I often wonder on this point. my subject and writing style is very novelistic and literary (though I am in history) and I would say a lot the thesis writing style is "frosting". i am close to submission too in a month, and worry that the style that some people have complimented or encouraged will be absolutely hated by examiners!! eek.

Whilst not an advocate of outright cheating or stats faking, I think that to an extent a certain degree of selection is what everybody does when they present their work. Any results section of a thesis or paper will present only some of the story or a partial story because conclusions need to be drawn. Also, deft use of language or highlighting certain sources of figures can "frame" a certain "fact" - or lead the reader to draw specific conclusions. We all do this, our theses are not factual or objective in any respect.

Yes, as a historian I have not falsified sources and have made sure that arguments make historical sense, but so much sub-conscious and conscious sifting and re-ordering takes place.

So I wouldn't be too hard on the person in the original post,

Corrections are killing me. Word cutting! gah! :-s(down)(sprout)

I am up doing corrections! choo choo....

I had a can of lentils, warmed up too. (sprout)

That name keenbean, reminded me of the girls name "Isola" which is very pretty but strangely sad and melancholy too. I think a girl named that would probably have very introspective teenage years!

======= Date Modified 16 Feb 2010 19:38:23 =======
http://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi

Tracks your name (or desired name) over time....


..and given that metro is the font of all peer-reviewed knowledge - the top ten kids names by "cleverness", "popularity"etc

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/732934-top-10-childrens-names-which-make-teachers-think-theyre-naughty-clever-or-popular

I think Jeremy Kyle really is like bear baiting for the contemporary. I hate it. Essentially the show encourages the viewer to mock the dramas, lifestyle, and accents, and poor expression of the usually poor people that are put on the show - feeling smug and secure at home - whilst the professional high salaried presenter soothes us with calm words and wisdon, "helping" people to "sort out" their problems - moving the audience to judge or sympathise accordingly.
Seriously, bread and circuses.

Urgh.

Amusing link wally!

I like Scandinavian and old German names . Shame that one of them isn't a boy, "Arvid" (the eagle's tree) is my favourite norse boys name........

Agneta Scandinavian F Pure

Anneka Scandinavian F Gracious

Astrid Scandinavian F Beautiful Goddess

Birgitta Scandinavian F Strength

Gudrun Scandinavian F Friend in war Old Norse

Hildur Scandinavian F Battle Old Norse


http://www.babynameguide.com/categoryscandinavian.asp?strGender=&strAlpha=H&strCat=Scandinavian&strOrder=Name

Good luck!!!

I am doing nice work tonight on a piece I really like which is not the thesis, phew,

======= Date Modified 15 Feb 2010 14:56:49 =======
A thesis would not be failed for typos, but they would have to be corrected and scores of errors would hardly impress the examiners. Of course there is a big difference between typos and odd bits of punctuation - to excessive poor use of language, bad grammar, and mistakes that interfere with understanding. This can be bad enough to fail, but only normally when English is a foreign language.

edited for a typo ;)

I think you should go, the worst that will happen is that the audience will be a bit confused with your accent, appreciate the effort, and they could be presented with a paper copy to follow as well.

Speak slowly and breath. I notice at the institute where I am which has lots of different Europeans, that when people are nervous they panic and the English words start to roll into one at points. Even if you have to enunciate slowly, that's okay.

If you can read well and have the vocab, I think you can easily improve your accent in six weeks. Listen to french music on youtube or on the web. Watch French tv or listen to the radio. You could also organise a few coffees and an hour of chat with a french student via your univ's international society. When I have been learning swedish and german I found it useful to search youtube for songs in those languages that I like and then sing along - you learn the accent, and to speak in a more fluid and rapid style.

As much as you don't like your second supervisor, you should use his native ability in French to run through the paper and be given papers.

Good luck! do it, it will be a good experience!

Urgh! sorry to hear that.

I feel like I will struggle too from a toxic combination of economic decline - anti-intellectualism - and nobody wanting to hire because it might make others feel inadequate, when it shouldn't.

sigh. not looking good.