Official Dissertation Thread - 2011-2012

Hello all finalists!

To follow on from the previous years, here's the brand spanking new thread for you all to rant/gloat/procrastinate about your dissertations. Oh and actually motivate each other to do some work. Yes. :ninja:

If you wish, state your topic, whether you got the supervisor you wanted, how much reading you've done so far - whatever you want!

Links to previous threads:
2010-2011
2009-2010
2008-2009

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Reply 1

amizzle91

Ooh, I was wondering if one of these would be started for this year :smile:

I'm studying English and I'm starting my dissertation, well as soon as I get back really... 26th September. We don't get assigned our supervisors until after Christmas.

I've got a rough idea of what I want to do: "How class and social mobility is represented in 19th century literature" - a bit overdone probably but hopefully there'll be a fair bit of secondary reading on it.

Of course this could allll change :p:

To be honest I'm really worried about my dissertation, if I screw up my whole degree is somewhat screwed. Lots of pressure!

Reply 2

aeterno

Original post by amizzle91

Ooh, I was wondering if one of these would be started for this year :smile:

To be honest I'm really worried about my dissertation, if I screw up my whole degree is somewhat screwed. Lots of pressure!

That's a bit late to get a supervisor! When do you have to hand yours in? I got assigned mine in May/June and I was supposed to see him last term but...yeah :tongue:

Aww no, I'm sure you won't screw up! I bet everyone thinks that at first because it is a bit daunting (it gives me nightmares, I'm not even kidding :indiff:

) but it'll be fine...I hope! :tongue:

Reply 3

angel_night

I can't believe that it's already time to get started on the dreaded dissertation *groans*. Where did 2 years go!? I thankfully was allocated the supervisor I was hoping for and I have been allowed to pick my topic of Buddhist Material Ciulture. I;'m finding the idea really daunting though and not really sure where to start or how I will focus in on something :/

How long are everyone elses dissertations? Ours is 12,000 words and is due in before the Easter break.

Reply 4

The_Lonely_Goatherd

I'm postgrad: can I still join in the fun? :ninja:

I'm doing a dissertation on Glee fans :awesome:

I've got the supervisor I want (the co-editor of the Popular Music journal :cool:

) and have written out my questionnaire and read one or two books so far. My brain hasn't been working all summer due to **** health, so it's only the last 2 weeks or so I've been able to do much :ninja:

Reply 5

amizzle91

Original post by aeterno

That's a bit late to get a supervisor! When do you have to hand yours in? I got assigned mine in May/June and I was supposed to see him last term but...yeah :tongue:

Aww no, I'm sure you won't screw up! I bet everyone thinks that at first because it is a bit daunting (it gives me nightmares, I'm not even kidding :indiff:

) but it'll be fine...I hope! :tongue:

Yeah, I didn't realise everyone got their supervisors so soon. I think that's how it works anyway, we've got our first Dissertation lecture on the Tuesday so I'll find out more then.

My dissertation is 8,000 - 10,000 words and it's due in May 2012 :smile:

I'm sort of looking forward to it and I know I'll be beyond relieved when it's finished, hopefully if I keep to my schedule and go to all of my meetings I'll do okay.

What are you doing yours on? :smile:

Reply 6

aeterno

Original post by angel_night

I know, it's gone so quickly :emo:

Your topic sounds interesting though - maybe because I have a soft spot for Buddhists :awesome:

(or maybe because their food tastes nicer - that doesn't make sense but it's true :ninja:

)

Mine has to be between 10,000-12,000 words. I have a feeling mine's either going to be too short or too long...

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

I'm postgrad: can I still join in the fun? :ninja:

I'm doing a dissertation on Glee fans :awesome:

I've got the supervisor I want (the co-editor of the Popular Music journal :cool:

Of course you can! :awesome:

Is it going to be a sing-a-long dissertation? :ninja:

(I wish those were allowed it'd be so much more fun :frown:

)

Reply 7

aeterno

Original post by amizzle91

Ahh ok that's not too bad then - it'd be a nightmare if it was due in any earlier without a supervisor in the early stages!

