy512] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
Another tip is to have extra slides at the end that you don't plan on showing unless someone asks that may help explain stuff better.
That's a great idea.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [slink] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
When I was writing my PhD thesis I found it helpful to remind myself that no one would ever read it, including my examiners.


LOL.


Here's what I did today:


4 am : got up
4:30 - 6:30 : worked on theiss
7:00 - 9:00 : at the gym
10:00 - 12:30 : worked on thesis
12:30 - 3:00 : lunch, read for a bit, nap
3:00 - 6:00 : worked on thesis
6:00 onward: dinner, backgammon with little brother, pack and organize stuff for the week.


I revised one and a half chapters and compiled everything I have into one big document, which is now my actual thesis. And I sent it to my advisor. I got a lot of work done and feel slightly better - but only slightly.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
Quote Reply
Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [iron_mike] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
hi TC -

did my MA (anthropology) in 2006 and am now wrapping up (!) my PhD thesis. i'm with you - it's hard to do, and unless you're one of the lucky ones, you can't count on much support from your supervisors. a few random thoughts:

-my fellow students have almost always been my best asset. lean on them and offer help in return.
-you have to own this. your supervisor might really like you, but doesn't have enough time to care that much about you. they want you out of their hair, though, so generally no news is good news and if you can produce a reasonable document they'll be more than happy to help you!
-i got a fair spurt of work done when i gave notice on my apartment and started planning to move.
-i got even more work done when i took on a couple of jobs. i worked 6-10 at one, and then 11-5 at the other. then i'd go to the library and write until about 8ish, then off to bed. i think having that structure was probably better than trying to write full-time, because i farted around less.
-i'm almost always mistrustful of people who describe thesis writing as easy or quick . . . i know things are different in the hard sciences, but i guess i just think there's an extent to which it's unavoidable that the thesis is a bit of a slog and you've really got to muscle through.
-in the end it was maybe one full month of pen on paper to write the thing, but it took me a year to get there first. i don't think i could've done that right away, because i had material that needed thinking through, and had to sort out my own headspace first. sounds like you're just about there too - time to shift into gear.
-my dad's a highschool english teacher. when my supervisor would take a month to get a chapter back, my dad would edited the entire thesis in a night. thanks, dad.
-ian flemming wrote (on average) 1 james bond novel per summer, every year, and then other articles etc. his schedule: up in the morning, breakfast, and then 2000 words. he never stopped to correct spelling or anything, just kept putting down words and words. then a swim, and a lunch, then edit in the afternoon. done and your first martini of the day before dinner!
-two big things: having a ROUTINE of some sort is key. and, never forget how empowering it is to get things done. the others have mentioned this too - progress begets progress!!
-in the end, i was a straight pass (no revisions!) and am still pretty proud of the document. i always knew how to write - as do you - it was just the doing of it that took some doing. you'll get there too, but as the others have said, you've got to hurt a bit.

best of luck. you'll get through it and be glad you did - it's an accomplishment.
-mike
____________________________________


really helpful --- thank you.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: My thesis is due in a month, and I'm scared I'm not going to finish it in time. [tigerchik] [ In reply to ]
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4 am : got up
4:30 - 6:30 : worked on theiss
7:00 - 9:00 : at the gym
10:00 - 12:30 : worked on thesis
12:30 - 3:00 : lunch, read for a bit, nap
3:00 - 6:00 : worked on thesis
6:00 onward: dinner, backgammon with little brother, pack and organize stuff for the week.



That's not bad but still only 7.5 hours out of a possible 16 (assuming 8 hours sleep). If this is crunch time and you are worried, you might want to reduce the 2 hour gym or 2.5 hours for lunch/read/nap, that's 4.5 hours in the middle of the day.
Last edited by: FJB: Oct 16, 11 21:06
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