Thesis Nightmare

Psychoangel2u · July 2013

Fellow graduate student brides: Is anyone else ready to rip their hair out with this thesis right now!? My proposal is supposed to be turned into my major professor in an effort to have time to receive feedback and make changes and before one of my committee members goes on sabbatical in September. I have a few problems right now: 1. I have ADHD and totally procrastinated on writing this... I revamped my whole research question, thus making me scrap my proposal and start over. Parts of the original are still salvageable, but several major sections (i.e. my theoretical orientation, part of the literature review, etc.) have to be rewritten and 2. I'm on a massive amount of prednisone right now to fight a sinus infection from hell, which is hindering my ability to speak or think coherently. Although I KNOW what I'm trying to write, I can't seem to get a coherent sentence out. I literally just spent half an hour trying to write my 'sample' section, only to say screw it and decide that tackling my theory section might be easier. -Blank stare- Wtf?

Encouragement? Advice? Someone close willing to share a glass of wine? LOL!

bethsmiles · July 2013

*hugs* I feel your pain. I'm in the beginning stages of my thesis and doing lots of research that seems never ending! I'm hoping to start the lit. review and have my proposal finished before the end of September. So I'm stressing out a bit because my department has a lot of people wanting to submit thesis proposals but they won't all necessarily get accepted.

I know this post is a couple days old so I hope things are going better for you today!

[Deleted User] · July 2013

I've been there. Don't worry, you will get through this. It took several drafts to get my proposal through over several months and even now my dissertation has changed slightly; this is normal. If you are worried about deadlines, try to finish one section and send that to your advisor explaining that you are on meds for a sinus infection. Chances are he/she will understand that it is near impossible to do academic work with a sinus infection.

Another technique that I use when I cannot focus is to use point form. When I was writing my second draft of my first chapter I was so freaked out I could not write. So I would write the paragraph is point form with a half hour time limit. Then I would take a half hour break, and come back and re-write it in full sentence form with another half hour limit. This system means that you take tons of breaks, but working for five hours focused over ten hours is more productive than starring blankly at your computer screen for hours on end (something I do fairly often). Also, if you find that you are like me and often get distract my the internet and email, check out Freedom -- it is a computer program that blocks you out of the internet for a set time.

I hope that helps. Just remember, what you are experiencing is pretty normal and you will get through it! Good Luck!

bethsmiles · July 2013

@elBecko - That really sucks that the professor you wanted to work with retired! I have a somewhat similar problem in that none of the professors in my department focus in the area I want to focus in. It will be interesting to see how that works as my thesis progresses!

I had the same problem you did before picking my thesis topic - I have SO many interests! I still have moments where I'm reading a journal article and think, oh this would be so awesome to do a thesis on! But my advice to you is to pick something that you are passionate about, that you can just go on and on about even if no one else cares.

Ldnaghey · August 2013

I am writing my initial proposal this week! Our wedding is in two months- I wanted to not be planning away while I needed to concentrate on my research. Hopefully the honeymoon isn't too distracting haha! Best wishes for your thesis and your marriage, I send you many good vibes!

Psychoangel2u · August 2013

Hey ladies, I apologize for not popping back in sooner! Things have been... hectic!

I finally found my motivation, somewhat. I'm on what seems like the umpteenth rewrite of my proposal, but it's getting there. I had a productive meeting with my major professor Thursday, and she was impressed with the progress that I've made thus far. I have another draft of my proposal due tonight, so I've been plunking away at it off and on for the last day or so. They're not major changs, but rather a bunch of minor ones. 'Explain more here, shorten your intro, cite here, what do you mean by this?' She wants the majority of the corrections addressed in this draft, and will send me comments back (we're using track changes/comment bubbles) prior to our next meeting on Wednesday.

Someone reassure me that this will get done eventually. Ugh! I feel like I've rewritten it so many times that I have the damn thing memorized!

(Also, if there are any fellow Sociology/Criminology grad. students here... I could use some help! I'm trying to track down more information on symbolic interactionism and authentic/inauthentic identities, particularly by Herbert Blumer. K-State keeps trying to tell me that they can only find the articles in French, which I call total BS on!)

Psychoangel2u · August 2013

@bethsmiles this is far from the original topic that I started with! I keep a running list of 'research interests' for future projects, publication pieces, etc. For my thesis I just went with the one that seemed to be the most feasible to get done before I graduate in the spring.

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