Dropping out of Masters so embarrassed and lost

[KnuckFows]

Realised my dissertation is simply not good enough. It absolute won't pass, it would be ok for undergrad but not this. DP is exasperated says I'm being too hard on myself and negative, that's not it though it really is not relevant and only realised what the problem is today and can't fix it in a couple of days.

I'm so depressed about this, and my family will be a bit contemptuous. I've dropped out of a postgrad degree before but really thought I could do it this time - and I have done well in my assignments so there's that. I will have a certificate.

My family all take for granted I can just do this level of academic work, I grew up being told how bright I am and im clearly bloody not!! I feel like that is (unintentionally) a set up for feeling like a failure when I can't deliver? Which I honestly can't.

I have an adhd diagnosis but not even really sure I have it, I have several medical conditions which can possibly interfere with concentration and stamina, and mean I could not try the adhd medication anyway.

The thing is it doesn't even matter what the reason is for failing, the reasons why become meaningless, just that oh look KnuckFows has failed again smirk smirk.

At a loss, not sure what direction to go in now without this degree. More fool me for thinking id get it.

.

[OstrichRunning]

The other thing I meant to say is, 'no findings' is a perfectly legitimate finding in the kind of secondary data review you described. And can constitute a useful contribution. It sounds like a crisis of confidence of confidence to me. Agree with mathanxiety - sleep on it, and when you revisit it tomorrow, focus on its rhetoric for want of a better word - spell out connections, link the dots.

Headings/subheadings can be useful. A useful tip someone once gave me was to use headings within chapters, and then make sure the last sentence in a section explicitly connects that section to the next one.

A very bad example: 'This section has explored the importance of X in [research question]. Another concept relevant to the issue of [research question] is Y, which is the focus of the next section.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

You could certainly use the tenuous material constructively for length. Something like I have considered study x on [topic]. However I do not think it is relevant because of these reasons...

[OstrichRunning]

And yes, of course submit it anyway, if you don't change a single thing. As someone else said, you've nothing to lose.

[KnuckFows]

My citations aren’t correctly formatted either, I’ve used a simple Harvard system with brackets with author and year, which I thought was ok but this department want different one. That’s my own fault obviously, when I was trying to write I just used Harvard as it’s what I know. I don’t have time to make up the word count plus do all the footnotes required and really worried that a rush job will result in a plagiarism warning which would be worse than not submitting. I’d rather have no degree than have anyone think I’m sneakily not giving credit to other people, and trying to cheat.

[everythingthelighttouches]

You are the author of your destiny.

If you want to submit you can, don’t kid yourself that you have no choice, that it is too late or that you already made the mistakes which are irreparable.

Those are just excuses you are making for yourself because you are an over critical, procrastinator with serious anxiety issues.

Guess what? You’re not that rare, this is really common in academics.

But for the love of god, make the right choices now. Right now. At this moment.

You know you will write those last few thousand words brilliantly and that you do it best under pressure.

Stop using us as a distraction technique. You know what you need to do.

Wishing you much success, from someone just like you

[Chocmallows]

Does your HE provider use Cite It Right? You may find information in the HE library area to this website or similar. The key, I have been advised, with citations is to be consistent and make it easier for someone to find your sources (if they chose to look).

[mathanxiety]

Do you have an auto citation site at your disposal?

I’d rather have no degree than have anyone think I’m sneakily not giving credit to other people, and trying to cheat.

This ^^ is your anxiety scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Come on now, pull yourself together.

[Reallybadidea]

I used a program called Paerpile for my references. You can pick what style to use and it is really easy and straightforward to use. I think they do a free trial and I reckon you could bang them out in a couple of hours.

[housinghelp101]

I used Juris-M. You basically put in the web address and it generates the reference. You can choose from a number of citation styles, it also automatically generates the bibliography.

[Zippy1510]

OP- I’m a course lead for a university MSc program. Have you spoken to your module lead or course lead about your concerns? Have you had any feedback on the work so far? If you are at the stage of writing a dissertation then I wouldn’t give up now- you are right at the end! Have you had other assessments? If you are struggling there should be resources there to support you. Have you thought of giving student support an email?

[holymolyitsakraken]

Please don't take this the wrong way but you sound like you either wanted to fail as you feel you are not worthy and so created a self fulfilling prophecy , or you are self sabotaging. My husband did this with a big test, was worried about the change that him passing would cause but I knew he could pass. After two fails I sat him down and pointed it all out and he passed with 100%

With my degree I left everything until the last minute. Self sabotage... then I could blame rushing for my failure. But I got my degree. Once I had faith in myself I did well at the MA.

You can still get a Post grad diploma and graduate . Maybe even swap your credits to the Ou and do another mindful and get an open or related ma?

[OrangeCinnamon]

Mendeley , cite it right and endnote are tools to use ppfor citations. You are just going to allocate a few hours rereferencing at the end.

Dont give up now...your self esteem will thank you for completing ..it will then get easier in life generally going forth.

You are very good at telling yourself negative things. Just try a whole day if talking to yourself positively and working on this see how far you get

[JamieVardysHavingAParty]

As others have said, use a citation website. You can just copy and paste things into cite it right, and use the drop-down menu to pick whichever format you've been asked to produce.

[Reallybadidea]

And you've already been told that you can have another attempt for a capped grade so you don't even need to pass, just submit for the deadline and then you've got more time to rework it if it fails.

Come on, don't give up now! Didn't you say that this is in aid of getting a particular job? Don't let go of that dream, you can do it!

[KnuckFows]

Not sure what to do. It's complicated but I fucked up and made a mistake with something else with timing for delivery - I thought the electronic copy would be ok by the deadline at first, then realised no it wouldn't it needs a hard copy (this is what I mean about the stress making me stupid - I am not joking I am making really illogical mistakes) and for reasons I don't want to get into I am not in London where it needs to be delivered.

Is there a service that can print and deliver on Monday if I pay enough?

I'm still trying after more sleep. Yesterday I felt like the stress was breaking me physically again. I was trying to cut up my food and take a forkful to my mouth, and just couldn't do it like 'normal' I couldn't steer it or keep it on the fork. I think it's just very toxic anxiety but of course I'm also anxious that I have developed a cognitive impariment which has links to one of my long term medical conditions.

[bibliomania]

You can print it off and send by DHL.

[SurpriseSparDay]

Is it really impossible for you to take whatever it is to London on Monday? That needs to be a priority, surely?

[KnuckFows]

I am overseas, and have missed deadline with courier company for international delivery.

[Honeythekittycat]

www.digitalprinting.co.uk

Have a look at this company. I think they will print and bind your document and then arrange delivery.

[KnuckFows]

Thank you, I found one that can do it via my other thread. The first few I called wouldn't deliver to a university but this one will.

[SurpriseSparDay]

Have you checked that your institution/department will accept such a delivery? (I hope they will but I recall my MA Dept being very specific about the requirement to deliver the million copies of everything to the office oneself.)

[KnuckFows]

Yes, they should, I checked this ages ago when planning to send it by courier in plenty of time ages before the deadline.

[SurpriseSparDay]

Good!

[mathanxiety]

You should contact the department secretary to alert him or her that your delivery will be arriving by courier on X date. Get a signature.

Well done for keeping on plugging on!

Keep going!

When the worries come a-knocking, tell them you will address them later.

[Sashkin]

Is there a service that can print and deliver on Monday if I pay enough?

Just spotted this: yes, Prontaprint.

Actually if you check your institution’s intranet, in the thesis submission guidelines, they may have a list of local printers. But if not, yes Prontaprint will do it with a couple of hours’ notice (dependent on which university and how far away the nearest Prontaprint office is).