Hey,

But is it just me or is anyone else realizing how much their perception on word counts has changed during this PhD process?

Undergrad- 3,000 word essays. At the time- wow, 3000 words? Is it possible?!
MSc- 3,000-5000 word essays and a 10,000 word dissertation. At the time OMG- 10,000 word dissertation?
PhD- 100,000 word dissertation. At the start, how am I going to write 80,000-100,000 word thesis?

Now, post viva, not trying to show off here, but I'm polishing and editing nine 10,000-15,000 word chapters and struggling to meet the word count of 100,000 words and finding it relatively easy to knock out sizeable chapters without even thinking about it.

I'm listening to undergrad and MSc students complaining about word counts and inside I'm thinking, spend a few minutes in my shoes and see how it feels! All relative I guess!

Anyone else notice this, or is it just me?!

:$

Not of the top of my head, but my PhD is within social sciences so I'm not familiar with biological science literature at all.

A really quick look at some biological articles reveals some usage of non parametric testing though......

https://www.hepato-gastroenterology.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/LIVER_11181.pdf
http://www.pregnancyhypertension.org/article/S2210-7789%2812%2900160-2/abstract
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-051X.2011.01825.x/abstract

Perhaps that's another reason for their suspected fixation on parametric stuff? ie considering biological science seems to place considerable emphasis on scientific approach, positivism, deductivism etc etc rather than alternatives to situations or disciplines which are more willing to integrate alternatives? - although appreciate I may be barking up the wrong tree here :$

My examiners and my supervisors all work within the same field and they know that sometimes complying with normality assumptions with some datasets is just not possible or practical, so they have some understanding and appreciation of non-parametric tests. So maybe that's another reason why their more flexible with their approach? I've used MW tests, KW tests, Spearman Rho as well as chi sq and fishers extended tests and general tests for normality (ie K-S tests).

Interesting, I think given that most people are trained to focus on parametric data there's a bias and tendency to utilise parametric stuff despite violation of normality assumptions. Generally, amongst most academics there seems to be a real gap in knowledge regarding non para and I think that's probably filtered during the supervision process ie that people are not comfortable with working with non para analysis given knowledge gap.

I've used non parametric stuff throughout my upgrade (mphil to PhD upgrade), my submitted PhD, following my viva and now creating the final PhD draft following my viva. I integrated reasons for selecting non parametric tests and clearly stated why my quantitative data was not suitable for parametric techniques. My examiners were fine with it and have not recommended that I re-analysis everything.

Guess it all depends on supervisors, examiners and datasets!

eeeek 'mountainous R&R!' :$ :-(

======= Date Modified 22 Jun 2012 14:11:57 =======
Hey Marasp, I was thinking about you the other day!

Nice to hear from you!

I have just under 2 months left until I need to resubmit my thesis and just over 2 weeks until I need to submit a final polished draft to my sups for approval.

It feels like I'm fighting a losing battle here, but I'm trying to stay positive and push through the invisible pain barrier and climb this ever steep mountain to the top.

I think I've made significant progress in that my thesis is much reduced in content and much clearer than my submitted draft and in doing so, meets a lot of my examiners recommendations and requests. Also added a few new structural changes, some other additions which improves the overall look to this thesis and added most of the things my examiners wanted to see for the new draft.

I've taken leave from both of my jobs to allow me to focus on this PhD 100%. I would much rather be working in my jobs than working on this thesis though

I don't know if I'll be able to clear this next hurdle or whether it will all end in tears. I can only hope that my examiners see that this draft is a much better draft than my submitted thesis and hopefully award me with minor corrections, although I don't know what happens after a resubmission?!? I'm assuming it's the same sort of outcome faced with submission the first time round? Although they said I won't have to go through another viva next time round (I asked them outright!).

I'll be distraught if they fail me after resubmitting, although I'm hoping this isn't an option given their positive feedback following from my viva last year......

Must keep swimming I guess.............

Stress levels are sky high at the moment though. However, it feels like sadness is starting to creep in where I'm starting to believe that maybe there's far to much work for me to do in time which is making me feel overwhelmed and unhappy. But, I'm trying to work round this by setting little goals for myself rather than thinking I'll finish chapter X today.

======= Date Modified 14 Jun 2012 21:42:21 =======

Agreed with the other post, sounds like you're describing discussion chapters?

Hey everyone,

I'm battling with my thesis corrections at the moment. I have a few months left until I need to resubmit following my viva. I'm terrified of going through the submission stress for the second time and I know this will be my final final chance as I don't have to go through another viva.

I seem to be making some progress and covered most of the major reservations identified by my examiners.
I've reduced my thesis significantly and remedied most of their concerns.

However, I seem to have hit a brick wall today. I'm tired of the same sort of thoughts which keep entering my head- ie 'I'm just not good enough' and 'I'll never make it'. These thoughts are not helped by one of my sups who is overtly seriously doubting whether I'm going to be able to clear this next hurdle in time (other sup said that I can do this).

I'm trying to surround myself with positive thinking and try and avoid people who make me feel like I'm going to fail. I'm also trying to concentrate on the good things about my thesis and focus on the really positive feedback from my examiners, but all, in all, it isn't easy.

At the moment, it feels like I'm running on empty and I really don't know how I'm going to get through the next few months with a successful outcome.

Anyway, I think I'm going to try and do at least something positive for today. Plan for today is to finish these last few sections of this chapter and re-evaluate how I feel about this thesis.