I hope I enjoy mine because I'm planning to go on to postgrad and I'll have to write another one :tongue:

Mine's on children's rights in war in developing countries. Well, sort of. I still need to narrow it down a bit (more than a bit) :ninja:

Reply 8

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Original post by aeterno

Of course you can! :awesome:

Is it going to be a sing-a-long dissertation? :ninja:

(I wish those were allowed it'd be so much more fun :frown:

)

Unfortunately not :frown:

I intend to have amazing pictures and YouTube links though :awesome:

My dissertation is 12-15K and is due in Sept 2012 :yes:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 9

aeterno

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

Unfortunately not :frown:

I intend to have amazing pictures and YouTube links though :awesome:

Close enough! :awesome:

I demand you put some of those links in this thread when everyone gets to the depressed/panicky/hysterical stage :ninja:

Reply 10

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Original post by aeterno

Close enough! :awesome:

I demand you put some of those links in this thread when everyone gets to the depressed/panicky/hysterical stage :ninja:

Oh don't worry, I'm sure I can ~~spam~~ educate you all :yep:

My undergrad dissertation was an ethnography of an ABBA fan event. It had amazing coloured pictures in it. I wish I'd seen my second marker's face when she opened it :biggrin:

Sounds already like there are some interesting dissertation ideas floating about :yes:

Reply 11

aeterno

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

Oh don't worry, I'm sure I can ~~spam~~ educate you all :yep:

My undergrad dissertation was an ethnography of an ABBA fan event. It had amazing coloured pictures in it. I wish I'd seen my second marker's face when she opened it :biggrin:

Sounds already like there are some interesting dissertation ideas floating about :yes:

I'm more excited about that than my dissertation!

:awesome:

Your diss topics make me wish I studied Music :sad:

Although it's probably better for humanity that I didn't :tongue:

Indeed there are :yep:

Reply 12

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Original post by aeterno

I'm more excited about that than my dissertation!

:awesome:

Your diss topics make me wish I studied Music :sad:

Although it's probably better for humanity that I didn't :tongue:

Indeed there are :yep:

Yours sounds more relevant to the real world though :yep:

Some would argue that I'm not really a muso but a social scientist in disguise :ninja:

Reply 13

aeterno

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

Yours sounds more relevant to the real world though :yep:

Some would argue that I'm not really a muso but a social scientist in disguise :ninja:

I may focus my career on it (or related to the topic) so I hope so :biggrin:

Unless I do something horribly wrong which is more likely :ninja:

That's because social scientists are cool! :awesome:

/inherent bias

Reply 14

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Original post by aeterno

I may focus my career on it (or related to the topic) so I hope so :biggrin:

Unless I do something horribly wrong which is more likely :ninja:

That's because social scientists are cool! :awesome:

/inherent bias

What career are you hoping for? I'm eventually hoping to save up and self-fund a part-time PhD :yes:

Reply 15

Sapphire_Eyes

Hello I'm in my 3rd year to and going to be doing my dissertation which is ecology/genetics based using squirrels. Got my sequences for the gene which had been done previously, found at least 75 journals for it. Not done anything much over summer holiday due to family issues, health reasons and exams.

Its 10k - 12k in length and due for Easter Break.

Do need to hand in a progress report for 12th October. So need to get something written up before then to hand in.

I want a grade A for this work as its worth 20% of the whole year. But 3rd year is 80% of the total grade and I buggered up the first 20% in my second year.

Reply 16

ArtGoblin

I do sociology and my dissertation is on the role of popular music in sustaining capitalism in the 21st century. Kind of regretting my choice already because I'm not entirely sure how I'm going tackle it - my personal tutor has said he doesn't think interviews will work for me, which was my plan. I haven't had my supervisor allocated yet but hopefully they'll give me a clearer idea.

Reply 17

The_Lonely_Goatherd

Original post by ArtGoblin

A fellow popular music person :woo:

That sounds fascinating. What would be your line of argument and what kinda case studies would you use, if you don't mind me asking? I'll understand if you don't wanna divulge too much info though :smile:

Reply 18

aeterno

Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd

What career are you hoping for? I'm eventually hoping to save up and self-fund a part-time PhD :yes:

I honestly don't know :tongue:

But possible choices are working in an NGO focusing on children's rights or think tank or civil service or possibly going into academia. Not sure about the last one but after an offhand comment from one of my lecturers I've been thinking about it a lot more.

So I won't be seeing you on Glee anytime soon? :ninja:

I take it you're going down the academia route?

Reply 19

Misnomer

I got my data during the summer and now have to analyse it so that I can start the discussion. Yeah, I got the supervisor I wanted, but that was because I was allowed to select a lecturer and ask that particular one to be my advisor.