Messed up my dissertation?
Hi everyone!
So I am going into my final year of physical geography at Exeter. I have decided to do my dissertation investigating heavy metals in roadside dust.
As part of my dissertation I need do fieldwork and collect samples from 4 roads. I said to myself that I would be super organised and plan everything well. However, this has not happened because I am a panicking disorganised person.
For a start, I am collecting way too many samples (12 over a 3km stretch) which is taking pretty much a whole day to do. This ultimately means that some for one of my roads, sample collection ended up running from late afternoon to evening and another road went from morning to evening which are 2 completely times of the day with different traffic rushes.
Additionally, I needed to collect samples in the ideally 3 days after rain. I was able to do 2 roads this week in the july heatwave, but I have 2 more to do which will probably be next week after the Thursday storm and about 1 or 2 days after rain.
There was also one point where I could collect samples in one of my roads because it was a flyover, so I decided to eliminate it from my list of samples. I wish I'd collected an alternative sample but both me and my dad were so exhausted we just went home. I've only got 11 samples for that road.
Finally, my way of dust collection has changed. For my first road I had a quadrat of 2m2 from which I collected dust from. However, for my second roads there simply wasn't enough dust in each quadrat so I had to go beyond the bounds.I'm also slightly worried about contamination from the chalk markings I drew.
Those are the main things but I'm constantly worrying about how poorly organised I've been and how there were so many things I could've done better if I'd actually planned it properly. I know and accept that it was all my fault- I kinda rushed the fieldwork when I realised that the weather would be really good this week.
I have been stressing constantly about it. I have no motivation to write up my methodology because I messed it up so bad. I just want a second chance to plan it all properly again.
Does anyone have any advice
So I am going into my final year of physical geography at Exeter. I have decided to do my dissertation investigating heavy metals in roadside dust.
As part of my dissertation I need do fieldwork and collect samples from 4 roads. I said to myself that I would be super organised and plan everything well. However, this has not happened because I am a panicking disorganised person.
For a start, I am collecting way too many samples (12 over a 3km stretch) which is taking pretty much a whole day to do. This ultimately means that some for one of my roads, sample collection ended up running from late afternoon to evening and another road went from morning to evening which are 2 completely times of the day with different traffic rushes.
Additionally, I needed to collect samples in the ideally 3 days after rain. I was able to do 2 roads this week in the july heatwave, but I have 2 more to do which will probably be next week after the Thursday storm and about 1 or 2 days after rain.
There was also one point where I could collect samples in one of my roads because it was a flyover, so I decided to eliminate it from my list of samples. I wish I'd collected an alternative sample but both me and my dad were so exhausted we just went home. I've only got 11 samples for that road.
Finally, my way of dust collection has changed. For my first road I had a quadrat of 2m2 from which I collected dust from. However, for my second roads there simply wasn't enough dust in each quadrat so I had to go beyond the bounds.I'm also slightly worried about contamination from the chalk markings I drew.
Those are the main things but I'm constantly worrying about how poorly organised I've been and how there were so many things I could've done better if I'd actually planned it properly. I know and accept that it was all my fault- I kinda rushed the fieldwork when I realised that the weather would be really good this week.
I have been stressing constantly about it. I have no motivation to write up my methodology because I messed it up so bad. I just want a second chance to plan it all properly again.
Does anyone have any advice
Reply 1
Original post
by l_ferraoHi everyone!
So I am going into my final year of physical geography at Exeter. I have decided to do my dissertation investigating heavy metals in roadside dust.
As part of my dissertation I need do fieldwork and collect samples from 4 roads. I said to myself that I would be super organised and plan everything well. However, this has not happened because I am a panicking disorganised person.
For a start, I am collecting way too many samples (12 over a 3km stretch) which is taking pretty much a whole day to do. This ultimately means that some for one of my roads, sample collection ended up running from late afternoon to evening and another road went from morning to evening which are 2 completely times of the day with different traffic rushes.
Additionally, I needed to collect samples in the ideally 3 days after rain. I was able to do 2 roads this week in the july heatwave, but I have 2 more to do which will probably be next week after the Thursday storm and about 1 or 2 days after rain.
There was also one point where I could collect samples in one of my roads because it was a flyover, so I decided to eliminate it from my list of samples. I wish I'd collected an alternative sample but both me and my dad were so exhausted we just went home. I've only got 11 samples for that road.
Finally, my way of dust collection has changed. For my first road I had a quadrat of 2m2 from which I collected dust from. However, for my second roads there simply wasn't enough dust in each quadrat so I had to go beyond the bounds.I'm also slightly worried about contamination from the chalk markings I drew.
