======= Date Modified 23 Aug 2010 12:09:11 =======
Hi Uhoh.

Just wanted to say I'm feeling something similar....I'm already into my extension year and there's no possibility of receiving a second extension........... I'm just feeling desperately tired, defeated and depressed.

I've written far too much and I'm having to rewrite massive sections of my chapters as a result. I'm already admitting defeat but I just wanted to wish you the best of luck with your thesis. I know my supervisors feel that there's no way I'm ready to submit for the end of September and I have to say, I completely agree with them. At least your supervisors have given you the go ahead, which is such a positive. I'm desperately trying to hold back the tears as I write this as I know I just don't want to continue with this PhD especially as I still have so much more to do.

I have to rewrite most of my literature review chapters, my methods chapter, my discussion and conclusion chapter as well as reduce my result chapters- all before 1st/2nd week of September, so in comparison, you have far less corrections/things to do than me! I think given what I have to do, its physically impossible.

Best of luck with the final 2 weeks.

Good morning all,

Just a quick question- I'm thinking about my discussion chapter and I'm spotting loads and loads of limitations within my current study that I've accumulated along the way over the last (almost) four years.

I'm very worried that I'll be heavily criticised for not acknowledging these limitations earlier on during my PhD! I'm trying to redefine this, ie learning curve etc etc and that acknowledging my limitations is a strength of my thesis (?!).

How is everyone else approaching their limitations within your discussion chapter(s)?

Good morning everyone.

I'm seriously doubting whether I can do this, but today I'm hoping to finally finish the following.......

- Finish chapter 6 (qualitative result chapter)- and I mean FINISH!! :S- qualitative stuff is just so time consuming and I hate it!!!
- Edit and revise chapter 8 (Final result chapter)

Hello all!

Congratulations to everyone who has a final draft. I'm very very envious!

I'm feeling very depressed at the moment :(

I still have so much to do and I really don't know how I'm going to finish everything!

I have exactly 47 days left to complete the following..........

- Finish chapter 6 (qualitative result chapter)
- Edit and revise chapter 8 (Final result chapter)
- Flesh out chapter 9 (discussion chapter)- I have all the main points in bullet points
- Flest outchapter 10- conclusions and implications chapter -I have all the main points in bullet points

(I wanted to complete the above over the weekend)

- Edit chapter 1 (introduction)
- Reduce and edit chapter 2 and chapter 3 (literature review chapters)
- Reduce and edit chapter 4 (aims, method and methodology chapter)

Will this be possible?!?! I'm working towards having a final complete full draft by the end of the month.

I don't think I can do this!!!! (and I'm trying desperately to hold back the tears). My supervisors are seriously doubting whether I can do this and I'm starting to agree with them- which is making me feel like giving up!!!

My PhD is completely new and original from other projects in my area and my research questions are rather ambitious so it's taking me along time to write up!! I'm also really drained,  tired and lacking motivation which isn't helping matters. I'm desperately trying to stay positive (supervisors feel my PhD contains more work than their PhDs) but very difficult to do when I'm faced with supervisors who are making me feel like a rubbish failure with no hope in finishing! (although their preparing me for a pass with major corrections).

Very unhappy and stressed :(

I really can't be bothered today!! :( I'm usually very motivated but this morning I'm feeling very drained and tired :( We have a landlord inspection today so I need to tidy my rooms!

Main objectives for today- completely finish chapter 6 today. (or chapter 5, or chapter 7)

I have 52 days left and by Friday, it will be 48 days!!!!

End of the week- I would like to have all my result chapters finished as well as a first draft of my discussion chapter- perhaps a tad ambitious but we shall see

Hi Sneaks, my PhD is a mixed methods exploration of vulnerable adults experiences within  care services. I basically want to explore whether minority groups were disadvantaged in some way.........(given research that has explored double discrimination, triple jeopardy for people from minority cultural groups from vulnerable adult groups etc etc)

======= Date Modified 08 Aug 2010 16:31:54 =======
I think because you've got a repeated measures design and you have 1 group with 3/4 levels (ie per month), I think you would use a Friedman test if your data violates parametric assumptions. The parametric equivalent would be a repeated measures ANOVA.

I've used Mann Whitney Tests for exploring differences between a group with 2 conditions (ie minorty versus majoirtiy) and I'm i've used Kruskal Wallis test for exploring differences between a group with 3 conditions (ie ethnic 1, ethnic 2, ethnic 3). I've only used independent groups tests as I've only collected data at one time point and I'm looking at differences between group rather than repeated measures/pre- post designs

Whilst parametric tests are robust enough to cope with not normally distributed statistics, I've used non parametric stats due to small samples and also violating assumptions of normality as evident from performing Kolomonov-Smirnoff tests.

1. I've finished my directory!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's taken me months and months to check every single service that I'm focusing on for specialist services. No one has figures on this stuff, so I'm hoping and praying my examiners feel its a good addition to my thesis

2. Finished my content analysis of 'Age and Aging'

3. Goal for today- content analysis of three more peer reviewed journals.

Its 52 days tomorrow and by Friday 13th (!!) I want to finish all my result chapters and my discussion chapter so that I can start reducing chapters 1-4. I really want a completed draft by the end of August. I'm trying to keep calm!!!!! (Very very difficult! It's taking every bit of energy not to panic).

