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serious dissertation panic

hi everyone

So my dissertation is due week 8 of Semester one (Early November) and I haven't even started. I don't just mean haven't started writing...I mean. no reading or research or anything and am really stressing! Doesn't help that I need to find a minimum of 5 interviewees as well.

My plan was to from mid-may (when my exams were over) and june researching, july/august writing, September-due date editing. Most of my friends graduated this summer and were travelling and I stupidly got lured in so have spent the past few weeks trotting around Europe and have only just got back to England and it dawned on me how little time I actually have. So here is my new plan:

Spend from now until the end of July researching. I only work 3 nights a week so I'm talking 4-8 hours a day locked in the library doing this. Then write it all up throughout August, and start editing in September. Week 1 at my uni starts September 22nd so if I start editing at the start of September I will have about 11-12 weeks in all to perfect it.

Does this sound at all realistic? I am hoping for a 2:1 minimum. Can I do all the research I need in just 3 weeks if I start on Monday and then write it all up in August? Or should I spend more time reading and researching?

Can't believe I've been this stupid. I know so many people who left it all to the last minute, including my 3 older siblings, and I watched them stress so much. I told them I wouldn't do the same thing yet here I am! OH jeez.

Oh and it's an Anthropology dissertation just fyi,

Reply 1

LifeOfDreams

Plenty of time! I really wouldn't worry too much about the time you have left. How many words do you have to write?

I always find that reading and research seems to take up as much time as you give it. Give it a week and it takes a week. Give it three months and it takes three months. I usually set out a reading plan, working out what needs to be done. Then as you get started, you'll find that there are things you need to read that you hadn't thought about. The trick at that point is being able to judge what is important to read and what is just a rabbit-hole. So as you're reading, try to modify your reading and research schedule. All of the time you have to have one eye on what your main question is going to be.

Try to do something every day. I usually go into the library because when I stay at home (like today), I just don't get anything done (like today). Even if you only read one article a day, you'll find you're making progress. Two hours a day is much better than nothing for three days then a whole day's work.

Oh, and start writing as early as you have something to say! You don't have to wait until you've finished reading...

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

Viva Emptiness

I did 80% of my dissertation in about 10 hours. You'll be fine. Just don't put it off any longer.

Reply 3

ChaoticButterfly

That's last minuite?

It makes me glad my final year project required turning up in the lab and working with other people, makes it feel like a job and motivation to turn up. Meant I had a log book full of stuff when it came to writing it all up. The deadline was then pushed back and I probably spent to much time obsessing over my report rather than revising for exams :/

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 4

karmacrunch

Original post by Viva Emptiness

I did 80% of my dissertation in about 10 hours. You'll be fine. Just don't put it off any longer.

What did you get?? :smile:

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Reply 5

Viva Emptiness

Original post by karmacrunch

What did you get?? :smile:

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Reply 6

ChaoticButterfly

Original post by Viva Emptiness

Were those 10 hours the night before it was due? :tongue:

Reply 7

+ polarity -

Original post by Viva Emptiness

I did 80% of my dissertation in about 10 hours. You'll be fine. Just don't put it off any longer.

absolute pro

Reply 8

Viva Emptiness

Original post by ChaoticButterfly

Were those 10 hours the night before it was due? :tongue:

Obviously.

Original post by + polarity -

absolute pro

Reply 9

karmacrunch

Original post by Viva Emptiness

Is that a 2.1? Well done though :smile:

Reply 10

ChaoticButterfly

Original post by karmacrunch

Is that a 2.1?

Yup.

Reply 11

donutaud15

You got plenty of time so don't panic. The most important thing is settle on the topic and maybe start literature review and research. Writing the chapters after lit review were easy if you know what you want to say.

I did mine in March and submitted May and I had plenty of time procrastinating in those two months. However I knew my topic by November and had some research done when I started properly.

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Reply 12

Yellow 03

It's perfectly doable, although you need to make a more specific plan than the one you seem to have now. You need to allocate time for the literature review, as well as time to carry out the interviews, transcribe them and analyse the data, etc. If you do all of this thoroughly I don't think it should take you more than a month or so to write it all up.

Reply 13

billiebillie

thanks so much for the responses everyone..you've really put my mind at ease!! Definitely will not be putting it off any longer.. really need this 2:1!