Official Dissertation Thread - 2010-11

Original post by fredscarecrow

Hey guys, mind if I join in? =]
I do history and I'm writing my dissertation on Victorian factory architecture and how it is representative of Victorian society...
I'm mixed between being absolutely in love with my topic and wanting to kill myself :p:

I love it, but when I think about the whole thing instead of just individual points I just feel so SO out of my depth. Had a meeting with the tutor a couple of days before the xmas break, got myself worked up I was in tears and he was just like, you're doing fine you're on track etc etc but I really don't feel like it....feel like I must have fooled him somehow :p:

All my friends have said that. They have managed to convince their tutors that they are more in control than they felt at that time and stuff. I just avoided my tutor. I had nothing to say to him and so ignored his emails. I kind of wish I hadn't...

Nice to see another Victorian social history topic. :biggrin:

Reply 122

fredscarecrow

18

Original post by affinity89

All my friends have said that. They have managed to convince their tutors that they are more in control than they felt at that time and stuff. I just avoided my tutor. I had nothing to say to him and so ignored his emails. I kind of wish I hadn't...

Nice to see another Victorian social history topic. :biggrin:

Ahh, well I'm hoping that's a good sign and that we are all actually quite in control...or all students are really good conartists =/ oh dear.
Eek, thankfully my tutor won't let me do that - I have lectures with him once a week, and he's a very...keen tutor :p:

Plus he's one of my referees so I need him on my side!

Reply 123

affinity89

Original post by fredscarecrow

Ahh, well I'm hoping that's a good sign and that we are all actually quite in control...or all students are really good conartists =/ oh dear.
Eek, thankfully my tutor won't let me do that - I have lectures with him once a week, and he's a very...keen tutor :p:

Plus he's one of my referees so I need him on my side!

I do feel bad. He was a referee for my PGCE application and I think he gave me quite a good reference as I was offered a place...

The problem is, he doesn't know anything about my topic. He is supervising topics as varied as the impact of WWII on love letters, to the bombing of Plymouth, to mental health in the C19th. His specialism is evacuation and social exclusion in C20th. Meetings with him tend to revolve around him saying he doesn't have a lot to offer and instead just going through deadlines etc. I really wish I could have been given a tutor who knew something about my topic lol, that would have been a real help. :smile:

Reply 124

fredscarecrow

18

Original post by affinity89

I do feel bad. He was a referee for my PGCE application and I think he gave me quite a good reference as I was offered a place...

The problem is, he doesn't know anything about my topic. He is supervising topics as varied as the impact of WWII on love letters, to the bombing of Plymouth, to mental health in the C19th. His specialism is evacuation and social exclusion in C20th. Meetings with him tend to revolve around him saying he doesn't have a lot to offer and instead just going through deadlines etc. I really wish I could have been given a tutor who knew something about my topic lol, that would have been a real help. :smile:

Ahh that does suck. Mine wrote on the form and function of Victorian hospital architecture so he's really interested in my topic [I didn't know this when I came up with my idea] but I know what it's like a when a tutor doesn't reaslly have much to contribute - we had an extended project last year and my tutor only knew the basics of what I was studying and so couldn't do much for me. It must be frustrating in your dissertation. Is there another tutor in your department he could refer you to for help?

Reply 125

hannah_dru

2

Original post by chidona

Aye, my course structure is good in so much that it allows me to dedicate the entire winter hols to my diss; if I can bash a draft out by the time I'm back then I can actually do a bit of work on the other 4 modules I'm meant to be studying :redface:

Nice! I'm probably gonna work the other way around when I get back.

This thread made me feel like I needed to get more done so I've now chosen my 2nd programme to use and possible parts to transcribe as well. Feeling like I have more of a structure now at least. I think part of the problem is that the German dept seems to be going at a snail pace compared to the French, who have clear deadlines and who've already submitted an abstract, introduction and bibliography. During the last week of term, out supervisor had wanted to show us the structure of a dissertation but decided to talk about referencing for module essays instead.

Reply 126

Original post by fredscarecrow

Hey guys, mind if I join in? =]
I do history and I'm writing my dissertation on Victorian factory architecture and how it is representative of Victorian society...
I'm mixed between being absolutely in love with my topic and wanting to kill myself :p:

I love it, but when I think about the whole thing instead of just individual points I just feel so SO out of my depth. Had a meeting with the tutor a couple of days before the xmas break, got myself worked up I was in tears and he was just like, you're doing fine you're on track etc etc but I really don't feel like it....feel like I must have fooled him somehow :p:

Yay, more people =D
I know exactly what you mean. My diss is on the US health care system, and there's just so much out there and so much ground to cover that it's difficult to comprehend - especially given that I've not written a single marked essay in the past 2 years!

But as you said, you gotta think about in small chunks - if you do that, then you reduce the risk of hiding under a table in fear.

Reply 127

WhatTheFunk

Original post by hannah_dru

I'm not too sure when mine is either but I think it's the end of March. I'm hoping it'll take that long to write too.

That sounds great! I've not had enough days off :frown:

Hoping I can get the IT tech guy in my dept to do it for me but I'll probably ask in the tech forum anyway cos this guy's already screwed up my diss once.

end off march sounds about right, normal time for most to be in

days off are needed :p:

not good when the tech guy mess up

Reply 128

hannah_dru

2

Original post by robinson999

end off march sounds about right, normal time for most to be in

days off are needed :p:

not good when the tech guy mess up

Wish it was a bit later cos it's scary thinking how not far away March is! We have to do a viva exam on the dissertation as well. Have you got one as well?