Yay finished my directory! (wow, that was one hell of a task!) now I need to complete my content analysis of journal papers.......

======= Date Modified 07 Aug 2010 09:45:29 =======
Considering the amount of hours I've put in this week (easily over 10 hours per day), I'm going to give my brain a break today and complete tasks that require not much thought!

Tasks today.......

1.) Content analysis of four peer reviewed journals (to make the point that there's a lack of research in my area)- Add to chapter 3
2) Finish my directory (ie overview of specialist services)- Add to chapter 3

If I feel up to it,

Chapter 5 and 7- Double check my interpretations from SPSS outputs

Hey Algaequeen,

I counted the number of days yesterday as well- certainly motivating!!!! (and definitely scary!!) I have exactly 55 days until I submit, so not long at all. Although definitely scary, the count down has reminded me that this will all be over soon!

I have 1 more chapter to write and corrections etc etc to cope with so your definitely not alone with things to do and I'm doing everything I can to keep calm and not freak out or panic!

We can do this!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oooooo I've not even thought about fun things to do- good idea!!! I would LOVE to go on holiday- somewhere nice and exotic (5 star all the way!) after my viva (hopefully to celebrate!)......last time I went away for a proper holiday was 2003 so I think I deserve a holiday! ;)

Good morning everyone

I just wanted to thank those of you who responded to my message and I agree, I probably needed a slap yesterday!

I'm feeling a little better today about my thesis. Yesterday, I developed a spreadsheet that reflects the amount of days and weeks I have left until submission date which is helping me see that this will all be over soon! Given the amount of work I've put in so far, I think I'm closer to finishing than I realised.

At my last supervision, my supervisors were in agreement that my PhD 'is worthy of a PhD rather than anything else' (their words) although at the moment, its bordering on major corrections. Putting major corrections to one side, I'm at least pleased that they think my thesis is worthy of a doctorate (and their very experienced external and internal PhD examiners and tend to be brutally honest with me!).

Thanks for the feedback re summary sheets for each chapter- I think that's a really good idea! (and hopefully will help with my wood through the trees problem!)

I'm going to continue working towards smaller goals rather than looking at the big picture and final outcome. I'm also going to try and avoid some people in my life who have very low opinions of me and what I'm capable of.

Given that this PhD will be my fifth degree (BSc, MSc, MSc, PostCert, PhD), I think I have earned the right to feel confident in myself and that I can get through this! I just wish I could believe in myself a bit more. As I'm turning 30 next year, it will be nice to know that I've stretched my academic brain in my 20s so hopefully I can enjoy the benefits of my work to take me through my thirties..... I just need to try and be confident in order for me to pass!

Thanks for everyone's responses- much appreciated!!!

Finished coding, now I'm working on finishing my chapter 6.

Also received some of my inter-rater reliability stuff and at a glance it appears the other researcher and I have agreed on most of the codes :)

======= Date Modified 05 40 2010 10:40:25 =======
Hey all,

Just wanted to have a little rant! Apologies for the negative post in advance!

As I've said on my other posts, I'm really struggling at the moment. It feels as if I'm going to fail at the last hurdle!

It's the first week of August and I still have quite a bit to do. I still need to complete and finalise 2 result chapters (ie meet supervisors corrections), finalise my discussion chapter and reduce and update my literature reviews. I'm aiming to have a complete draft by mid August which leaves me with very little time indeed!

On the upside, I know my supervisors have said my work is 'very advanced' for a PhD and contains more work than their respective PhDs and I know my work is completely unique within the field, but I'm really struggling with my own demons at the moment. Despite my progress over the last few months, I can't quite see the end yet. :( and I've more or less convinced myself that I will not get through my viva. I've written around 110k which needs to be cut to around 85k.

I feel like a complete fraud and I'm wondering if the university has made a massive mistake in upgrading me as PhD candidate. The fact that my supervisors feel I'll likely receive major corrections (going by the current state of my thesis) which is only accelerating my thoughts of failure and feelings that I'm a fraud! I'm reluctant to approach them because they will make me feel even worse as their very critical with hardly anything positive to say.

I'm probably just having a bit of a wobble today, but if anyone has any tips etc on how to get through the last few weeks I'll be very grateful! At the moment, I'm taking little baby steps and working towards achieving small goals, but I'm now wondering if this is a complete waste of time, especially if I fail at the last hurdle!

Maybe I should just downgrade to an MPhil and admit that I'll never be good enough to receive a PhD. My deadline is the 30th of September so I have a small window of time to improve and finalise my thesis.

Feeling terrible! :-(

Good morning everyone!

I'm aiming to completely finish my chapter 6 and submit later on this evening. I've had enough of my result chapters and I want to start reducing, updating and polishing my litertaure review chapters asap!

I'm aiming to have most of my chapters completed by the weekend. I seriously don't know where the time is going and as I sit at my desk working solidly on my thesis, I feel the weight is beginning to pile on- so I may need to integrate some exercise into my day! (I looked in the mirror and was shocked at my body- a size 16 is definitely not attractive on a 5ft1 female!)