yeah, he actually built his own mathematical model too (I think! haha!) it was a bit over my head :$ he started a year before me, but then went into full time work for the last 2 years, so got it done in 4 and a half years. I obviously need to get it in before 4, so the ESRC don't cut my head off.

Are you procrastinating at all though - I mean how long will the model take if you really concentrate on it without any distractions? do you need more guidance from a supervisor?

ah ha, you're in exactly the same position as me! I've spent the last week writing my lit review. I'm now spending the next 3 weeks doing 1 chapter per week and getting the whole thing finished (ha!) well a draft finished anyway, that my sup will rip apart and make me re-work for months.

If you could get the model coding sorted then the writing up probably won't be that bad. I'm sure as well, you could contact the ESRC and ask for an extension - I'm not sure how these things work? I don't even know what happens if I don't submit by sep - maybe they'd just cut my head off or something??

I think this is a really positive step - it will be hard, but in 8 weeks you can relax and properly relax! Having the viva so close to submission is a massive advantage too as you will be so knowledgeable about the work you won't need to read, re-read you thesis etc. (up)

I think you need to sit down and write out a list of exactly what needs to be done in which area/chapter. It sounds like you're seeing it as a massive mountain to climb, rather than a series of small hills. Once you break it down into smaller sections it will be easier to see where work needs to be done and what is the priority. If it helps, I've just spent 2 weeks getting my 45000 of random literature down to a proper chapter - i've also had to update and change the direction of my argument, but it is doable!

are you research council or university funded?

My hubs was like this about 6 months ago, until I whipped him into shape and essentially bullied him through the process haha! he's just passed his viva - something both of us felt was impossible a while back (me because of his lack of effort/motivation and him because he thought it was all awful etc.).

I'd suggest telling us where you're at on each chapter or section of work, how much is left to do specifically? (obviously while retaining your anonymity)

oh dear, I've not done goal 1 yet, and only made the tea, no pavlova.

I need to go on a dog walk, and then I need to go to pets at home, and then I'll come back and have an evening of ticking this all off the list!

well spent ALL morning faffing about doing a stupid task for another project, but the deadline was today. I've taken the dog for a walk, driven for 2 hours and got home, eaten lunch - now feel really sleepy :$

As this blatently isn't going to be a productive day..

Goal 1: email students
Goal 2: make a cup of tea and eat remaining pavlova (No this won't be too hard to complete)
Goal 3: print out chapter 4 and see what i need to do for the rest of the week and create a plan of action!

No it didn't work ;-) only joking (up)

Sorry - that probably confuses everything haha!

My supervisor too has this weird perception of life and money - she seems to think my hubby can support us both (which isn't really doable). I really played up to this and she *found* me some research assistant part-time work, which pays more 3 days a week than a full time shop job and is just enough to keep me and hubs afloat for a few months. So maybe lay it on thick and try and get some teaching/RA work while you write up?

erm, you just hit reply. or if you want to quote them, hit the quote button and then put your reply underneath.

I think it depends how you write it up. My hubs had a middle chapter where he had a negative result (in his case, it was that the model he'd built didn't work under a certain circumstance). He passed his viva, but one comment he did have was that he'd kind of built the study up, saying how important it was to investigate and then there was a sudden surprise negative result - in hindsight it would have been better to signpost at the beginning that it was a negative result or something, so the examiners weren't waiting for a nice juicy result, only to find it to be negative (if that makes sense?)

So maybe position the entire thesis around the fact you are disproving ideas rather than proving them?

I've just finished my first three chapters.

Chapter 1 = 2000 (just an intro)
Chapter 2 = 13000 (lit review)
Chapter 3 = 8-9000 (method)

I think 10,000 is a good rule of thumb, I'm going to have to be careful that the front of my thesis isn't heavier/bigger than the actual studies - I think as long as its balanced its fine.

My lit review is the first proper draft (i.e. the actual thesis version), so i think it will be cut down a lot - it looks too long at the mo and as I read it, its hard to keep a grasp of the key arguments, but just about to send off to sup cos I'm at the point where I can't see the wood for the trees with it, so will let her have a go.

I've got it sorted for now. I'm dreading page numbering etc. but will sort that later I think (sprout)

at least if its long there's less doubt about whether it is the amount of work required for a PhD. I've known 3 people pass with no amendments recently and reading their theses (which have lots of mistakes and quite big problems in my opinion) I think this was purely down to the sheer amount of work they did!

ah, that's good. I'll go with table 1.1 (up) and I'd like to go for some ice cream too! (snowman)

Very much wish my thesis was on penguins and ice cream consumption. :-x