I agree with Hugh - travelling is exhausting and being away at a conference is hard work. I definitely need time off after things like that. It always sounds to me like you are making great progress, Zutterfly, and you might find that a bit of time off pays dividends.

I've had a few days off recently, tbh it completely broke my momentum. I feel likes its taking me an age to get stuck back into it, and its making me more frustrated. I've now vowed not to take more than 2 days off in a row until I have the first draft thesis ready!

Thank you Hugh and Chickpea for your supportive comments. I just did not have the chance to rest as job application deadlines are looming and I have to prepare for another conference. If it were not for these non-negotiable deadlines, I would have taken a few days off :(

I have been a bit better today, almost finished a job application and proof read a conference paper. I am taking a couple of hours break now before getting stuck back into it. I have fallen into the habit of taking long long naps since returning, and I am trying to stay awake for a full day to reset my body clock.

Hugh I have that fear of breaking my momentum as taking time off normally does that to me too! I have a lot of social events this weekend so I will be taking the full weekend off and hopefully that should relax me a little (and will be a nice reward for getting job apps submitted!)

Zutterfly, enjoy your weekend! :) With regards to long naps, I have started on those too. I think its the hayfever season and the effect of anti-histamines which is making me drowsy! If I don't take them though I feel ill. catch 22 situation.

I did have a better day today though thankfully. Edited a chapter and submitted a conference paper.

I've got a chapter to submit tomorrow and then I have 3 chapters left to write (the overall discussion, conclusion and introduction). Word count wise it isn't heavy, (not more than 8,000 all together), but I think the overall discussion and conclusion will be challenging, as its drawing info from all my studies, and making sure the contribution is clear. Its also difficult to ensure that its not just a repetition of what is already in the study chapters, and sounds clever ;) and I'm going to have to move things around too!

Thank you Hugh :)

I submitted a long winded job application last night, and finished proof reading a conference paper.

Today will be entirely dedicated to my PhD- I have one small section of my conclusion to write then I can get stuck into editing. I was concerned the conclusion would be challenging but I was pleasantly surprised; I had all my findings chapters printed out and combed through them to draw out the key points and recommendations. I found the findings chapters tough though. Thankfully, my supervisor really likes the findings chapters, and there are just a few tweaks here and there to make on those. I am dreading sorting the introduction and literature review though! I also found out that my first choice of internal examiner has agreed to do my viva which I am happy about :)

I've not even considered working yet today - far too distracted with the news! I must do something this afternoon though!

I did not wind up working much with the results. I was angry and frustrated. I wound up meeting with my friends for a few drinks in the evening as we were just all too distracted and saddened by the news :(

the anger and frustration is fully justified!

On another note entirely, Zutterfly you have written your overall discussion and conclusion. I'm just wondering, did you find yourself repeating things from the findings chapters? I'm thinking of moving recommendations from each of the findings chapters to the overall conclusion, but I'm kind of worried that the overall conclusion for example will just sound very similar to the conclusion in the findings chapters! I've had a look at other thesis, and a few have integrated overall discussion and conclusion into one chapter, whilst others have kept them seperate but the conclusion is just 2-4 pages long. I'm not really sure what to do. Any tips/suggestions?

In some ways I feel like I don't really need an overall discussion chapter but I suppose this is the done thing ...

Zutterfly, btw when are you expecting your viva to be? I haven't even discussed viva examiners with my supervisors yet, and tbh I'm not sure who would be suitable (as its multi disciplinary!)

Hi Hugh

Rather then writing 'conclusions' at the end of each findings chapter, I just write a summary of what was discussed at the end of each. My actual conclusion chapter is where I discuss more of the meaning behind the findings in relation to each research aim and make recommendations for future research as well as for policy and practice. My own conclusion chapter is quite long, but I hope to (as always) reduce the length! It is about 20 pages, but I do not plan on going much lower than that. I have always read that examiners prefer detailed conclusions rather than something that is very brief. I don't think bits of repetition can be avoided in the conclusion, though mine appears to give the illusion of not being repetitive because I draw together conclusions from three findings chapters and refer back to gaps in the literature. Does this help?

Viva has been discussed to take place either Dec or Jan. There is no date set up though however. In my last supervision, me and my sup were discussing job applications and they went on to say that if I found a job that was demanding, I could use the fourth year to complete so that obviously disregards the potential viva date of Dec/Jan. Yet I am thinking that they were referring to a worse case scenario here. As I mentioned previously, my internal is sorted, but not officially- they have verbally agreed with my sup. External has not been arranged yet. I had one in mind but my sup is trying to push for another who is still in my research area (broadly) and has examined in our department before (I suspect the process is less complicated if it is an examiner who has examined at the university before from what my sup has mentioned in passing).

Thanks Zutterfly, that really helps! I suppose I should get stuck in and then I'll get a better idea of how it all sits. I like your idea of a summary in each chapter rather than a conclusion, I think I might pinch that idea :)

Re viva, you've got an internal, that's good news! I need to bring this up at my next supervision. It just feels too real to be discussing the viva, I feel like I'm jumping the gun! (imposter syndrome creeping in)