Dear all,

at the moment I am trying to write the discussion part of my thesis. I have all the data from my research, yet find it very hard to come to a conclusion.

I have made several different schemes regarding how I could write things down and as a result I have piles of schemes, yet do not seem to find the correct entry (yes I am a theorist and reflector, not an activist!).

I am thinking of leaving it for a few days, then to restart again. Any other people struggling with the same issue? Is there something like an optimum break length? Or any particular tricks to get the writing juices flowing again?

With a discussion I would break down my findings into itty bitty chunks and then try and explain what they meant to my mum - then write it down. From there you can become more theoretical - I would start by just putting a list under each finding of theories/references that relate to it. Then I would expand from there.

Having said that my discussions tend to just turn into limitations of my study - I find it very hard not to skate over the actual findings!

Thanks Sneaks,

yes, recognise your approach of splitting it up in small chunks and then to relate it to the literature and to assess what potential implications it could have.

Idea of telling my mum is interesting, but not sure whether she would understand. But a good point, I could discuss it with a colleague to see whether it makes sense what I think.

I just find that really dumbing it down - getting to the real crux of the matter helps me to wade through the theoretical stuff. Then my mind is clear so I can then go and add to this, but it ensures that the key messages are very clearly presented.

yeah, good point.

indeed, what is the key message? Making that clear and the writing (and living) is easy.

Now going to read a book to relax a bit.

Keep in touch.:-)

Writer's block is possible in academic writing now?!? Isn't this something that afflicts fiction writers who have ran out of ideas? Weird.

Yes, cleverclogs, yes, yes you are.:$

"Academic writers cannot get writer’s block. Don’t confuse yourself with your friends teaching creative writing in the fine arts department. You’re not crafting a deep narrative or composing metaphors that expose mysteries of the human heart. The subtlety of your analysis of variance will not move readers to tears, although the tediousness of it might…Novelists and poets are the landscape artists and portrait painters; academic writers are the people with big paint sprayers who repaint your basement." Silvia, How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing

Peewee, I have joined The Procrastinators under another ID. Hoo ha ha 8-)

No offence to Silvia, but at least in the humanities, writing a doctorate is very similar to crafting a work of fiction requiring use of subtle language, metaphor, and a fine use of sources. There's no basement spray can here. It's easy to feel blocked or choked up. I would recommend writing even if it is ugly and ill crafted. At least there is then something to work with.

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when i suffered from writers block, i was told by someone on this board (Olivia) about the Flowers method of writing.

https://webspace.utexas.edu/cherwitz/www/ie/b_flowers.html

it really helped me.

and also Joan Bolkers method, of first making a mess, building mud pies when you're writing. dont worry about getting it right just get it written, try freewriting, where you sit down, dont worry about grammer or spelling or whether it is even correct, but you're meant to write non stop for 10 minutes on the subject. and then you look over your notes and you might be suprised that you know far more than you realised.
she suggests writing a zero draft. which can just be an accumulation of the basic ideas you want to convey, and then going back to it, and improving it and making it to the first draft and so on.

hope that helps. sorry i cant offer specific advice.

just read chrisrolinski message below. i agree with him, writing messy is the way forward!!

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Good for you wee man. Now, I'm sure someone will back me up here: cleverclogs you know not much about which you speak. Do you think there's a one-size-fits-all academic writing style? That it doesn't involve creative writing in some circumstances? I can't even be arsed explaining it to you to be honest. What you've just said is so irritatingly stupid and annoying, I now know what it must feel like to contract syphilis. So clever(clogs) and yet so adolescent and so, well, stupid. Isn't there a post-doc forum somewhere on the internet you can go and flex your intellectual might? Cleversod, I'm never usually stuck for words, but there's only really one I have for you: c**k.

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Admin! Walmartpeeweesucker said the c word! (plus he distributes warez)

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It was a compliment. I happen to think you have, erm, all the self-assurance and bravado of a rooster. Lucky you - how I gush with glee for you. I checked mi dictionary for warez - doh, clogs, you've done it again sweetie!:$ Anyway, go and polish your shiny shoes and starch that white lab coat of yours for your pending post-doc.

Rick, when i was revising for my viva, i had the following questions that i had to formulate answers for, for each chapter discussion. this might help to construct your discussion. ignore the ones that arent related to you, as i'm in the sciences.

1. Basic definitions (key definitions of concepts, explaining it to a layperson) (this would be covered in the introduction, not so in the discussion)

2. What was known before? (literature, including Key players in field ) (again introduction)

3. What is the chapter based on? (ie the hypothesis and literature) (brief mention in the discussion, to introduce it to the reader)

4. What was your result? summarise the results.

5. Importance of the result? (the significance of it, in broader terms, its impact on scientific (academic) knowledge)

6. How was the experiment carried out ? using which method

7. Limitations of the method

8. Strengths of the method

9. Future experiments suggestions