My advice, particularly if you're pre/pre-viva is to consider how your work fits into the big picture of your discipline - broaden your contribution out beyond your specific topic and think how it contributes/advances your overall subject.

Surely if you're asked to identify weaknesses at this stage, will you not be expected to correct them before submission, given that you know they are present long before you finish. I did admit to weaknesses in the viva but at the same time tried to frame them as being weaknesses and things I would do differently but with the benefit of hindsight.

Best of luck with you review(up)

I have four findings chapters (exactly as you describe, qualitative, quotes etc) and then an analysis/discussion chapter following and it's this chapter that I have to work on for my thesis revisions. Not a word was said about my 4 findings chapters!

butting in again :$, I'm marking exams so in desperate need of distraction!!

I did the conference thing, published one paper, one in-house manual, did a lot of tutoring, exam correction (lots of that!) but don't think thesis itself will go down in annals of best theses ever!

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it's really tough and does as Ian says, require a certain type of person. I submitted in three years but I have to say it nearly killed me and genuinely sent me into somewhere not very nice in the last few months! I have never experienced stress like it. That said, I have friend who submitted in 2.5 years, viva'ed and passed (nil corrections), within three years. He IS a special type of person but I would suggest an outlier.

It's good to have a target in that it shoud keep you focussed but you're still new at the PhD game so give it a chance, and time if you can.

Hi Human

RE: some of your questions:

1. - separate word docs is the way I did things UNTIL I had the whole thesis written. Then I combined it into one. Make sure you keep backups of this and the individual chapters, just in case. Coming close to submission, my supv wanted to see the whole thing, not just individual chapters. Page numbers can be a total pain (lots of questions over time here on the forum about those!). You will probably need to put in section breaks and page breaks - youtube is useful for this. However, it is possible to merge separate pdfs. Google this, it's quite easy.

2. Write it in any order that makes sense to you - just as long as it's in the correct order come submission! It is useful though at some stage to have it in the correct order. You will need to proof it for continuity, contradiction etc. I think you can only spot these when it flows from page 1 to x.

3. Don't know, I'm afraid. Recent post on the forum about this very topic.

4. Zotero is fine as far as I know. At this stage I think it's too late to change. Bear in mind that checking references takes time so make sure you schedule in time for that.

5. Depends on how organised a writer you are. However, it does take time!

6. Not really - I found my write up year pretty stressful (sorry!) and although heretofore was good at proofing, stress caused me to miss some really silly errors and they slipped through. If you have time, you need a break from when it's ready (even just one or two days) and then revisit it to clean proof. Sadly, time constraints usually mean people don't have such luxuries but if you can, do.

Good luck with it


(up)

I'm in the social sciences and I use Harvard. Lots of uni Harvard guidelines available online
http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm - just one of many. I agree it would be easier
if your uni just stipulated what they want.

To butt in...:$

"There are three apples on the tree" (Wendy, 2003) - if year available
"There are four apples on the ground" (Mandy, n.d.) - if no date available
"There are five apples on the table" (Sandy, 5 October 2011) - retrieved date

1 and 2 seem fine to me as in-text references. What Skig meant, at least how I interpreted it, was that 'retrieved date' etc is for your final bibliography. So in the full bib, you put in as much info as possible with the entry and then if it's a website, the website address, link and then 'retrieved date' (I actually use 'Available at [link], 'accessed on' [date] but the main thing is as much info as possible. I would think if you use n.d. more than 2 or 3 times in your thesis, you will have to put in some explanation about the dearth of data. However, if you can't find when a site was last updated that usually signifies trouble, or at best that's it not that reliable.

If your uni doesn't state a style, I would pick one and stick with it. I'm not doubting you, or maybe I am (!!) but are you sure that your dept/uni doesn't have a referencing style guide? Most departments are pretty picky about referencing styles.

I would agree with Skig that honesty is the best policy. That being said, you could describe what you did etc in your methodology and leave the [better] alternative until later on in the thesis when you address possible limitations. Then you could 'admit' that you were unaware of this computer programme until your data collection/research was well under way. You could also link it in with any recommendations for future practice.

That way you are acknowledging it but not labouring the point. It also could make an interesting discussion point in your viva when you get to that point.

i was asked although not in those exact words but don't think I answered them all that well. It's hard to verbalise them so I would practice!

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oh yes! I was asked what I was proud of and had to resist saying "I made it into this room". I was a complete nervous wreck and gulped down three glasses of water like they were vodka. I wish they had have been vodka!

Edit: can't type tonight.
Edit 2: def can't type -/best of luck with it Sneaks (up)

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What I would advise is read your thesis again (and again if you have time). Then I would verbalise Bilbo's five key questions. I was working full time in the lead up to my viva so although it was on my mind I didn't do much prep at all. The only other thing I would advise is think how your thesis slots into the bigger picture of your subject; so not your topic per se, but how you advance your discipline.

Best of luck(up)

Bilbo's stuff (from memory): originality of thesis, contribution to knowledge, what you would do differently, possible limitations, methodology. I think of it as why this topic, what was done, how it was done, findings and implications of findings.

Edit(2) I didn't have a mock viva at all either!

Hi Phdee

Yes, Yes, No, Yes, Yes, Do you want it twice?:p

don't have access to medical anthro... but can get all the others. 5 and 6 appear to be dupes; should 6 be something else?

Pm an email address and I will send them on :-)

Many, many congratulations Dr. - a great achievement, enjoy the well-earned celebrations:-)