Sorry for the above rant!

Hope you all have a good bank holiday :)

======= Date Modified 11 Apr 2012 08:02:23 =======
YES, big time. Depression has been a large part of my PhD journey- both from my nightmare PhD journey and also from losing my boyfriend of 6 years.

These days, my part time job allows me some time away from my laptops and actually meet and interact with people other than my family. I've booked lots of time off before my second submission date though!

I'm going to start integrating some library trips so I'm actually around people rather than stuck in my study/bedroom. I make time for my friends when I'm in London, but I'm going to have to probably limit all social events until I've submitted my corrected PhD thesis.

I'm integrating long walks by the beach into my day to help me relax and unwind. Seems to be working so far.

Congrats Marasp on making a start with it all. I'm going through a crying phase at the moment- really not sure how I'm going to do this in time :(

Anyway, onwards and upwards I guess!

Best of luck with everything.

======= Date Modified 13 Mar 2012 14:26:11 =======
I'm training to be a chartered health psychologist........alongside finishing my post viva thesis corrections.

I know quite a few people who went onto professional psychology training after a PhD.

Hi Beth, I read somewhere that the vast majority of people obtain their PhDs after a resubmission.

I read your post last night before I went to bed and ended up having nightmares about receiving the same sort of letter from my university! I think your supervisors are right, they could have failed you at the viva, but they saw merit enough in your work to award you with a PhD subject to meeting their corrections etc. Examiners want us to pass!

I have until August before I need to submit my thesis again, but I just wanted to wish you the best of luck.

Continued!

f) In addition to e) I'm trying to surround myself with as much positive things as possible to enable positive thinking.

g) I'm meeting with my supervisors every month to discuss progress and their helping me with some of the finer points etc. My main supervisor helpfully said 'I can do this' at my last meeting which was really nice after years of negativity, but I will continue to see them frequently.

h) I'm trying to integrate some stress relieving techniques into my day- ie by walking along the beaches to clear my head and stretch my legs. Seems to be helping in reducing my stress levels.

i) I'm trying to focus on the good things about my thesis and trying to focus on the really positive comments made by my examiners.

j) I've deleted facebook for the timebeing which is helping me focus on my PhD. I'll reactivate it again once I've got through the major substatinal changes required by my examiners.

k) I'm spending a lot of time reading published PhD theses in order to give me some sort of idea of how my PhD should and WILL look like once I've resubmitted.

l) I've taken 2-3 weeks off during Feburary because I was not coping at all. I needed a break and I seem to be more productive following this break. So perhaps take a break from thesis corrections when it becomes too stressful or too overwhelming.

m) Try to remember that the examiners are letting you submit for a PhD and not an MPhil. They are letting you resubmit for a reason, namely that you're capable of obtaining a PhD after some corrections.

I love this post! Thanks for posting!

Marasp, as you know, I'm also trying to clear the R&R hurdle. I can tell you that I'm not finding this easy at all and can really relate to what you're going through (ie tears and disgust at looking at my thesis).

I need to have a polished PhD draft by July for my supervisors approval ready for submission in August, so I'm really feeling the pressure right now.

This is how I'm tackling the R&R....

a) I ended up starting again with a brand new document. My submitted PhD was just bringing up too much stress and share pain/disgust/shame on my submitted document so I've started a brand new document. Instead of titling my report as 'resubmission' I've titled it as 'PhD date xxxx, time (so I have a copy and I know which document is the most up to date version) just to avoid all the negative associations I've built up with the resubmission verdict!

b) I made a list of all the corrections, placed them into bullet points. Next to each bullet point, I've added an action plan on how I intend to meet each and every correction/recommendation. I handed this to my supervisors to double check that I've understood correctly what they want from me. My supervisors then gave their feedback on this document. I will be using this document as a checklist to show my progress so far and I will use this list when I come to writing my cover letter/report to my examiners to show the changes I've made.

c) My corrections involve substantial changes and therefore consist of deleting almost all parts of some chapters so I've developed a new thesis structure and a new thesis model. I'm also frantically writing up sections which my examiners wanted me to elaborate on.

d) I've created a series of documents that contain all the material that I will submit in journal papers rather than my thesis. I'm trying to dull the pain of  literally years spent working towards something only to have it deleted from my thesis. This is helping me work through deleting major parts of my submitted thesis and to see that I haven't wasted my time!

e) This is probably a silly point, but just above my computer in my direct line of sight I have 'I CAN DO THIS' in giant letters with Dr XXXXXXXX and my qualifications listed at the bottom. I also have a count down of March, April, May and June as well as Dr XXXX and my qualifications listed at the bottom. This is helping me to stay focused and is helping me challenge my frequent thoughts of I can't do this. Also highlights that I do have some time left (although I'm aware these months will fly by).

f) In addition to e) I'm trying to surround my

======= Date Modified 07 Feb 2012 11:37:24 =======
Apologies, I'll try and limit my numerous threads....:$

Thanks for the suggestions so far :-)

Hey

I'm currently strengthening my literature review chapters which almost has me at the brink of tears as it feels like I'll never finish this thesis!  :-(

So I'm trying to think about something positive after my resubmission. I need something to look forward to....so I'm thinking about a holiday shortly after I've resubmitted my thesis.

Any ideas? I'm thinking of somewhere exotic and a distant far away land. I can't really afford to go anywhere really expensive, but I'm thinking I need a break from everything so I'm prepared to find away to ensure I treat myself after resubmission.