So holy crap have I been stuck in the pit of waytomuchtodo lately. I'm supposed to graduate this spring so I've been writing, writing, and doing a bit more writing lately and I'm still WAY behind. For those who had to do a thesis for grad school (or any similar project) how did you get it all done (or did you get it all done?)? What tips and tricks did you do to keep yourself sane and get everything done in time? How did you handle your advisor and their totally insane but completely reasonable demands?
Overwhelmed much?
- Thread starter Espy
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Biannoshufu
their totally insane but completely reasonable
Based on that fragment....
Meth. It's what 's for breakfast.
Based on that fragment....
Meth. It's what 's for breakfast.
I really had to slog through my Master's thesis. I think in part because it was my first time really writing an honest-to-goodness paper. It isn't easy to get yourself going, which I still struggle with today (as do many writers of all creeds). I think what got me through it was focusing only on what I had to do next. Looking at the big picture is nice for when you need the big picture, but it is terrifying when you realize how much has to get done. A "to do" list helps, but I wouldn't overload it with stuff because that makes it seem daunting. Rather, note what you absolutely have to get done next, as well as the few things after that. Writing the thesis is a matter of doing and nothing more. You've done all the brainstorming, you've got the goal set, now it is time to crunch right through it. And that begins with the first step.
As an example, whenever I didn't much feel like writing but I knew I had to start or it would never happen, that is when I would sit down and write the first sentence, however lousy it might be. Then I would try for the second sentence, etc. It seems like a no-brainer, since that is how most things are written: one sentence after the other. But it is easy to get distracted by, well anything, and you may hav eto make yourself focus on each little individual step for a while. Once you get going, it can turn into real progress very quickly. I still follow this plan of attack to this day when I need to write or get something done that I am not very inclined towards doing. Often I begin with an outline because it is like a to do list in its own way, then I work up to the first thing i need to write, etc.
It is simply and boring advice but, for me at least, it works.
Oh, and by the way, once I got through the thesis, the dissertation was a breeze. There's nothing like realizing you can get it done to motivate you to get the next thing done. In summary, you can do eeeeet!
As an example, whenever I didn't much feel like writing but I knew I had to start or it would never happen, that is when I would sit down and write the first sentence, however lousy it might be. Then I would try for the second sentence, etc. It seems like a no-brainer, since that is how most things are written: one sentence after the other. But it is easy to get distracted by, well anything, and you may hav eto make yourself focus on each little individual step for a while. Once you get going, it can turn into real progress very quickly. I still follow this plan of attack to this day when I need to write or get something done that I am not very inclined towards doing. Often I begin with an outline because it is like a to do list in its own way, then I work up to the first thing i need to write, etc.
It is simply and boring advice but, for me at least, it works.
Oh, and by the way, once I got through the thesis, the dissertation was a breeze. There's nothing like realizing you can get it done to motivate you to get the next thing done. In summary, you can do eeeeet!
Hey Espy,
I don't know how much help this will be, but this seems to help me when writing papers.
First, I try to get in my head a rough idea what the paper/dissertation is about. A professor used to ask me, "What's the take home message for the farmers?" Couple of simple sentences that sum it up.
I then get a legal pad and make a bullet-point outline for the whole paper. So, for me:
Intro:
-natural gas well production increasing
-alt fuel source
-shale gas
-corrosion in gas wells/pipelines
-H2S - sour gas
-Barnett shale
Materials & Methods:
-etc
Results
-stuff
Conclusion
-lots of stuff
---
That gives me a road map of where I'm headed. Then, I attack it. Just jump in and start writing. I used that outline, and make sure I write at least one sentence for each bullet point. I don't care if the grammar ain't not bad - I just spit something out. I find the longer I put off the actual writing the time it takes to finish is exponentially longer. By jumping in and writing something, it forces me to get going.
Once that's done, I re-read some sources to fill in the gaps and flesh it out.
Then, fix grammar and structure.
Then, re-read some sources and make it deeper (esp conclusion).
Rinse and repeat until I have at least 3 drafts in the bag before I show my prof.
As for dealing with the prof., I tell mine, "I am more than happy to show you what I have finished, but you won't like it. Let me polish it some more." Something like that.
Hope this helps.
