Dissertation Stress

mark1234567890

Hi everyone,

Long time lurker, first time poster on this part of the board. :money:


So my final year dissertation is due in next Friday and I am really worried.:o

It’s not that I haven’t done any work – it’s just that I haven’t done enough.

I honestly don’t think that I am going to be able to get 10,000 words done in a week to a good standard. I am upset because I have had soooo much time to do it (almost 4 months) and I have left it until the last minute. In my defence I was prioritising other assignments but that is no excuse.

The research is done. It is just the writing that I can’t seem to put together.

I really don’t know where to go from here. What makes it worse was that I desperatley need this to be good in order to pull me out of the 2:2 bracket.


Life is pretty !!!! at the moment – all because of this!

lcharm

I sympathise with you, I had several projects in my final yr and Masters which stressed me out like hell!

There is no doubt that a few all nighters are on the agenda.

MindMap everything you are planning to write. Use flowcharts of how you are going to link topics together than it should all come to you.

You have 7 days so you should aim to get it done on the 6th day to take into account any delays in printing/corrections etc... So that would be just over 1600 per day. It's actually quite doable!!!

Once you get your intro sorted then the ball is rolling and it gets easier. I got a 2:2 but I was on a 3rd after my 2nd yr!! but I got a merit for my masters so it made up for it a anyway!

Will your superviser/tutor allow you to submit chunks of your diss. as first drafts as you go along? That would be good

Oldernotwiser

Why not think of it as 1,400 words a day? You might not want to write it in that way but it makes it seem much more manageable. Anyone can write 1,400 words in a day, particularly if they get off the internet and start doing it! Good luck.

blue_ashleigh

Sit down and make a plan of what you need to get done every day (and then stick to it!). That way you're not just sitting down with no plan and stressing that it's not done! Oh, and plan in 'computer' time or whatever (but like half an hour) - e.g. facebook, this site or whatever you do everyday so you can still check what you want to, but it's also not distracting you from what you're doing.

Good luck!

Miss_Liquorice

Best of luck with the dissertation! I'm sure it will all come through after a few crates of red bull and possibly turning your mobile off for a few hours!

Whenever you find yourself starting to get worked up, I find it helps to just go for a walk round the house, go for a shower, get a snack, something for ten minutes to distract myself. Then I can go back to thinking about what I'm doing rather than how badly I'm doing at it.


Also remember just how good it's going to feel once it's handed in! :beer:

LilMissEmmylou

ill not be long behind u - just starting my research now for mine (well on monday), just know ur not the only one in the boat you are in. I agree with whoever said the research is the hard bit - once you start writing it should all come together Good luck!

cant_think_of_a_name_3

I've had mine since start of the year. I've done about 20 hours reading so far but still know nothing & don't feel ready to write a single word yet. Mine's not in until 1st May but with other assignments and working 20hours a week I never have any time.

Majorly stressed about it all. Unless I get my head down soon I'm gonna miss out on a first overall by fractions of a percent!!

If I get told what I need to write about I tend to be really good at it because I'll study the subject area in depth & do a really good piece of work. But left to my own devices I'm just running round in circles getting nothing done.

In other words, you're not alone feeling stressed out!

bestpud

cant_think_of_a_name wrote: »

I've had mine since start of the year. I've done about 20 hours reading so far but still know nothing & don't feel ready to write a single word yet. Mine's not in until 1st May but with other assignments and working 20hours a week I never have any time.

Majorly stressed about it all. Unless I get my head down soon I'm gonna miss out on a first overall by fractions of a percent!!

If I get told what I need to write about I tend to be really good at it because I'll study the subject area in depth & do a really good piece of work. But left to my own devices I'm just running round in circles getting nothing done.

In other words, you're not alone feeling stressed out!

Why not have a meeting with your supervisor and see if you can devise some chapter headings from what you have read already, and intend to study?

That way you will have a better idea of what you are covering in each section and may find it easier?

If you are struggling, it is better to let them know as any worth their salt will support you in finding a solution that works for you. They won't be able to do anything if you leave it until April to tell them you've got nowhere!