I'm too much of a workaholic, that's my problem! Just done some more work today cos this thread makes me feel bad. I think this thread is gonna be my motivation to keep working on it! Everyone should keep posting about how far they've gotten so I keep going :tongue:

I posted in the tech forum but haven't had any replies yet. Don't really wanna ask the guy :s-smilie:

Reply 129

WhatTheFunk

Original post by hannah_dru

Wish it was a bit later cos it's scary thinking how not far away March is! We have to do a viva exam on the dissertation as well. Have you got one as well?

I'm too much of a workaholic, that's my problem! Just done some more work today cos this thread makes me feel bad. I think this thread is gonna be my motivation to keep working on it! Everyone should keep posting about how far they've gotten so I keep going :tongue:

I posted in the tech forum but haven't had any replies yet. Don't really wanna ask the guy :s-smilie:

exams on the dissertations sounds fun :p:

i wouldn't want to do that, i have a presentation thats bad enough

its really bad i do the normal guy thing non workaholic until its needs to be done, wished i was abit more off a one, i need to start ideal doing stuff this week, a plan 500 words won't take long and making this gif things off my graphs so i can show the changes in angles and how it affects stuff

the tech forum is normally helpful just have to wait :p:

Reply 130

Formerly LieDown

13

Has anyone else's dissertation deadline been pushed back because of the royal wedding? Mine has been pushed three days later. No-one knows why the royal wedding warrants not handing a dissertation in when we'll definitely be asked to go to lectures that day, but that's our department for you.

Reply 131

Original post by Formerly LieDown

Has anyone else's dissertation deadline been pushed back because of the royal wedding? Mine has been pushed three days later. No-one knows why the royal wedding warrants not handing a dissertation in when we'll definitely be asked to go to lectures that day, but that's our department for you.

Haha, I know a friend's exam has been pushed back because of the wedding as well!

I wouldn't be complaining though =P

hannah_dru

I'm too much of a workaholic, that's my problem! Just done some more work today cos this thread makes me feel bad. I think this thread is gonna be my motivation to keep working on it!

Samesame. I go through phases though; some weeks I'll just be ultra-productive, and some weeks I'll barely lift a pen, so I'm trying to make the most of going through an ultraproductive phase atm. Today's goal: finish up the second half of this assignment and start some reading for my final chapter.

Reply 132

Soph1990

12

Can anyone tell me what a lit review is and how you structure it, I have to draft a 3000 word one for next term and they haven't given us any clues as to how to do this!

Reply 133

Original post by Soph1990

Can anyone tell me what a lit review is and how you structure it, I have to draft a 3000 word one for next term and they haven't given us any clues as to how to do this!

http://www.ssdd.uce.ac.uk/learner/New%20page.htm should help quite a bit =]
I haven't done a formal lit review in my diss though (insomuch that I haven't got a chapter written for it - I've done a lot of reading and have notes etc.), so that's about all I can help.

Reply 134

WoWZa

14

Am due to be drafting the chapters of my PhD thesis ^^ There should be about 8 of them, at 10k each so 80k! This might sound a lot but it's about keeping it concise, structured and not superfluous too. There's still more empirical work to do though. As for the lit review, basically just go over academic, policy and research sources. It might give your work more validity if the sources are empirically based (e.g. where the researcher actually conducts the experiments or surveys or whatever and doesn't cross reference, that is, refer to the work of other authors). You should also analyse and evaluate it. For example, you might want to give the pros and cons of the research methodology that is used (as well as the methods that comprise it), and relate it to your discipline. Also, it's a good idea to scan through the related articles etc you come across and put in a brief summary of what it is about. There's a program called RefWorks which is very useful too.

Reply 135

Almost finished doing enough reading to make some substantial headway into my final chapter, should have a draft down by the end of the week with a bit of luck!

I actually don't know what I'll do with myself when I've finished though =/

Reply 136

Rocky Raccoon

I'm struggling with my Lit Review, have too much info and at the same time don't feel like I really narrowed down my subject so don't how to to compare my sources in that sense, as I don't know what to focus on. Also don't know how to write the Lit REview...
Hate feeling like this, and I know its just going to get worse, until the deadline...

Reply 137

jus-mi

14

Original post by Rocky Raccoon

I'm struggling with my Lit Review, have too much info and at the same time don't feel like I really narrowed down my subject so don't how to to compare my sources in that sense, as I don't know what to focus on. Also don't know how to write the Lit REview...
Hate feeling like this, and I know its just going to get worse, until the deadline...

you ain't the only one....just read read and read loads of other peoples work that should help you decide on areas to focus on

Reply 138

RS89

exactly 5 weeks left and im still all over the place

Ive got an interview tomorrow with a manager of a decent size football club and the questions are so vague and ridiculous its unreal. Ive said 30 mins max but it will no doubt be over in about 10 haha. I give myself 4 weeks to complete everything, and a week for proof read/finishing touches but there is no way i will stick to it. Most likely finished JUST in time (If not over the deadline) with no proof read at all - sounds like me.

I keep saying ill go into the library or just take a full day - 10-5pm with a couple of breaks - and just get sooo much done, make excellent progress and make my whole dissertation make some sort of sense but i have absolutely no motivation to do it whatsoever

I cant believe how quickly and easy it is to type up my problems on here but then how difficult it is to find the belief to get a couple of thousand words done on my dissertation lol

Reply 139