Hi Queerface, Pjlu

Thanks so much for your thoughtful responses! I have until 6th Sept, so the friday before technically due to binding. I feel it should be doable if I manage to focus myself in the early mornings...I never get much done after work, as my day is usually to full-on and I need the down-time, mentally.

I may ask for an extension if I come really unstuck. Its reassuring to hear that this would not be the end of the world as far as my reputation etc. I just get very embarrassed about things where I seem to be unable to cope, as I imagine people (who know about it - i.e. only supervisor, uni DS team and my boss/ HR) automatically link it to the label I have, and see me as someone that's therefore "not able" or even "disabled" at least in terms of complex mental tasks. I know that there's more to it than that, of course, and I am capable when I want something enough, like everyone else... The reason I mention this is that the DS team said months ago I would be entitled to an extension if I felt concerned about the pressure mounting. Therefore, in the eyes of the uni system its now hard for me to separate the pressure-related extension request from the BP-related extension request, which I would not want to make in these circumstances...

Lol - rambling again...but, Pjlu, as requested I won't apologise this time!!

xx

Hi all,

Think I'll finally join this thread to get me to the finish line!!

Goal 1 was editing methodology. Done...references/ footnotes will be tidied up tomorrow

Goal 2 was editing Ch3. In progress - have halved the word count (YAY) but need to add in a precis of what I did, and references.

So, for the rest of the day

Goal 2/3: add in precis of actions taken
Goal 4: edit chapter 4 (findings, discussion)
Goal 5: FINALLY get a haircut (its been at least 9 months, lol!) and get some quality time with bf before back to paid work and 5-9am dissertation sessions again!

GAH - scary!
I can do it (up)

Haha, Stressed - I do that one too!!

Seems I've tried every trick in the book except the hard, virtuous one of actually improving my conciseness. Maybe it's about time I learnt. My tutors are a little divided about my writing, with one calling it "baroque" as I like to use poetic allusions a lot - to mask, I'm sure, a reluctance to consolidate ideas and stand on one side of the fence. But the other loves this characteristic!! So, perhaps it's time to find a happy medium and be kind to my 'audience' instead of indulging myself... !

I feel like a (sprout)

Wow - very grateful for all the ideas! I fell off the wagon a bit yesterday - one of those 'no wood through trees' days!

I think that, yes, I'll try to distance myself by putting the d*mn file out of sight and creating a new template, and only the really clearly expressed ideas/ evidence can go in. Then I'll probably find myself way short of the word count!!

Joyce - yes, I did the Find/ Replace thing like that in a few of my earlier assignments. I don't mind doing it for orgs etc, but in this document there's an external party I consulted whose job title is ridiculously long winded...so I guess I'll have to call her "the XYDSJ Manager" each time I refer to her...that's probably 50 words gone!

I must say, it's really tempting to ignore the general university 'rulebook' as my department seem to operate like a bit of a satellite entity and make up their own rules, to an extent....which would probably mean I shouldn't stress so much (at least if I'm less than 500/1000 extra over).
The other thing I usually do is make my font 11.5 instead of twelve, and make the margins as narrrow as I can get away with...but I think that'll be unacceptable, and will look like utter rubbish in a hard-bound format, next to everyone else's pro-looking masterpieces!

Here goes...scissors ready...wish me luck :p

Oh, gawwd...that sounds painful, Button.

But a good idea - I think perhaps I should do the same. Can I ask, with your qualitative research have you represented your data purely in prose-form? I was advised by a visiting tutor to tabulate mine, but because I still have to elaborate and situate key examples within my main body, I'm sure having the table is kind of just unnecessary wordage that could be cross-referenced to my appendices!
Or is that kind of bad practice in terms of leading the reader through your process of interpretation?

Argh... word counts are why I'm scared of numbers/ quantitative stuff!!

Good luck with your editing, Button..x

PP

Hi all,

Ok, hell's maybe a slight exaggeration, but at least I got your attention! I'm facing the last couple of weeks of dissertation writing/ editing. I've got so much data and so many (probably too tangental) ideas that I'm already quite substantially over the word limit and still have more in me!!

I should have a mere 10k - I've got 15 in main body, not including qualitative tables and footnotes...(and not to mention circa 15k appendices!!). So, "concise" box? un-tick.

I'm always in this position. Lol. But since this assignment is a tad more important than before, I don't want to be penalised. As my superviser's unavailable (and was hardly available before) I can't ask her directly, but she's been lenient on me before I reckon. However, I don't know if the chief examiners will be...

What are others' experiences? How to you get rid of 'bulk' that seems to be in-disposable?

Thanks in advance :-)

PP

Back to my 'venting stress' page again for no surprising reason...in fact, its amazing I've gone a whole two months without it!

I'm in that final crunch phase now, within the last 4 weeks of completing the dissertation. I had to cancel one of the two weeks of annual leave had booked to get this done, because of overload at work (not my choice, tbh - I was asked to by boss!). One of our SMT at work caught me trying to cram some dissertation writing in my lunchbreak and offered to write a validation note to my uni asking if I could have an extension. This is a nod in the right direction, on they're part, as they haven't been very supportive given that my topic is completely tied into my work and has resulted in me doing much longer working hours etc etc FOR THEM!!

BUT...