Don't worry about making it pretty the first time around. You should never turn anything in w/o re-reading and re-writing a couple of time. Get a fresh pair of eyes to help with this as well.
I don't know how much help this will be, but this seems to help me when writing papers.
First, I try to get in my head a rough idea what the paper/dissertation is about. A professor used to ask me, "What's the take home message for the farmers?" Couple of simple sentences that sum it up.
I then get a legal pad and make a bullet-point outline for the whole paper. So, for me:
Intro:
-natural gas well production increasing
-alt fuel source
-shale gas
-corrosion in gas wells/pipelines
-H2S - sour gas
-Barnett shale
Materials & Methods:
-etc
Results
-stuff
Conclusion
-lots of stuff
---
That gives me a road map of where I'm headed. Then, I attack it. Just jump in and start writing. I used that outline, and make sure I write at least one sentence for each bullet point. I don't care if the grammar ain't not bad - I just spit something out. I find the longer I put off the actual writing the time it takes to finish is exponentially longer. By jumping in and writing something, it forces me to get going.
Once that's done, I re-read some sources to fill in the gaps and flesh it out.
Then, fix grammar and structure.
Then, re-read some sources and make it deeper (esp conclusion).
Rinse and repeat until I have at least 3 drafts in the bag before I show my prof.
As for dealing with the prof., I tell mine, "I am more than happy to show you what I have finished, but you won't like it. Let me polish it some more." Something like that.
Hope this helps.
Don't worry about making it pretty the first time around. You should never turn anything in w/o re-reading and re-writing a couple of time. Get a fresh pair of eyes to help with this as well.
That is super helpful guys... I think part of whats going on is that I'm just... so freaking tired of being in school and writing papers. I'm in burnout mode right now for sure. I mean, I LOVE my topic, I want to write about it, I want to read about it but yet... I just don't want to do anything school related.
I need some discipline right now. Not the S&M kind. I know what you were thinking. Yes, you.
I need some discipline right now. Not the S&M kind. I know what you were thinking. Yes, you.
Sounds pretty much par for course. I think everyone getting a Ma/PhD reaches a point where they can't stand to look at their own data, and their professor is driving them nuts. It makes it so tough to get the fire burning again. I really have to unplug the internet and tv and find an isolated place and just work. Otherwise, I can waste tons of time on frivolous and ridiculous things.
Good luck buddy.
If you possibly can, take some time off. Like a month. Don't so much as think about your thesis. (This helped me through my MA at least.)
For myself, the MA thesis was a slog, mostly because, like many, I was so bloody sick of school (yet, I went back for more even after finishing the MA...). I had gotten all the research done, but couldn't make myself type up the actual paper. Procrastinating by way of creating a detailed outline can be useful - it avoids more reading, but also once you go to write, you're mostly just filling in the blanks with what you've learned (at least, that seemed to work in Religious Studies....) Or you can just bear down and write - this is actually what happened to me, depsite that not being normal for my writing style. I was confronted with a piece of policy (at the beginning of January) that said that drafts had to be complete by the end of January. So 5 days of 6 hours of writing per day later, I had a complete draft. Not recommended, but it worked. [Oh, and it turns out that the policy was actually more of a recommendation, and no one ever actually did that.]
As for advisor demands... just do them. Arguing is useless, and ultimately, your advisor is right (no matter how painful that realization may be). Put your head down, and swallow whatever pride you may still have left.
For myself, the MA thesis was a slog, mostly because, like many, I was so bloody sick of school (yet, I went back for more even after finishing the MA...). I had gotten all the research done, but couldn't make myself type up the actual paper. Procrastinating by way of creating a detailed outline can be useful - it avoids more reading, but also once you go to write, you're mostly just filling in the blanks with what you've learned (at least, that seemed to work in Religious Studies....) Or you can just bear down and write - this is actually what happened to me, depsite that not being normal for my writing style. I was confronted with a piece of policy (at the beginning of January) that said that drafts had to be complete by the end of January. So 5 days of 6 hours of writing per day later, I had a complete draft. Not recommended, but it worked. [Oh, and it turns out that the policy was actually more of a recommendation, and no one ever actually did that.]
As for advisor demands... just do them. Arguing is useless, and ultimately, your advisor is right (no matter how painful that realization may be). Put your head down, and swallow whatever pride you may still have left.
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