I've got to the stage where I'm desparate to submit. Its weird, a year ago, I had a thesis I was happy with and thought it was really good. I'm now going through redraft after redraft and I think its awful, but it MUST be better than before, I just can't see it! I've got to the stage now where I'd prefer to get a major amendment and get the stupid thing off my back, rather than carry on tweaking. For me, as long as I don't get an Mphil, or have to re-viva, then its a good result :p obviously hope for better, but I'm beginning to realise that no one really cares. in a year's time no one will remember I had an amendment or whatever, so I'd rather just get it done.

Thanks Batfink, you reminded me to send my poster to the printing office, so its ready for me to collect on wednesday for conference on friday (up)

So far today I've got up, eaten breakfast, shaved the dog, taken the dog for a walk, made a cup of tea. I want to get an entire chapter ticked off today. If can concentrate its probably doable, but I already feel bored/tired/not in the mood :-(

Goal 1 for today: Change Intro section of Chapter

welcome to you both - stars for everyone :-)

I've done most my goals, just got to design the stoopid poster and change workshop details, which will take a while.

Congrats Star Shaped! I hope to follow in your success by submitting ASAP! I have the same issue though - I've just accepted a full time lectureship nearby and am worrying about the dog being left alone all day :-( I think most of my salary will be going on doggy day care :p

Watching the social network actually put me off facebook, not sure I want to give any time/money to mark zuckerberg lol. My mother in law announced news on her wall about me recently, which I didn't want to let people know, so that's one aspect of facebook I hate - why does everyone think your info is shareable?

I'm finding it really hard to sleep with the stress/anxiety of all the work I've got on so am up early today.

Good news is that I've managed to put off the university fees office and convince them that I will be submitting ASAP so please don't charge me £thousands.

Those goals were a bit ambitious, so have become my weekend goals, as well as reviewing papers for a conference.

Goal 1 for today: finish current chapter working on.

I use facebook to promote conferences etc but really I see no use of it. I hate the fact people can put photos up of you. I'd join linkedin and/or academia.edu if you want to make use of the work-networking benefits. For me facebook is a hassle, my main reason for not leaving is that I want to announce when I get the PhD lol.

My Husband found a massive mistake in his thesis the week before the viva. He panicked and felt awful for 2 days, then did a massive literature search to find journals that supported the mistake lol - he basically built a case for his defence around it.

Could you build a defence around why you can't collect more data for example?

In the end the examiners didn't even see the mistake and he obviously didn't raise it, but corrected it in the final version anyway.

It sounds horrible, BUT you did pass! (up) I would just put it down to the fact that many people in academia (present company excluded lol) have no social skills and find seemingly impossible to act like normal human beings. YOu could have been subject to an ego fight between the examiners you were unaware of, politics in the viva, or just stuffy 'formal' examiners who didn't want to let you in on what was going on.

I'd get any changes done and put it behind you :-)

you see I'm talking about positivism for example, as a paradigm, that has different ontology/epistemology and methodology compared to other paradigms (e.g. constructivist).

I've come across different authors using the different terms for different things though, so not surprised there's confusion. I'm going to go for just saying what I think and referencing people who think the same! lol. But still not completely sure if my explanation of what epistemology is is good enough?

see I thought that was ontology. Argh! I hate all this stuff :-(

Sorry ev, I've checked but no luck. The thread title does remind me of that song "I need a dollar..." though :p

I'm trying to do a kind of 'paradigm' table, with 4 paradigms with a sentence overview of thier ontology, epistemology and methodology in each cell if that makes sense.

I think I've nearly got there with what all the paradigms say, but now I'm confused (AGAIN!) about what epistemology is. For some reason all the stuff in my table under epistemology relates to the relationship between researcher and the researched e.g. "Researcher andreality are separate"

Is that right? or should it be broader? - so confused!

right I have a 5pm deadline of leaving my current location. so before then I need to

- finish off the chapter I'm working on
- sort out 3 students' work
- put a call out saying this is the last chance for me to feedback work
- finish poster for next week's conference
- sort out workshop for next week's conference
- order book to help with lecture planning.

hmm not sure if that is all doable, but I'm going to have a good go.