Hi all!!

I am just posting to ask for some advise with my thesis!! I am TOTALLY stressed coz my 45000 word Masters thesis is due on the 11th of July & I am getting nothing done any day, I am doing my lit review now and I feel like I just keep reading & writing notes- but not actually typing anything! I also have my whole analysis to do aswell- it was a survey and I have 94 respondents.

I was wondering if any body could give me advise on how to plan this? Or do people think I will actually get it done? I feel like I won't get it done & am so worried!!! I work 3 long days per week so the most days I have is 4 a week!

So helpless :-(

Sorry I Forgot to add that all I have written is 5000 of my lit review

I think you would be best to start by planning what needs to be done and allocating days/weeks for accomplishing it.  I initially wrote my chapter headings and subheadings, using this to frame the overall thesis. Next I produced a timeline of what I was going to work on for each week.  I tried to stick to this where possible so that I stayed on time for completion.

For the lit review you will need to start taking the notes and organising the refs into themes. Make sure the themes all flow from one to the next with linking paragraphs.  Write the lit review as an overview of the theme rather than just citing this ref followed by another ref. The lit review should flow like a story rather than a list of information.

Next I would deal with your data and organise/analyse this.  Writing methodology chapters tends to be easier as it is just an account of what you did. Likewise the data section just details what you found so shouldn't take long to write, but the analysis may appear lengthy and tedious!!

Finally leave some time to write your discussions, linking in with your lit review and placing your findings within the broader area. 

I found that after the draft thesis was done, I procrastinated over my discussions with minor modifications and clarifications! You may need some time planned for proof-reading and also for your supervisor to read!  My wait for sups so far is four weeks, arghh! If your sup is to read it and feedback, it may be useful to send draft chapters as they are written if time is tight.

Good luck with it and don't give up (up)

Hi Dunni73

Thank you so much for your advise and help!! Your ideas are really good and I will make a plan like you said. It just seems so much you know! Thanks so much:-)

======= Date Modified 02 Mar 2011 15:44:21 =======
I have a research masters which is 55,000 words long. I had originally intended transferring to a PhD but during my first year it became apparent that my supv and I had wildly divergent views on methodology etc and actually life in general!! I won't bore you with details! After deciding that I would write it up as a Masters, I then did this in three months. I agree with Dunni completely and would only add that I would work out exactly when your submission has to be and work back from that. If you are to get it done, you have to be ruthless at this stage and write, write, write. I would set myself deadlines for each stage and take them seriously and stick to them. I would open a document for each chapter and get writing - now! 5,000 words so far for a lit review isn't too bad - mine was about 11,000 in the finished thesis. You either need to flesh these 5000 words out, or be reaslistic and start again if you don't think they're up to stratch.

It can be done. I did it but it was hard (up). Unlike a PhD your July submission deadline is probably set in stone and won't be changed so that alone should motivate you to finish. Good luck (up)

Edit (15.45) I should add that my masters is not the most groundbreaking thesis in the world but I needed to get it done so as to start a completely different PhD.