hello!
i just wanted to run something past you - hope that's ok!
I have just sat down and written myself a timetable for the next few months with deadlines for chapter completions and I'm just wondering whether I have been a bit over-ambitious. I have set myself deadlines for my remaining chapters every four weeks, e.g. chapter 1 end of this month, chapter 2 end of next month. I only have a few chapters left and reckon that if I puch myself I can get a first draft ready by the last May bank holiday. When are you planning to have a first draft up and ready? I want to leave myself several weeks to go over it and finalise things.

Also is there anyone else that began 1st July 2007? Sounds strange but I am unsure of exactly when my studentship ends!! I have emailed my postgraduate office but they haven't repleid yet, i.e. i'm not sure if I finish beginning of July or the end of July! Anyone in the same boat? I want to know as I want to know my absolute deadline for getting this finished!

I haven't come across any statistics, but I don't think the number of failures is very high at all - it looks bad on universities and supervisors if PhD's fail.

I'm not sure about drop-outs. I know in our department they are fairly rare - I can only think of a couple that I know who have dropped out and I've been here 2 and a half years now

Maybe a local printers in town then? You know the type of place that would do wedding invitations? Maybe they could help or suggest somewhere else you could try

It's a shame your supervisor was so negative. Transcribing is a nightmare, but at the same time it was one of the most crucial stages of my thesis. I spent so much time with the data I began to see themes developing, noticed things I hadn't done in the focus groups, and believe it was one of the most important stages of analysis - it's where it all begins! It was awful - lonely and tedious - but it was so important for me.

Don't let your supervisor put you off my saying it's not work. I literally spent weeks - doing full time hours - doing nothing but transcription and I had about 20 hours of focus groups to do so I personally think you will struggle doing it all in your spare time. Basically - it IS work and it's hard work too

I've done a couple of posters before and I've used power point to design them. I then went to computing services at uni who were able to print them off for me - and make sure I was selecting the correct printing options! I think it cost about £8 for the larger size. Maybe your computing services could help? I'm sure ours has leaflets and guides for poster design/printing

I had to transcribe hours and hours of material and it is a nightmare - no way around it i'm afraid!

I was lucky and my supervisor was able to find funding for some of my focus groups to be transcribed by a transcription service and it was a much welcome relief! If you can afford for a few sessions it I would recommend it, particularly for the sessions which are more difficult to transcibe (e.g. people talking over each other).

I would also try and break it up a bit - e.g. transcribe for a few hours then read an article

Good Luck!

slightly off topic but whenever i was little and we had balloons my dad would take the balloons and rub them over my head and then stick them to the wall... fond memories! hair static can be fun too!:p

Hi Poppy,

I feel the same - I thought I would be in major panic mode come 2010, but have been ok so far.  Yesterday was getting back in to the swing of things and this morning was a bit of a write off due to a poorly moggy. So fingers crossed tomorrow panic will kick in - just enough panic to get me working properly would be nice!

Hello!

I've been lurking for a while - naughty I know!! - but thought I would finally speak up! This forum has already proven helpful and will hopefully continue to do so as I become an active member!

I have just over 6 months left - I hope to submit in July. I think I'm mainly on track, but think the finalising process once I have a first draft is going to take longer than I expect. My supervisor thinks I will go over and hand in September time, but am determined to prove him wrong!

Good luck to everyone on the home stretch! (up)