Those are the main things but I'm constantly worrying about how poorly organised I've been and how there were so many things I could've done better if I'd actually planned it properly. I know and accept that it was all my fault- I kinda rushed the fieldwork when I realised that the weather would be really good this week.
I have been stressing constantly about it. I have no motivation to write up my methodology because I messed it up so bad. I just want a second chance to plan it all properly again.
Does anyone have any advice
So I am going into my final year of physical geography at Exeter. I have decided to do my dissertation investigating heavy metals in roadside dust.
As part of my dissertation I need do fieldwork and collect samples from 4 roads. I said to myself that I would be super organised and plan everything well. However, this has not happened because I am a panicking disorganised person.
For a start, I am collecting way too many samples (12 over a 3km stretch) which is taking pretty much a whole day to do. This ultimately means that some for one of my roads, sample collection ended up running from late afternoon to evening and another road went from morning to evening which are 2 completely times of the day with different traffic rushes.
Additionally, I needed to collect samples in the ideally 3 days after rain. I was able to do 2 roads this week in the july heatwave, but I have 2 more to do which will probably be next week after the Thursday storm and about 1 or 2 days after rain.
There was also one point where I could collect samples in one of my roads because it was a flyover, so I decided to eliminate it from my list of samples. I wish I'd collected an alternative sample but both me and my dad were so exhausted we just went home. I've only got 11 samples for that road.
Finally, my way of dust collection has changed. For my first road I had a quadrat of 2m2 from which I collected dust from. However, for my second roads there simply wasn't enough dust in each quadrat so I had to go beyond the bounds.I'm also slightly worried about contamination from the chalk markings I drew.
Those are the main things but I'm constantly worrying about how poorly organised I've been and how there were so many things I could've done better if I'd actually planned it properly. I know and accept that it was all my fault- I kinda rushed the fieldwork when I realised that the weather would be really good this week.
I have been stressing constantly about it. I have no motivation to write up my methodology because I messed it up so bad. I just want a second chance to plan it all properly again.
Does anyone have any advice
As I have previously done 2 dissertations one for my bachelors and one for masters this is the best advise I can give you.
Be honest in your dissertation. Start writing what your methodology was and how it went. What will save you and help you is the discussion section that is where you can put everything that went good and bad in writing. You can explain what would you have done differently.
I have found throughout the years that a good dissertation is one with mistakes because it will show you have acknowledged the fact that you've rushed and you're aware of your mistakes but that you also know what you would do differently if the opportunity would come up again.
Reply 2
Hi there!
I also did my undergraduate in Physical Geography at Exeter and completely understand what you are going through. As I am not an academic or university staff I cannot give you a definite answer on what to do, however as a person who got inconclusive results for my diss I can tell you what I did which is thoroughly explain everything in your methodology and discussion.
The information I was given from my diss advisor is that it does not essetially matter if you do or do not get the results you wanted, the most important thing is to explain your methodology, limitations, suggestions for further research etc. In a way need to be able to "support" your inconclusive results, why you got them, support it with existing literature etc.
I would highly suggest reaching our to your advisor or personal tutor and discussing the matter with him. I am sure that they will be able to help you on how to adjust your methodology with a time limit and help you with your worries. You can also see if you are eligible for mitigation which would allow you more time to adjust the project.
It is normal to hit a road bump when writing a dissertation, the most important thing is to not lose motivation, find a way to work around it and explore other methods! As I am sure you know the geography department at Exeter has wonderful staff so you can reach out to almost anyone and I am sure they will. be able to offer technical/methodology advice.
Again, this is all my personal advice and experience.
I hope this helps and fingers crossed it all works out!😊
Laura
Exeter University Student Ambassador
I also did my undergraduate in Physical Geography at Exeter and completely understand what you are going through. As I am not an academic or university staff I cannot give you a definite answer on what to do, however as a person who got inconclusive results for my diss I can tell you what I did which is thoroughly explain everything in your methodology and discussion.
The information I was given from my diss advisor is that it does not essetially matter if you do or do not get the results you wanted, the most important thing is to explain your methodology, limitations, suggestions for further research etc. In a way need to be able to "support" your inconclusive results, why you got them, support it with existing literature etc.
I would highly suggest reaching our to your advisor or personal tutor and discussing the matter with him. I am sure that they will be able to help you on how to adjust your methodology with a time limit and help you with your worries. You can also see if you are eligible for mitigation which would allow you more time to adjust the project.
It is normal to hit a road bump when writing a dissertation, the most important thing is to not lose motivation, find a way to work around it and explore other methods! As I am sure you know the geography department at Exeter has wonderful staff so you can reach out to almost anyone and I am sure they will. be able to offer technical/methodology advice.
Again, this is all my personal advice and experience.
I hope this helps and fingers crossed it all works out!😊
Laura
Exeter University Student Ambassador
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