It will come up if you do a google search: 3 month thesis.

Hello Skig, Naturalme and Sneaks,

Sneaks, I think we all end up thinking our work is cr*p. My supervisor cringed at a quote of his I referenced from this mega, discipline defining article he wrote in 1985, said it was pretentious! I always love my stuff... for about two hours after I've finished it. And then I look again and think 'how could I have?'. But I can see why not getting your work read properly is doing your head in. That would definitely be a wobble inducing situation for me. Could you speak toyour sup about it?

Skig good luck with finishing your chapter. And Natural me, I hope today is more productive - perhaps that's why we haven't heard from you yet...

I had the weekend off from PhD work - just did some reading and looked at some images for a lecture on Wednesday.

Today I'm going to do my 1-2 hours of writing, and then some reading. I have an article and a book to read. So see you when I've written, and good luck!

Hi again Skig,

I agree with Flack that counselling could be very helpful to you. I meant to say so in my first post, but forgot. A good counsellor made all the difference to me; coming too terms with my family became almost part of my PhD development - it was something I worked on for quite some time alongside my research.

I would recomend trying the university counselling services. Partly because you're moving soon, but also because NHS counselling is usually very short. Where I live it happens in 6 week blocks, and that's nowhere near enough time to get started on an issue in any depth. It is difficult to get those sessions extended with the NHS. In my experience, university counselling will last as long as you need it to, or for as long as you are a student.

Best of luck x

======= Date Modified 09 Oct 2011 12:19:54 =======
Hi Flack,

I'm really sorry to hear about the loss of your mum and dad, and that you feel so alone at the moment.

I really feel for you. I can relate because my family are not always supportive and I have often - in the past - felt that same fear of being at an important event - possibly my graduation -without them. I didn't go to my Masters graduation for this reason. My parents work in education so they do understand what I am doing, but there is a lot of jealousy, especially from my mother, and at times it seems as if she is deliberately trying to disrupt my progress. I don't go to her for support and encouragment because she'd see that as an opportunity to put the boot in. However, there are plenty of other people in my life who have my best interests at heart and who are always there when I need them. I suspect you have that too.

It is really, really hard to accept that your family are not there for you, and I can particularly relate to what you have said about Christmas. It is those times when it seems as if everyone else in the world is with their family, and when out culture leads us to expect to be with them that family disharmony bites hardest. However, if you can accept your situation for what it is then the good things in your life will come to the fore. I managed this eventually by grieving for it, ie, feeling all the negative emotions about my situation and letting them go. Now I don't care about having Christmas with my family or whether or not they are at my graduation. I know I will enjoy those things anyway.

If you can let go of your expectations of what your blood relatives are supposed do and feel for you, and the hurt they've caused you now and in the past, then fabulous friends you have, and this wonderful opportnuity you have in a beautiful and stimulating city - one of the best places you could ever hope to live, I think - will take over.

This forum is a wonderful source of support - you'll probably need it because moving is so stressful anyway, even without the family drama - so lean on us when you need to.

Good luck and keep us posted. X

Hello all, following the recent thread on thesis length of social science PhDs, my curiosity about my own discipline has been piqued.

My thesis will be between 90 - 100k words long. I have experimented with shorter formats, but this seems to be the only way I can get it all in. The word count specification for my department is 80 - 100.


So, what's you number? (sorry for the cheesey pun)

Hi everyone, I've just done one hour and twenty minutes of writing - not including breaks for the loo or coffee. So am having a fruit snack, then possibly a swim.

This afternoon I will do some reading - a book that relates to the chapter I'm writing. And maybe some more writing.

I hope all is going well. X

Good morning all one goalers!

I just found this blog. It is quite useful and inspiring:


http://getalifephd.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-become-better-faster-writer.html


I'm finishing my tea and am all set to go and write. So good luck everyone and see you later. XXX

I saw Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy to day. It was very beautiful, and just right for a grey, blustery afternoon.

Colin Firth looks stunning in his cordouroy trench, and John Hurt has still got it.

I did an hour and ten minutes, not including short breaks, so willl finish the hour later today. Early lunch and yoga this afternoon first.

Good morning everyone.

I'm about to start my two hours of writing - I will try work until about 12. See you later.


Good luck with your goals. (up)

I just realised this thread is four years old!

How to write your PhD in three months...?*x!?:



http://3monththesis.com/thesis-writing-guide/

Thank you Skig! I can't believe you've revised two chapters today... I revised ten pages.

I finished a second hour of writing. Wish it was going more quickly though. It's too late for me to write now, so I will wind down ready for tomorrow morning.

======= Date Modified 05 Oct 2011 19:34:59 =======
I met someone a few weeks ago who has two PhDs. One in Linguistics and a second in Engineering... They said they re-trained because they were more interested in the second topic. This person had done both for professionall reasons and the changed and processes combined meant he hasn't really got his career off the ground at 50... and he seemed really bitter about the whole thing: hated the PhD process too. Crazy. I also think that doing a PhD is such a massive commitment - even if you get funding - that it really is necessary to be certain that you want to do it and that it will lead you to where you want to go. Doing a PhD by mistake seems to me a bit like climbing Everest in error - how could you not notice it was so tough and that you didn't like it?

I know someone, quite well, who has several MAs. At least two already and one in progress at the moment. They also have a PGCE. The first two Masters were for personal interest - he has a passion for a subject (and has written a book about it - with a novel in very slow progress). The current one is sponsored by his job and he's not really enjoying it - but feels he has to do it. I think he'd just carry on doing them if he had the money - as long as they address his interest.

P.s. count me in for the yoga too. I can see myself teaching yoga. Perhaps when I retire and do that fine art degree part-time; I'd like it to take me so long that I pop it before the finals.

I just did an hour and fifteen minutes of writing. A cup of de-caf coffe and then back to finish the second hour. I can relax with less guilt then...