Although my life would be a little more bearable with an extension, I have read some of the threads in this forum re: the frequency with which students at BA/ MA level apply for these for 'extenuating' (but actually quite normal, often) circumstances. So, my question is this:

Do you think my potential PHD supervisor within my department will look more favourably on a good, not amazing dissertation or a better dissertation thats come out of an extension that isn't strictly 'mitigating circumstances' (since I chose to take on MA and F/T work) -? I think I recall her saying she did her PHD while working, so not sure she'll be bowled over with sympathy.

(Anecdotally, the rest of assignments mainly As, but at least 1-2 Bs - not sure of second yet, so I wanted this to be A to make me look more like a PHD candidate on paper. I don't know percentages, or the university's system for awarding distinctions as I wasn't so bothered about the actual marks until now).

Sorry for the whining....and thanks for any advice xx

I think that's really sound advice...

I just wanted to say - yep. Sounds familiar to me, too.

I'm also in an eyeball-deep mess of an MA dissertation, and have been trying to do what I think you're saying: 3 hours study/work before going to job/work. It's absolutely crippling anyy creativity. I'd imagine it may be similar for you, studying English, but for me the absolute joy of writing up (in theory) is connecting theories, drawing creative links etc. I just can't seem to do that when I'm so tired, so 'eureaja' moments of real progress seem really far away.

(Pretending that I take my own advice) - are you giving yourself permission to do other completely off-topic things to get your MA work out of your mind? Classics like exercise - even a 15 minute run round the block. Perhaps don't use it TO forget about work, as that's additional pressure. But just pick something that would usually relax you, do it and see if after a few times relaxation actually follows. Then sleep. Hopefully you'll then feel properly recharged when you wake up.

The most successful attempt at this I've had recently was seeing Toy Story 3 with my bf! I'm not usually into all those 'cartoons that adults can like'. But he persuaded me and glad he did. It was so therapeutic to sit for 1/5hrs laughing out loud and feeling life a carefree 11 year old.

Sorry to go off on a tangent - partly cos my brain is so scrambled. I'm labouring the point...but hope you can find a way to diffuse the anxiety, and reconnect with what inherently motivates you about your topic...

PP x

Ooh, yes...getting active is good:

I may take to combining both your ideas and pacing round with a toy duck. Do you think it works without the dog?

:p

Hi KeenBeen,

I wasn't following the thread a few weeks ago, but I think you've mentioned it before to me, so I just wanted to say I'm really glad you're sounding so positive and well - and glad to hear you're looking after yourself.

It can be so so hard for us to give ourselves permission to be tired, distracted, pre-occupied, etc without being riddled with guilt...as others have said, your post is a good reminder to us all to just stop when our body/ brain is telling us to. "It's the only way" - *melodramatic voice; theatrical sweeping of brow*

Keep taking care of yoursel(ves) x

Do you have a pet, or a garden - any access to wildlife...

I have a beloved cat and, soppy as it sounds, I give him a big bear (or big cat) hug when I'm stressed out or need to zone off for a moment. I find his little blank face really calming!! Yes, I am an aspiring 'mad cat lady'....

I don't suppose this will help much if you don't have any of the above. But it's that idea of accessing something a bit primal for a few minutes, as at the best of times studying can take you away from that grounded earthliness I think. Something to do with too many words. So you're right - anything silent, or screen-free is probably a good choice.

Sorry for the free-form ramble...so tired :[

Hope that helps....will be interesting to see what others suggest!!

======= Date Modified 10 Jul 2010 14:50:02 =======
Helloo!

I think I'll join in, too. I'm sitting in bed recovering from a nasty bug today, with about 8 thick volumes all around me on the duvet, my un-typed notes and un-transcribed audios from about 2 weeks ago, and a building collection of empty water bottles and mugs...it's making me feel like I don't know where I could possibly start without it all collapsing in on top of me!!!


SO.

Goal 1: to get all said clutter off my bed and into its rightful home (NB this does not include making a detour to spring clean the entire flat - again)

Goal 2: transcribe and type up that data - finally!

Hi all,

sorry I've not replied for a few days. I've come up with a fever/ infection, which has given me the heinous excuse to graze on BBC iPlayer instead of sorting out my transcription.

KB - thanks for the heads up with Transcription Buddy. Unfortunately, the download I've tried (version 4.0) doesn't seem to be Mac compatible. Do you (or anyone else) know of an OSx version?

Thanks again for all your help! Really need to get my act together now...

======= Date Modified 07 Jul 2010 21:10:30 =======
Hey!

Thanks to both of you for your useful thoughts. Yes, I'd been told about Nvivo very briefly, but as mine is only MA level, and the quantity of data is relatively small I was fearful of - as you say,Natassia- leading myself away from data that I could otherwise grapple with in a more intimate, hands on way. I really like the MS Word idea, Sneaks - I've never thought of using the comments in that way, and didn't know you could print them off on their own.

Just have to get on with my transcriptions now, then and will give that a go - will let you know how i get on...

Thanks x

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend any effective freeware or cheap mac-compatible software to perform textual coding etc. I haven't used anything like this before. I've had Envivo and Q-something mentioned to me.

Do those of you that use this sort of software find that it saves you time is effective from the word go, or does it take some time/ training to get anything out of it? I have very little time, and not much of a head for very technical software (i.e. manuals are a no-go).

Thanks in advance for your advise..

PP :-)