Has anyone else written a thesis?

[Kerensa]

I am in the final stages of my masters degree - just 50 pages or so of my thesis between me and freedom. But that might as well be 5000 right now. I spent all weekend staring at the words on my pages and didn't get a thing done. My eyes are turning square from staring at the monitor so much, I have started compusively checking mountain bike websites, I am way too talented at procrastination. Anyone been where I am right now? Any advice on how to get this done. It is time to move on. I am supposed to hand in a finsihed copy to my supervisor today and well.... she is going to be mad at me... again...

[sAFETY]

What's your topic?

[Kerensa]

global health governance, HIV/AIDS in South Africa and the use of metaphors in our language and how they shape what we do and how we think about things...


I know pretty exciting eh?

[biopace]

What is your actual question? (thesis question, that is)

[Kerensa]

What is the implication of the metaphors used in the speech acts of President Mbeki for those on the margins in South African Society....

(ex. AIDS gets securitized -talked about as war)

why is it that you asked ??????????

[stinky_rider7]

I've been there.. and it sucked...
I moved to Van (from Montreal) before I finished writing my thesis (M.Sc.A in chem. enginerring) and I actually started my phD before i was done the master's... It was horrible because I was stuck with finishing something I was not interested in anymore and having to do new work...
Like you, I would stare at paragraphs over and over again and my problem was that I wasn't 100% happy with my experimental results so I was never satisfied with my discussion... To top it off, my supervisor was at the other side of the country so it was easier to ignore him...
Also, I'm an expert at procrastination. To "refresh" my mind, I would always browse the internet and even do chores at home....
In the end, several things helped (if I actually stuck to them)
1. Work where there are no distractions: ie. no internet connection, TV, phone (turn off your cell phone)
2. Work with rewards in mind (you can start small): eg for 4 solid hours of productive work, do something fun for 1 hour. Also, make sure to reward yourself after the work is accomplished, not before (I sometimes tend to fall into that trap: I have my fun before, in hopes I'll feel guilty later and work harder: this doesn't really work very well...)
3. Break down the work into smaller objectives and set a realistic timeline for each small part: this might make the whole thing seem less daunting. If you look at the big picture, the whole thing can become very off-putting and scary...
4. Make sure you get adequate sleep, exercise and food: although you might get less total work hours a day if you this, the work hours you will have will tend to be more productive.
5. Maintain a minimum amount of fun in your life throughout the process (preferably by applying 2.). The last thing you need is to become bitter, stressed out and totally overwhelmed (I got to that point, and believe me, the writing doesn't work any better).
6. Change your work routine if the one you're using now isn't working. This might help you "re-focus". eg: try to find a new spot to work, or even a different time of day.
7. If you are stuck (ie not getting a thing done all weekend), make sure the new objectives you set aren't too big. eg. If you get 3 hours of productive work done in 1 day (after 2 days of nothing), don't feel guilty about it being only 3 hours, feel proud that you did 3 hours and got some work done...
8. Get help from your supervisor. I don't know your supervisor and I realize they are all different, but it is their job to help you out...
9. Ask your friends, family to help in any way that suits you best (this could mean asking them to give you space for awhile or them helping to proof-read or even them helping you stick to your timeline by sharing your objectives)

Oh, and don't forget to go riding to get "refreshed" and "refocused"

Hope that helps and GOOD LUCK...

Now, if I could just stick to my own advice and finish my phd thesis proposal :flame:

[Kerensa]

hahahh thanks stinky rider that is great advice - I good luck on your proposal - I am going to go for a bike ride - and then get to work

[biopace]

What is the implication of the metaphors used in the speech acts of President Mbeki for those on the margins in South African Society....

(ex. AIDS gets securitized -talked about as war)

why is it that you asked ??????????
Curious. Sounded like a really interesting topic. Is it from an IR, linguistics or language and politics basis? Are you just looking at Mbeki, or at Leon, Buthelezi, etc. and media as well?

Stinky rider's got some good ideas. It also helps if you have someone knowledgeable (other than your profs/advisor) that you can talk to about your ideas. A foil, if you will. Or is that a muse. I don't know. But you get the idea.

[Neo]

i've been there many times. i'm sure you know this, but the best thing you can do is go for a ride or a walk and clear your head. then just shut yourself in and get it done. think of the relief and freedom you will feel once it is out of the way. i know its so easy to procrastinate near the end on those big projects. its the same in the work world. when i am on a big special project, it is always the last 10% that is the toughest to finish, and sometimes its a mental block. but do something to clear the mind and then plow into it and i feel so good to get it off the plate.

good luck :)

[Kerensa]

Curious. Sounded like a really interesting topic. Is it from an IR, linguistics or language and politics basis? Are you just looking at Mbeki, or at Leon, Buthelezi, etc. and media as well?

Stinky rider's got some good ideas. It also helps if you have someone knowledgeable (other than your profs/advisor) that you can talk to about your ideas. A foil, if you will. Or is that a muse. I don't know. But you get the idea.



My degree is an IR degree- I use critical IR as my theoretical starting point - but I am definately taking a very linguistic approach to my topic. (Critical Discourse Analysis) - and I am trying to keep it to Mbeki becuase everyone keeps telling me I am doing a PhD instead of a masters- and I just want to get done - this summer I am going to go to South Africa for a few months - and I am definately taking my bike :-)

but it is funny - because it is on AIDS everyone keeps trying to pigeon hole my research into development which I don't like so much (I guess it doesn't help that I worked for CIDA before I went back to school)

[enduramil]

Learned this long ago and use it now for writing for some coaching I do. When I get to a point where it's a struggle to write or can't finish part of it. That's when to walk away for a bit. Go for a ride. Usually it starts up again and comes together.

The more you force it to come together the harder it gets. When you force it is usually when you miss something.

[Kerensa]

thanks everyone - your good advice and supportive words are actually extremely helpfull -

[caitlin]

get 'er done gurl!